It's a familiar quote to most people: "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it". It is a quote with spiritual ramifications as well. In fact, we might rephrase it thusly: "those who do not remember what they have been are doomed to repeat it". Let's let the apostle Paul explain:
"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" (Ephesians 2:1-3)
It's easy to forget that none of us were "born righteous". The longer we live as followers of Christ, the easier it is to forget just who and what we were before. Paul makes it painfully clear that we were a far cry from God desired of us. Prior to His grace, we willingly followed "the course of this world" and obeyed "the prince of the power of the air". We indulged our sinful passion because this was consistent with the "god" that we served.
Contrary to the popular philosophy of the day, none of us truly serve ourselves. In reality, we serve either the "prince of the power of the air", or we serve our Creator Father; there is no alternative. One of the enemy's great lies is to cause us to believe that we "do our own thing" and serve ourselves, when in reality we are pursuing his agenda and desires.
It is only when we turn around and look square in the face of our past that we are able to truly appreciate the great reality that "by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10)
The longer we live for Christ, the greater the danger of believing that we are inherently "good". The life of grace can easily be displaced with the delusion of self-righteousness. For that reason, then, it's important to be periodically reminded of our past, as Paul has done for us so clearly in the first three verses of Ephesians two. The penalty of our past is forgiven through God's grace in Christ, but the reminder of our past provides important perspective on grace.
What a delight it is to savor the truth and the hope that He "raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6-7)!
Remember your past, so that you can rejoice in His grace now and in the ages to come.
Steve
"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" (Ephesians 2:1-3)
It's easy to forget that none of us were "born righteous". The longer we live as followers of Christ, the easier it is to forget just who and what we were before. Paul makes it painfully clear that we were a far cry from God desired of us. Prior to His grace, we willingly followed "the course of this world" and obeyed "the prince of the power of the air". We indulged our sinful passion because this was consistent with the "god" that we served.
Contrary to the popular philosophy of the day, none of us truly serve ourselves. In reality, we serve either the "prince of the power of the air", or we serve our Creator Father; there is no alternative. One of the enemy's great lies is to cause us to believe that we "do our own thing" and serve ourselves, when in reality we are pursuing his agenda and desires.
It is only when we turn around and look square in the face of our past that we are able to truly appreciate the great reality that "by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10)
The longer we live for Christ, the greater the danger of believing that we are inherently "good". The life of grace can easily be displaced with the delusion of self-righteousness. For that reason, then, it's important to be periodically reminded of our past, as Paul has done for us so clearly in the first three verses of Ephesians two. The penalty of our past is forgiven through God's grace in Christ, but the reminder of our past provides important perspective on grace.
What a delight it is to savor the truth and the hope that He "raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6-7)!
Remember your past, so that you can rejoice in His grace now and in the ages to come.
Steve
posted by steve @ 8:27 AM
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