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If you are like me, then perhaps you have wondered at a practical level how this thing called Christianity actually works. I am not so much referring here to the high theology of it, but rather, how does it genuinely transform us from selfish, earth-bound, brutish slaves of sin and self, to loving and obedient children of God, with eternity written on our hearts? Many scriptures in the Bible suggest that our foul hearts, blackened by an inherited nature and a lifetime of sin and defiance of God, can supernaturally, by the indwelling force of the Holy Spirit, be transformed and restored to the image of our Maker. Here are two…
Clearly the scriptures indicate throughout that this renewing or transforming work is an inside job; that God (the Holy Spirit) actually takes up residence within us to deal with the problem at its very core. This makes sense. If the real problem resides within us, deep in the hidden chambers of our heart and mind at the source of all thought, desire and will, how then can any external effort or solution have any real or lasting impact? It is what we are on the inside that ultimately defines us and makes us what we are. All of our behaviors, habits, responses, words and values (what the scriptures call “strongholds”) merely flow from what we already are deep down. Any religion or humanly derived system attempting to heal the human condition, that does not go deeper than how a man acts on the surface of life, is ultimately destined to fail.
When our Lord commands us to come to Him,
and follow Him, He is not offering us a remedy or technique for
suppressing our carnal, God-defying condition. He is offering us
a new, wholly restored nature, “rooted and built up in Him”
(Colossians 2:7). We are to become a new person in Christ, with
an entirely new and effective source of life and vitality. As the Lord draws us deeper into Himself, it becomes increasingly clear that no hidden area of our lives will be left undisturbed; not the deep, dark pride of life, not the seemingly indomitable power of self, not our deluded faith in created things, nor the lusts of the flesh and the world that reduce us to dumb puppets of passion. And such strongholds will not surrender without a fight. They will rear up, and stubbornly resist any attempt to undermine their control over our lives. They must ultimately be shaken loose, sometimes painfully and violently, by the indwelling and transforming Spirit. Many have likened this process to a kind of internal surgery, whereby Our Lord, with loving precision and the sharp blade of His Word, cuts out the cancerous elements residing within our heart. Our Lord is not as interested in changing our conduct as He is with what exists far down beneath the surface at root level – the very elements that define us, that which we grip so tightly – those powers and forces that we so unconsciously serve. Here is where haughty idols reign over us with iron-clad control, where the self sits proudly and stubbornly enthroned, shaking its fist at God. Like an active volcano, once the eruption occurs and dragon’s breath and liquid flame start spewing forth to the surface, it is too late. Deep down, hidden beneath our outer shell, is the hellish cauldron where all is determined and set in motion. It is here, my friends, where modern-day psychology and small “c’ christianity completely miss the mark. With all of their step-by-step methods and behavior modification techniques, all they can do is target how we live and what they can see on the surface, not what we are at heart-level. The preacher who is constantly encouraging us to study more, pray more and be more honest or more kind needs to question whether anything is truly happening beneath the surface. My experience is that those who are truly being changed from the inside by the transforming power of God’s Spirit – being restored to the image of their Creator, to love Him and conform to all that He is – don’t need to be nagged to do what increasingly comes naturally to them. This is very much like telling an apple tree to bear apples and not peaches. My friends, let us learn to simply trust the One who made us, who knows what we are and how we are wired, to effectively solve the problem of man’s condition at its source. Be wary of any attempts to get you to first act differently as a means to changing what you are. This message, prevalent in much of the psycho-heresy being preached from our pulpits, has it all backwards, as I trust you can see. And, dear friends, it can never work. What you will be led into is heart-numbing legalism and mere conformity to men and groups and systems. THIS IS NOT, AND CAN NEVER BE, THE AUTHENTIC CHRISTIANITY OF THE BIBLE... that restores and transforms a man from the inside out, in preparation for an eternity with an eternal and holy God! As our Lord draw us near to Himself, and changes us from within, what we will experience will be far richer than any religious gymnastics or compelled morality – our inward man will be renewed moment-by-moment, and day by day. As He gradually releases us from long-held idolatries and dependencies, He wants us to grab on ever more tightly to Him, to trust Him to replace every unredeemed and harmful habit, security blanket, coping mechanism and sin that keeps us pinned down and failing in this broken world. No vile and godless element within us will remain untouched as He brings the full force of His Spirit, Word and Love to bear in releasing us to true victory and life.
Please pray for us here at Living-Walk, that we would watch and see the Master at work, and understand what He would have us do. Your friend in Christ Jesus,
Wayne |
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