Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: REFLECTION (10/10/19)
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TITLE: The Disappearing Image | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
10/16/19 -
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Meditating on the Word of God, for the purpose of either reinforcing one’s faith, or to identify his/her need to make adjustments is found in both Old Testament (Joshua 1: 8/Psalms 1:2) and New Testament (2Cor. 13: 5) Scripture.
Be it for the better or for the worse, all human beings are creatures of habit.
Scripture (Joshua 1: 8) teach that it is by meditating on and applying (James 1: 22) the Word of God, that one will make a habit (lifestyle) of doing what God commands.
Born again believers remain forever saved (Romans 8: 1), but still have an inherent bent toward sin (Gen. 6: 5).
For this reason, there will always be the need for reflection as long as we remain in these mortal bodies (Romans 7: 14-25).
But the desire to do so will not come to us naturally (Romans 8: 7).
Since the Fall of Man, human beings come into this world with a fallen nature that is passed down from generation to generation at the moment of conception (Psalms 51: 5).
This fallen nature is inherently hostile towards the God of the Bible and things of the God of Bible.
Born again believers become new creatures in Christ (2Cor. 5: 17), with the indwelling Spirit (1Cor. 3: 16) and enabling power (John 15: 5) to overcome this fallen nature, but one must choose to do so on a moment to moment, daily basis (Gal. 5: 22, 23).
Not only does this fallen nature remain inside us, it will increase the intensity of the pressure it exerts on the soul, keeping pace with whatever spiritual growth one achieves.
Paul spoke of his ongoing battle with this fallen nature within him some thirty years after he was born again, and towards the conclusion of his earthly ministry when he wrote his letter to the born again believers in Rome.
The self-examination spoken of in 2Cor. 13: 5), calls for reflection and the making of adjustments. This is an ongoing necessity for successful execution of the post (after) salvation spiritual life.
As the James 1: 23-25 scenario demonstrates, we can be convicted (John 16: 8) of the sin in our lives and can see the accompanying need to address (1John 1: 9/John 8: 11) by looking into the Word of God.
But no sooner is the Bible closed, do we put the reflection of our true selves that it reveled out of sight and out of mind.
Like the seeds sown in Matthew 13, if the Word does not take a firm root, there being no forward fruit (progress in our spiritual lives).
We will “get nothing out of going to Church,” if we don’t take something home.
Every sermon (Isa. 55: 11) we listen to should either reveal something that we need to address at the present time; something that we will need to address in the future; or something that we can share with others that will minister to their spiritual needs.
In the James 1: 23-25 scenario, one can be entertained (Ezekiel 33: 32), but then fail to apply.
Reflection is of no value if what it discloses is not addressed.
All sin is “addressed” by confession (1John 1: 9), followed up by forsaking (John 8: 11) the same sin in the future.
Confession means to acknowledge that what we have done (or failed to do) is a sin, and that we are guilty.
Repentance is a change of mind. When we can now see what God requires or forbids that we did not see before, we have changed our minds.
If we already know that what we are involved in is sin, there is no need for repentance. In such cases, we do not need to change our minds; we need to change our behavior.
Spiritual maturity is a result of growing in the accurate knowledge (2Pet.3: 18) and application (James 1: 22) of the Word of God. We cannot apply what we do not know.
The devil can quote Scripture (Matt. 4), but desires that it be misapplied.
Most religious people have knowledge of the Ten Commandments. Spiritually mature disciples know that there are more than 300 Commandments in the New Testament, as well as the significance of each one (James 2: 10).
Growing in the knowledge of the Lord and reflecting on it are necessary steps along the road to spiritual maturity, but knowledge and reflection without application will prove to be fruitless (James 1: 22).
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