This is the sixth in a series of articles on Truth as a part of the Armor of God.
Without any landing aides the airplane drifts away or deviates from the course it is on. This can be caused by wind and gravity as well as other forces that move the airplane in different directions. One example is a pilot who takes his hand off the control stick which then allows the ailerons to move around freely causing the airplane to roll, dive, or climb unintendedly. Similarly, there are distractions, temptations, and other forces in the world that could influence us to go in different directions away from the guidance Jesus Christ provides.
Feedback is used by the automatic landing system to keep the airplane on its intended course. Using the wrong kind of feedback takes us farther away from our desired course. Using the right kind of feedback continually brings us back on course.
The apostle Paul was aware of this concept even in his day. After he told us what our objectives should be, he went on to tell us in Colossians 3:5-14 what kind of feedback (both external and internal) is needed to keep us growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
In Colossians 3:5-7 Paul talked about external influences that can control us. “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.”
We are all born into this world apart from Jesus Christ, but when we accepted Him as the Lord of our life Paul told us to “put to death” earthly things that may have previously controlled us. The phrase “put to death" uses a strong verb in the text. Paul commanded us to put to death the things which influenced us before we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord; the things we once walked in. This kind of feedback is external to us. That means it originates from the world around us in the things we see, or feel, or hear. This kind of feedback will take us away from Jesus Christ if we do not kill its influence on our life.
The Apostle John provided the same guidance in 1 John 2:15-16 when he said, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.”
In Colossians 3:8-11 Paul talked about internal influences that can control us when he said, “But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.”
Internal influences originate from within us. The things we think and say indicate what is in our hearts and on our minds. This kind of feedback will not only destroy our relationship with Jesus Christ but will also destroy our relationship with the people around us. If we are unwilling to lay aside the old self, then we are allowing the wrong kind of feedback to control our life.
When we make Jesus Christ our Lord, He wants to develop a new self within us which is different than the old self we had. As we let the new self-apply the right kind of feedback in our life, we will see Jesus Christ guide us in all things and demonstrate His complete adequacy; because He is all, and in all. How does this take place? Paul told us what the right kind of feedback is in Colossians 3:12-14 when he said: “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
There are so many situations in the world that we encounter and many where we are forced to make decisions. What job should I accept? Where should I live? Should I pursue a friendship with someone? What should I vote for? There are many more. Each decision takes us in a particular direction. Knowing what is true and what is false when making each decision is often not clear. You may think how do we apply the Apostle Paul’s guidance in these cases to ensure we choose the right feedback each time to keep us on the course Jesus Christ wants for us? The simple answer is one decision at a time.
In each situation where we must choose a direction, taking the time to understand three feedback factors will help us make decisions about it. First identify the issues involved. Second determine what decisions are needed. Third describe the result expected for each choice we can make. When we look beneath the surface of each situation to understand these feedback factors, we will discern the internal and external influences involved. We will have a better understanding of how the expected result for each choice we make aligns with common sense, and with the Apostle Paul’s guidance for gentleness, kindness, mercy, and love for one another. This is consistent with the instruction Jesus gave us in John 7:24, “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
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All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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