1 Corinthians 3:18-23 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Are all things really ours? The world? Life and death? Things present and things to come? Notice Paul doesn’t mention the past. The past has been paid for in full. IT IS NOT OURS. Look what he said in Philippians.
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Consider Lot’s wife who looked back at Sodom after the angel of the Lord warned her not to, and she turned into a pillar of salt.
The children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and died there because they complained about where they were and kept looking back to Egypt. They never reached their goal of entering the Promised Land because God was displeased with them and refused to let them enter into their promise. He let them die in the wilderness with their unbelief.
Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The Kingdom of God is our Promised Land. Could it be that one of the reasons we don’t see more kingdom demonstrations in our Church gatherings is Christians putting their hands to the plow and looking back?
The Kingdom of God is within us. If the Holy Spirit is not finding His full expression in and through our lives we are likely looking back, holding on to parts of our old lives and carnal nature making us unfit for the Kingdom of God that He has planted in our own hearts?
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Notice that Paul does not mention the past again in this passage. Because looking back to the past can separate us from believing in and receiving the love of God. Not His boundless love toward us, but our ability to believe in it and receive it.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Ephesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
If we insist on living in, dwelling on, and bringing up the past, we will never embrace the fullness of God’s amazing grace provided for us by Jesus’ sacrifice.
Only when we die to our past can we truly embrace the Kingdom of God and allow our glorious future to unfold.
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