Ye, also as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.--I Peter 2:5.
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What is your life built upon? What is the foundation of what you really believe. What set of rules and approaches to life govern whatever you do in a given situation?
What is the tie that really binds it all together for you?
My Dad used to say that his father had taught him that, "The most important thing a man has is his word."
Not a bad foundation is it? That is, if your word is something you seriously believe in standing behind. It becomes somewhat of a signature for you.
My foundation, I firmly believe, is even stronger than that. It is the Word of God, better known as the Bible. The book itself declares itself to be the unchanging Word of God that is forever settled in Heaven. (See Psalms 119:89.)
The Bible gives us quite a solid basis for determining values, rights and wrongs of both word and deed. Both acceptable and unacceptable conduct is vividly illustrated by events in the lives of the characters in this great book. We need to seldom if ever be forced to learn from our own mistakes and sins.
The book is filled with memorable examples of other people's conduct and experiences that provide stunning and defining examples to us so we REALLY don't have to make the same mistakes that caused such an impact on their lives. Of course, some people are bound and determined to learn by their own miscues. And, experience can be a most expensive and painful teacher.
The Apostle Paul, writing in the 8th chapter of the book of Romans, tells us that, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."
Such beautiful words .... and such proof that God Himself cares so deeply about what happens to each and every one of us. If we will but do what God tells us to do, we can enjoy His mercy and blessing, even if we have come short many times in the past. The Word declares that His mercy endureth forever.
This is one of those places where the Bible conveys to us that a Spiritual walk is a great treasure to all who choose to go that way. But, the Bible just as emphatically tells us that we all do really get to make up our own personal minds.
"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace," Paul declares in verse 6. "Because the carnal mind is emnity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh, cannot please God," say verses 7 and 8.
But then he tells us, we who are so persuaded that all he says is true, that, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
That wonderful Spirit experience he is talking about is the infilling of the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost. In Colossians Paul called it "Even the mystery which hath been in hid from the ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, the hope of glory," Col. 1:27-28.
Back to Romans 8, where Paul, in verse 4 said, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
Using His word as the lamp to our feet and the light to our pathway (Psalm 119:105, Psalms 19:7-8, and Proverbs 6:23) we can see clearly what the course of our lives should and must be.
Then, through His guidance, his love and mercy, and the mighty power of His Spirit operating within our lives, we are able to live lives that bring lasting joy to us. This allows us to radiate His love for the eternal for the eternal benefit of some, perhaps not all, of those our lives happen to touch. And we also get the satisfaction of knowing we are bringing glory to Christ because we are carrying out His word. Now, isn't that a solid foundation?
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