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Watch That Pendulum!
Watch that Pendulum! The Bible teaches that swinging from legalism into freedom can be dangerous!
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Matthew 26:41.
We have been redeemed from the curse of the Law and set free to walk in the freedom of the New Covenant of Grace. This is good news! Now What? Are there guidelines, or do we set our own rules?
We must walk carefully as we find our balance according to "It is written." Scripture is clear that we are under no obligation to the Sinai Law. We are free. That is true! But, what exactly does that freedom mean to us? The arguments (still used by our somewhat estranged brethren) in favor of the Sinai Law, are based on texts such as 1 John 3:4.
This is usually buttressed by other texts such as Romans 3:20, which says:
Their conclusion? The Law must still be in effect, or we would not know what sin is and without it everyone would be released to do whatever seemed right in his own eyes. Law and sin compliment one another, they argue, because 1 John 1: 8 (this was written to Christians), says the following:
According to this deductive reasoning, we are all sinners, and if so, then it only stands to reason that we broke some law. Therefore the Sinai Law must still be in effect, they claim. Sounds reasonable, doesn't it?
The Crack of Dawns Appears.
I know people who saw their way out from under slavery to the old law of limitations, grasped the freedom offered, and then jumped to the conclusion that because the Sinai Law was no longer binding on Christians, they were free to do whatever pleased them. In this, they ignore the nature and privileges granted us under the higher "law of the Spirit" that is now our guide. Romans 8:2.
"Whatever you do in the body will in no way effect the destiny of your soul," they said.
The trail of damaged lives they leave in their wake is sad to behold. Is this kind of witness compatible with "The New and Living Way?" Have we been set free to sail life's sea with no guide or compass? Now that we understand we are not under the Sinai Law, where do we stand? Do Christians still have sins to overcome? If so, what constitutes sin today? Romans 14:23 puts the definition of what constitutes sin under the New Covenant, in a nutshell.
The Day Breaks
The new birth is only the beginning of the new life. Now you need to mature!
The primary purpose of this divine flow is to cleanse and mature the newcomer to the kingdom of God. Although you sense a new dynamic within your soul, you soon realize that you are still earth-bound, and you are still surrounded by the same people and by the same challenges. The world around you has not changed. You now view things differently, but everything and everyone around you has not yet joined you in this new dimension. You can now relate to life from a new perspective, but why does the world now seem so strange? You ponder the meaning of your new relationship with the King of the universe. Do I still have any responsibility in this new relationship, and if so, what is it? Let's take king Saul and king David as examples.
Both men were called by God. Both were anointed by God to serve as kings in Israel. Both men sinned and displeased God. David committed adultery and committed 2nd degree murder. In a time of stress, Saul chose to consult the occult instead of waiting on the Lord. When confronted with their sins, Saul made excuses for his disobedience, while David acknowledged his sin and looked for renewal by the Holy Spirit. He prayed,
Every time David slipped, he repented and was forgiven. He lived a New Covenant life in the Old Covenant era. Saul died a sinner. Why were Rahab the harlot, and Samson who committed suicide, both included among the heroes of faith listed in Hebrews chapter eleven, while both Saul and Solomon were left out? How, after denying his Lord with cursing, did Peter regain his right standing with God? Then later, after again succumbing to a double standard (Galatians 2:11-14) how was Peter restored to full apostleship? Acknowledgment of sin as sin, and repentance are essential, lest our sensitivity to hearing God's Spirit is dulled and we find ourselves wondering why we no longer hear from Him.
With the new birth, a river of living water is released to flow into and through the life of the newborn. What is the purpose of this life-giving water flowing from the throne of God?
In this context, what exactly does Romans 6: 11 mean in practical terms, when it says,
This passage tells us that you no longer need be a slave to the old carnal nature!
As every Christian knows, after you experienced the new birth, and your spirit was brought to life by action of God's Holy Spirit, you soon discovered that your body, your mind, your damaged emotions, some of your old addictions and ingrained bad habits may still be there. What has the new birth done for you? It has put into your hands the power with which to control and defeat those old enemies.
Trust Him and let yourself be loved.
Why hasn't the new birth catapulted you into sudden and total victory over these internal foes?
Since we are released from,
Take a close look at the above sins and note the ones that were not included in the 10 commandments. Yet, according to Paul, those who continue to practice those things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Weren't those things automatically placed "under the blood?" Does redemption excuse sin, or does it provide the means of overcoming sin?
Awareness of sin after a fresh conviction by the Holy Spirit requires a fresh repentance, or turning around. 1 John 1:9. Victory usually comes after you thank God for it! This is faith in action.
We might as well face it. Even though the carnal nature would love to continue splashing around in what is known as "sloppy Agape," God is not fooled by polished exteriors. If we are to participate in God's kingdom, we must submit to a thorough house cleaning. God wants to transform our old house into a temple fit for His Spirit. This is what is meant in Philippians 2:12,
Into the Sunlight!
How do we put these last two quotations together? The good news is that we are not left to overcome these internal giants alone. God has not only given us the tools with which to overcome them, but He sent His Holy Spirit to coach us in using them effectively. In the meantime, as the work progresses, you are safely resting in your Savior's care.
Does this mean that you are now immune to the consequences of deliberate rebellion on your part? That concept is known as the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:15) who taught that what you do in the flesh will in no way affect the destiny of your soul. They actually thought that because of His offer of righteousness by faith, God had committed Himself to accommodate the very wickedness Jesus died to eradicate. Read Galatians 6:7,8 in both the NIV and the Amplified.
God Guarantees your Salvation.
The story is told of a novice to the priesthood who went to the bishop for counsel. His first question was: How can I be certain of God's calling on my life? The old bishop walked with the young man to the water trough where horses quenched their thirst.
"Bend over and tell me what you see in the water," he told the young man. As the novice bent over to look into the water, the old man grabbed his head, shoved it under the water and held it there until the young man was almost limp. Then the bishop pulled his head out of the water and gave him a few minutes to catch his breath. When he was able to speak again, the novice angrily asked his mentor why he tried to drown him. The old man looked him in the eyes and asked:
"When your face was under the water, what did you desire more than anything in all the world?"
"Air" gasped the young man.
"Well," said to old bishop, "When you desire God's presence in your life as much as you wanted air, then you will hear His voice directing your life."
God has not left us to fend for ourselves. All the tools needed for transforming our old life, or house, into a temple fit for our Lord to dwell in, are listed in Ephesians 6:10-18. In addition, His Holy Spirit is always available to teach us how to use those weapons in spiritual warfare.
Jesus gave us two keys by which we may gain access to His armory and activate those weapons. He did not tell us to pray for these keys, because He has already presented them to us. He released them to us 2000 years ago! Why should we continue asking Him for something that is already ours? Let's accept and utilize them with thanksgiving!
Key #1. Peace in your innermost being.
This peace can be very real, especially when the world seems to be caving in around you. Over one year ago, a storm that threatened to consume us, broke in upon our family. There was no visible way out of the situation, or around it nor through it. I was totally helpless. In fact any move I could have made would only have made the situation worse. I was trapped!
I remember looking up to the Lord at the height of the crisis and saying, "Lord Jesus, thank you for the peace you have made available to me. If ever I needed it, I surely do need it now. I accept it into my heart at this moment with thanksgiving. Your kind of peace is what I need, and I thank You for it. It is mine today. I am at peace, Lord. Thank you for this wonderful gift."
Outwardly nothing seemed to have changed, but something happened on the inside. I recall telling Dorothy that I was experiencing a warm calming influence in the pit of my stomach. Instead of being full of knots, a beautiful peace seemed to be emanating from my inner being.
In a few weeks, the storm blew over and ceased just as suddenly as it had erupted. The threatened disaster was resolved in the Spirit realm. We witnessed it in the physical. We still marvel at how we often needlessly endure worry and anguish when we could be enjoying God's gift of peace all along.
Key #2. Cease from your labor and REST!
This is the second key to unlocking the armory containing all the other weapons needed for spiritual warfare. To open your safety deposit box in the bank, two keys are needed: yours, and one held by the bank. In this case, Christ has put both keys in your hands. You hold both keys! This is also the essence of the true Sabbath Rest. When your soul finds rest in a situation where outwardly there is no rest, you have entered into God's rest and your life of faith is on target! This is "THE NEW AND LIVING WAY!" Hebrews 10:20.
As with the key called "Peace," this one has also been delivered to us. Jesus did not tell us to pray or strive for these keys. He said He made them available when He spoke, 2000 years ago! All we have to do to activate them is to recognize that He has already given them to us, accept them by faith, thank Him for His gift, and then anticipate His guidance! The results are guaranteed by His Word. In His time, and in His way, we will reap the reward of faith in what He has promised. Remember, there is a vast difference between merely waiting for the promised fulfillment, and waiting on the Lord.
Keep your eyes on the goal and you will notice the pendulum of temptation swinging with shorter and less frequent strokes! Paul identifies the walk toward this goal in Philippians chapter three. We quote verses 13 and 14:
Paul was in no way doubting his ultimate victory as he maneuvered his way through the gauntlet of life. He was simply stating the fact that the race was not yet over, and he must remain diligent. Keep your eye on the goal as you press on, was his caution. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by the allurements of sin! Our final victory is guaranteed, not by our ability to stand, but by Christ who has pledged Himself lift us up every time we fall. Yes, like the Prodigal son, we may stray and for a time, even turn away from the Father, but let us pray that our life is not cut short while we are still away from our Father's house, feeding on husks in the pigpen. I love Paul's faith expressed in 2 Timothy 1:12 (Amp).
These passages leave no doubt that Paul was speaking of confidence in both his personal victory as well as in the success of the ministry God had given him.
Yes, the old life is desperately in need of an extreme re-building, inside and outside. God's purpose is to transform your carnal house into a holy temple fit for the King. To accomplish this humanly impossible task, God sent His Spirit to supervise the entire operation. All He asks is that we allow Him entrance into every room of the old house. As He shines His light into our inner being, we will discover things that will shock us. He will allow for no secret closets where we may hide our pet habits or addictions of the past. He is either Master of all, or He is not master at all. All the law of the Spirit is fulfilled in us when He is Lord! Let yourself be loved!
Samuel Pestes www.sendingthelight.com | | |
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