The most confirming evidence in my life that “the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Rom 8:16), is seeing the ever-present desire in me to please God. If this is not always what means the most to you, it’s most likely you have yet to be reborn, for in every believer, “God works in you to will and do His good pleasure” (Phl 2:13).
Though with our new nature (new man) we “will” to please God more than all things, the desire of our old nature (old man) is yet ever attempting self-opposition, which the Spirit’s opposition manifests (Gal 4:17). As I continue to “walk circumspectly” (Eph 5:15), I find myself often occupied with awareness of my old man, which observation seems sensible, it being the closest opposition of three (self, Satan and society); and I’m beginning to believe that the other two, especially the Devil, can only approach through the old nature, for the new nature which is after Christ (Col 3:10) is impeccable (1Jhn 3:9).
I find that the more active I become with fellowship and service in God, the more I am shown an increased understanding of the depth in the decadency of my sin nature (old man). It’s not that it becomes more degenerate, but rather more of the capacity of its decadency is increasingly revealed to me, for it’s as bad as it will ever be and cannot get any worse.
“Putting off the old man” (Col 3:9; Eph 4:22) during opposition for me means reminding myself to “cast” the “care” of it on the Lord (1Pe 5:7) by realizing He’s just using it to continue to teach me to exercise my faith in knowing that He uses it, and “all things,” to my advantage (Rom 8:28); which is “according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11). The greater the “patient endurance” (Heb 6:15), the greater the glorification of God!
Resting Above (Eph 2:6)
NC
Though with our new nature (new man) we “will” to please God more than all things, the desire of our old nature (old man) is yet ever attempting self-opposition, which the Spirit’s opposition manifests (Gal 4:17). As I continue to “walk circumspectly” (Eph 5:15), I find myself often occupied with awareness of my old man, which observation seems sensible, it being the closest opposition of three (self, Satan and society); and I’m beginning to believe that the other two, especially the Devil, can only approach through the old nature, for the new nature which is after Christ (Col 3:10) is impeccable (1Jhn 3:9).
I find that the more active I become with fellowship and service in God, the more I am shown an increased understanding of the depth in the decadency of my sin nature (old man). It’s not that it becomes more degenerate, but rather more of the capacity of its decadency is increasingly revealed to me, for it’s as bad as it will ever be and cannot get any worse.
“Putting off the old man” (Col 3:9; Eph 4:22) during opposition for me means reminding myself to “cast” the “care” of it on the Lord (1Pe 5:7) by realizing He’s just using it to continue to teach me to exercise my faith in knowing that He uses it, and “all things,” to my advantage (Rom 8:28); which is “according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11). The greater the “patient endurance” (Heb 6:15), the greater the glorification of God!
Resting Above (Eph 2:6)
NC