New Year's Resolutions in the New Testament

Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV) ^"1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

This may be sacrilegious, but with the new year approaching and hoards of people making resolutions that they won't live up to, I thought it relevant to preach this Sunday on resolutions that Paul gives to the church in Ephesus.  Paul makes it very clear in Ephesians 4:17-32 that the life we as believers are to live is one that is focused on our new life in Christ.  We are to put away the old life which was lived in futility or uselessness.  We lived our lives the way we wanted with no real purpose other than satisfying our own sinful desires.  Our new self is focused not on uselessness, but on Christ.

In other words, we are to practice what we preach.  If we claim to love and be a child of God, a true Christian, then our actions will follow our words.  I have witnessed countless occasions where people will claim to be believers with their mouth and two sentences later will be gossiping or slandering or tearing down an individual.  Yep, that's showing everyone how righteous and holy you have become in Christ.  (That was sarcasm for those of you in Rio Linda.) 

The body of Christ, his children, are to imitate their Father.  Our Father (Isaiah 9:6) made the ultimate sacrifices of humbling himself by coming to this earth as a human and giving up his life so that sinful humans like myself can call him Father.  Am I willing to sacrifice my life if that is the will of the Father?

Do you want the people around you to know that you are a child of God?  Then act like one.