Taming
the Old NatureRomans 6:6-8 (NLT)
"Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose
its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we
died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. [8] And since
we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life."
Evil Cat, formerly the neighborhood's feral "Topcat",
has entered into a new life as Blackey, our beloved family pet
(see "Saved by the Blood"). The
transition was not easy at first, because it required his "neutering" by
the Vet, which surgically crucified his feral nature. After
his recovery, Blackey was unaware of his "new nature" because of
the years of "Topcat" status in the neighborhood.
I watched his first confrontation with the aspiring
new "Topcat" who crossed into his former neighborhood territory.
As in the past, he lowered his haunches, growling eerily and stalking
his new enemy. Blood, biting and wrestling on the ground was to be
the natural outcome of this vicious new dual for dominance.
But, to my surprise, after a few moments of staring at
his potential mortal enemy, Blackey stood tall and relaxed and
just walked away, returning to his yard as if nothing had happened.
The old power of this former "Topcat" was gone. He just did not
have it in him to fight any more. Content, he returned to the
safety of his own yard and enjoyed the peace of living among his new
family of Kitty, our older and wiser "neutered" family cat, my
wife, son, me and the family of Christians who worship at the Chapel on
our property. The habits of years instinctively sprung him into
deadly action, but his new nature would not carry him into the bloody
battle for dominance. He is a new creature, with the "neutering"
of his old combative drives.
Over time, even the neighborhood confrontations ended,
except for occasional scuffles with his fellow pet, Kitty, for
the dominance of a lap or a place on the bed with us at bedtime.
He is even finding out that grooming Kitty with a few licks to
his older and wiser face in those hard to get places to clean can make a
place for him on a spare lap or spot on the bed.
Blackey is gradually
finding his place in our family of beloved pets. The old nature is
gone and the old habits they formed are gradually disappearing from his
instinctive behaviors because they have "lost their power." He is
also learning to operate in the power of this "new life." Strife,
violence and dominance have been "neutered" to make a place for peace,
love and finding his place in a loving family.
Like so many Christians, who have crucified the "old
sinful self" with Christ, the "new life" is not automatic or without
conflict with the habits of the former way of life. The good news
is that, like Blackey and so many other Christian who have
struggled to grow into their new nature, Christ takes the power out of
our sinning. It drives us less and less and brings us
dissatisfaction more and more. The new nature takes the fun out of
sinning! Life seems more peaceful and loving when we love each
other as a family of Christians. We even discover that serving
each other in love helps us find our place among the children of
God, instead of competing for it.
After much struggle, we will discover, like Blackey,
it is better to stand tall and relaxed and just walk away from sin's
confrontations and return to the place in our new family and "lick each
other's faces" (greet and serve each other in love).
2 Cor. 13:11-14 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words:
Rejoice. Change your ways. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and
peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
[12] Greet each other in Christian love (Greek: sacred
kiss). [13] All the Christians here send you their greetings.
[14] May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love
of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
by Pastor John
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