The story of mankind, presented by God, written by man, begins in Genesis and consummates in Revelation with the events of the last days. From Genesis to Revelation the Perfect Plan of God, is being lived-out. The scroll of time/history/creation is constantly rolling out as ordained by our Heavenly Father through His Creation.
When Adam chose to think independently of God the history of mankind became a dual highway of “Good and Evil.” Romans chapter five is a summary of the Fall of man (Adam original disobedience would result in the total depravity of us, his descendants). Romans 5:1-21. Verse twelve puts the Fall of man in a nut shell … read it for yourself.
Because we know good and evil, we think good and evil with the result that we do good and evil.
To help us counter evil, God wrote morality on the hearts of men (Romans 2:15). Then after Christ died forty days later Christ sent the Holy Spirit to restrain evil, control history, and indwell the believer.
C. S. Lewis truly illustrated our innate morality in his book “Abolition of Man.” There he lists several moral laws and virtues: impartial justice, truthfulness, kindness, mercy, marital fidelity, respect for human life.” WE (homo-sapiens) KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG! Morality is Truth given by God for man’s benefit — his survival in the devil’s world.
God gave to mankind from Himself certain knowledge, when He created us in His Image (soul image). That certain knowledge is our innate ability to recognize “right and wrong” (good and evil). God’s moral law is natural to us. Unless we suppress this natural God given knowledge, in our conscience we naturally know basic moral truths.
God also gave us volition — freedom the chose to be obedient or not — freedom of choice. We are free to think independently of God — free to believe and obey or not believe and be lord of our own life.
Mankind must accept the fact that he is without excuse when he stands before God. Denial does not change Truth — it does not change the laws of morality. Man would rather adopt and adapt to untruth — it is more comfortable to his conscience. Self-justification is a self-made deception in order to cope with our inability to always chose to obey — to do the right thing.
Merrill Unger, in his book “DEMONS IN THE WORLD TODAY” well said: “Satan and demons are in opposition to God, exalting themselves above God.” To which may be added: In their own minds — they have separated from God — they prefer to be independent of God. Man makes the same choices. Satan and his army demons influence individual mankind and world history.
Please note: Satan and demons cannot possess believers because of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. But they can influence our thinking by tempting our sin nature (the “old Man” — the Adamic Nature). Even the great apostle Paul struggled within himself against (the flesh) his nature to sin.
We read In Romans 7:19: “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing.” Indeed our very nature to sin is inherent in the flesh. Sin keeps it’s deceitful hold on us because we keep on thinking with human viewpoint, then acting on those negative impulses with action. We keep doing wrong, even though we want to do the right thing. We must understand our innate human nature — our dark side. It is interesting that we are naturally more obedient to our flesh than to our spirit.
Satan – Man – God
Widespread historical suffering always involves three sources: Satan, Man and God.
Satan produces evil constantly.
Man, produces good and evil.
God IS Good!
Satan rules this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Ephesians 2:1-8; 1 John 2:13-14). Jesus Christ controls (intervenes) in human history (Psalms 2; John 5:22; Revelation 1:5;18).
Even in his fallen state, Satan is still the most powerful creature (apart from the humanity of Christ) ever to come from the hand of God. But Satan’s inability to handle his kingdom has caused much of the suffering of mankind throughout all the generations of man. Satan’s violence, arrogance and utter incompetence causes much of the environment of misery on earth. Here is the deal: Satan cannot succeed as a ruler apart from God, and neither can man.
God knows our thinking. “And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4)
“Thinking that is consistent with truth has enormous impact for good in a world of good and evil.” C.S. Craig
“Mankind’s enemy is false pride — arrogance thinking. Arrogance usually inflates man’s opinion of himself with the result that his opinion of others, and God, becomes deflated.” C.S. Craig
“Self-aggrandizement and self denigration distort and even deny reality.” C.S. Craig
“For if anyone thinks he is something [arrogance] when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” (Galatians 6:3).
HUMILITY
Our Lord’s mental attitude of humility dominated His Soul while He was in His earthly form. Christ was totally committed to the Father and the Father’s Plan. Christ confirmed His thinking by His actions. Your thinking is confirmed by your actions!
THEIR ARE TWO WAYS OF VIEWING LIFE
Human Viewpoint and DIVINE VIEWPOINT (Bible Doctrine in the soul).
FIVE PSEUDO MECHANISMS:
1). RATIONALIZATION:
Rationalization is self-justification — blaming others or circumstances for one’s own failure and sufferings.
2). ANGER:
Anger is an emotional revolt in the soul expressed overtly. It can become too aggressive. It can result in a dangerous loss of control. Extreme loss of control results in violence.
3). DEFENSE MECHANISMS attempt to insulate the believer’s mind from the reality of self and truth.
4). DENIAL: “I don’t have a problem,” which literally reveals two problems. Denial reasons that “I’m okay!” Denial is a false system of justification. Problem solving by believing there is no problem.
5). SUBLIMATION reacts to frustration by finding a new outlet for pent-up emotions. It seeks temporary happiness by: social life, sex, or pursuit of money. Most sublimation is directed to activities that are moral and normal but which have been given a false priority above God and God’s Word.
SPIRITUAL THINKING = DIVINE VIEWPOINT
WORSHIP PERSPECTIVE — Worship is a mental thing!
Worship of God is a spiritual — “a mental” thing. Premeditation should be an imperative to effectively execute the Christian Lifestyle. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Think on the following list:
1). Prayer/meditation, top this list of mental priorities as number one in the Christians life (thinking). Mark 14:8; Luke 21:36; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; Hebrews 4:16.
2). All aspects of true worship should be based upon accurate, doctrinal thinking, and therefore accurate doctrinal teaching/learning by a Pastor/teacher is imperative.
3). In the Eucharist the believer concentrates (thinking) on Christ, remembering the principle doctrines that teach His Person, His spiritual and physical sacrifice, on THE CROSS for our salvation.
4). Music is meant to praise God in “doctrinal” lyrics: “Praise Him, praise Him, all you little children, God is Love, God is Love.”
5). Giving is a mental attitude, and contributing to the Lord’s service is a privilege! A privilege extended to believer’s who understand God’s Grace (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).
6). Concentration on the teaching of God’s Word and its application to the details of life. The believer must learn to habitually concentrate on Bible Doctrine — the Mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Divine viewpoint thinking by the mature believer searches out a matter, and processes the true perspective based on God’s Word.
It is the Truth’s of God’s Word and bended knees that keep the believer humble — free from the bondage of sin and self. The freedom found only in Christ (John 8:31-32, 36; James 1:35).
Paul describes inner beauty as “sanity of mind” or “stability of mind.” When you have reached this level of maturity in Christ the world will see it. Few believer’s reach spiritual adulthood, because they spend more time in worldly books, reading, or watching fiction. They live like the UNbeliever — living by human viewpoint (non-spiritual thinking) in the devil’s world giving priority to other people and other things, ahead of GOD.
Reading fiction is an escape into wishful thinking. It too is a form of denial. It is negative toward God, positive toward the world. It is giving human viewpoint priority placing God and Bible Doctrine in a secondary roll in life. NOT GOOD! God must remain the believer’s top priority daily. The believer must read and study God’s Word, filled with the Holy Spirit on a consistent basis (1 Timothy 2:9-10, 15 b; 2 Timothy 1:7).
“Bible Doctrine, gives the believer the enlightened perception to see the counterfeit world.” C. S. Craig