FLESH IS FLESH/CRAP IS CRAP

6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2)

How did you receive Christ Jesus as Lord? Was it not when you were powerless, sinful and hopeless. You brought nothing to the table, and God, through Christ was your complete source of love, acceptance, forgiveness and new life. Well guess what, Christian 1, 10, 20, 30 years later, it is still the same way. The source of anything good, true and beautiful in your life is Christ Jesus. Paul is telling us that our daily walk is the same exchange. Your old funky life nailed to the cross, and Christ, resurrection Life living and moving in you. We somehow have bought into the lie that “Now that you are a Christian, self-effort does count. It did not count before, but now it counts, and if your self-effort is not good enough, God will get mad and reject you.” This is a lie from the pits of hell because God rejects all self-effort and it does not matter if it comes from the crack house or the church house, it is all futile and unproductive leading to death. Flesh is flesh, and it may look different dressed up in our Sunday best, but it is just that—different. I have a friend who is a rancher, and he brings me into the cow pasture and says, “Look at that pile—its cow crap. Now look at that one—that is horse crap. And ya see that little pile over there—that is dog crap. It is different, but it is all crap!” And, thus, our lesson for today: The church goers flesh might look different than the thieves’ and junkies’ flesh, but it is all flesh…it is all crap. Self –righteousness has no place in a believers life; Because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are better off, not better than others.