I would appreciate your prayer for me tomorrow as I will be teaching the “Dying to Live Abundant Life” seminar at the Urban Church in East Oakland. Specifically, pray for Spirit-influenced illumination to those who will be hearing the truths of our freedom in Christ—some, perhaps, for the first time. I’ll never forget the first time I understood that I was no longer a “son of Adam” but a “son of God!”
The “sons of Adam” have all been infected with a disease called “moral fatalism.” But all too often, even those who have become the “sons of God,” though they are no longer infected, remain affected. Moral fatalism says as long as we are in the flesh, we must expect to sin. If we live with the supposition “I can't help but sin; it’s who I am,” then we are like those who are still living with the disease. And as John says "we lie and do not practice the truth" (1 John 1:6). The clear message of our freedom in Christ is that "sin will not rule over you" (Romans 6:14).
By believing we are still affected by the disease of moral fatalism, we are actually doing what Paul tells us not to do—we are making provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). In other words, Paul is saying do not provide for failure; provide for victory. Since Jesus “gave us power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases” (Luke 9:1), why is it so many of the 'sons of God' still suffer from the disease called moral fatalism?
I think there are various reasons:
ReplyDelete1. They might not believe what the Bible says about the old man, that was crucified with Christ. And that it is only by constantly relying and crying out to the Holy Spirit for help to put to death the deads of the body that we can grow in sanctification
2. Some people just plain ignore the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, due to ignorance, incorrect understanding of who He is and our vital relationship to Him.
3.Some just deny that we have a divine nature that was granted to us by the new birth, so they obviouly expect to fight their sins for the rest of their lives
4. Others are unaware of the clear cut difference between the soul and the spirit, and do not understand the role every one of these parts play in our life, and therefore in our new life.
5. Some people don't know that the old nature cannot be reformed, refined nor transformed in any way, shape or form but that it must be crucified. Jesus didn't come to make the flesh a better person, the flesh was the very reason we needed a Saviour, and in order to give us a new life in Him He had also to deal with the old nature. Our brand new life and our sanctification cost Him His life.
6. Then there are people who, not seeing the flesh as God does, -beyond help - they see it as having good and bad things, and so it would only be necessary to get rid of the bad things: envy, strife, hatred, etc. But they are comfortable with the little foxes, and therefore never experience the abundant life Christ died for them to have.
I'd like to illustrate this last point. I was talking to a sister how difficult it is for me to find jeans, trousers in general, since I am so thin, most of the ones I try are too tight, and from my point of view a woman should always be careful how she dresses, always thinkin: Would the Lord approve me wearing this or that? I think you can dress nicely and not attract any "unlawful" attention toward your body. And she said: Well, if God has given you this body you can show off (in order words make other people see that you have a good body). I was shocked and to me this is a very sad thing. If someone who has been a Christian for many years thinks like this, what example and what is going to teach to others? That it is OK to have seduction? That's purely the flesh, and that must die quick.
I think there must be many other reasons. Thank you for the chance to share this with you.
The Lord be with you.
Patricia
And thank you for sharing these 'reasons'. they are great insights into the strategies of the enemy. your friend's attitude toward dressing seductively is not as much an example of moral fatalims, and it is jut-plain 'immorality' disguised as harmless 'flirting.' Oh, how the culture deceives us.
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