How to live righteously in an unrighteous world.
The redemption reality is summarily positive to the end that all that God has gotten for us in Christ Jesus, He has given to us in and as the Spirit within. Consequently, the Spirit within has freed us from fear, filled us with power, love and sound mind.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
– 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV
The Greek translated as “fear” here is “deilia“, meaning timidity, that is, the lack of courage or confidence. It contextually implies the lack of freedom of expression of the things of the Spirit.
The Greek rendering for “sound mind” is “sōphronismos” meaning self control. Its instruct of a disciplined conduct, from being a living conduit of the life and influence of the Spirit within.
Hence, and summarily so, the Christian walk, conduct or life in the Spirit is manifested in a love walk, power walk and self control, tempered with boldness or freedom of expression same, and wholly powered by the Spirit. This can be infinite in scope and universal in applications. However, the inherency and infallibility of its practicality is within the confines and or borderlines of the written word.
Thus the Christian conduct is not powered from without but from within. Its possibility and feasibility are in the ability of the Spirit within.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13 KJV
The gift of righteousness is both a nature of righteousness and the ability for righteous conduct. What this means is that we do not just have God’s nature in us, we also have His conduct in us, in equal measure, in the Spirit within. Thus, the believer has no righteous conduct deficit in Christ Jesus as much as he has no righteous nature deficit.
If we all agree that God cannot do unrighteousness because it is not in His nature, we also should not find it difficult to agree same about the believer, since his nature is now of God.
Thus, when the believer does unrighteousness, it must never be seen as a mistake, or accident, the same way he cannot do righteousness by mistake or accident. We must be sincere and intentional about these things, otherwise, we will keep walking in defeat and defending same. We have no excuse for being found wanting in conduct.
We have the Spirit within for our nature, we have the written word for our conduct. Moreover, the Spirit within also powers us to do the written word.
Thus, concerning righteousness conduct, a believer cannot and must not say “I cannot“, or “I could not“. He can only say “I do not“, or “I did not“. We must take responsibility for our refusal to yield to the Spirit, and or the written word.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:5 KJV
The statement “they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh” is very instructive. Our conducts are products of our pursuits, and the making up of our minds. Moreover, we do not have any difficulty regarding the flesh and its lusts, since same are crucified in our identification with Christ.
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Galatians 5:24 KJV
Thus, we do not have to learn about the flesh, its lusts and how to overcome them. We already have the victory over them. The instruction on our victory manual is to walk in the Spirit.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 KJV
Both walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh are our responsibilities, and within the hinges of our will or choice, but never accidental. Thus the believer’s character flaws or misconduct is deliberate in both decision and action.
Apostle Paul’s admonition concerning walking in the Spirit should suffice.
Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives.
Galatians 5:25-26 (MSG)
The life that we live in the Spirit: should not be an idea in our heads, nor a sentiment in our hearts.
It is Christ nature in us It’s Christ conduct through us.