FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
Philippians 2:13 For
it is Elohim which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Last week’s post ended with this comment:
Just how little of a fight do we put up when we are
tempted? Do we even think
about fighting; or is it, “Oh well, there is that
temptation again. I guess I should
just go ahead and give in.” Or do we EVER think, “I have not yet resisted
unto
blood striving against sin?” This, too, lets us know where our affections
truly lie.
The apostle Peter had the same revelation regarding
the flesh as Paul.
1 Peter 4:1 Therefore, since Messiah
has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also
with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has
ceased from sin,
2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of IAUE.
2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of IAUE.
When he refers to suffering in
the flesh, Peter is not referring to suffering persecution for the name of
Messiah. He is referring to the flesh
suffering…which comes by denying the flesh what it wants; thus never giving
occasion for the law of sin in the flesh to be expressed in our lives. The one who allows his flesh to suffer this
denial of expression ceases from sin; because it is the law of sin in the flesh
that energizes disobedience to the will of IAUE.
This “same
purpose” that Messiah had to suffer in the flesh is referred to by Peter
as an effective weapon against sin. The
word “arm” used here is “hoplizo.” It
means to arm, or to furnish with weapons. Many people like to talk about spiritual
warfare and focus on the believer’s authority over demons; but true spiritual
warfare begins here; by taking a military stance against the law of sin in the
flesh. If that enemy is not contained
within our own bodies, it matters little what we do outside the body.
Everything we do will be tainted by sin; hence the sad declaration, “I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work
iniquity.” (Matthew
7:23).
Hebrews
10:36 For ye have need of patience, that,
after ye have done the will of Elohim, ye might receive the promise.
Patience.
Surprisingly, this is a big problem with believers and disciples. How many times have we “denied the flesh”
only to decide we have been so good for so long that we should treat ourselves,
now, with something that “I” want. Our
sense of the reward for our obedience is set so far in the future that it does
not seem a compatible prize for what we are going through, now. We have need of patience; so that after having
done the will of Elohim, we might receive the promise.
Our faithful brother, the apostle Paul, awakened us
through his personal testimony to the weakness of the flesh...not just
weakness, but an actual living principle of rebellion that permeates our
physical members. Paul called it a "law
in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into
captivity to the law of sin which is in my members." (Romans 7:23)
I am reminded of the story of a scorpion whose
intended path was obscured by a creek. Desiring to cross the creek, the
scorpion asked a small fox if he could ride atop his head while he swam across
the creek. The fox objected saying, "You will just sting me and I
will die. No, scorpion, I will not help you." The scorpion
countered with promises of good behavior until his expressed dedications nearly
embarrassed the young fox. Finally, the fox said, "If you promise,
on your word of honor, that you will not sting me, I will swim you across the
creek." The scorpion assured the fox, giving him his solemn vow not
to sting him.
The fox allowed the scorpion to crawl up to the top
of his head, then swam across the creek. As the fox reached the opposing
bank of the creek, the scorpion stung the fox. As the fox weakened to his
death, he said, "But you promised!" The scorpion replied,
"But you knew I was a scorpion."
The application of this tale to our study is to
express that the corruption that is in our mortal bodies is not subject to
change. The law in our members is continuously "warring" against all that would deny it
control and self-determination. Though we might hear pronouncements of promised
good behavior and self-denials, it is not to be trusted.
Such promises are nothing but deceptions, despite the fact that they are often
quite convincing.
When a person becomes a disciple of Yahushua, the spirit
of man is transformed by a new birth; a miraculous event effected by the power
of IAUE through His Holy Spirit. Concerning this new spirit, the
Scripture says that old things have passed away and all things are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). The soul of man is not
directly transformed by this event. It is not "born again," but
it certainly feels the impact of the Light shining from within the newly created
spirit, The soul not only has the capability of being transformed; we, as
disciples of Messiah, are commanded to facilitate that transforming process (Romans 12:1-2). The body of man remains a corrupt house in
which spirit and soul reside. It does not change. Like the scorpion, it
cannot change its nature; and as such, it remains a liability until the day
we die, or until the resurrection (whichever comes first). We have
the promise that we must contend with this mortal corruption until the
resurrection from the dead, for Paul tells us that on that day...
1 Corinthians 15:53 ...this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
It is imperative that we acknowledge the persistent
existence of the law of sin in our members in order not to be taken in by
it....that we not be deceived by it. Paul said that it WARS against our mind. That makes it (not
the body---the law of sin within the body) the enemy of our
soul. If we have such a resident enemy of our discipleship to Yahushua,
how much more should we be vigilant in "keeping
our heart with all diligence?" How much more aggressive
should we be in maintaining a clean heart of a pure conscience and unhindered
understanding of the voice of the Master? This brings us to our verse for
today.
Philippians 2:13 For
it is Elohim which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Elohim's grace has a distinct two-fold effect upon
our lives. Elohim is working within us to:
- To WILL to do His will.
- To DO that which pleases Him.
As we offer our lives in repentance and humility to
the Master, we become candidates of Elohim's grace. Our yielding to Him
affords Him the liberty to pour out His grace upon our lives. That grace
has a distinct and deliberate effectiveness in altering our own human
will...that part of our soulish being that is the central command post of our
decision-making capacity. Elohim works within us to choose to WANT to do
His will. That is the first and necessary step in the development of a Kingdom Heart.
Secondly, having affected our will to WANT to do His
will, He is also at work within us, by His grace, to DO His will, and thus
please Him. Remember what Yahushua said of Himself? He said that
his "meat" was to "do" the will of His Father; and that He
"always" did those things that
"please" his Father. Doing
His Father's will was His diet. It was what sustained Him. The
Father's grace works that same effect within our own lives.
Should we not, then, do all that we can to prevent
any hardness of heart? Should we not diligently guard our heart to protect this
divine flow of IAUE's powerful grace working to affect our will? Should
we not be on the alert at all times against this deceitful law of sin working
within our body constantly trying to gain the ascendency over our mind?
We have a law of sin working within our physical body to wage war against our
mind; desperately seeking to prevent our minds from agreeing with the will of
IAUE. We cannot win against it if we interfere with the flow of His grace
working within us to will and to do of His good pleasure. It is a choice. What shall we choose?
Revisit how you think of the promise of the gospel,
the promise of the resurrection and of the body taking on incorruption and
immortality. Is it not real in your
mind? Is the reward too far away to have
a present impact on your life? Or is it
just a fantasy that has never held your heart captive to the joy that is set
before you? Our choices determine
whether the grace of Elohim will rule in our heart, or the law of sin in the
flesh will exercise dominion over our lives.
Choose.
Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance
of the will of IAUE.
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