A Coat of Saint

[sunestauromai]

We’ve all known them. We’ve all been one. The church is full of them. Yes, it is hypocrites. It is a sad a commentary to know that the term “hypocrite” is so closely associated with churches and Christians. But it is.

In reality, the rest of the world is full of hypocrites as well – they just think they are better than church people because at least, so they claim, they don’t profess to be something they are not. Sure they do, most of us do. Hypocrites are just actors – they put on an outward appearance that isn’t who they really are inside. The degree of the difference between who we are on the outside and who we really are gives us some idea how much of a hypocrite we really are.

We can put a coat of paint on an old, rotten house and it may look better for a time, but if we don’t change what is rotten underneath, before long the truth comes out. We can also “put a coat of saint” on ourselves, but in time the truth comes out – that which is in our heart will express itself in our words and actions.

Paul in Ephesians 4 calls for us to “lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” He follows that urgent plea with three chapters of how to do it. If we have been called to be followers of Jesus Christ, we can’t just continue in our old lifestyle – our lives must change. But Paul is not talking about a fresh coat of saint; he is talking about a change of heart – an ongoing process of Holy Spirit-led heart surgery that affects a metamorphosis in our very beings to make us more and more like Jesus Christ. He is talking about a new man or woman, not a great performance.

Paul is speaking to me in this passage – I am that hypocrite who may fool some people at times, but under the stress of life, and there’s plenty of that, the performance breaks down and the ugliness of my heart comes out. The solution is not for me to try harder or to rehearse longer in church; it is for me to allow God to change who I am from the inside out. The same is true for you – none of us has “arrived”; we are all in-progress, one way or the other.

Like Paul, I urge all of us to live a life worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus. That is my heart’s desire for me and for you. Please seek the Lord now about what he would have you do about this. The Bible contains the plan for these changes as we yield to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives – we just need to go there and get started. Let’s let the Lord cut out what is rotten within our hearts and replace it with the love of Jesus Christ so we can live real, honest lives as God intended and has prepared for us to do.

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Like Paul, I urge all of us to live a life worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus. That is my heart’s desire for me and for you. Please seek the Lord now about what he would have you do about this. The Bible contains the plan for these changes as we yield to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives – we just need to go there and get started. Let’s let the Lord cut out what is rotten within our hearts and replace it with the love of Jesus Christ so we can live real, honest lives as God intended and has prepared for us to do.

Amen! Thank you, Rick, for sharing this! I so agree!!

 

[upamountain]

We can put a coat of paint on an old, rotten house and it may look better for a time, but if we don’t change what is rotten underneath, before long the truth comes out. We can also “put a coat of saint” on ourselves, but in time the truth comes out – that which is in our heart will express itself in our words and actions.

Paul in Ephesians 4 calls for us to “lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” He follows that urgent plea with three chapters of how to do it. If we have been called to be followers of Jesus Christ, we can’t just continue in our old lifestyle – our lives must change. But Paul is not talking about a fresh coat of saint; he is talking about a change of heart – an ongoing process of Holy Spirit-led heart surgery that affects a metamorphosis in our very beings to make us more and more like Jesus Christ. He is talking about a new man or woman, not a great performance.

Very thought provoking.
"Change my heart, O God!