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Supernatural
Living
by Rev.
Myrl Eddings
There
has always existed an obvious contrast between those within the body of Christ and those
outside it. Unbelievers routinely find the conduct of Christians unusual and even
bizarre, primarily because of our zealousness for godly things versus their desire for
things of the world. Both groups share enthusiasm and passion for the pursuit of
their choosing. The fundamental paradigms differ greatly.
The
underlying motivation for each has its origins in the unseen. Paul stated that these
invisible forces exist and are, in fact, eternal, while things held by many to be enduring
are only temporary (II Corinthians 4:18). The believer’s inclinations for
good can only correctly be attributed to the Spirit of God, as surely as those who
have never been born again are significantly influenced by the spirit of the world; the
Greek translation in the New Testament refers to this as kosmos—the world
system. I John states that if any man has the love of the world (kosmos), the love
of the Father is not in him. He is explicit in his disclosure of adherence by the
masses to a loosely organized set of beliefs embodied in that system. Unrecognized
by most of its followers, one day this movement will take on a pronounced structure of its
own—a false, unified religion endorsed by Satan himself. Jesus also taught this
principle in his discourse concerning the broad way, which leads to destruction, and the
narrow way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13). There is an obvious distinction drawn
between the two factions.
Of
course, sinners have never received salvation, so there is no inner power struggle. They
will do their master’s will to which they are enslaved (Luke 16:13). Saints are
a breed of another sort. Although the children of God are generally controlled by
the Holy Ghost that dwells within, this control is by submission only. Two natures
coexist in the believer. One is the fallen nature inherited from Adam after his
fall. The other is the new nature that was made possible by redemption through the blood
of Christ. Jesus’ death and resurrection was God’s plan to restore us to
man’s former innocence endowed to the species at the dawn of creation. Paul described
this dual persuasion in the book of Ephesians and encouraged all who would live
victoriously in the Lord to put on the new man (Ephesians 4:24). This is the crux of
the challenge for Christians--to take up our cross daily and follow the Savior.
Ignorance
to the Word of God is not an issue. We can’t say that we have no knowledge of
the Creator’s expectations. Most every person in the civilized world has some
degree of awareness of Biblical edicts. Certainly, God’s own people know His
general will that has been revealed through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, preaching, and
even our own conscience. Waywardness often appears as our sensitivity to the will of
the Lord wanes. This commonly occurs when the cares of this life receive greater
emphasis than the quest for godliness. Slowly, the shift of our focus can drift from
spiritual living to menial activities until we become unfruitful. Temptation may surface
in the form of self-righteousness and ritualistic observation. Jesus informed the
Pharisees that the weightier matters of the Mosaic Law (judgment, mercy, etc.) should be
observed and take precedence over technical expertise and strict interpretation of
Scripture that was secondary (Matthew 23:23). The substitution of genuine
Christianity for an inferior code of ethics will never suffice. In this Easter
season, let’s take a fresh look at why Jesus gave His life—that we could once
again truly reflect the image of God.
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