OUR author opened his comments in our previous study regarding The Cross saying, “Studying these truths is hard work. Right? Although spiritual hunger and need are prime requisites for light and understanding, the Holy Spirit does not release the treasures of the Word quickly nor easily.”
AS we think on this, we have to admit that these things are hard, but so it is with the Christian life. Picking up our cross and following Christ is no easy task; in fact, it is impossible apart from the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.
Man’s Impossibility Is God’s Possibility – Dr. HK
WE learn of the utter necessity of leaving behind the self-centered, independent life apart from God to embrace and pursue the completely dependent and self-denying life in Christ. When our first parents made their declaration of independence in the garden, falling prey to the lie of the Deceitful One, that God was withholding some secret knowledge and pleasure, that they could figure things out for themselves (Gen. 3:1-4), they in effect opened a proverbial Pandora’s Box of deceitful thinking, attitudes, and shameful behavior. Now we are at war; make no mistake of it. Scripture is clear that since the fall we are in hostile territory (Gen. 3:15) at war with the World, the Flesh, and Devil. I’m convinced after all these years of study and observation of life, that even though Satan and all his devices are quite able to undo us – that the World and all it’s ungodly alignments that would distract, defeat, and even enslave us if we were to cease our vigilance – it is the Flesh, our own sinful, self-preserving, self-defending, self-actualizing, self-loving, or self-loathing (in an unbiblical manner) that is our biggest enemy (Rom 7). As the famous cartoon character philosopher Pogo once said, “We have seen the enemy, and he is us!”
“We have seen the enemy, and he is us!” – Pogo
I RECALL introducing the Character Trait study “Self-Control” to our students at Covenant Christian Academy, remembering I couldn’t help but think how important this topic is in our character trait curriculum, and how difficult it will be to really communicate to these little ones, so shallow in their thinking and understanding, of the depravity of their own hearts. The fact is, all we are doing at this point is planting seeds we pray well take root to a deeper reality in time. In talking to them, I pointed to the two words on the board and said, “It really is a matter of whether self controls you, or you control self.” “If you control self then you will stop, think, and reason from the heart in doing right before doing wrong. But if self controls you, your sinful, selfish and self-centered desires will overrun and overrule doing the right thing every time!” The thing is, we really can’t control self, it is a gift and fruit of the Holy Spirit.
“…how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke 11:13
THESE are hard things for a kindergartener or an eighth grader to get, let alone an adult. Of course, we want to point them to the saving grace of our Lord, the work of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit garnering “self-control” because ultimately, we find that when it comes to “controlling self,” we really do have a big problem. Or, big opportunity…. an opportunity to apply the big solutions of the Word, including The Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ to all of life.
WHICH brings me back to that opening statement: “Although spiritual hunger and need are prime requisites for light and understanding, the Holy Spirit does not release the treasures of the Word quickly nor easily.“
I’M going to stop here before venturing further in to our read of Chapter 12, The Cross – leaving you with this STAR moment quote from Dr. Henry Krabbendam: “Unless a seed dies in self-denial and self-sacrifice, life cannot expect to spring up and blossom out. But when it dies to self …”
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” John 12:24.
…to be continued.
