Commitment to the Christ of God

2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Ps 77:1-2,11-20, Gal 5:1,13-25, Lk 9:51-62

We live in a world that speaks to us about freedom. Right or wrong people want to be free. Free birds. The world, media, technology are all pushing us toward such a world. you have the freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of choice. You want to be free to do anything. More and more people are committing themselves to such a world. However in the midst of such a backdrop we as Christians and people who know and follow Christ are called to commit ourselves to the Christ of God. Our NT reading from Galatians helps us to re-look at our commitment to Christ.  

            The church in Galatia was new. But there was a problem. The Jews came and stirred the people. They accused Paul of not holding on to the Mosai law. Paul didn’t give importance to circumcision or even the Jewish feast. So they accused Paul that his teaching was not from Christ. They accused him that his teachings were to get popular and have a following. So there was confusion and division in the church.

Therefore Paul tells the people of Galatia, that they have been set free. Not to be burdened by the yoke of slavery but to stand firm 5:1. So Paul very clearly tells us two things.         

Do not indulge in the sinful nature (5:13). 

The first thing he says about this sinful nature it will make you destroy each other (v15). The problem that was created for the church was such that their quarrels were equal to biting and eating up each other. Biting and eating each other is what cannibals would do. It was a grotesque act. The actions of the Jews had pushed the church infighting. He warns them of the repercussions.           

Next he says in v17 there is a conflict between the flesh and the spirit. One has to chose to be of the flesh or the spirit. The flesh has nothing in common with the spirit. One who is of the spirit is one who has given their life to Christ. One who depends totally on Christ. those of the flesh are those who don’t depend on Christ.

                        If you live by the flesh everything you do will be worldly. It will be what leads you to destruction. In Rom 8:5-8 he says those who live by the nature will have their minds set on what that sinful nature desires. And those controlled by that nature cannot please god.

He then goes on to describe what this sinful nature is v19-21. One set of sin he describes and sexual sins விபசாரம், (v19). These are sins which will ruin ones character and questions one morality. Today we can also include abortion. Another set of sins (v20a) trust not in God. White thread, beads, black thread around the waist, time. The third set is the sin of the mind (v20b). Sins which bring disunity to the body of Christ. which breaks a community and family. People who do this want all the attention on themselves, or want to be in control. The final set in v 21. Again these are sins which will destroy the life of a person.

Paul doesn’t tell the church to avoid these sins. Rather he tells not to indulge in these. And he says if you don’t stop indulging in these sins you cannot inherit the kingdom of God. You cant live a double life. One worldly and the other Christ like. You chose how you want to live. That is what Jesus tells those who come and say I want to follow you. They had a “but” in their request. A condition.

Worldliness and Christlikeness will never meet together. So he says change, let you desire  be the desires of Christ, let your actions and thoughts be that of Christ. you have to be committed to Christ.

While Paul says don’t indulge in the sinful nature he says live by the spirit (v16). And so the first thing that the Galatians are called to do is to serve one another in love (v13). The freedom that God gives is not to live a sinful life but to live a life of service. Here Paul is asking to do the most difficult – to love. Paul is spot on. He quotes directly from Mark 12:31. The words of Jesus. love your neighbor.

This service, service to one another is founded in the love of Christ. If those committed to Christ give priority to this today the world will be a better place. The community will be different. The will of Jesus will be fulfilled. The lives of Christians will reflect that they are true disciples of Christ. It is service / action and not words that Jesus expects. When one is involved in doing good to his neighbor. Showing love to his neighbor they have no time to be sexually immoral, their trust will always be on God. They will be lost in their service that they won’t have time to seek attention கவன and the name for themselves.

Through the Godly action of serving one another you start bearing fruits. Fruits of the spirit (v22). One knows that the nature of a tree is to bear fruit. It is the same with those who are of the spirit. Their nature has been made new in Christ. So they start bearing fruit. Just as Jesus says in John 15 what he and his father want to see in his disciples is fruit bearing. So those who are of the spirit will hold fast to things that will last forever.

Finally Paul ends with a request (5:26) to the church Paul shows them both sides. Living in the spirit and living in the flesh. And he says now you know what it is to live either way. While you can decide how you want to live. This is a request to every Christian and every Christian community.

So we are called to commit ourselves to Christ. When you truly commit to Christ you crucify the sinful nature, its passions and desires. Then you are made new. Renewed. Your attitude becomes like Christ, your heart is made soft and filled with the love of Christ. Then you are in step with the spirit.

So commitment to Christ is not mere words. It is not the beautiful songs we sing. However beautiful we sing if there is no change, all becomes a bunch of meaningless words. It is all about keeping the cross before us we walking in its shadows. It is about asking God to change us. If he needs even to break us. So that we may go out into the world as renewed people. Those who have crucified the sinful nature to the cross. And filled with the spirit of God may go out and live a Christ like life.

So this morning let us re-examine our lives. Let us close our eyes. As an individual am I one who lives according to the flesh or the spirit? As a family husband and wife, parent and children, brother and sister are we walking according to the flesh or are we walking with Christ? As a church, as people who come from different backgrounds, people with different problems, difficult situations do we reveal to the world that we are true disciples of Jesus? This morning let us ask, are we committed to the Christ of God?

Let us take this time to crucify on that cross the nature of the flesh, that we might dedicate ourselves to walking in step with the spirit of God.