God's way is unique in relation to man's way. The Gospel is God's direction. It is not man-made. There is no way that any man could have ever come up with it or at any point devise it. Paul stated, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-12). The Gospel descended from heaven, exclusively by revelation, since man's reasoning never follows the road of redemption.
Isaiah 65:2, “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;”
Here, God is talking to the Jewish nation. God had given the Gospel first to the Jews. Paul mentions this in Romans 10:21, that God had stretched his hand to the Jews unto a disobedient people. The people of Israel rejected the Gospel, so God rejected them and sent the Gospel out unto the Gentiles.
Acts 13:46, “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”
For what reason was it fundamental for the Gospel to go to the Jews? God had arranged that through the Jewish people all the people of the world would come to know God (Genesis 12:3). Paul, himself a Jew, adored his people (Romans 9:1-5) and wanted to offer each of them the chance to go along with him in broadcasting God's salvation. Tragically, numerous Jews did not perceive or recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and they did not comprehend that God was offering salvation to everyone, Jew, or Gentile, who comes to him through confidence and faith in Jesus Christ.
So again, we see that man would not and did not think as God thought. Man thought that he knew all that he needed to know. If the unrighteous man would only forsake his wicked ways and thoughts, and come to the Lord, God will have mercy on him and pardon him (Isaiah 55:7). Man’s thoughts and ways are only on earthly carnal things, not heavenly things.
Colossians 3:2-3, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
“For ye are dead” means that we ought to have as little craving for this world as a dead individual has. Our lives died when Christ died for our sins. He took our place on the cross, yours and mine. The Christian's genuine home is the place where Christ resides (John 14:2-3). This gives us an alternate point of view on our lives here on the planet. To "set your affection on things above" signifies that we should take a gander at life according to God's point of view and to look for what he wants. This is the counteractant or antidote to being materialistic; we acquire the appropriate and proper viewpoint on material merchandise when we take on God's perspective on life. The more we consider the life that is around us from God's perspective, the more we live in amicability and harmony with him. We should not turn out to be excessively attached to what is just transitory and temporary.
Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Paul said that whatever things are lovely, honest, just, and true, we are to think on those things, the things of Christ. Life is brimming with its more modest issues and obviously, they are genuine to us. In any case, the most important need for us is to break through to Christ. That should precede all the other things in this life.
What we put into our brains will influence what is displayed in our actions and is spread by our words. Paul advises us to program our brains with the thoughts that are just, unadulterated, true, of good report, ethical, and worthy of praise. Do any of us have issues with polluted musings and fantasies? We need to look at what we are placing into our heads through the world wide web, TV, books, motion pictures, and magazines. We need to remove the destructive intake with healthy material. Most importantly, we need to be reading God's Word every day and seek him in prayer. We should pray that he assists us with getting our minds focused on what is acceptable and unadulterated. It takes time and practice, yet it can be performed.
We as a whole live in a filthy world. We cannot take a stroll on any road of any city without getting filthy. Our eyes get grimy by what we see, our ears get clogged by what we hear, and afterward our brains become polluted by what we have allowed in. Should Christians not be worn out by this constant filth? If Christians invest their time and energy in the foulness and problematic things of this world, then the Christian’s lives will have no power. There are countless Christians who are powerless due to their time spent filling their minds with the filthy mess of this degraded world.
How long do we spend time going through the Word of God? How long do we spend time in worshipping our Lord and Savior? The Word of God is a mirror, and in it we can observe the magnificence and the glory of the Lord. As we spend time in God’s Word and as we spend time alone with the Lord, we obtain freedom, we obtain liberty, we obtain grace and righteousness.
1 Thessalonians 5:22, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
As Christians, we cannot keep away from all the evilness that is in this world since we live in a corrupt world. Notwithstanding, we can ensure that we do not give evil any traction by abstaining from enticing and tempting circumstances and focusing on complying with and obeying God’s Word.
