to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,(Ephesians 4:22 – ESV)
Believing a lie is the genesis of sin. It is the reason behind your sin; whatever sin you’re in is because of some lie you are currently believing. Those who are sinning the most are the ones who are most gullible to believe a lie. Our goal is to find out what the truth is and believe it, to connect with it, to learn how to process our way through the lies and into the truth.
The old man is the old man of our flesh (Romans 8:6-8, 13). In the flesh basically just means you will do things your own way. Now with some crafty Christians, as we might call them, which are just people who are in the flesh and are deceived about it, these people think they aren’t doing things their own way, they think they are doing things God’s way. However, they really aren’t because God’s way to them is dictated though their feelings or impressions. They think God gives these things, but they don’t match up to scripture, they are a lie, and these people are deceived. So if you think God is trying to tell you something, what does the bible have to say about it? Is it consistent with godly character, a mature understanding, and a biblically informed conscience? How would you know?
You might think that this is obvious but I’m here to tell you that this happens a whole lot out there. I have been guilty of it, you have been guilty of it, and we all have been guilty of it at one time or another. The challenge, the right thing to do about it is to keep learning your bible, keep checking the facts, and stay in fellowship with other Christians, preferably ones who are progressing or ones who are further along than you. Stop being disobedient, stop believing the lies that you think you are hearing from God when the things He’s supposedly telling you don’t line up with scripture. The next time you get an impression or hear some voice, tell it to come back later after you have consulted with your bible first. If it says no it can’t wait, you know for sure it isn’t God talking to you (Acts 17:11 / 1 Thessalonians 5:21). That isn’t a lack of faith; it is a stand for truth. The truth is in the text; if it doesn’t agree with scripture don’t agree with it.
5 comments:
If it says no it can’t wait, you know for sure it isn’t God
What a great way to look at that. I almost look forward to the little voices now..... he he
Bring it on little voices.....
the trick always is to discern the lie from the truth, isn't it?
Yes, Susan, it can be "tricky" sometimes, but we also can be assured of growth in this if we apply ourselves, as I am sure has happened with you, as with I, as with all who will diligently desire to know God from His Word...we must "learn to discern", but the scriptures are our guide, and as we mature in them, some of the seemingly subtle things become very obvious, like our post describes...
"In the flesh basically just means you will do things your own way."
Such a scary thought, although it is the truth.
"I want, what I want, when I want".
Thank you for this post JD. Gives much to think about.
As Jonathan Edwards observed, “As long as a person has a notion that he is guided by immediate direction from heaven, it makes him incorrigible and impregnable in all his misconduct.”
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