Victory Over the Self Centered Life E-Book

Dr. Paul G. Caram

• Herausgeber: Zion Christian Publishers
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

We are our own worst enemy. Since the fall of mankind from his place in the Garden of Eden, man’s greatest enemy has been his corrupted nature within his own heart. In his study on obtaining true victory over the self-centered life, Dr. Caram will show the that the ultimate plan of God is to give us a new heart, free from the prison of the self-life. By putting on the mind of Christ, through humility and meekness, we can enter into the glorious liberty that is promised to the sons and daughters of God. 

Leseprobe

VICTORY OVER THE SELF-CENTERED LIFE

Finding freedom from the prisons of self

Enriching our relationship with others and God

Coming into our inheritance and divine fruitfulness

Christian Maturity Series

Course Two

Copyright © by Paul G. Caram

Original Printing, 1988

All rights reserved

Epub revised and based on December 2015 printed version

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission from the publisher,

except in the case of brief quotations in articles or reviews.

All Scripture quotations in this book are taken from the

King James Version Bible unless otherwise stated.

Published with permission by Zion Christian Publishers

as an e-book on June 2020

in the United States of America

E-book ISBN 1-59665-719-7

For more information, please contact:

Zion Christian Publications

Box 256

Ulysses, Pa. 16948

DEDICATION

With deep gratitude and loving esteem, this Christian Maturity Series is dedicated to the honorable

Dr. Brian J. Bailey

Late President of

Zion Fellowship International

my spiritual father and able teacher from my youth in the sacred mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, whose exemplary life and ministry have inspired my love for Christ and His Truth; who has always been to me, and to all of us who knew him, the ideal Christian gentleman— irreproachable and charitable. But above all, he was a man approved of God, a man to whom God showed His face!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to give special thanks to all of the following:

• The Voice of Hope Foundation of Jakarta—who has printed and distributed the Christian Maturity Series for their nation.

• Rudy Tanoe—owner of Indo-Vision TV Network in Indonesia, who has faithfully supported and strengthened our lives and ministry.

• Dr. Jan L. Garber—who encouraged the use of our study manuals in all his schools.

• Reverend Norman Holmes—who has been instrumental in having our books translated, printed, and distributed in southeast Asia.

• Reverend Kenneth and Dacia Dietze—who printed the first edition of the Christian Maturity Series in 1987-1988.

• My Church—who have faithfully undergirded us with their prayers, support- ive attitudes, and have given me the freedom to dedicate my time to the composition of these books, and international travel.

• Rebecca Russell—for her invaluable help in proofreading and editorial advice.

• Betsy Caram my wife—for her encouragement, printing expertise, and literary excellence.

• The Lord Jesus Christ—Son of our Blessed Heavenly Father—who enabled me to understand the truths set forth in this book, truths which have trans- formed my life!

PREFACE

Dead-ends, routines, ruts, mind-sets, habits, conflicts and torments—all of these are prisons of the self-life from which man cannot or does not know how to free himself!

This book is not written to unbelievers. It is addressed to born-again Christians who are struggling with these very issues. A believer battles against an ungodly world system and Satan, but these, in fact, are not his greatest enemies. It should be recognized that our greatest problem is not with Satan or his demons and fallen angels, nor with the world and all of its lures and peer pressures.

No! Our greatest battle and problem is much closer to home. It lies within ourselves, in the very center of our being, for it is from within that we open or close the door—either to God, or to Satan and the world. Yes, the greatest enemy we face is within ourselves— within our own hearts.

Jesus taught on the most critical issues of life, and He concentrated on the subject of the heart more than anything else. He did so because this indeed is the crux of all issues (Proverbs 4:23). The need for a new heart has always been the greatest need in man.

Yet God has not left His people without hope. He has provided a means for every one of us to have a new heart and a new spirit. However, this does not come about in one instantaneous stroke as from a magic wand. This new heart comes gradually, step by step, as we continue to follow His plan for our life. Finding that new heart and freedom from the prisons of the self-life is what this book is all about.

As one author has said, none of today's most advanced forms of human science and analysis can ever rid man of his real bondages. That is because the source of man's trouble is ignored—the problem in his heart of an innate, voracious EGO. Self- centeredness, as you will see throughout this manual, is at the bottom of the many prisons man creates for himself. Truly, Satan is not at all our greatest foe! The unredeemed, unsurrendered, unenlightened areas of the inner life are the greatest opponents man faces.

I have believed for some time that the Church, not the world, should have the answers for mankind's maladies; for the real problems in man are spiritual. It is our earnest hope and prayer that this manual will be a part of the answer for you!

Dr. Paul G. Caram

INTRODUCTION

VICTORY OVER THE SELF-CENTERED LIFE is the second of a series on the subject of Christian growth. The goal of this study is to gain a heart and mind that is free of all conflict, and to find lasting answers to maladies that are robbing us of joy and peace. This is the earnest desire and objective of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose truth has been presented to us to set us free … for He has purchased for us life, and life that is more abundant (John 10:10). Since the beginning of Adam's race, man has dug himself into mental, emotional and spiritual pits without knowing how to free himself. Man has fenced himself into prisons of the self-life—routines, ruts, habits, bondages and evil passions from which he cannot or does not know how to escape.

Even born-again Christians struggle with these problems. And while it is true that the believer battles against an ungodly world system and against the unseen forces of evil, these are not his greatest enemies! It should be recognized that our greatest problem is much closer to home. It lies within ourselves, in the very center of our own being. For it is from within that we open or close the door—either to God or to Satan and the world. Therefore, the greatest problem we have is within ourselves, within our hearts (please see Mk. 7:20-23; Mt.15:19-20). Yet, God has not left us without hope.

He has provided for us the availability of a new heart and a new spirit by means of a New Covenant. And yet even this does not happen instantaneously. It comes step by step as we continue to obey and respond to God. Jesus taught on the most critical issues of life, and He majored on the subject of the heart more than anything else because this is indeed the crux of all issues (See Prov. 4:23). The need for a new heart has always been the greatest need in man (Mk. 3:5, 6:52, 8:17, 10:5, 16:14).

SATAN IS NOT OUR GREATEST PROBLEM!

Unredeemed, unsurrendered, unenlightened areas of the self-life are the biggest obstacles man faces!

• We have a sinful nature - Even when Satan and all of his evil spirits are locked up and put away, man still has a selfish, stubborn and revolting nature with which to contend. This can be vividly seen in Zechariah 14:16-21. Satan will be bound for a thousand years as shown in Revelation 20, yet even then man’s nature still resists and rebels against God. This is the reason we cannot blame everything on Satan. If Satan were removed from the scene today, all of our problems would not disappear immediately; for there is a resistant, self-willed nature that lies deep within man. Satan gains entry where he finds a weakness or where there is an open door that welcomes him. Therefore, the problem is not Satan as much as our own heart. Unredeemed, unsurrendered, and unenlightened areas of the self-life are invitations for Satan to enter into our heart. Thus, Paul exhorts: “Give no place to the devil” (Eph.4:27).

• A pure heart is the key to keeping Satan out - Jesus said, “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30). As a man, Jesus had no unsurrendered areas in His life that allowed Satan to enter. Every door was shut, every crevice was sealed—the mind, the senses, the meditations, the motives, the will, and the affections were all consecrated to God. Satan was unable to find one opening where he could get his foot in the door. If there is anything in our life that attracts Satan, he will pounce upon that opportunity. The devil is not afraid of people who can preach, prophesy or do miracles. As a matter of fact, Satan even encouraged Jesus to do miracles (Mt. 4:3). But he is deathly afraid of men who are bent on doing the will of God, for these are the ones who will destroy him and replace him.

• Hypocrisy opens the door to Satan - Peter asked Ananias, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart?” (Acts 5:3). This is a heart-searching question. “Why did the devil get into you?” Ananias tried to appear more generous than he really was, seeking the applause of man. Satan gains strongholds in hearts that are deceptive. Satan is deceptive and finds an abiding place in those of like nature. Before Peter could ask Ananias why the devil got into him, he had to face the same question in his own life. Just a few years prior, Christ said to Peter, “Get thee behind me Satan, for thou art an offence unto me, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Mt.16:23). Satan had worked through young Peter because his heart had self-seeking motives.

• The danger of holding on to sin - A few years ago the elders were praying for a woman who was in dire need of deliverance. She had been involved in the psychic world in her past but continued to entertain other spirits, and there were around sixty demons that needed to be expelled from her. The ministers prayed earnestly and were able to cast out all of the spirits except for the last one. This evil spirit then screamed in the woman and said, “I want to come out, but she won’t let me!” God then gave her a choice, saying, “My power is here to deliver you if you are willing to be delivered!” Unfortunately she chose to cling to her psychic ways, and many more spirits rushed back into her (Mt.12:43-45). Therefore, we can truly see that the problem is not Satan, but the heart! She loved what she was practicing, and Satan had a foothold in her life because of the welcome she gave him. Satan thrives in people whose nature is sympathetic to his. Remember—the strength of sin is in one’s love for it!

• Bold, rash, reckless statements invite Satan in - “Satan hath desired thee, that he may sift thee as wheat” (Lu. 22:31-34). Satan saw some chaff in Peter and had come to test Peter on several of his challenging remarks. Proclaiming rash, bold statements is like waving a red flag to a bull, and Satan comes charging. Peter asserted that he would never forsake the Lord, even if all his brethren did (Mk.14:29-31). Peter, by his bold declarations, had set himself up for an unnecessary test. (Satan is allowed to test us on the remarks we make, especially if they are not true). We can avoid unnecessary tests and keep Satan away by walking in wisdom and in humility!

• The love for an evil habit - The power of a habit is usually in the love for it. Until a man is changed in his desire, he will gain no lasting deliverance because bondages always come back when they are fed! In fact, anything we habitually practice becomes an addiction. Many sincere Christians long for deliverance from bad habits, yet there is another part of them that loves what they are doing. Therefore, God must deal with the will and desire. God can work in our hearts to will and do His good pleasure if we ask Him (Phil. 2:13). Give God permission to deal with the love you have for your habit. Give Him your heart and allow Him to change your desires (Prov.23:26). Many who desire to walk on the highway of holiness conclude—“It's too hard, it's unattainable for me!” It may not be an easy path but it is possible by grace.

• Unforgiveness - Unforgiveness opens the door to Satan. Satan, who is bitter and unforgiving, fellowships with those of like nature. Many times people do not feel forgiven by God because they have not forgiven others (Mk.11:26). When a man does not forgive another, he will be enslaved to the one he resents, and his thoughts will be controlled by the one he has not forgiven. Unforgiveness delivers a man over to the tormentors (Mt.18:21-35). Depression and stress result from holding a grudge. Paul said Satan would get an advantage over us if we do not forgive (2 Cor. 2:10-11). Forgiveness is not always a feeling. It is an act of the will, with God’s grace helping us.

• Stubbornness - “They ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way” (Judg.2:19). We cannot blame everything on Satan. Stubbornness and self-will are the real problems in man, more than Satan. Did you know that the greatest problem a missionary faces on the field is getting along with other missionaries? This is a heart problem (not a Satanic one). Paul and Barnabas split up over a heated disagreement, and neither was willing to give in (Acts 15:36-41). Barnabas hardened his heart, chose another course, and vanished from the narrative in the Book of Acts. He is scarcely heard of again. Barnabas could have remained in the forefront throughout the rest of Acts, but by allowing his heart to be offended, he chose another course. Many Christians choose another direction in life because of an offense, yet in doing so they surrender part of their crown because they have been deflected from the course God had chosen for them (Rev. 3:11).

• Insecurities - Insecurities and other areas of weakness also make man vulnerable to the oppressions of the devil. Read Numbers 5:12-14. In 5:14, a spirit of jealousy came upon a man because he thought his wife had been unfaithful to him; but she had not. His imaginations, suspicions and insecurities were openings where the devil broke in against him, and then worked through him. Never mind rebuking the spirit of jealousy here. Get the man’s inner life built up with the Word of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, a renewed mind, and the grace of God.

• Lack of discipline - Undisciplined ways open a believer to the attacks of the enemy (Prov.16:32, 25:28). When people are loose and undisciplined, protective walls are broken down, leaving them vulnerable to the attacks of evil spirits. Giving place to drugs, alcohol and immodesty are examples of having no rule over our spirit. All of these cause the walls that God has put around us to crumble, permitting evil spirits to gain entry and domination. Disobedience, too, and laziness break down these hedges of protection, allowing men to be bitten by the Serpent (cf. Eccl.10:8). Sit down and make a list of the things that could be breaking down God’s protective hedge around you.

• Imaginations - Imaginations also allow the enemy to attack us (2 Cor.10:3-5; Gen.37:28-35). Jacob thought or imagined that his son Joseph was dead, but Joseph was not dead! Whether it is real or only imagined, we can suffer much in our minds. In Jacob's case, his thoughts brought the spirit of heaviness for twenty-two years. Jacob spent years in mourning and in depression over imaginations he pictured in his mind. Surely, God desires to deliver us from our natural minds.

• Love of the world - Paul said, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:10). We cannot blame Satan for the backsliding of Demas. Demas had excellent teaching. He saw unusual miracles, felt the power of God, had excellent Christian fellowship, and a fine example (Paul) before him. Demas loved the world. The problem was in his heart. It was not Satan or a lack of Christian fellowship, or any of the other typical excuses people use for backsliding.

• Perverse motives - (Acts 20:29-31). Paul had preached at Ephesus for three years. He warned them daily to get rooted, grounded and established in God and in His Word because there was coming a time when Paul had to leave them. They would be required to stand on their own under young leadership and be tested. (Every church and every individual will be tested at some point). Paul preached over a thousand times there; but with all his pleading and exhorting, there were some in the congregation that had other motives in their hearts, and who wanted to draw away disciples to themselves. Can we see that the problem is not Satan as much as unredeemed, unsurrendered areas of the self-life!

• Unwillingness to admit faults - A pastor asked an argumentative man in a mental ward, “Would you rather be right or would you rather be out of here?” Instantly he replied, “I’d rather be right!” It was this very attitude that had put him there (Read 2 Tim. 2:25-26)! Sometimes the only way to recover ourselves from the snare of the devil is by admitting the truth about ourselves rather than justifying our ways or defending our position. Often the only way to gain deliverance is by first confessing—“I have a problem!” Because of the refusal to acknowledge the truth about oneself, it is not uncommon for a Christian to remain in his bondage. Therefore, Satan continues to have dominion and power in that area of his life. Job was delivered from his trial only after he recognized and admitted his fault.

Solomon was a preacher who had turned from God during times of great success (1 Kings 11). The Lord, being faithful to him, raised up an enemy to try to get his attention and to turn him around. Solomon did not get the message, so God sent another problem, then another (1 Kg.11:13, 23). Solomon did what most backslidden preachers do; instead of turning back to God, he fought the enemy. Many Christians and backslidden preachers cannot discern whether it is God or Satan who is sending a problem. When there is sin in our life, we know who sent the problem! Backslidden ministers, instead of acknowledging that God is trying to get their attention, say that Satan is out to destroy them and their ministry, and appeal to the people for more money to help them fight the devil (Isa. 9:9-13). Thus, the problem is not Satan. He is only used by God to test us, chastise us, and be the opposition that develops us (Rev. 2:10, 20:10). The real problem is our heart. When God is through using Satan to purify us, He will destroy him.

Wrong motives, rebellion, self-pity, unthankfulness, unforgiveness, hardening of the heart, reading the wrong material, listening to the wrong music, looking at pornography on the internet, being in the wrong places and with the wrong people—all of these things are the real reasons Satan gets into the heart. What we may need to do is more repenting and perhaps a little less rebuking of Satan for everything. There are times when turning on the light is more appropriate than rebuking the darkness.

THE NEED FOR A NEW HEART

Rebellion and a hard heart were Israel’s greatest problems, and they are ours as well (Neh. 9:26-30). The necessity of a new heart and a new spirit have always been the greatest needs in man. Because of this, God provided a new covenant whereby a new heart would be possible and available to anyone who was willing to have this operation performed in his life (Jer.31:31-33; Ezek.11:19-20, 36:25-27). However, failure to stay on God's path will thwart this work.

What do we mean when we say “heart”? When we read about the heart in Scripture, the reference is not to that organ in our body that pumps blood. It is referring to the very center of our spirit, the very core of our being where our deepest affections and motives lie, and also our real problems. The heart is much deeper than the mind (although we have many problems in our mind too). The mind is the instrument of analysis and logic. Yet the heart dictates to our mind what to muse upon. The heart is the seat of our affections, motives, and worship. The mind is stimulated by the heart. (See diagram on page 53.)

Jesus preached more on the heart than any other issue. The heart is where all of our real problems are (Mt.15:18-20; Mk.7:21-23). Jesus said, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, foolishness, pride, and blasphemy.” Thus, our greatest need is for a soft, compliant, changed heart. We are told to “keep [or guard] our hearts with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). All of life’s actions, choices and decisions spring from what is deep within our hearts. The heart, even of a Spirit-filled, crucified believer, must be guarded carefully and continuously against pride and excess (2 Cor.12:7).

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS IN OUR HEARTS

• We do not know ourselves or our real needs (2 Chron. 32:31). God allows situations and people to come into our lives in order to show us what is in our hearts (1 Chron. 28:9).

• God takes His people through the wilderness to show them what is in their hearts (Deut. 8:2). The purpose for dry, difficult times is to help us see what lies within us. We really do not know our hearts. God has to show us.

• The Psalmist prayed that God would show him himself. “Cleanse me from secret [or unconscious] faults” (Psa.19:12). “Search me O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts” (Psa.139:23-24). “Examine me, O Lord” (Psa. 26:2).

• Paul said he wanted to know himself, even as God knew him (1 Cor.13:12). He also confessed that he did not know what was in his heart, but that God knew (1 Cor. 4:3-5; cf. Luke 9:55).

• Jeremiah said the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, and that no one can know it. God has to show us what He sees. It is pride to think that we by our own intuition or cleverness can discern what is in our hearts or the hearts of others. God alone knows and He must show us (Prov. 21:2; Jer.17:9-10).

• Job was blind to a problem in his heart. After he was convinced of his need, he made his confession and was delivered from his trial. Next to knowing God, the most important thing is to know ourselves and to know what really is at the bottom of our problems. We will not be delivered from a bondage until we see it, confess it, and ask God for mercy and cleansing. Ninety percent of the solution is when we are able to see our problem. What we think is the solution, and what really is the solution, are two very different things.

In our body, we could have a shooting pain down the leg and think we have a leg problem, but the root of the problem could be in our lower spine because of an oppressed nerve. The analogy is true in our spiritual life. We should ask God to show us what is at the root of our struggles! We may be surprised!

HARDNESS OF HEART

“Harden not your heart.” Scripture repeatedly warns man not to harden his heart. If God says not to do it, that means there is grace (enablement) not to do it. Therefore, when a believer hardens his heart, it is a rejection of God's grace (Heb.3:8, 3:15, 4:7; Psa.95:7-8; Deut.15:7; 1 Sam.6:6; Prov.28:14; Dan.5:20; 2 Chron.36:12- 13; Mk.3:5, 8:17; Mt.19:8). Even the apostles had to guard against this (Mk.6:52).

What is a hardened heart? Hardness begins when a man is hurt or offended over something. Then his heart closes. If the offense is fostered, the heart grows bitter. If the person continues to harden his heart, defiance and rebellion set in. Every time a man hardens himself, he digs himself deeper into a pit. Hardening of the heart, if it continues, could even lead to suicide. This subject will be developed more as we go through the course.

When a person hardens his heart, he has rejected available grace. Grace (divine enablement) is always available when we are in need (Heb.4:16; 2 Cor.12:9-10). God never allows His people to be tested beyond what they are able to bear (1 Cor.10:13). Therefore, when an injury, disappointment or even a disaster comes our way, grace is instantly available. Immediately we are faced with a decision—“Will I harden myself and cherish the injury, or will I call upon God to sustain me with His grace?” When an individual becomes bitter, it is because he has chosen to reject this grace and harden his heart instead (Heb.12:15). Thus, it is a choice!

How does man harden his heart? Through practice! In the same way that a weight-lifter hardens his outer man through much regular vigorous exercise, so also is the inner man hardened. Callousness develops and the heart becomes toughened as a man practices hardening himself when he is hurt. Hearts become hard by exercise.

Hardening the heart is the first step into the pit of despair. Most mental and emotional problems can be traced back to an injury. Then the offended person hardened his heart. If a man continues hardening his heart when he is hurt, he could dig himself so far down into the abyss that he loses the ability to cope with his feelings and life itself, and might even become a victim of suicide. The way to avoid this dreadful pit is by reversing this behavior and repenting of these wrong reactions—by depending upon grace and responding with meekness and forgiveness instead of hardening the heart.

Why do people harden their hearts? It is a false comfort for their hurt, and it feels good … but it leads to a pit of darkness. One wife said, “It feels so good to hate my husband after all he’s done.” Esau, to comfort himself from his injury of losing the birthright, purposed in his heart to kill his brother Jacob (see Gen. 27:42). Job hardened himself in his time of sorrow (Job 6:10). The tendency of all men is to harden themselves, including you and me.

“Hardness of heart” – the reason marriage fails (Mt.19:7-8; Mk.10:2-9). Hardness of heart is the inability to forgive or care anymore; it is a heart that has grown cold and indifferent. When you remove your spirit from your spouse, close yourself off from others, push people out of your life, and cease communi- cating—you have hardened your heart. In all the places in Scripture where people hardened themselves, it never brought a blessing, but judgment.

Pride is a major reason people harden their hearts. According to Exodus 8:15, a hard heart is a strong heart with plenty of fight left in reserve. Pharaoh is an example of a man who hardened his heart ten times. His heart was proud and strong. People with a great deal of pride harden their hearts the most. Therefore, because Pharaoh continued to harden his proud heart, God Himself hardened Pharaoh. (God would never harden a good man.) Humility is the key to having a soft heart. God softens and opens the hearts of those who practice opening their hearts to Him. This was true of Lydia (Please see Acts 16:14).

A hardened heart never brings God’s blessing but the opposite. “Who hath hardened himself against Him and prospered?” (Job 9:4). When we harden ourselves against someone or because of a difficult circumstance, we are actually hardening ourselves against God who has allowed the situation to come into our life. In Scripture, every time someone hardened his heart, it never brought God's blessing but a frown. It is impossible for God to bless a hardened heart. A hardened heart says in effect to the Spirit of grace—“Get away from me, I want to hold onto my vengeful feelings. I have a right to be offended.”

A hardened heart will eventually result in God’s judgment. (Josh.11:20). When a person repeatedly hardens himself and rejects God’s grace (cf. Heb.10:29), after a time God begins to harden him. (God hardens those who have repeatedly hardened themselves.) Pharaoh is a vivid scriptural example of this.

THE STRUGGLE OF TWO NATURES

• “From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even from your lusts that war in your members?” (Jas.4:1). The message of James is addressed, not to the unbeliever. He is speak- ing to blood-washed, Spirit-filled Christians. Truly there is a war going on within us, but it is a war that we can win, by grace. This conflict we feel is the struggle between our old and new nature.

• “Why am I thus?” (Gen.25:22-23). This is the age-old question. Lord, why am I like this? Why do I feel this way? What is wrong with me? Rebecca of old experienced a similar struggle within herself. Instead of going to the psychiatrist to find her answers, she enquired of the Lord and asked, “Lord, why am I thus?” God replied saying, “There are two manner of people within you.”

This answer that God gave Rebecca has great significance, for it represents the struggle of the flesh and the Spirit within us. Of course, there were twins struggling within her womb (Jacob representing the spiritual and Esau representing the carnal), but the application and significance of the allegory is re- markable to every one of us.

• The Corinthian believers, though born-again, Spirit-filled, sanctified and possessing all the gifts of the Spirit, had some terrific battles with the flesh. Paul called them carnal. They were plagued with argument, envy and strife, and some were even falling back into immorality and drunkenness. How could believers who were indwelt by Christ continue to act this way? The reason for this is that we have two natures.

We Have Two Natures

(1 John 1:8 vs 1 John 3:9)

1 John 1:8

“If we say that we have no sin [nature] we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” The Word of God clearly states that we have a sinful nature. To deny that we have a sinful nature is deception (1 Jn.1:9; Jer.17:9; Isa. 6:5; Rom. 7:24).

1 John 3:9

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin because he is born of God.” Christ in us cannot sin. He is that holy seed within us and He cannot sin (1 Pet.1:23). Yet at times we indeed sin. This sin comes from the old Adamic nature with which we were born.

• Paul, the interpreter of the New Covenant stated (in the present tense), “I find a law that, when I would do good, evil is present with me” (a reference to the old nature); and that “It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me” (Rom. 7:17, 20-23). Paul clarifies the fact that there is still a nature of sin that is resident in the members of our body (1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Cor.12:7).

• Jesus had two natures. He was the Son of Man. His body was made of Mary’s substance, of Adam’s race. He was the seed of David, of Abraham’s seed. His body, therefore, was fashioned exactly as ours. Jesus was made in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom.8:3) and was tempted in every way we are (Heb. 2:14-18; 4:15). But He never yielded to sin! Jesus was and is also the Son of God. His spirit and soul are eternal. He came down from heaven to inhabit a body of sinful flesh. As a man living in a body of human sinful flesh, He “condemned sin in the flesh” by never yielding to its lusts.

WHAT IS THE REMEDY FOR THE OLD NATURE?

• When we are born-again, Christ comes into us and we begin to have a new nature. He is literally born in us as a seed (1 Pet.1:23). Christ desires to grow within until He is fully formed (Gal.4:19). But even after our new birth and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, there are still many struggles with the flesh! (The flesh, the old man, the old nature, and the carnal man are synonymous terms that describe the fallen nature with which we were born). The thing that deals with our “old man” is the experience of Romans 6:6.

• Romans 6:6 is a definite, absolute experience that is to be distinguished from the new birth and the infilling of the Spirit. “Knowing that our old man [was] crucified with Him, that the body of sin may be [rendered inoperative].” The word “knowing” comes from a Greek word meaning “a knowledge that comes by an experience.” This “knowing that our old man [was] crucified” is not a head knowledge or something we just take by faith. It is a revelation, an encounter with God. John Wesley would call this, “the second work of grace.” This is an actual experience where the power of sin is broken in our life and we are never the same. God longs to bring every believer into this experience. Something dramatic takes place when Romans 6:6 is experienced. Our old man is rendered powerless; this old nature is arrested and brought into subjection so that we are able to rule over him. Romans 6:6 gives us the power to make a choice—either for holiness or for the flesh.

A Personal Experience

When I was a young Christian, I struggled immensely against the power of sin. After being baptized in the Holy Spirit I was strengthened, but still there were numerous battles and torments in the mind and flesh. I went into a season of fervent prayer for a whole year, and my consuming desire was to be freed from the struggles of the old life in order to live a holy life for God.

Sometimes I would pray six hours a day because the battle was so severe. One night I struggled like Jacob did when he wrestled with God to have his nature changed (Gen.32:24-30). In the morning God met me, and I have never been the same since. It was a landmark experience that I always look back to because my struggle with temptation was immediately broken and I was turned into another man (cf. 1 Sam.10:9). I would have to say that this was the greatest experience of my life, even far greater than the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

That morning, I did not know what had struck me. There was a new anointing upon my life, and even my eyes began to see things differently. It was as though scales had fallen from my eyes. The peace that filled my heart was indescribable, especially after such a long hard battle with the flesh. The power of sin was dealt a deathblow. At last, the heavy burden was gone and the pull of sin no longer had dominion over me.

Over the years I have come to understand that what I had encountered that morning was the reality of Romans 6:6. My old man had been rendered inoperative, that henceforth I should not serve sin. The remedy for my old nature, purchased on the cross nearly 2000 years ago, had been unleashed upon my life.

As we carefully compare all other Scripture with this, the Romans 6:6 experience is not an eradication of our old nature. Our old man (or old nature) still exists but is arrested and put on the cross. He becomes weaker and weaker as we refuse to feed him or exercise him. But our new man (Christ in us) grows stronger and stronger as he is nourished and exercised. We can find an analogy of the battle of the new man against the old man in 2 Samuel 3:1. In this passage, the old kingdom of Saul grew weaker and weaker, but the new kingdom of David grew stronger and stronger.

Even after Romans 6:6, holiness is still a battle. We have to reckon (or count) our old nature to be dead to sin, and then yield our members to God (Rom.6:11,13,14). Hence, holiness is still a choice. Before Romans 6:6, sin can be very overpowering and have dominion over us in certain areas of our lives. Romans 6:6 gives us the power to make the choice for holiness.

Romans 6:6 puts our old man upon the cross. It arrests him. However, we must keep the old nature “contained” and upon the cross because he can revive. Our old nature is never eradicated: it never ceases to exist during this life in our mortal bodies. Only at the resurrection will our new bodies be exempt from the old nature. Full redemption, therefore, is not complete until the resurrection (Rom. 8:23). Remember, the word “dead” (to sin) does not signify oblivion.

Knowing — Reckoning — Yielding