Last week Paul pushed the demand for a new you. This new you must be clothed in forgiveness and tied together with love. This is something that is disheartening because we believe unforgiveness makes us stronger because of the darkness that dwells in our hearts because we do not forgive. See I must make everyone aware that the level of mental illness that is prevalent in the culture has arisen from several factors. First the destruction of the family unit, second is the corporate agenda that is actually a product of Karl Marx. The corporate agenda is all about numeric production for the cheapest cost. If the worker breaks down, who cares you replace that worker with a newer cheaper worker. You push that worker to get as much out of them as possible even if it burns them out. But the advantage belongs to the employer because the additional strain in mental health is the strain to live within our means while the system promotes ungodly narratives that divide us, push the message of superiority complex and the lies of what makes us successful. The overarching factor of all of this is not acknowledging and devoting ourselves to the Son of God.

When you look at the accounts of Genesis 1-2 you can see what is normal and compare it to know and see so much of what we live in is not natural, is not normal. For Adam & Eve before the fall we may ask what was normal. I figure it starts in V15

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Peace. No divisiveness. No sickness. No disease. No reason to have a means of security. Christ did not walk with a side arm, yet he was hunted. He was on the Father’s schedule but he did not wear a watch. He was not stirred by politics because he walked in God’s way, God’s truth and in unity with him. Here Paul is telling us this is what should rule our hearts. Do you have a hard time with letting peace rule your emotions? I confess, I do!

Not because of the approach of my end of days whenever that may be, not because of how the ebbs and flows of life are but the thing that stirs me is the level of corruption that is before our eyes, because of a culture turning its back on God while thinking that they are children of God because they have accepted the lies that God doesn’t want o change you. Paul said the peace of the Messiah is to rule in our hearts. Not rule our hearts, it is inset. It is from within it a Holy Ghost driven because of what the rest of the statement is. You are all members of the body. One body. The body of the bride of Christ. Called to peace. Walk in peace. Talk in peace. Sleep in peace. Drive in peace? Well sometimes.

And be thankful Paul says. Our culture is moving away from gratuity and towards entitlement even toward God. Gave thanks with a grateful heart! Let me be clear here, we deserve nothing from God. We are fallen well short of his intended vison and level of perfection. We can not we will not make up the gap because once you are not perfect you can never be perfect. The standard is flawless, pure, righteous, holy perfection in order to stand before him and not be consumed by his burning glory.

Read it again YOU WERE CALLED TO PEACE for this we give thanks. For the blood of the Messiah and His Holy Spirit in our hearts we give thanks. The world is going to hell but I walk in peace bc God’s word told me it would and he is with me, will not forsake me. This is what V16 eludes to:

¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

The message of Christ. The gospel. As told in the Bible. Again, notice it is in the location of a relational setting. Among fellow children of God. Look how they give thanks. Teaching. Admonishing through psalms songs & hymns reinforced with gratitude. We have too many that are afraid to come together because of the toxicity in people today. Admonish is the GR word noutheteo’ it means to put in mind. In other words if you aren’t a teacher of God’s word that tis fine maybe you can counsel and put in to mind the promises of God and celebrate you are in the body you are a child of God. This is not an intellectual understanding alone. This is not a grasping of some factual information like 2+2=4 this is in you and pours out of you!

¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

You may ask how do I do that? You allow him to strip you of yourself. He calls you to be his child. This means you make him God. He is all sufficient, all-knowing and hold nothing back from you. He will expose you to you by his Holy Ghost! He will strip you of your pride and your self-sufficiency. You trust him. Your whole mission, your whole devotion your whole purpose in life is wrapped around your faith in his deliverance from the sickness, the corruption, and the toxicity around you and in you! Because you are delivered! You are born again! You are made new! Give thanks to Christ Almighty because our Father in heaven has called you to a divine normal!