Bible Studies
In an attempt to present ourselves in the best possible light, some of us go to great lengths to establish and to maintain what I call our public face and impression. This is how we desire others to see us.
Some of us do a better job than others do at suppressing the overt manifestation of the fallen nature within us, but behind that facial expression and under all that makeup, clothing, good behavior, and in some cases secular success, is a being that is self-centered, rotten and corrupt, diminishing mentally and physically, from the top of our head down to the end of our toes (1).
It is what many call our dark or wrong side. You’ve probably heard the saying, “You don’t want to get on the wrong side of that one!”. It is what theologians call the old sin or fallen nature (2) with which all of us come into this world (3).
This fallen nature does not go away when one is born again. It will remain with us until the day we leave these natural bodies behind. Paul wrote of his personal, on-going, struggle with this fallen nature within him (4) some 30 years AFTER he was saved, in his letter to the believers in Rome.
Not only does this fallen nature remain within us after we are saved, it will increase its pressure, keeping pace with whatever progress any given soul makes down the road to spiritual maturity.
It may take a while before you can see the dark side in people, but if you spend enough time with ANY individual, his or her dark side will reveal itself in negative thoughts, speech, and behavior.
People can easily see the dark side of others, but in our arrogance and ignorance, we can be oblivious to our own. As of the moment of salvation, all born again believers are permanently sealed (5) and become indwelled (6) by God the Holy Spirit.
We are saved by making a one-time decision to believe in a presentation of the unadulterated Gospel Message, but getting to know the Lord takes time.What we know about the Lord goes hand in hand with what we know about His Word.
Rather or not we follow His mentoring and guidance is a moment to moment daily CHOICE that we make. This is especially true when faced with having to choose between what our fallen nature and what God would have us think, say, and do.
Where the new creation that we are in Christ would say YES, the fallen nature within us says NO, and vice versa. Each one of our daily choices either glorifies or grieves God. When we choose to think, say, or do what God would have us think, say, or do, He is glorified.
When we choose to think, say, or do what our fallen nature would have think, say, or do, the indwelling God the Holy Spirt is grieved (7), and Satan wins the round.
Wise men and women will not engage in activities (e.g. one-night stands) that can produce a life-long connection or condition with someone they do not know. The “old-fashioned” period of courting, was for the purpose of really getting to know someone BEFORE the intense feelings associated with sexual intimacy impacts our better judgement.
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We do not all have the same areas of strengths and weaknesses, but we all have at least one major area of sin that can so easily entangles us (8)
.Committing ourselves to a human relationship, or to an activity that could lead to a life-long connection, without at least knowing what our future partner’s major area(s) of weakness are, is a foolish decision.
For some of us, this flaw is overtly obvious, whereas for others this flaw (coveting, jealousy, pride, domination, unforgiveness, hatred, revenge, inordinate ambition, gossip, lying, cheating, etc.) can take time to be revealed.
. . .
In the process of evaluating the character and lifestyles of others, we must be careful not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought (9).
According to Proverbs 6: 16, 17, looking down one’s nose at others is at the top of the list of the things that God hates, sharing the same verse content with murder.
James 2: 10 places ALL of us (10) in the same stinking, sinking, boat of sin, and in equal need of repentance and salvation. There is no justification for thinking that one is any better than anyone else.
“For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all (James 2: 10 NASB2020).”
We can not expect perfection in ourselves or others, but we should at least be aware of the character flaws and the baggage (unaddressed issues) that future mates are inevitably going to bring into future relationships.
An advancing disciple will ask him/herself, is this relationship (or activity) going to bring me closer in my walk with the Lord and the things of God, or will it drive a wedge between me and what God has in mind (11).
For a worldly-minded individual or a nominal Christian, this consideration will probably not even cross his/her mind, but can later prove to be a costly mistake.
It is not until we have seen the dark side in others, and still want to move forward in the relationship, that we are ready to make any long-term commitments.
End of Part One
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(1) Isaiah 1: 5, 6 (2) Romans 7: 14-23 (3) Psalms 51: 5 (4) Romans 7: 14-24(5) Ephesians 4: 30 (6) 1Corinthians 3: 16 (7) Ephesians 4: 30 (8) Romans 12: 1 (9) Romans 12: 3 (10) Romans 3: 23 (11) Luke 14: 26
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