Come now, let us reason together, let us settle the matter. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land. The mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20)
Lord, I be a reasonable feller. Let us strike a pledge. I ‘ill obey, you bless. I ‘ill give thanks, praise, and do all within my power ter sail on the narrow rhumb line. When I fall off ter far, I ‘ill turn back towards yer Sun fer renewal and fergiveness.
What says you, Skipper?
The Lord loves the humble.
The Lord loves the contrite in spirit.
The Lord loves those who tremble at his words.
(Isaiah 66:2)
Lord, show me my sin. Help me ter see the scruffiness of my actions with the spyglass vision ya use. Well I know when I see myself the way you spy me, my spirit ‘ill break and sorrow fer what I done ‘ill drive me ter my knees. In humility I ask ya ter inspect me from the tip of my mast ter the bottom of my keel. Point out ter me my barnacles and rot so I ‘ill beg you ter fix me good as new.
Yer words clap with the power of thunder, this well I know. Tremble I do when you speak harsh words ter me. Beg you I do, Lord, be gentle with this old soul. If not, my feeble heart ‘ill fail.
Think on these words of Saul Paul a wee little bit:
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)
Only do not use your freedom in Christ to indulge the sinful nature of your flesh. Instead serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13)
All of God’s law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)
Know this: if you continue to bite and devour each other, you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:15)
With these wise words from Saul Paul, and the Sun as our guide and example, make it yer task ter live by the Holy Spirit of Truth. If ya do this, ya ‘ill not gratify the sinful nature of the flesh. Ya may lay ter this: the sinful nature of the flesh fights agin the Holy Spirit of Truth. If ya live by Skip’s Spirit you no longer be under the curse of his Code of Conduct with its requirements ter obey ever single law in order ter be saved.
Now if ya not be sure which spirit ya following, look at the fruit ya be producing.
The spirit of the flesh produces a harvest of sexual immorality, impurity, drunkenness, debauchery, idol worship, witchcraft and devil worship, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits and fists of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, orgies and the like. Of this ya kin be sure: those who live in such a manner ‘ill not inherit Skip’s kingdom.
The spirit of Skip produces a harvest of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness ter Skip and his Sun, gentleness and self-control — humility, righteousness, truth-led living, compassion, fergivenss, thankfulness and purity. (Ephesians 4:2, Colossians 3:12-15, 2 Corinthians 6:6) Those who sow ter please the Holy Spirit of Truth ‘ill, from the Spirit, reap eternal life.
Should ya spy a mate living by the spirit of the flesh restore him gently, ne’er harshly.
Finally, do not become weary doing good ter all, especially them who be in Skip’s crew. In this way we kin encourage and build up Skip’s crew. If we ‘ill deal with the root of sin in our flesh, we ‘ill harvest good fruit.