Formerly Engaged in Evil Deeds

[Christsfreeservant]

“And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.” (Colossians 1:21-23 NASB1995)​

Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God, is the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He always existed as God and with God, and he is our creator God. But then he left his throne in heaven, came to earth, and was born as a baby to a human mother who was a virgin. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and not of man, so he was not born with a sin nature as we are. And while he lived on the earth he was fully God and fully human (God incarnate) who came to save us from our sins.

Ultimately he was sent by God to live among the people of the earth, not only to heal the sick and afflicted, to raise the dead, to deliver people from demons, and to preach the gospel to the people, but to be our sacrificial lamb in his death on a cross to put our sins to death with him, so by God-persuaded faith in him, we will now die to sin and live to righteousness in walks of surrender to our Lord, in obedience to his commands, in holy living, in the power and wisdom of God, and not in our own flesh.

[Isaiah 53:1-12; Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 17:25; John 1:1-36; John 6:35-58; John 8:24,58; John 10:27-33; John 20:28-29; Romans 5:8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 9:5; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8-9; Hebrews 2:14-15; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Peter 1:1]

Since we are born with sin natures, separate from God, and not able in our own flesh to be acceptable to God, we can do nothing of our own selves to be made right with God. We are sinners by nature. But through Jesus’ death on that cross he made the way possible for us to be delivered out of our lives of sin so that we can, by his grace, now live holy lives, pleasing to God. For our salvation is not a status that we wear, but it is a life which we live, by the grace of God, in death to sin and in walks of obedience to our Lord.

The Christian life is not just forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life with God, but it is us no longer living in bondage to sin but us now living holy lives, pleasing to our Lord, by his grace. For his grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await our Lord’s return for his faithful bride. But we must continue in these walks of faith in obedience to our Lord until the end if we are to have eternal life with God.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Walking in The Light

Based off 1 John 1-2
An Original Work / November 16, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

When I lift up my voice, and
Sing praise unto God,
I will fellowship with my
Lord and Savior, King.
In Him there is no darkness.
He is in the light of truth.
If we walk in His light,
From sin He purifies.

If we repent of our sins,
He’ll forgive us now,
When we humble ourselves, and
Before Jesus bow.
The man who says, “I know Him,”
But does not obey His truth,
There is no truth in him.
In darkness still he’s found.

Do not love the world of sin,
For it is hell bound.
If you follow the world, you’ll
Not in Christ be found.
The world and its desires
Will not last; they’ll expire.
The one who does God’s will,
Receives eternal life.

See that what you have heard from
Christ remains in you.
Then, you’ll remain in Christ, and
In His Father, too.
This is what He promised us –
His eternal life with God.
So, continue in Him, and
You’ll receive a crown.

Formerly Engaged in Evil Deeds
An Original Work / September 7, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love