2 Corinthians 5:15 – And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Ephesians 4:14 – That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Ephesians 4:17 – This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
These three verse all have the word henceforth in them. I believe there is something we can learn from these three henceforths.
HENCEFORTH, adv. hens’forth. From this time forward.
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Henceforth indicates a starting point in time. It would also indicate that the past does not apply. It is only from this point in time forward. You cannot go back and change the past no matter how much you would like to. What is done is done. It is under the blood and you need to move forward. There are three things we need to do “from this time forward” according to these verses.
- Not Live Unto Themselves – As Christians, we are no longer our under our own control. When you got saved and then later made a commitment or consecration to Christ, you sold out lock, stock and barrel. You are to live for him that died and rose again for you. As a result, you need to live a life that is pleasing to Him. You might have lived many years, lost in sin and shame, but from this time forward, you need to live for Him. If you love Him, you will keep His commandments. Your body belongs to Him. Your life belongs to Him.
- Be No More Children – Once you are saved, you should quit acting like a child. A child tells stories and makes things up. They live in a make believe world. A child is easily offended. A child can be very proud. A child is easily deceived. You need to grow up into Christ. You need to quit your lying. You need to learn the doctrines of the Word of God and know what you believe and why you believe it. You need to not be gullible and easily deceived by others. You need to stable and constant in what you believe and the decisions you have made. You need to stick by the vows you have committed unto the Lord.
- Walk Not as Other Gentiles – Lastly you need to not walk as the Gentiles walk. Gentiles are vain. They always have to look better than the next guy. They tell lies and think of themselves as better than they really are. The Gentile is concerned about the here and now. He wants money and prestige. A Christ should not be that way. He should be humble. He is not looking to promote himself but rather promote or brag on the Lord and what He has done in his life. He won’t be constantly talking about himself but rather talk about the Lord. He will have a walk with God rather than a walk with the world.
The bottom line is we only have tomorrow. We can’t go back and relive the past. The Bible makes it clear how we are to live henceforth. You need to try the best you can to do it by God’s grace.
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