1) I was born with the same basic sinful heart that demands to have it's own way, every day, as everyone else.
We all have our own unique combinations. The rebellion of our own way manifests itself differently in each of us! (p. 50) I Cor. 10:13
I must acknowledge and identify my own way so that I can effectively uproot and destroy that sin in my life or it will continue to re-root and manifest ugliness (sin) in my life.
In this chapter Berg is precise and concise about the different types of rebellion, or "own ways" as he states it. He outlines 3 specific rebels within all of us with a few sub-rebels within each.
I. The Assertive Rebel (out-spoken and/or in-your-face)
II. The Cooperative Rebel (I will obey since it gets me what I want)
- Compliant rebel--ultimately will obey, but slow
- Duty-oriented rebel--the "good kid" wants to be the best and get the recognition
III. The Passive Rebel (the victim)
- "I can't obey"
- "I forgot to obey"
- "I didn't know to obey"
2) My flesh wants to usurp God's control and replace it with my own way. In James 1 he talks specifically about being tempted to sin and have my own way...he teaching is that the source of the temptation is not from above (from God), but within man--from his own lusts. (p. 50)
3) Is There Any Hope?
Yes!!
I Cor. 6:11 "And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
II Cor. 5:17 "new creature" (each of us has been fundamentally changed by the Spirit of God!)
Galatians 5 talks about the putting off (works of the flesh) and the putting on (fruit of the Spirit). There is no problem that God's Word does not address in the Scriptures (p. 57)
I must become accustomed to looking beyond my own behavior and emotions and ask myself, "What is the ruling lust in my heart right now that is driving this behavior or emotion?" (p. 58)
The problem is in the heart of man, not his circumstances (p. 64) How easily I become the 'victim' and give excuses for the way I respond outwardly or the way I feel inwardly. In many circumstances, I justify my sin with excuses.
4) John Owen on Knowing Your Heart
"Is is not enough to watch our circumstances to detect the times of
temptation. We must also watch our heart to know when temptation might
approach us. We need to know our own heart...!"
"Unless we are conscious of these propensities, relationships, and dynamic
possibilities, temptation will constantly entangle us. This is why it is
so important to know ourselves--our temperaments and our attitudes."
"How few truly seek to know themselves, or posses the courage to do so."
(Owen, Sin, 130-132)
5) A Note on: Warring Children
"They certainly need to be confronted about their fighting; but more
fundamentally they need to be confronted about the underlying desire of the heart
that prompted the fight....Merely insisting that the warring parties get along or
separating them fro a period of time may stop the fight, but it will not solve
the real problem--their ruling lust, which is a part of their own way of making
life work for them." (p. 64)
"Not only must that ruling lust be identified and confronted in their
lives, but the offenders must also ask forgiveness of it from God and from those
they are wronging before lasting biblical change can take place. It is
not even enough for the individual to see his ruling list and acknowledge that
he has a problem in that area. Unless he repents with the intention of
forsaking, his fellowship with god remains broken and there will be no lasting
change." (p. 64)
Num. 15:39-40--God was concerned for Israel's heart!
The pull of indwelling sin in my own heart has a deadly effect on my human heart (p. 65)
No comments:
Post a Comment