THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

 Some Thoughts by Gary Ray Branscome

    Throughout history many have wondered, if there was any purpose to their life, or if it was even worth living. It is not unusual for people to long for something that will give meaning and value to their lives, while satisfying the spiritual emptiness in their heart. Nevertheless, because, that longing comes from the depth of the human soul, the way that we satisfy that longing can have far reaching effects, both emotionally and spiritually.

    First of all, it should be obvious that our life can only have a meaning or purpose if it has a source higher than man, and that may explain why many seek meaning for their life in some form of religion. However, while anthropologists agree that a certain consciousness of the supernatural and desire to worship is almost universal, the spiritual longing in the heart of man is not satisfied by mere religiosity. For, those who are drawn to religion are actually seeking something deeper that cannot be satisfied by form alone. At the same time, even the most hardened atheist has been known to cry out in fear when facing death. The screams of Talleyrand [a diplomat who spent his life fomenting hatred and strife] reportedly could be heard a block away as he lay on his deathbed. Ray Krock, the head of the McDonald's Restaurant chain, with millions of dollars at his disposal, was being treated for alcoholism at the time of his death. From the world’s point of view, they were both successful, yet neither of them knew the peace that comes only with knowing Christ.

    It should also be obvious that because we lack the senses needed to see into the spiritual realm, any understanding that we receive must be revealed to us. And, God gave us His Word to do just that. Therefore, having found peace with God, along with joy, meaning, and purpose I would like to share what I have found with you.

KNOW THYSELF

 
    Since self-deception, in some form or the other, is the rule rather than the exception, philosophers have long urged their disciples to “know thyself.” In fact, we cannot hope to know the truth if we are not honest with ourselves. Pride, fear, sloth, lust, and infatuation can easily blind us to what is right, and no man is exempt from the influence of this inbred guile. For that reason, even the most careful thinkers need to carefully examine and reexamine their own thoughts in order to discover and correct error, while avoiding foolish assumptions.

    Although self-deception can have tragic consequences in any area of life, in the spiritual realm it takes on an eternal dimension. For that reason, we need to put aside such deception by being honest about our sins. In fact, such honesty is the beginning of wisdom, for the fear of the Lord requires us to acknowledge our sins, and those who refuse to look at them will never see them (1Corinthians 11:31, Proverbs 9:8,10).

    Philosophers and theologians have long recognized the fact that we all have a certain sense of right and wrong inscribed upon our nature, and that inner standard is so basic to the decisions we make that it is often taken for granted as being the authority. In fact, our acceptance of that authority is implied in such statements as, “that isn't fair”, “you only got what you deserved,” and “I was here first.” Those statements assume that we all have the same standard written on our heart, and that others will accept an appeal to that standard. Moreover, we generally either agree with such an appeal, or wind up offering some explanation as to why it does not apply in our particular case.

    However, in the eyes of God, this inner tendency to excuse our own behavior and justify self is exactly where the problem lies, for by denying our guilt we blind ourselves to our need for God’s mercy. Furthermore, every time we deny our sin we are, in fact, trying to make ourselves God, by replacing His standard with our standard. The same holds true, whenever we try to judge God (or His Word) by our own standards, instead of allowing His Word to judge us. Sinful men would rather place God on trial, than admit that they deserve His punishment. They would rather condemn Him for their own misfortunes, or for the injustice in the world, than humbly come to Him for deliverance. Moreover, because that sort of rebellion is rooted in the deceitfulness of the human heart, it can only be overcome as God changes our thinking to bring it into agreement with His Word (2Corinthians 10:5, Jeremiah 17:9, Colossians 3:10).

    For that reason, those who oppose their thinking to the Word of God are very foolish, for no matter how self-assured they may be, in the end only God's judgement will matter. Can you imagine anyone saying to God, “I don’t think that what I did was so bad”? God could care less what they think! Therefore, their opinion is not worth two cents. If you really want to escape His condemnation you need to agree with Him now. You need to judge yourself, condemn your own sins, and acknowledge your need for His mercy while it is available, if you put it off it could be too late. The Bible says, “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2Corinthians 6:2).

    Because we each have a self-image, you think of yourself as male or female, as old or young, able to do certain things or unable, and righteous or sinful. How you think of yourself also affects how you react in certain situations, and how you relate to other people. For that reason, your self-image is a part of your personality, your makeup, and your very nature. However, if you think of yourself as righteous, you are denying your need of God's mercy, and, God will not give His mercy to those who deny their need for it (Matthew 9:13). Therefore, bringing your self-image into accord with the Word of God goes hand in hand with repentance.

    We need to humble ourselves before God, admit our sin, and look to him for mercy, for when it comes to salvation, there is no room for self-deception (Proverbs 4:23). We should never delude ourselves into thinking that we are righteous, for that delusion is a sure ticket to hell (Luke 18:11). Instead, we need to admit our own unworthiness, and trust solely in Christ's righteousness, and in the forgiveness He was able to secure for us by His death on the cross. We need to say with Paul, “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing,” and believe the Bible when it tells us that “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (Romans 7:18, 1John 1:7).

    In order to bring our thinking into accord with the Word of God, we need to recognize the true nature of sin, the seriousness of sin, and the extent of sin in our lives. In that regard, the Bible tells us that sin came into the world through the disobedience of one man, Adam, and his wife Eve (Romans 5:12). Through their disobedience God's blessing was lost, the world was brought under the power of sin, and what was before a paradise became a vale of tears (Genesis 2:17, Genesis 3:14,17). Moreover, their sin altered the very nature of man replacing innocence with selfishness, meanness, and guile (Jeremiah 17:9). Furthermore, because of self-deception many sins that need to be confessed are regarded as nothing more than human nature, yet it is that perversity of our nature that makes us sinners in the eyes of God, and that will ultimately bring death to all men (Ephesians 2:3, Psalm 51:5, Jeremiah 17:9).

    Because our sinful heart would rather deny the truth about our nature than admit it, we are far more likely to think of ourselves as basically good, than basically sinful (Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 16:12). It is it far easier to excuse our sin, than to acknowledge it (Luke 10:29). Nevertheless, children do not need to be taught to be selfish, self centered, or ill willed. On the contrary, bad behavior comes naturally (Ephesians 2:3). In the world at large depravity is the norm, and because of that depravity there are rapes, robberies or murders going on every second of every day, and those crimes are the byproduct of a sin-corrupted nature (1John 1:7, John 8:44, Matthew 15:19). In short, we do not become sinners because we sin. Instead, we sin because we are sinners to begin with.

    Because our nature is corrupt, all of our efforts at righteousness fall far short of the mark (Isaiah 64:6). If we try to love God, our love is not perfect (Mark 12:29-33). If we try to love our neighbor, it is not as ourselves (Luke 10:29). If we seek to give, we tend to do so with reservations or because of a wrong motive (Romans 9:31). When we try to pray, we are easily distracted and our attention tends to wander (Luke 22:40,46). At times when we could pray, we often don't feel like it or put it off (Romans 7:15, James 4:2). What we ask in prayer, we often ask for the wrong reasons (James 4:3). If we are able to control our anger, the angry thoughts and feelings are still there (Mark 7:21). If we seek to avoid sin, our flesh fights against us (James 1:14, Matthew 15:19). When we make an effort to subdue the flesh, we are tempted to think of ourselves as better than others (Romans 10:3, 2 Corinthians 10:12, Luke 18:11). In short, everything we do, every act of righteousness, is corrupted by sin and, for that reason, unacceptable to God (Isaiah 64:6). That is why there is nothing we can do to gain God's favor or forgiveness (Galatians 3:21). Apart from the forgiveness Christ won for us, we are all sinners who are hopelessly lost (Romans 3:10-23).

    Our carnal nature rebels at God's verdict and does not easily accept the idea that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves (Romans 8:7, Proverbs 16:2,25). The carnal mind wants to measure righteousness only by outward acts while excusing the inner yearning that produces the act (1Samuel 16:7). It wants to measure God by its own finite assumptions instead of conforming those assumptions to the Word of God (Romans 12:2). It wants to categorize people, while assuming superiority and deluding the heart by imagining that there are degrees of righteousness (2Corinthians 10:12, Matthew 19:20, James 2:10). To the carnal mind it would seem unreasonable for God to place a good citizen under the same condemnation as a criminal (Luke 18:11-12). Yet the carnal mind is wrong, and all such reasoning is foolish when applied to the spiritual realm, for it fails to recognize the true nature of sin (Isaiah 64:6). God has revealed His standard of judgement and His standard is the only standard that will count on the day of judgement (Matthew 5:48).

    Although our sin-corrupted reason tries to pass off some sins as less important than others, the Bible makes it clear that all sins are interrelated because they all involve one thing, rebellion against God (Psalm 107:11). That is why the Bible can say that covetousness is idolatry. Anyone who desires something that is not his, and would even think of sinning to get it, is placing more importance on the object of his desire than on God, and that is idolatry (Colossians 3:10). That is also why the Bible tells us that anyone who hates has committed murder in his heart, that anyone who looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery in his heart, and that anyone who goes contrary to the Word of God is rebelling against God (1John 3:15, Matthew 5:28, 1Samuel 15:23, Jeremiah 3:9). Furthermore, anyone who would water down this standard, or in any way seek to justify himself, is seeking to replace God's authority with his own authority, and that was the sin of Satan.

    The words, “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all,” tell us that there is no such thing as being partly righteous (James 2:10). God's standard is either perfection or nothing. Either we keep His Law perfectly or we are guilty of all (Matthew 5:48). Furthermore, no matter how good a man is outwardly, his nature is still sinful, and that nature brings him under the condemnation of God's Law (Proverbs 30:10-20, Ephesians 2:3). No matter how good a man may appear to us, that man is still a sinner, and because he is a sinner he faces damnation just as surely as a man who has led a life of crime (Romans 3:10-20). Therefore, from the point of view of salvation, there can be no degrees of righteousness. We are all sinners! We are all condemned! And, for that reason, salvation comes only to those who acknowledge their sin and throw themselves on God's mercy, believing that there is forgiveness in Christ (1John 1:9).

CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS

    Once you understand the nature of sin, you should be able to come before God with a humble heart, praying like the publican of old, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). However, even though such a prayer is good, it is important to realize that it is what Christ did, not our act of praying, that saves us. If Christ had not died for our sins, there would be no forgiveness, no matter how long we pleaded for it. It is His blood that washes away our sin, making us righteous in the sight of God. In short, we are saved by what He did, not by what we do (1Corinthians 15:3, 1Peter 3:18, John 3:16, 2Corinthians 5:19).

CONCLUSION

    The key to spiritual understanding lies in knowing that we are sinners, and that Jesus Christ died for our sins. The Bible makes it clear that God is not some softie who will just forgive whenever He is asked (Joshua 24:19). On the contrary, because God's justice requires that every sin be paid for, forgiveness is only available to us because Christ took our guilt upon Himself, and died in our place (Colossians 2:14). Of ourselves, we deserve nothing but hell. Nevertheless, because Christ died in our place, heaven and all of its glory is ours through faith in Him (John 3:16). Therefore, if you want to be saved, look to Christ, who said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (John 11:26, 1John 1:7-9).