Romans 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
What do you think about your thought-life?
As the Christian begins to be led by the Holy Spirit, the thought-life becomes a defining area for evaluating whether you and I are led by self interests or the Spirit's leading. The key question to ask when evaluating your thought-life is: am I governing my thought-life, or is it governing me?
The soul, the spirit and their relationship to the mind
In Romans 8 we see a contrast between what is called "the flesh" and "The Spirit". The "Spirit" is the person of the Holy Spirit operating inside of my human spirit (or what is sometimes called the heart). The "flesh" has to do with the remnants of sin operating in my soul which is composed of my mind, emotions and will.
As a person you have three parts: body, soul and spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12) The mind is the "thinker" of your human soul. Your human spirit is the part of you clothed by the soul that becomes the dwelling place of God's Holy Spirit at salvation. (John 14:23; 1 Corinthians 6:17) The mind is that part of your soul that interracts with the Holy Spirit in your human spirit. For example 1 Corinthians 14:15 states: "What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also." Therefore in the Christian, the Holy Spirit in your human spirit should be able to communicate to your mind as you regularly devote yourself to daily study and thought over scripture.
Two sources for the thought-life - the self or the Spirit
In Romans 8 we discover two sources for the thought-life - self or the Spirit. The self is that principle that is at work in my soul that opposes the Holy Spirit at work in my human spirit. "Self" inclines towards the left-over sin remnants in my soul. Romans 8 calls the combined activity of the soul following the self as being "in the flesh". The other resource is of course the Holy Spirit working in my human spirit.
When I follow the leading of self in the intrest of the "flesh", I am being "selfish" or "fleshly. Romans 8:5 describes taking what I conclude in my mind to be the greatest good as determining how I will act. If I conclude it is more advantageous for me to follow the flesh (i.e set my mind on the flesh), that will characterize my life. However if I conclude that the Spirit and the things of God are of greater benefit, then my life will be characterized with an abundance of "life and peace". (Romans 8:6)
The key to governing your thought-life - setting your mind
To "set my mind" in these verses refers to an intentional decision of the mind. Everyday I must choose whether I am going to take the scriptures into my mind or heed the voices and opinions of people (and my own feelings) more than the scriptures. The Holy Spirit in my human spirit never contradicts the scripture. If I am regularly giving myself to Bible reading or taking in scripture, I will have a mindset ready to hear God. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 most effectively communicates this truth - "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words."
Just as I can set my T.V. to certain channels, choosing what I will watch or let into my home, I likewise can do that with my thought-life. God's Word function's like a T.V remote. It helps me to discern which thoughts floating through my mind are "fleshly" versus which thoughts are "spiritual". Know this - through Jesus Christ and the Spirit's work through the scriptures, you can govern your thought-life.
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Meet the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:2 "because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
The Holy Spirit is The Applier of salvation
Romans 1-3 details how sinners have offended God their creator who desires to reach out to them in forgiveness to reveal Himself as God the Father. As God the Father aims to draw sinners to Himself whom He has loved, it is by His grace through faith that they believe upon God the Son whom He sent. Thus the Father is the author of salvation.
From Romans 4-7 the argument of Romans centers mostly upon the accomplishment of God the Son in purchasing and providing salvation. Thus God the Son is the Accomplisher of Salvation. When one enters Romans 8, the Father's plan of salvation and the Son's accomplishment are to be applied to believer's by God the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:2 reveals to the reader this "Spirit of Life" as the Applier of salvation.
God the Holy Spirit's Life Giving Ministry
An ancient Christian writer said this of the Holy Spirit, that he knows about God because of Christ and knows of Christ because of the scriptures and knows the Christ of scripture by the Holy Spirit. Were it not for the Holy Spirit, the "Spirit of Life", the Christian life would not be a reality.
1. The Holy Spirit's ministry in salvation
The Holy Spirit is the "Life giver" of the Trinity. It is from Him that all physical life on earth derives the breath of life. (Psalm 104) Moreso it is from the Holy Spirit that the life of faith is granted, convicting sinners and drawing them to be raised from the deadness of sins to a living willingness to choose Christ. (John 1:12-13; 16:8-12; Ephesians 2:1-6; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) This miracle of salvation is called "regeneration" or "the new birth".
2. The Holy Spirit's ministry following salvation, that is sanctification
As the "Lord and Giver of Life", the Holy Spirit also applies benefits of salvation following the commitment of faith. He continues to indwell the believer, providing internal guidance and power to live for God. (Romans 8:4) Quite literally the Spirit of God is "God in us", enabling the Christian to experience Christ's ministry as "God with us" as He aims to reveal God the Father as "God above us". This is the One God of the Bible relating to Christians from the Father, by the Son through the Life Giving Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)
3. The Holy Spirit makes the event of salvation into a living experience
The Holy Spirit not only gives power to live by, but Romans 8:5 speaks of "the things of the Spirit". Those "things" are found in the book of which He is the chief Author - The Bible. From Romans 8:6 onward the Holy Spirit communicates through Paul what those things are: power to live for God, ability to love the brethren, power for prayer and power to endure to the end.
4. The Holy Spirit is Personally God in us and to us
We must remember that the Holy Spirit is not an "it" but a "He". Romans 8:16 states that "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God". Thus The Spirit is a "He". We also understand that the Spirit is God, since He shares in the same undivided life as the Father and the Son. Only the Holy Spirit could know and communicate God's mind to the Christian. (Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11) Therefore let's be thankful that God the Holy Spirit makes Himself available at salvation, for it is through Him, the Giver of Life, that I can know God the Son and live for God the Father. (Ephesians 2:18)
The Holy Spirit is The Applier of salvation
Romans 1-3 details how sinners have offended God their creator who desires to reach out to them in forgiveness to reveal Himself as God the Father. As God the Father aims to draw sinners to Himself whom He has loved, it is by His grace through faith that they believe upon God the Son whom He sent. Thus the Father is the author of salvation.
From Romans 4-7 the argument of Romans centers mostly upon the accomplishment of God the Son in purchasing and providing salvation. Thus God the Son is the Accomplisher of Salvation. When one enters Romans 8, the Father's plan of salvation and the Son's accomplishment are to be applied to believer's by God the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:2 reveals to the reader this "Spirit of Life" as the Applier of salvation.
God the Holy Spirit's Life Giving Ministry
An ancient Christian writer said this of the Holy Spirit, that he knows about God because of Christ and knows of Christ because of the scriptures and knows the Christ of scripture by the Holy Spirit. Were it not for the Holy Spirit, the "Spirit of Life", the Christian life would not be a reality.
1. The Holy Spirit's ministry in salvation
The Holy Spirit is the "Life giver" of the Trinity. It is from Him that all physical life on earth derives the breath of life. (Psalm 104) Moreso it is from the Holy Spirit that the life of faith is granted, convicting sinners and drawing them to be raised from the deadness of sins to a living willingness to choose Christ. (John 1:12-13; 16:8-12; Ephesians 2:1-6; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23) This miracle of salvation is called "regeneration" or "the new birth".
2. The Holy Spirit's ministry following salvation, that is sanctification
As the "Lord and Giver of Life", the Holy Spirit also applies benefits of salvation following the commitment of faith. He continues to indwell the believer, providing internal guidance and power to live for God. (Romans 8:4) Quite literally the Spirit of God is "God in us", enabling the Christian to experience Christ's ministry as "God with us" as He aims to reveal God the Father as "God above us". This is the One God of the Bible relating to Christians from the Father, by the Son through the Life Giving Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)
3. The Holy Spirit makes the event of salvation into a living experience
The Holy Spirit not only gives power to live by, but Romans 8:5 speaks of "the things of the Spirit". Those "things" are found in the book of which He is the chief Author - The Bible. From Romans 8:6 onward the Holy Spirit communicates through Paul what those things are: power to live for God, ability to love the brethren, power for prayer and power to endure to the end.
4. The Holy Spirit is Personally God in us and to us
We must remember that the Holy Spirit is not an "it" but a "He". Romans 8:16 states that "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God". Thus The Spirit is a "He". We also understand that the Spirit is God, since He shares in the same undivided life as the Father and the Son. Only the Holy Spirit could know and communicate God's mind to the Christian. (Romans 8:27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11) Therefore let's be thankful that God the Holy Spirit makes Himself available at salvation, for it is through Him, the Giver of Life, that I can know God the Son and live for God the Father. (Ephesians 2:18)
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Butterflies, not caterpillars
Romans 8:1 "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of
sin and of death."
The earth bound caterpillar
I used to watch caterpillars all the time when I was a boy. They always fascinated me in how they could eat and eat all the time. A caterpillar by nature does two things: eat and crawl on the ground. It is governed by the law of gravity. You don't see caterpillars wriggling their way into the air because their caterpillar nature lives on instinct, and only knows gravity. The "law of gravity" matches quite well with their nature.
All human beings born into this world are by nature "fallen in Adam". By nature unconverted human beings proceed along the law of "sin and death". Like the caterpillar, unbelieving man lives by his desires and only knows one law.
The cacoon of transformation
When I was watching caterpillars, I would sometimes follow lines of them crawling up trees. I thought perhaps they were doing that to eat the leaves. However I noticed something strange. The caterpillars were building these strange nests! Then without warning, they would crawl into these cacoons and suddenly be gone. The Creator of Heaven and Earth was drawing them to do that. Remarkably, in that cacoon, the caterpillar goes through what many would characterize as a violent transformation - what some may say to be a sort of "death". The body dissolves, and in the course of time, that lowly caterpillar is "transformed" into a butterfly - what biologists call "metamorphosis".
Romans 12:2 tells us as Christians: "do not be no longer conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." That underlined word in the Greek is the word "metamorphize". Quite literally, when a person is converted by grace through faith, they are transformed. Their former propensity to "only want to sin" is changed to a desire to "want to sin no more". The law of the Spirit and life becomes the primary law of their new existence.
The Butterfly lives by the "law of lift"
Unlike the caterpillar, which lives only to eat and crawl on the ground, the butterfly lives to soar and be among the fragrance flowers of God's creation. It's wings are designed to take advantage of a second law written into the creation - "the law of lift". The law of lift enables butterflies and airplanes to overide the prevailing force of gravity. The butterfly is a marvel of creation, whose design values the fluttering of wings and the currents of air.
Similarly as we see in the verse above, "The Spirit of life in Christ" has freed me from the law of sin and death. The currents of God's grace enable the flying. As a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), I am to excercise myself in the fluttering of the wings of my faith through prayer, God's word and weekly worship with God's people. (Hebrews 10:24-25) As a new creation, my growing desire is to flutter among those things which emit the fragrance of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16) The Holy Spirit Himself works inside of me to live as a butterfly of sorts. Yes gravity will tug on me, I will feel its alluring force urging me not to fly. However I must remember that as a butterfly, I do not have to live as I formerly did - as a caterpillar.
The earth bound caterpillar
I used to watch caterpillars all the time when I was a boy. They always fascinated me in how they could eat and eat all the time. A caterpillar by nature does two things: eat and crawl on the ground. It is governed by the law of gravity. You don't see caterpillars wriggling their way into the air because their caterpillar nature lives on instinct, and only knows gravity. The "law of gravity" matches quite well with their nature.
All human beings born into this world are by nature "fallen in Adam". By nature unconverted human beings proceed along the law of "sin and death". Like the caterpillar, unbelieving man lives by his desires and only knows one law.
The cacoon of transformation
When I was watching caterpillars, I would sometimes follow lines of them crawling up trees. I thought perhaps they were doing that to eat the leaves. However I noticed something strange. The caterpillars were building these strange nests! Then without warning, they would crawl into these cacoons and suddenly be gone. The Creator of Heaven and Earth was drawing them to do that. Remarkably, in that cacoon, the caterpillar goes through what many would characterize as a violent transformation - what some may say to be a sort of "death". The body dissolves, and in the course of time, that lowly caterpillar is "transformed" into a butterfly - what biologists call "metamorphosis".
Romans 12:2 tells us as Christians: "do not be no longer conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." That underlined word in the Greek is the word "metamorphize". Quite literally, when a person is converted by grace through faith, they are transformed. Their former propensity to "only want to sin" is changed to a desire to "want to sin no more". The law of the Spirit and life becomes the primary law of their new existence.
The Butterfly lives by the "law of lift"
Unlike the caterpillar, which lives only to eat and crawl on the ground, the butterfly lives to soar and be among the fragrance flowers of God's creation. It's wings are designed to take advantage of a second law written into the creation - "the law of lift". The law of lift enables butterflies and airplanes to overide the prevailing force of gravity. The butterfly is a marvel of creation, whose design values the fluttering of wings and the currents of air.
Similarly as we see in the verse above, "The Spirit of life in Christ" has freed me from the law of sin and death. The currents of God's grace enable the flying. As a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), I am to excercise myself in the fluttering of the wings of my faith through prayer, God's word and weekly worship with God's people. (Hebrews 10:24-25) As a new creation, my growing desire is to flutter among those things which emit the fragrance of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16) The Holy Spirit Himself works inside of me to live as a butterfly of sorts. Yes gravity will tug on me, I will feel its alluring force urging me not to fly. However I must remember that as a butterfly, I do not have to live as I formerly did - as a caterpillar.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Why Temptation?
Romans 7:24-25 24Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free
from the body of this death? 25Thanks be
to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my
mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
Romans 7 is an incredible chapter that helps Christians to come to terms with the daily reality of the battle that wages between the new nature in Christ and the left over remnants of indwelling sin. We dealt yesterday with why it is that God willed to permit the Christian life to have to deal with sin (and for that matter spiritual warfare) We concluded that God wants the Christian to learn what it means to desire Him. Victory will never be desired unless it goes from a concept of the mind to an experience of life.
Today's blog deals with an issue that is closely related to but distinct from the Christian's battle with indwelling sin, namely the daily experience of external temptation.
When you are tempted, remember Christ was tempted
Temptation is not sin. Many times when Christians are in situations where they are enticed to thing, say or do something contrary to God's will, they immediately feel like they have sinned. If that were the case, then Christ Himself would had been guilty of sin. Hebrews 4:15 notes - "15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." To be tempted by sin is one thing, to give into it is quite another matter. Christ never once sinned in thought, word nor deed (1 Peter 2:22), yet He was tempted relentlessly by the world, the physical limitations of human nature and the Devil Himself. (Please note Matthew 4).
When tempted, remember that Satan tempts, but God tests
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." Temptation's direct agent is the Kingdom of darkness working against the believer through the world system and the flesh. James 1:13 plainly states - "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone."
Now we know from scripture's testimony that Satan is the tempter. Genesis 3 for example has him tempting the man and the woman in the garden of Eden. To tempt in the original Hebrew and Greek carries with it the idea of: "persuading someone to pursue a course of action for the sake of their destruction." Whereas the concept of Divine testing in the original languages communicates: "purifying someone in a course of action for the sake of their strengthening".
Christians experience temptation to learn how to be overcomers, just like Jesus
The Holy Spirit by Peter states in 1 Peter 2:21 - "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps." What was the pattern of Christ's life? He was tempted just as we were, and He overcame such temptations by means of prayerful dependence upon His Father and the scriptures. Now we know that Christ was sinless, which distinguishes him from all true Christians. However, in common with all true Christians, Christ demonstrated what chosing not to sin nor giving into temptations looked like.
As God, Jesus Christ could not sin. As man, Jesus Christ would not sin. In the temptation record of Matthew 4, Christ overcame the Devil by means of prayerful dependance upon God the Father and the scriptures. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was praying "not My will, but Your's be done", Christ was agreeing with the Father in His humanity what He had already agreed to do in Eternity with God that Father - go to the cross. As God, Jesus Christ could not thwart the Divine will of the cross. As man, Jesus Christ would not run away from the cross. He went willingly.
In these examples, Christ laid the cornerstones for Christian victory. As Christians have victory moment by moment, over one sin at a time, they progressively experience what Jesus did consistently and without fail - victory. Even if we do fail (which thankfully Jesus never did fail), we know that when we confess our sins, He is just and faithful to forgive us all our sins, and cleanse is from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9) In Christ, God sees me as a winner!
Romans 7 is an incredible chapter that helps Christians to come to terms with the daily reality of the battle that wages between the new nature in Christ and the left over remnants of indwelling sin. We dealt yesterday with why it is that God willed to permit the Christian life to have to deal with sin (and for that matter spiritual warfare) We concluded that God wants the Christian to learn what it means to desire Him. Victory will never be desired unless it goes from a concept of the mind to an experience of life.
Today's blog deals with an issue that is closely related to but distinct from the Christian's battle with indwelling sin, namely the daily experience of external temptation.
When you are tempted, remember Christ was tempted
Temptation is not sin. Many times when Christians are in situations where they are enticed to thing, say or do something contrary to God's will, they immediately feel like they have sinned. If that were the case, then Christ Himself would had been guilty of sin. Hebrews 4:15 notes - "15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." To be tempted by sin is one thing, to give into it is quite another matter. Christ never once sinned in thought, word nor deed (1 Peter 2:22), yet He was tempted relentlessly by the world, the physical limitations of human nature and the Devil Himself. (Please note Matthew 4).
When tempted, remember that Satan tempts, but God tests
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." Temptation's direct agent is the Kingdom of darkness working against the believer through the world system and the flesh. James 1:13 plainly states - "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone."
Now we know from scripture's testimony that Satan is the tempter. Genesis 3 for example has him tempting the man and the woman in the garden of Eden. To tempt in the original Hebrew and Greek carries with it the idea of: "persuading someone to pursue a course of action for the sake of their destruction." Whereas the concept of Divine testing in the original languages communicates: "purifying someone in a course of action for the sake of their strengthening".
Christians experience temptation to learn how to be overcomers, just like Jesus
The Holy Spirit by Peter states in 1 Peter 2:21 - "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps." What was the pattern of Christ's life? He was tempted just as we were, and He overcame such temptations by means of prayerful dependence upon His Father and the scriptures. Now we know that Christ was sinless, which distinguishes him from all true Christians. However, in common with all true Christians, Christ demonstrated what chosing not to sin nor giving into temptations looked like.
As God, Jesus Christ could not sin. As man, Jesus Christ would not sin. In the temptation record of Matthew 4, Christ overcame the Devil by means of prayerful dependance upon God the Father and the scriptures. In the Garden of Gethsemane, when He was praying "not My will, but Your's be done", Christ was agreeing with the Father in His humanity what He had already agreed to do in Eternity with God that Father - go to the cross. As God, Jesus Christ could not thwart the Divine will of the cross. As man, Jesus Christ would not run away from the cross. He went willingly.
In these examples, Christ laid the cornerstones for Christian victory. As Christians have victory moment by moment, over one sin at a time, they progressively experience what Jesus did consistently and without fail - victory. Even if we do fail (which thankfully Jesus never did fail), we know that when we confess our sins, He is just and faithful to forgive us all our sins, and cleanse is from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9) In Christ, God sees me as a winner!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Why Christians have to deal with sin and the enemy
Romans 7:22-23 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
Yesterday we explored the Gospel's Boxing ring in the Christian. At salvation, though sin's penalty is removed, and even though in sanctification sin's power to dominate is removed, scripture and experience demonstrate that the presence of sin is not removed. With all that Paul presents in Romans 6 about the victorious Christian life, it would seem that Romans 7 throws cold water on the point of the Christian gaining any ground in the Christian life. However let me remind the reader of what was stated a few days ago: that in order to live the victorious life of Romans 6, I must needs learn what victory is all about through the conflict of Romans 7 in order to experience the victory of Romans 8. In today's blog we want to outline some reasons why God chose to let the battle against sin and the enemy be a crucial feature of the overcoming Christian life.
1. Sin(s) are a reality in the Christian life, but not a necessity
1 John 1:8 states - "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us". The presence of sin in the Christian life is not debated by scripture. If anything, Paul's point in Romans 7 is to explain and acknowledge that fact. The battle between my new nature in Christ and the left over remnants of sin in my life is a reality. However, to say that I have to sin is another matter. Gravity is a force in my life that I encounter everyday. However as tempting as it may be sometimes to sleep in that extra fifteen or twenty minutes, if I fail to rise out of bed, its not because I had to give into gravity, but because I wanted to.
2. God willed the enemy to remain here on earth so that we may learn victory
1 John 3:8 tells us that Jesus had come to destroy the Devil's work, however it is clear that the Devil (and by extension his network of demonic forces) were left to roam about freely on this planet. (1 Peter 5:8) The fact that the possibility of my sinning is present too, raises the question: Why? 1 John 4:4 tells us concerning our everyday spiritual battle: "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." Only when I am in situations where I am desperate for His presence, and see the shortcomings of my strength, will the power of Christ become more dear to me as I live daily for Him in Him. I will learn to not tie myself too closely to this world's system nor fall for the schemes of the enemy. (Ephesians 6:1-11)
3. God willed to permit the remnants of sin to remain so that we may want to live for Him and not merely "have to" live for Him
Like wise concerning my daily responsibility to rein in the remnants of sin in my soul, 1 John 5:4 states - "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." If I did not learn what it is like to want to live for Christ amidst hostile forces, all my Christianity would be is an "I have to" approach to godliness. Faith is not faith unless it is tested.
4. Wrestling in the Christian life works in us love for God, since love is a choice, not a duty
Notice what trials and temptations do for the Christian. 1 Peter 1:6 "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials". Romans 5:3-4 "3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope". And one more, James 1:2-3 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Notice those underlined words? These affections are produced by wrestling in the faith. The affections of afflictions are ingredients needed for cultivating love for God.
Yesterday we explored the Gospel's Boxing ring in the Christian. At salvation, though sin's penalty is removed, and even though in sanctification sin's power to dominate is removed, scripture and experience demonstrate that the presence of sin is not removed. With all that Paul presents in Romans 6 about the victorious Christian life, it would seem that Romans 7 throws cold water on the point of the Christian gaining any ground in the Christian life. However let me remind the reader of what was stated a few days ago: that in order to live the victorious life of Romans 6, I must needs learn what victory is all about through the conflict of Romans 7 in order to experience the victory of Romans 8. In today's blog we want to outline some reasons why God chose to let the battle against sin and the enemy be a crucial feature of the overcoming Christian life.
1. Sin(s) are a reality in the Christian life, but not a necessity
1 John 1:8 states - "If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us". The presence of sin in the Christian life is not debated by scripture. If anything, Paul's point in Romans 7 is to explain and acknowledge that fact. The battle between my new nature in Christ and the left over remnants of sin in my life is a reality. However, to say that I have to sin is another matter. Gravity is a force in my life that I encounter everyday. However as tempting as it may be sometimes to sleep in that extra fifteen or twenty minutes, if I fail to rise out of bed, its not because I had to give into gravity, but because I wanted to.
2. God willed the enemy to remain here on earth so that we may learn victory
1 John 3:8 tells us that Jesus had come to destroy the Devil's work, however it is clear that the Devil (and by extension his network of demonic forces) were left to roam about freely on this planet. (1 Peter 5:8) The fact that the possibility of my sinning is present too, raises the question: Why? 1 John 4:4 tells us concerning our everyday spiritual battle: "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world." Only when I am in situations where I am desperate for His presence, and see the shortcomings of my strength, will the power of Christ become more dear to me as I live daily for Him in Him. I will learn to not tie myself too closely to this world's system nor fall for the schemes of the enemy. (Ephesians 6:1-11)
3. God willed to permit the remnants of sin to remain so that we may want to live for Him and not merely "have to" live for Him
Like wise concerning my daily responsibility to rein in the remnants of sin in my soul, 1 John 5:4 states - "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." If I did not learn what it is like to want to live for Christ amidst hostile forces, all my Christianity would be is an "I have to" approach to godliness. Faith is not faith unless it is tested.
4. Wrestling in the Christian life works in us love for God, since love is a choice, not a duty
Notice what trials and temptations do for the Christian. 1 Peter 1:6 "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials". Romans 5:3-4 "3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope". And one more, James 1:2-3 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Notice those underlined words? These affections are produced by wrestling in the faith. The affections of afflictions are ingredients needed for cultivating love for God.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
The Christian life's boxing ring
Romans 7:14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
The idea of victory must pass through conflict in order to experience victory
A wise pastor once told me that in order to understand the idea of the victorious Christian life in Romans 6, you have to grasp the conflict of it in Romans 7 in order to experience the victory of Romans 8. As we come to The Holy Spirit's ongoing discussion of the victorious Christian life through the pen of Paul, we see Paul sharing his pre-conversion life in Romans 7:7-13. Recognizing who he was before Christ, Paul changes the tenses of his verbs from "things that were" to "things that are now" in his life.
Do Christian's have to sin, or do they choose to sin?
As we look at Romans 7:7-13 and Romans 7:14-25, we see two pictures: Pre-conversion life and Post-conversion life. In Romans 7:14-25 Paul is describing his Christian life as a boxing ring, wherein two opponents are sparing with one another. There is "the law of sin" or "the old man, nature" (7:23) versus "the law of my mind", the "inner man" or the operations of the new nature in Christ. (7:22) As you go down through this verse, Paul describes the interior of His Christian life in relationship to sin:
7:15 "For I am doing the very thing I hate"
7:18 "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not."
7:19 "For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want"
7:22 "for I joyfully concur with the law of God in my inner man"
7:23 "but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war..."
Clearly there is conflict, a 12 round all and all out fight. The underlined phrases tells us that sinning for the Christian is a matter of choice. To sin as a Christian is not "I have to", but rather "I want to". Even the Great Apostle Paul dealt with this inner boxing ring. They are by position, and are by experience, counting themselves dead to the voice of the sin still resident in their flesh. (please read Romans 6) However that voice that needles daily in their "old man", if not dealt with and regarded as dead by the believer, will as it were get off the cross and attempt to live. The fight is on, however in the context of Romans 6,7 and 8 we discover one important truth about this boxing match in the Christian life.
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world
Paul's argument, though showing the boxing match between "the old man" and "the inner man", reveals that the inner's man is much stronger and more skilled than the old man. The Holy Spirit says through the Apostle John in 1 John 4:4 "greater is He that is in you, and he that is in the world". The argument carries on into Romans 8 and we read in Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death."
So is there a boxing ring in the Christian? Undoubtedly! Are the opponents evenly matched? Hardly. My inner man has with Him God the Holy Spirit, living in and through me and expressing Himself by way of my mind, emotions and will. Even though the presence of sin is still in me, it is weakened and its power to utterly imprison me was taken away. The argument of Romans 6 for the victorious Christian life requires the conflict of Romans 7 to demonstrate that victorious Christian living is a real thing and not a fiction of some pious imagination.
The idea of victory must pass through conflict in order to experience victory
A wise pastor once told me that in order to understand the idea of the victorious Christian life in Romans 6, you have to grasp the conflict of it in Romans 7 in order to experience the victory of Romans 8. As we come to The Holy Spirit's ongoing discussion of the victorious Christian life through the pen of Paul, we see Paul sharing his pre-conversion life in Romans 7:7-13. Recognizing who he was before Christ, Paul changes the tenses of his verbs from "things that were" to "things that are now" in his life.
Do Christian's have to sin, or do they choose to sin?
As we look at Romans 7:7-13 and Romans 7:14-25, we see two pictures: Pre-conversion life and Post-conversion life. In Romans 7:14-25 Paul is describing his Christian life as a boxing ring, wherein two opponents are sparing with one another. There is "the law of sin" or "the old man, nature" (7:23) versus "the law of my mind", the "inner man" or the operations of the new nature in Christ. (7:22) As you go down through this verse, Paul describes the interior of His Christian life in relationship to sin:
7:15 "For I am doing the very thing I hate"
7:18 "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not."
7:19 "For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want"
7:22 "for I joyfully concur with the law of God in my inner man"
7:23 "but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war..."
Clearly there is conflict, a 12 round all and all out fight. The underlined phrases tells us that sinning for the Christian is a matter of choice. To sin as a Christian is not "I have to", but rather "I want to". Even the Great Apostle Paul dealt with this inner boxing ring. They are by position, and are by experience, counting themselves dead to the voice of the sin still resident in their flesh. (please read Romans 6) However that voice that needles daily in their "old man", if not dealt with and regarded as dead by the believer, will as it were get off the cross and attempt to live. The fight is on, however in the context of Romans 6,7 and 8 we discover one important truth about this boxing match in the Christian life.
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world
Paul's argument, though showing the boxing match between "the old man" and "the inner man", reveals that the inner's man is much stronger and more skilled than the old man. The Holy Spirit says through the Apostle John in 1 John 4:4 "greater is He that is in you, and he that is in the world". The argument carries on into Romans 8 and we read in Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death."
So is there a boxing ring in the Christian? Undoubtedly! Are the opponents evenly matched? Hardly. My inner man has with Him God the Holy Spirit, living in and through me and expressing Himself by way of my mind, emotions and will. Even though the presence of sin is still in me, it is weakened and its power to utterly imprison me was taken away. The argument of Romans 6 for the victorious Christian life requires the conflict of Romans 7 to demonstrate that victorious Christian living is a real thing and not a fiction of some pious imagination.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
What are the purposes of God's Law
Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
Good cop, bad cop
I'm sure you have watched T.V cop shows that depict two detectives or two police officers interrogating a suspect in a "downtown" questioning room. One cop plays "good cop" - trying to be the suspect's friend for the purpose of gaining the needed information or confession. If that tactic doesn't work, the one cop leaves and his partner comes in and plays "bad cop", wherein more aggressive, threatening means are used to scare the suspect into a confession. Both scenarios illustrate different uses of man's law to achieve a given purpose: acknowledgement of the truth. God's Law too has various uses for accomplishing various purposes, as will be demonstrated in today's blog.
Is the Christian not obligated to God's law?
Some people are under the impression that when one becomes a Christian, the law is no longer needed. They will cite passages such as Romans 6:14 that states at the end: "you are no longer under law, but under grace". Furthermore, they will also appeal to 1 Timothy 1:9 - "realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers." Now the question is: "once a person believes on Christ by grace through faith, are they exempt from the law of God?" To answer that question, we need to first of all look at the purposes of God's Law.
The Three uses of God's law in the Bible
Just like man's law, knowing how the law functions in different cases will result in a clearer understanding of the biblical relationship between law and grace. 1 Timothy 1:8 gives us this principle: "But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully".
The Law's First Use: Discourages Human Rebellion
Romans 2:14-15 states - "14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them." No matter where you go in the world, there is a universal sense of right and wrong. Why is that? Because the law of God, as revealed on the tablets of stone in the ten commandments (Exodus 19-20) were already inscribed upon the conscience of man. Even after the fall, man's moral nature retained the testimony of God's law on the heart. Thus God's law functions in one sense to curb the tide of social evil.
The Law's Second Use: Demonstrates the sinner's need for Jesus Christ
Whereas the 1st use of the law operates everywhere and all the time, this second use of the law is more evident in the context of the Holy Spirit's call to sinners in the gospel. Paul states plainly in Galatians 3:24 - "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith." When sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, it is vital to first share the bad news of man's condition through the law. It is by the light of the law that we come to know that sin is sin. (Romans 7:7) When Jesus was sharing the Gospel with the rich young ruler in Mark 10, He used the law. The man's rejection of the testimony of the law revealed He was not ready to receive the grace of God through Jesus.
When Paul is writing here in Romans 7:7-13, he is referring back to his pre-conversion days. The law of God came. He thought he was doing good as a religious leader. However when the law revealed him to be an enemy of God, he wanted to inwardly rebel and reject that testimony. However the Spirit of God worked through the needle of the law to prick Paul's heart, preparing it for the scarlet thread of the Gospel to point Paul to Christ. It is this second use to which 1 Timothy 1:9-10 speaks of, revealing the law's use in the realm of evangelism.
The Law's third use: Delighting the Saint in Christ
When Jesus came, He fulfilled the Law of God. (Matthew 3:15). Thus at saving faith, not only is the righteousness earned by Christ's death credited (imputed) to the believer, but also the life that He lived. The Ten commandments function to point us as Christians to Jesus Christ, since it is He who is living His life through us by the Holy Spirit's work. (Colossians 1:27) Its not that I aim to live by "law keeping", rather I can live the Christian life because the requirements of the law are deemed fulfilled in me. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The Law for the Christian shows us what delighting in Christ should look like
As Christians, though we are saved by grace through faith apart from the law, our salvation is not a faith that operates lawlessly. The Holy Spirit's fruit of attitudes and actions do not conflict with the intent of God's moral law. (Galatians 5:22) When Jesus summarized the entire law in Matthew 22:37-39 as loving God and loving my neighbor, He was showing that God's love, working in and through me, is pictured by the truth of the ten commandments. When He preached His sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, the foundation for all ethics in the New Testament, He used the law of God as His base. Christ fulfilled the ceremonial and civil commands of God's law in Moses, however the moral intent of the law in the ten commandments were revealed to picture Christ in written form.
If anything, ten commandments point to the need for Grace to live the Christian life
The the ten commandments function to show me what should be operating in my Christian life, since they reveal what Christ was like. If anything, Christianity exceeds the law. Law keeping would be concerned about: "what I have to do to get by", whereas Grace filled living goes further and says: "Why would I want to live for the Lord, since He is living in me so that I can live for Him." Delighting in God and not merely rule-keeping was the original intent of the law. As Paul reveals elsewhere in Romans, the Law could not make people delight in God. The Law demanded delight, pointing to the Grace of God in Christ - who alone through the Christian could fulfill God's desires.
Good cop, bad cop
I'm sure you have watched T.V cop shows that depict two detectives or two police officers interrogating a suspect in a "downtown" questioning room. One cop plays "good cop" - trying to be the suspect's friend for the purpose of gaining the needed information or confession. If that tactic doesn't work, the one cop leaves and his partner comes in and plays "bad cop", wherein more aggressive, threatening means are used to scare the suspect into a confession. Both scenarios illustrate different uses of man's law to achieve a given purpose: acknowledgement of the truth. God's Law too has various uses for accomplishing various purposes, as will be demonstrated in today's blog.
Is the Christian not obligated to God's law?
Some people are under the impression that when one becomes a Christian, the law is no longer needed. They will cite passages such as Romans 6:14 that states at the end: "you are no longer under law, but under grace". Furthermore, they will also appeal to 1 Timothy 1:9 - "realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers." Now the question is: "once a person believes on Christ by grace through faith, are they exempt from the law of God?" To answer that question, we need to first of all look at the purposes of God's Law.
The Three uses of God's law in the Bible
Just like man's law, knowing how the law functions in different cases will result in a clearer understanding of the biblical relationship between law and grace. 1 Timothy 1:8 gives us this principle: "But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully".
The Law's First Use: Discourages Human Rebellion
Romans 2:14-15 states - "14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them." No matter where you go in the world, there is a universal sense of right and wrong. Why is that? Because the law of God, as revealed on the tablets of stone in the ten commandments (Exodus 19-20) were already inscribed upon the conscience of man. Even after the fall, man's moral nature retained the testimony of God's law on the heart. Thus God's law functions in one sense to curb the tide of social evil.
The Law's Second Use: Demonstrates the sinner's need for Jesus Christ
Whereas the 1st use of the law operates everywhere and all the time, this second use of the law is more evident in the context of the Holy Spirit's call to sinners in the gospel. Paul states plainly in Galatians 3:24 - "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith." When sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, it is vital to first share the bad news of man's condition through the law. It is by the light of the law that we come to know that sin is sin. (Romans 7:7) When Jesus was sharing the Gospel with the rich young ruler in Mark 10, He used the law. The man's rejection of the testimony of the law revealed He was not ready to receive the grace of God through Jesus.
When Paul is writing here in Romans 7:7-13, he is referring back to his pre-conversion days. The law of God came. He thought he was doing good as a religious leader. However when the law revealed him to be an enemy of God, he wanted to inwardly rebel and reject that testimony. However the Spirit of God worked through the needle of the law to prick Paul's heart, preparing it for the scarlet thread of the Gospel to point Paul to Christ. It is this second use to which 1 Timothy 1:9-10 speaks of, revealing the law's use in the realm of evangelism.
The Law's third use: Delighting the Saint in Christ
When Jesus came, He fulfilled the Law of God. (Matthew 3:15). Thus at saving faith, not only is the righteousness earned by Christ's death credited (imputed) to the believer, but also the life that He lived. The Ten commandments function to point us as Christians to Jesus Christ, since it is He who is living His life through us by the Holy Spirit's work. (Colossians 1:27) Its not that I aim to live by "law keeping", rather I can live the Christian life because the requirements of the law are deemed fulfilled in me. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The Law for the Christian shows us what delighting in Christ should look like
As Christians, though we are saved by grace through faith apart from the law, our salvation is not a faith that operates lawlessly. The Holy Spirit's fruit of attitudes and actions do not conflict with the intent of God's moral law. (Galatians 5:22) When Jesus summarized the entire law in Matthew 22:37-39 as loving God and loving my neighbor, He was showing that God's love, working in and through me, is pictured by the truth of the ten commandments. When He preached His sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, the foundation for all ethics in the New Testament, He used the law of God as His base. Christ fulfilled the ceremonial and civil commands of God's law in Moses, however the moral intent of the law in the ten commandments were revealed to picture Christ in written form.
If anything, ten commandments point to the need for Grace to live the Christian life
The the ten commandments function to show me what should be operating in my Christian life, since they reveal what Christ was like. If anything, Christianity exceeds the law. Law keeping would be concerned about: "what I have to do to get by", whereas Grace filled living goes further and says: "Why would I want to live for the Lord, since He is living in me so that I can live for Him." Delighting in God and not merely rule-keeping was the original intent of the law. As Paul reveals elsewhere in Romans, the Law could not make people delight in God. The Law demanded delight, pointing to the Grace of God in Christ - who alone through the Christian could fulfill God's desires.
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