What Makes A Restored Life?
“But you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments:
and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.” – Revelation 3:4
Less than 70 years from the Cross, the churches of Asia were variously corrupted.
Of Sardis Jesus said, “You have a name that you live, and you are dead.” Yet, there were a few that were alive. Jesus knew their names . Men look at impersonal group criteria , and overlook the individual – either humble or proud, truthful or lying.
What makes a restored life? Galatians provides an apostolic answer. Those churches were quickly threatened by Jewish teachers whose loyalty was to their customs rather than Jesus crucified. They zealously sought to bind their “marks of identity” on those who had only recently received Jesus' life . Paul was adamant against that corruption.
A restored life is one that holds Jesus' death for our sins before it, 1:4. It refuses any
addition to that message, 1:6-9. It refuses to please men, 1:10. It recognizes as false brethren those who would bring others into bondage in any way, 2:3-5. It remembers that God does not accept any man's person, 2:6. Like Peter and Paul, it remembers the poor, 2:10 . Like Paul, it is willing to confront, when hypocrisy threatens the gospel, 2:11-16. A restored life freely confesses crucifixion with Christ, and affirms it lives by faith of him , 2:20. It knows it has received the Spirit by the hearing of faith, not works of law, 3:2. It is aware that we continue to be supplied by the Spirit , 3:5.
It will not forget the curse of those who do not fulfill the law, 3:10. It affirms “the righteous live by faith”, 3:11 It remembers Christ became a curse for us, 3:13.
A restored life refuses to forget, ”if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.”-3:21 A restored life affirms, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ.”-3:27
A restored life won't return to bondage of “weak and beggarly elements”, 4:9-11.
It is willing to risk becoming an enemy to tell others the truth,4:16. A restored life changes by Christ being formed within it, 4:19. It expects persecution from those born only of the flesh, 4:29. It refuses to be entangled with a yoke of bondage, 5:1.
It will not forget that those who would be justified by law are fallen away from grace, 5:4. It knows that in Christ, only faith working through love avails, 5:6.
A restored life knows it cannot use its freedom as an occasion to the flesh, but must serve others, 5:13. It knows not to “bite and devour” others, 5:15. It is aware of its own inward struggle with the flesh in the power of the Spirit, 5:17. It recognizes the difference between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit, 5:19-23. It knows it must “walk” by the Spirit, 5:25. It sees its responsibility to restore in a spirit of gentleness those brethren overtaken in a trespass, 6:1. It is aware of the possibility of self deception, 6:3. It knows our daily decisions are like sowing seed that will bring a harvest, 6:7-9. Finally, a restored life will not glory in anything , save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, 6:14. These are “the marks of Jesus” Paul knew, 6:17. They are not about restored churches, but restored people. Jesus knows the names .
1/6/06 wm