“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:14). Of his own lust? I thought we don’t have to deal with it anymore when we are in Christ! Doesn’t Bible say that we are complete in him (Colossians 2:10)? And now you mean to say that all of the human race is infected by this vile disposition? One of the reasons why God endorsed “Marriage as honorable” – Hebrews 13:4 – and encouraged all be married* – 1 Timothy 5:14 – (please note that forbidding to marry is not the doctrine which is according to godliness – 1Timothy 4:1-3/6:3) *is that not all can contain this problem of the heart, which is the lust of the flesh – 1John 2:16/ James 1:14,15.
I have heard many say and have read in many books that Jesus hath made our hearts pure when we believed in him. Is that right? If our hearts are cleansed already and don’t need further sanctification then why is the Holy Ghost counseling us through His Word “but if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn” (1 Cor 7:9) – why is He telling us “let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness”? (2 Corinthians 7:1) – and “ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed (an ongoing process) in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:22,23) – “why is He warning about a law of sin in our members, which is warring against the law of our minds, and wants to bring us into captivity again”? (Romans 7:23) – why is he then exhorting us “to put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth”? (Colossians 3:8) – “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts (which is prevalent), glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:14-16)
Now I perfectly understand what “work out your salvation” really means (Phil 2:12) and how deceiving it is to think of oneself so highly when he is nothing – Galatians 6:3 – For by the grace and pure mercies of God alone we are what we are now. Wherefore let him that thinks he stands (those that believe that they have attained everything already) take heed lest he falls (1 Cor 10:12) – fall from what? Know that we are prone to fail of the grace of God – Hebrews 12:15 – err from faith – 1Timothy 6:10 – fall from grace – Galatians 5:4 – be moved away from the hope of the gospel – Colossians 1:23 – be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ – 2 Corinthians 11:3 – draw back unto perdition – Hebrews 10:39 – forsake the right way – 2 Peter 2:15 – fall into temptation – 1 Timothy 6:9 – be a castaway – 1 Corinthians 9:27 – live after the flesh, and die – Romans 8:13 – which is why the Lord is admonishing us to be diligent to be found in him – 2Peter 3:14 – and to examine ourselves/prove our own selves to verify whether we are in the faith or not – 2 Corinthians 13:5.
Remember the hymn! Prone to wander, Lord I feel it – Prone to leave the God I love! And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of person judges according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear (1 Peter 1:17). Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after (Philippians 3:12). If all that Christ hath accomplished was enough, then why would God give so much spiritual work for us to do? Why we have to endure hardship, lay hold on eternal life, fight the good fight of faith, keep the faith, cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, suffer with Christ, etc…? The whole new testament speaks on doing something (to be accounted worthy) to obtain that world – Luke 20:35/ 21:36/2Thessalonians 1:4,5. Be ye doers of the word – James 1:22/ 1Corinthians 9:24,25/Hebrews 6:15/11:35/2Thessalonians 2:14/ 1Thessalonians 5:9/Luke 20:35. Receiving the end of our (tried/keeping) faith, even the salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:9). Even we have to sow into the Spirit, the word of God (to exercise therein) to reap in due season, the everlasting life – Galatians 6:7-9 – and we all know that unless we yield something we cannot reap anything – yield what? Hebrews 12:10,11/ James 3:12/Romans 6:16,19/Mark 4:8/Proverbs 12:12/ Galatians 6:8.
The prophet Jeremiah so accurately describes the state of man’s heart – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9/Mark 7:21-23) – I perceive that this is a “Pre and Post regenerated” state of man’s heart despite his/her standing in the Lord. The portrayal of a clean heart is not Scriptural at all. When it comes to the depravity of our soul – the truth is, there is nothing good dwells in our flesh – Rom 7:18. It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation when we say that our past sins have been remitted – Romans 3:25/5:11-21/Hebrews 9:15 – and that our hearts have been sprinkled from an evil conscience (Hebrews 9:9,14/10:2,22/13:18/ 1Peter 3:16,21/Titus 1:15/ 1Timothy 1:5,19/3:9) – that we should serve in newness of spirit – Romans 7:6 – To possess a pure heart should be our prime focus – 1Timothy 1:5 – for without holiness no one shall see the Lord – 2Corinthians 7:1/Hebrews 12:14 – to be endowed with or to hold a clear conscience is imperative – Romans 2:15/9:1/Acts 24:16/1Timothy 1:19.
The post-regeneration work on the soul is imperative that the life of the inward man solely depends on its compliance to the word of God (the soul must be brought to the obedience of Christ – 2Cor 10:5). If the soul is unregenerate it is condemned already but if a regenerated soul is feeding the inner-man with the things of the world, the spirit-man (the fetus state) will eventually die/get aborted due to malnourishment. Jesus said, Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Matthew 7:19) – If a man abide not in me (abide = born of God/abide in the Word/sanctified by the Spirit to obey), he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (John 15:6).
That is why Romans 8:13 says, if ye live after the flesh (the fallen nature) ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live. The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word (the incorruptible word seed – 1Pet 1:23/Luke 8:11), and it becomes unfruitful – Mark 4:19/ Luke 8:14. Christ hath brought you out of the miry clay to walk in newness of life – Rom 6:4 – not to turn back to your own vomit or to wallow in the mire again – 2Pet 2:22 – drawing back from this track is perdition – Matt 10:38,39 – The soul that sin it shall die (regardless of the grace made available in Christ) – Ezekiel 18:20 – if you live after the flesh, ye shall die – Rom 8:13 – one could sin against his own soul – Habakkuk 2:10 – Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (put on the new man – Eph 4:24), and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof – Romans 13:14 – Hence, complete sanctification is inevitable for to be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ – 1Thess 5:22,23. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless (2 Peter 3:14).
All of these verses substantiates that, whether great or small, spiritual or unregenerate, good or bad, we all carry within us a wicked nature (the nature of the wild olive tree from which we wert cut out of – Rom 11:17,24) – there is no holy man out there among the sons of man – for all have come short of the glory of God – Rom 3:23 – and this nature stays riveted until we go through some thorough purging – until we let/put on the new nature/man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness – Ephesians 4:24 – Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, we partake of the divine nature – 2Pet 1:4 – In due season, we shall yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness and partake of His holiness, if we endure the chastening of the Lord – Hebrews 12:5-11. Apostle Paul speaks about this “indwelling sin” “the presence of evil” and “ the law of sin which is in our members” in the book of Romans 7:17,20,21,23
The Christian life isn’t just the exercising of some spiritual gifts or church gatherings or doing some charity works, which are vital. The real Christian life is a walk with Christ; it is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings and be made conformable unto his death – Phil 3:10,11/John 17:3 – (its effect) that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body – 2 Corinthians 4:10,11 – to possess the mind of Christ – Phil 2:5/1Pet 2:21 – to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God and to reign with him or to be glorified together we must endure the righteous judgment of God – we must be judged now (which is the chastening of the Lord) – 2Thessalonians 1:4,5/Hebrews 12:5-11/1Corinthians 11:32/1Peter 4:1,2,17 – these are the marks of a true Christian or how we distinguish a genuine believer. For he bears about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus – 2 Corinthians 4:10,11. This is what the Holy Ghost through the apostle Paul is imploring us: “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example – let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing (Philippians 3:16,17).
It is high time that we would examine ourselves/ prove our own selves to know whether we are in the faith walk – 2 Corinthians 13:5 – whether we too have been seduced or been deceived by the falsehood – 1 Timothy 4:1/Mark 13:22. Wherefore let him that thinks he stands to take heed lest he falls (1 Cor 10:12/1Peter 1:17)
Multitudes have fallen prey to the end-time deception – for they already left this path, which alone leads to life – they have taken paths, which seems right unto them, which has a form of godliness – 2 Tim 3:5 – they lean to their own understanding – Proverbs 3:5 – the fundamental requirement of laying down one’s life, denying the self and hating his/her life in this world is not a criterion anymore – 1 John 3:16/ Luke 9:23/John 12:25/Matthew 10:38.
People are seeking the approval of man than being approved of God. It is not that hard to be recognized by man; if you have a talent and you are able to perform well or you are educated according to the course this world system – Ephesians 2:2 – if you have something the world wants and you are willing to trade it, then you can ride on its back to popularity and fame. But to be known or be approved of God/acceptable to God, it takes time and must endure patiently many things. For instance: the Bible says, the word of the Lord tried Joseph until the time that his word came – Psalm 105:19 – Abraham was tried in many areas until he was called the father of all nations – Hebrews 11:17/Romans 4:17-24 – Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God (Acts 2:22) – Study to shew thyself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15/2 Cor 6:3,4/7:11/10:18/1 Cor 11:19/Romans 14:18/ 16:10) – Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing (Col 1:10/ 1Thess 2:12). They all endured – Hebrews 12:2,3,7/11:27/ 10:32/6:15/2Timothy 2:3/ 3:11/4:3,5/1Peter 2:19/James 1:12/5:11/2Thessalonians 1:4/1Cor 13:7/John 6:27/Mark 4:17/13:13/Matthew 24:13. Let us, therefore, walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing (Colossians 1:10/1Thessalonians 2:12). Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing (Philippians 3:16,17).