Title Deviating Thoughts (1)
Contents
“But each one is tempted, being drawn away and deceived by his own desires” (James 1:14).
Guidelines to which the mind must follow in carrying out its individual duties.
In order to protect us from sin on the pilgrimage we live in this world as believers, we face many trials and difficulties while living in this world as believers. But the greatest adversary we experience on this pilgrimage is not the trials of this world, but the corrupt character of the old man within us. Sin constantly attacks us to prevent us from walking the path of sanctification and becoming full believers. The history of deceiving sin consists of three parts. The first is to deviate from thoughts, the second is to entangle emotions, and the third is to conceive sin.
must be detected and confronted with it. And in order to do this, we must live by fulfilling the duty that is due to the believer. However, the duty of the believer before God can be divided into a total duty and an individual duty. A collective duty is a duty related to direction, such as ‘our life should glorify God’ or ‘we should live faithfully before God’. Individual obligations are those which relate to the question of how to live under individual circumstances.
It is not enough for daily life to be aware of and live in confession of collective duty in order to triumph in the fight against sin, but it must be victorious in the performance of more individual duties. And here are the guidelines that the mind must follow in carrying out its individual duties.
1) Regarding the content of duty: with the aim of wholeness
It should be aimed at the pursuit of perfection in the performance of assigned duties. Those who do not have the goal of wholeness are content to fulfill that duty. But the deceit of sin can never be overcome by the fulfillment of duty without the pursuit of perfection. As he seeks to perform his individual duties with completeness, the believer sees his own inadequacy, and sanctification takes place in it, protecting his soul from the deception of sin. But when we do not seek perfection but do our individual duties, on the contrary, the soul is corrupted in it, and the mind cannot protect its soul from the deceitfulness of sin.
2) Regarding the principle of duty: according to the principle of God
When the process of performing individually assigned duties is in accordance with God's principles, it has the power to protect our souls from the deception of sin. There are two principles here. First, we must walk in faith. The same principle of faith, which has given up all the other ways and resources of this world, and relied entirely upon Jesus Christ, must equally apply to the fulfillment of individual duties. When we rely entirely on God in the fulfillment of our individual duties, God sanctifies us through them. Second, the duty must be fulfilled in the power of Christ. No one can be renewed except through the spiritual operation of the Holy Spirit working in the believer. This is because believers are not renewed through work, but are given life force through the Holy Spirit working in them. When we feel our urgent need for God's empowerment and do our individual duties, we become sanctified and protect ourselves from the attack of sin.
3) Regarding the way of duty: with the affection of loving the Lord according to the command
① Outwardly: following God’s commands
Duty must be fulfilled by way of obeying every command of God. Just as various materials are put into a single design to become a finished house, in order to become a building, individual duties are laid like bricks, and God's overall plan for each individual, for the church, and for the kingdom of God is completed. Therefore, each of us must understand God's overall plan about what the true church God wants to build on this earth through the Word, and fulfill our role while thinking about it. Therefore, we must become people who deeply explore the Word of God.
② Inwardly: Acting with a spiritual emotion
The way we do our duty must be motivated by our love for the Lord. When love for God motivates us to do our duty, we realize how insignificant and hopeless the things in this world are. When we thus take up the opportunities of duty, great and small, which we have been given, we protect our souls from the deceitfulness of sin and become sanctified in the work of sanctification by doing it.
4) Regarding the purpose of duty: for the glory of God
It must be done for the glory of God. When the goal itself is to glorify God, it is not enough just that the work has been accomplished. Those who show off after the work is done show that the very goal of doing their duty has nothing to do with the glory of God. All deceitfulness of sin is destroyed by doing duty when it humbles oneself under the glory of God in doing it. The grace that God has given us is kindled in our personal godly life and burns brilliantly in the field of living for God.
* While living in this world as believers, we will face many trials and difficulties. But the greatest adversary we experience on this pilgrimage is not the trials of this world, but the corrupt character of the old man within us. Sin constantly attacks us to prevent us from walking the path of sanctification and becoming full believers. The history of deceiving sin consists of three parts. The first is to deviate from thoughts, the second is to entangle emotions, and the third is to conceive sin.
2004-09-12