This week's lesson with Dr. Bill and Anabel Gillham deals with the inner war that we all experience within our own minds and conscience as we struggle to honor God in a world where we face constant influences and suggestions and life options that are not Godly. Bill points out that many of us mistakenly believe that this inner war is between the old man which is symbolized by Adam and his decision to decide for himself what direction he wishes to take and the new man which is symbolized by our walk with Jesus in faith. However, as Bill states, such a struggle would mean that we are a house divided. The scripture clearly states that a house divided against itself cannot stand. So, what is it we are fighting against?
Dr. Gillham points to Ephesians 2:4-6
"Eph 2:4 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved),
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:" (ASV)
Looking at these verses, Dr. Gillham points out the verb tense (past), emphasizing that this is a "done deal." God loved us, He raised us up with Him, and made us to sit in the heavenly places. You and I, as Children of God, are already sitting at the right hand of the Father. Then, why do we still struggle?
Dr. Gillham points out that the scripture says Heaven is up. But it doesn't say how far up. He suggests that we imagine heaven is one inch off the surface of the earth. If that were true, we would be standing with our feet planted on the earth, with our body extending into the realm of Heaven. You are united with Christ spiritually and are a partaker of His divine nature (See 2 Peter 1:4). Your soul and spirit are sealed in the Holy Spirit (See 1 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13, and Eph. 4:30). Then, why do we still struggle? How can we be standing with our body in heaven and still face temptation, and worse, still fail?
Dr. Gillham points out that Satan is a great counterfeiter. God is your father. However, Satan seeks to be God. Satan is the false god and the "father of lies." Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah. Satan's false messiah is the antichrist who will appear on this earth in the last days (See 2 Thess. 2:3-4). Satan counterfeits the Holy Spirit with the power of sin.
Consider how the Holy Spirit works: He indwells you; He interprets the circumstances of life to you; He dialogues with your mind. John 14:26 states, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." The power of sin is going to function in the same manner as the Holy Spirit, but with the opposite intent.
Genesis 4:7 is the first reference to "sin" in the Bible. Here we find that sin is a noun, not a verb. God's word is personifying sin. The word "sin" appears 41 times in Romans five thru eight. 40 of these occurences are nouns. Only 1 is a verb. Romans 7 gives a clue to the way sin, the noun, works. In Romans 7:20, sin is clearly identified: "Rom 7:20 But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me." (ASV) In verse 7:15, only the pronoun "I" is used: "Rom 7:15 For that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do." (ASV) What happened to sin in verse 15? Sin is masquerading in verse 15 as "the old you" that was crucified with Christ, and he's imitating the old man. In other words, according to Bill, the power of sin impersonates the old man, speaking to you--the new creation--with first person pronouns (I, me, myself), using your accent and your one of voice. (Wow! That is a scary thought--my accent and my tone of voice?)
That is why it seems like the old man is still alive, even though the Scriptures state clearly that he is dead. He was crucified and buried with Christ (see Romans 6:4-6 and Gal. 2:20). Here is how Dr. Gillham describes it: "Some versions of the Bible use the term "sin nature," but this is not a Biblical term and is not a literal translation of the original language. If you are born again, then sin is no longer your nature, but rather an alien power that works in you." The key concept is, "Nature" defines the essence of a person or thing. As a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17, you still have sin in you (Rom. 7:21-23); but it is not your essence (nature). You do not have a "sin nature; you have a new nature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). As a new creature in Christ, the law of God is written on your heart. You long to obey God (2 Cor. 3:3).
Bill describes two "television channels" that control our thinking. Channel 1 is described as the location of sin as identifed in Romans 7:23 "Rom 7:23 but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members." (ASV)
Bill uses the stimulus of a "curvy lady" to describe the process by which temptation and sin enter our lives. The diagram at the top of this blog outlines the process of how our eyes and our mind allow satan to influence and tempt us. Bill points out that temptation comes from the devil and your true desires come from God. In order to combat this powerful tempter, we must take every thought captive (see 2 Cor. 10:5) and say "No" to temptation (see 1 Cor. 10:13). Bring Christ on line to give you victory. You are dead to sin and alive to God, so act like what you are--dead to sin. James 4:7 states, "Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (ASV)
Bill suggests that we change our tuner from Channel 1 to Channel 2. Channel 2 is synonymous with walking in the Spirit and setting your mind on reality, determining to depend upon Christ, and declaring that you desire for Him to express His life through you.
People believe they are being hypocritical if they act contrary to how they feel. This is Satan's definition of a hypocrite. The true definition of hypocrisy is, "pretending to be what you are not." If you begin to act like who you are, your feeler may not agree and sin will accuse you of being a hypocrite. The truth is, you are walking by faith, acting like who you really are and aligning your life on the truths in God's Word. Bill stated, "Your old flesh patterns are like your high-school algebra; they will dissipate from lack of use."
Cindy and I both experienced this concept this week. Our old knowledge of high school algebra has dissipated. We had a young man come to our home one evening this week for assistance and tutoring in a college algebra class he is taking. Cindy taught math for more than 30 years and I took advanced math classes through integral calculus and differential equations during my early years as an engineering major. Surely, together, we could work these college algebra problems in a breeze. WRONG! We worked for hours. While we were finally able to work most of the problems, I doubt if we were able to explain them sufficiently to help the student learn what he needed to understand the concept. Lack of use had caused our skills to dissipate. Bill says the same thing happens when we stop using those "green highways" and old flesh patterns that lead to sin. Think about it. It makes sense!
Let's all try to live on Channel 2 this week.
No comments:
Post a Comment