Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 37
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life
Ministries International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. Why a blog? So that multitudes can receive the weekly
thoughts I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner
Just
the thought of “freedom from guilt” is something many Christians seem to never
enjoy, much less experience the actual freedom. And
yet, as Michael so aptly points out, this is so simple to be realized. Getting past the past is a great milestone
for anyone.
FREEDOM FROM GUILT
excerpt
from pages 106-108 of SIW (5th printing,
March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 104-105 of SIW (14th printing,
March 2012)
(used with permission from
ALMI):
It
is also true that what the “old me” did, the “new me” has never done. Many Christians are controlled by the guilt
of past failures, sins, and events. Not
only does the enemy not allow them to forget their sins, but often their own
families and other Christians continue to remind them….
The
proof that your life has been exchanged and the “old you” is dead is that
whenever you remember or are reminded of the activities of the old you, it
makes you somewhat sick! Why? Because the “new you” does not align itself
with such things.
(1
Corinthians 6:9-11)
It
is true that what described the “old you” by way of identity would not at all
describe the “new you.” As Watchman Nee
so aptly pointed out in the The Normal
Christian Life, when we receive Christ’s life, everything that was true
about His life becomes true of our life…What is true about Christ’s life? It is righteous; it is victorious over the
unholy trinity; it is not of this world; and it has overcome all obstacles,
just to mention a few. Therefore, all of
these things must also be true of the “new you.”
Michael
tells us that freedom from guilt for something that occurred back in the life
of the “old me” is simply to realize I am no longer the “old me,” that Christ’s
life has been exchanged for the “old me,” and that I am now a “new me.” Wow!
Why is it then that many Christians never experience this reality?
My
answer: the church has a history of leaving newborn Christians in the delivery
room without any care, nurturing, and “parenting” of the newborns until they
are at least “teens” in the faith. IF
the proper handling of the newborns were exercised, these new Christians would
be fed, protected, and nurtured along to a maturity level that would involve
knowing who they are in Christ and who Christ is in them. And guilt (and the self-condemnation that
comes along with this false guilt) would be long gone. If the "new me" is not guilty, and can never be guilty, why would I ever be controlled by the guilt of past failures, sins, and events? Well, amen.
Every
Christian needs to be enjoying life as a Christian (the “new me”, His life!) as
Michael and Watchman Nee detail so beautifully!
Note: if you don’t have one of
Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books, please contact ALMI (www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Getting
Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
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