Here's what I've been wrestling through these past few days... the author is intentionally left out (for the time being) to avoid natural biases - biases that I've been struggling with too...
"There is a widespread belief among Christians today that the heart is desperately wicked - even after a person comes to Christ... it is UNTRUE."
Dan Nichols' Reaction: "What - that's not true at all!!! Our hearts are desperately wicked!!! How can there be so much sin in my heart and such a battle in my heart if my heart is good???"
Here's why I'm starting to think through this more:
"It's not just that the Cross did something for us. Something deep and profound happened to us in the death of Christ. Remember - the heart is the problem."
Eph. 2:4-5 - "But because of his great love for us, God... made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions."
Rom. 6:4,11 - "We were therefore bured with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life... In the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
1 Cor. 6:19 - "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have recieved from God?"
1 Cor. 3:16 - "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"
"Okay - each of us is now the temple of God. So where, then is the Holy of Holies? Your HEART. God cannot dwell where there is evil."
Ps. 5:4 - "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell."
"He gives us a NEW heart. And he comes to dwell there, in our hearts."
Luke 8:15 - "The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
Dan Nichols' Reaction #2 - "Where on Earth is all this crap that I'm seeing in the world and in myself coming from if my heart is good???"
Romans 7:21-23a - "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my INNER BEING I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war..."
Present Interpretation: Sin is waging war against my BODY; but my HEART has been completely changed and transformed. My heart is good. Only through the transforming power of God Himself and the resurrection of Christ.
If that is true - the implications of our potential for God are through the roof... larger than any of us have ever imagined.
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6 comments:
awesome, awesome, awesome!
I absolutely loved your first reaction! That's how so many of us react when we "react" rather than really thinking and ruminating over a concept. You can always tell when your debating with a person who hasn't taken the time to really think about all the sides involved or really thought deeply about the topic being discussed because they get extremely defensive right away! But this was awesome to see how you really mulled over this, it was as though we could see your thought process progress as your posting itself progressed.
I definately agree with your final conclusion. Very awesome Credo, and was very encouraging for me to get to see and hear about! Thank you:)
~Allie E.H.
You said, "If that is true - the implications of our potential for God are through the roof... larger than any of us have ever imagined."
You're not kidding Dan. I wholeheartedly agree with your last statement. Our potential IS huge...why do you think Satan works so hard at keeping that hidden from us? He (Satan) fears our goodness...her fears the glory in our heart that God put there! Keep wrestling, keep thinking... keep mulling. :)
"Those he justified, he also glorified..." Romans 8:30.
JulieO
Dan -
You reacted with, "How can there be so much sin in my heart and such a battle in my heart if my heart is good???"
That's exactly why there is a battle, my friend! Why would the Enemy of your soul want to battle your wicked heart? No, he battles what is good. He battles what God has redeemed. He battles the opposite of what he is.
I like your conclusion thus far - that our potential is greater than any of us have ever imagined. Isn't that much better than hanging on for dear life until the rapture?
You're a good kid, Dan Nichols, with a good heart!
Jamie
Romans 6-8 contains the answer.
WIth my mind (new nature) I serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin.
I do believe the new nature is the bottom line identity of a Christian; however, the flesh is still in our members. We are responsible for our sins, yet the source of them is not our new nature.
The character/essence of the flesh never improves. It seems to get more rotten the longer we live. This is the source of the trouble.
So: New Nature--Good. Flesh--bad.
Who shall deliver us from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our bodies are not yet redeemed. We have the earnest of the inheritance, but until the resurrection, we live in the tension of the "already but not yet."
Clear as mud?
Its a life-long study.
JR
Good thinking, Dan. We are far more victorious, far more positioned for holiness than we permit ourselves to believe. But I think you may be wandering down a dangerous path that could end in the pernicious doctrine of attainable perfection in this life. A key phrase to ponder is the one you quoted, "I see another law in my members..." I don't have the time now to point to other sources (Romans 7) to see that the pull of sin comes not just from outside but from within. But our nature is transformed. That is why Peter tells us to "work out our salvation...because it is God who works in us...." The doctrine is sanctification. What you are wrestling with is the definitive (legal declaration so that we can have any relationship with God in Christ) and progressive (the actual process by which we are made holy (like Christ) in time and space). In God's infinite mind, it's a done deal, so He can "dwell" with us in relationship. From our finite perspective, it is a process, so we can celebrate his mercy -- and become transformed into the image of His Son.
Just some morning thoughts....
Response to bb's comment: "But I think you may be wandering down a dangerous path that could end in the pernicious doctrine of attainable perfection in this life."
I'm 100% certain about myself and 99.999999% certain about the author from which these thoughts came that the purpose of believing that the hearts of believers are good is not for "the pernicious doctrine of attainable perfection." I know I'm not perfect, nor ever will be here on this earth. But you HAVE to consider EVERYTHING the Bible says about the heart. If we're going to be fair as serious students of the Scripture, we have to consider the big picture of the heart - pre and post salvation. I know there is a battle raging inside me, but the good part is stronger than the bad part. It didn't use to be, but it is now that Christ dwells in my inner being. That gives me hope, not just to sin less, but to actually be all God has wired me to be without rolling over and playing dead until Jesus comes back. For me, this whole subject of whether the heart now leans toward the "good and noble" or still "deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" is more dangerous, not in the realm of trying to attain perfection, but in the realm of still being held captive when that's exactly what Christ came to remedy. He came to SET US FREE! It's more dangerous for a believer to stay in the cell (moaning about how wretched he is) when the door has been flung wide open. (Isaiah 61 and Luke 4)
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