Post by George on Jun 12, 2006 22:20:55 GMT -5
Righteousness, Self-righteousness, Unrighteousness
1. God designed man to function as a trichotomy.
a. Spirit – communicates, inside the believer lives the Spirit of God
b. Soul – composed of the mind, will and emotions
c. Body – does the will of the spirit through the soul
2. The spirit communicates to the soul
3. Your body yields to the soul to do the will of the Spirit
4. The body can yield to outside pressures which are demonic oppression
a. Outside pressure can include that from a spouse
5. From the day of the original sin the spirit has died, thus man became a dichotomy
6. Man can only do good within his own power without Christ
Quickened means made alive. Once saved (quickened) the spirit can again communicate with the soul.
Justification / Sanctification
Acquired Information / Personal relation
Made right in heaven / More right on earth
God knows you / You know God
Self control or Spirit Control
Righteousness / Man acting like God / Unrighteousness
God acts / Self righteousness / Man acts
Love / Self love / Adultery
Joy/ Frustration / Fornication
Peace / Worry / Uncleanness
Longsuffering/ Quick Temper / Lasciviousness
Gentleness / Harshness / Idolatry
Goodness / Meanness / (See Gal 5:19-21 and
Faith / Doubt Romans 1:29-31)
Meekness / Discord
Temperance / Self-indulgence
The above outline is quite a fascinating study on the human person contrasted between the natural man, the carnal man and the spiritual man. Please note the Bible indicates a carnal man is a person who has been saved but is operating on self-righteousness. A person who has moved away from the prompting and leadership of the Holy Spirit and operates on their own self-righteousness rather than the righteousness of God is a carnal man.
It is quite interesting that most people will stop in the middle column without really operating in the righteousness of God. We must remember that righteousness only comes from Jesus Christ. It is only through our acceptance of Him as our Saviour that we can receive any kind of righteousness at all.
The Bible says the things we do of our selves are nothing more than filthy rags in the eyes of The Lord. (Isaiah 64:6) The things we attempt to do without the leading of the Holy Spirit are as unclean to God as the rags of a leper were to the Jews of old. Remember the lepers in those days were charged to walk around saying, “Unclean, unclean,” to all those with whom they came into contact. That is how self-righteousness is seen through God’s eyes.
We often get bogged down in things that completely frustrate us and cause us to come into uneasy places in our life that we cannot understand. Try as we might we cannot understand what the problem is and how we got there. If you take the time to compare your state in life with that chart you may find some eye-opening things there.
This rather obscure verse holds a lot of meat in it. But we all, meaning all Christians. With open face denotes that we do not have a veil over our face as did Moses or a veil over our hearts as did the Jews but look into the face clearly. Beholding as in a glass refers to looking into a mirror. In that glass we see the glory of God. How can that be? It is explained next.
We are changed into the same image. What image is that? It is the image of Christ. That image is from glory to glory. That may be a little confusing. Let us look at this phrase more closely. First we must understand that the glory spoken of has nothing to do with any human glory or self-respect of self-esteem. The Bible indicates that the best self-respect and self-esteem we can have is none.
The glory spoken of here is the glory of God, the Father. From glory to glory indicates rather from the glory that is in Christ, to a glory derived in believers from him; or which seems most agreeable, from one degree of grace to another, grace here being signified by glory; or from glory begun here to glory perfect hereafter; when this image will be completed, both in soul and body; and the saints will be as perfectly like to Christ, as they are capable of, and see him as he is: now the efficient cause of all this, "is the Spirit of the Lord". So it is rather easy to see now that we are speaking of the glory that we receive here on earth as we image Christ to the glory we shall receive in the day of redemption when we shall be like Christ in all aspects.
How is this accomplished? The last phrase of 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that it is by the Spirit of the Lord. It is through the working of the Holy Spirit of God we are able to attain anything like the image of Christ here in this life. However we must be careful and cautious to listen to that same Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide us into righteousness. Yet if we do not obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit we immediately lapse into the things of the second column of the chart and are involved in self-righteousness which is incomplete at best.
Have all things indeed become new and of God with us? Indeed the Bible tells us so. So then what is the answer of the problem of self-righteousness? It is explained rather well in Galatians 5:19-21 and Romans 1:29-31. These are all works of the flesh.
You may be asking where Satan comes into play. Firstly we are perfectly capable of making a terrible mess out of things without the influence of the enemy. We must realize that the devil knows our weaknesses. He and his minions will exploit any weakness we have in our relationship with God. He will exploit those weaknesses to the extent of causing us at times to question our faith and to even wonder if God has forsaken or forgotten us. That is not the case. God is always there with His hand stretched out to comfort and welcome us.
When in times of trouble it is wise to examine whether we are involved in self-righteousness which is weak and flawed. Our strength and comfort comes from The Lord.
1. God designed man to function as a trichotomy.
a. Spirit – communicates, inside the believer lives the Spirit of God
b. Soul – composed of the mind, will and emotions
c. Body – does the will of the spirit through the soul
2. The spirit communicates to the soul
3. Your body yields to the soul to do the will of the Spirit
4. The body can yield to outside pressures which are demonic oppression
a. Outside pressure can include that from a spouse
5. From the day of the original sin the spirit has died, thus man became a dichotomy
6. Man can only do good within his own power without Christ
(Ephesians 2:1) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Quickened means made alive. Once saved (quickened) the spirit can again communicate with the soul.
Justification / Sanctification
Acquired Information / Personal relation
Made right in heaven / More right on earth
God knows you / You know God
Self control or Spirit Control
Righteousness / Man acting like God / Unrighteousness
God acts / Self righteousness / Man acts
Love / Self love / Adultery
Joy/ Frustration / Fornication
Peace / Worry / Uncleanness
Longsuffering/ Quick Temper / Lasciviousness
Gentleness / Harshness / Idolatry
Goodness / Meanness / (See Gal 5:19-21 and
Faith / Doubt Romans 1:29-31)
Meekness / Discord
Temperance / Self-indulgence
The above outline is quite a fascinating study on the human person contrasted between the natural man, the carnal man and the spiritual man. Please note the Bible indicates a carnal man is a person who has been saved but is operating on self-righteousness. A person who has moved away from the prompting and leadership of the Holy Spirit and operates on their own self-righteousness rather than the righteousness of God is a carnal man.
It is quite interesting that most people will stop in the middle column without really operating in the righteousness of God. We must remember that righteousness only comes from Jesus Christ. It is only through our acceptance of Him as our Saviour that we can receive any kind of righteousness at all.
The Bible says the things we do of our selves are nothing more than filthy rags in the eyes of The Lord. (Isaiah 64:6) The things we attempt to do without the leading of the Holy Spirit are as unclean to God as the rags of a leper were to the Jews of old. Remember the lepers in those days were charged to walk around saying, “Unclean, unclean,” to all those with whom they came into contact. That is how self-righteousness is seen through God’s eyes.
We often get bogged down in things that completely frustrate us and cause us to come into uneasy places in our life that we cannot understand. Try as we might we cannot understand what the problem is and how we got there. If you take the time to compare your state in life with that chart you may find some eye-opening things there.
(2 Corinthians 3:18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
This rather obscure verse holds a lot of meat in it. But we all, meaning all Christians. With open face denotes that we do not have a veil over our face as did Moses or a veil over our hearts as did the Jews but look into the face clearly. Beholding as in a glass refers to looking into a mirror. In that glass we see the glory of God. How can that be? It is explained next.
We are changed into the same image. What image is that? It is the image of Christ. That image is from glory to glory. That may be a little confusing. Let us look at this phrase more closely. First we must understand that the glory spoken of has nothing to do with any human glory or self-respect of self-esteem. The Bible indicates that the best self-respect and self-esteem we can have is none.
The glory spoken of here is the glory of God, the Father. From glory to glory indicates rather from the glory that is in Christ, to a glory derived in believers from him; or which seems most agreeable, from one degree of grace to another, grace here being signified by glory; or from glory begun here to glory perfect hereafter; when this image will be completed, both in soul and body; and the saints will be as perfectly like to Christ, as they are capable of, and see him as he is: now the efficient cause of all this, "is the Spirit of the Lord". So it is rather easy to see now that we are speaking of the glory that we receive here on earth as we image Christ to the glory we shall receive in the day of redemption when we shall be like Christ in all aspects.
How is this accomplished? The last phrase of 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that it is by the Spirit of the Lord. It is through the working of the Holy Spirit of God we are able to attain anything like the image of Christ here in this life. However we must be careful and cautious to listen to that same Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide us into righteousness. Yet if we do not obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit we immediately lapse into the things of the second column of the chart and are involved in self-righteousness which is incomplete at best.
(2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:18) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Have all things indeed become new and of God with us? Indeed the Bible tells us so. So then what is the answer of the problem of self-righteousness? It is explained rather well in Galatians 5:19-21 and Romans 1:29-31. These are all works of the flesh.
You may be asking where Satan comes into play. Firstly we are perfectly capable of making a terrible mess out of things without the influence of the enemy. We must realize that the devil knows our weaknesses. He and his minions will exploit any weakness we have in our relationship with God. He will exploit those weaknesses to the extent of causing us at times to question our faith and to even wonder if God has forsaken or forgotten us. That is not the case. God is always there with His hand stretched out to comfort and welcome us.
When in times of trouble it is wise to examine whether we are involved in self-righteousness which is weak and flawed. Our strength and comfort comes from The Lord.
(Psalms 46:10) Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalms 46:11) The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.[/quote]
Be still and know that I am God. To be still means to become peaceful and contemplative. Think on the things of life, meditate on them.
I have not been able to find anywhere in the Bible where it indicates that God rewards Bible readers. I have found a number of places in which we are to that Bible meditators and Bible studiers are rewarded. As we study on our Bibles and meditate on God’s Word we become closer to Him and the chances of lapsing into self-righteousness are greatly decreased and also when we do we are able to come out of that pit much more quickly by listening to the Holy Spirit.
Brothers and sisters, do you study your Bible and meditate on God’s Word or do you merely read your Bible? Do you operate on self-righteousness or do you work on the fruit of the Spirit which is God’s righteousness?
In Christ,
George
Be still and know that I am God. To be still means to become peaceful and contemplative. Think on the things of life, meditate on them.
(Psalms 1:2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
I have not been able to find anywhere in the Bible where it indicates that God rewards Bible readers. I have found a number of places in which we are to that Bible meditators and Bible studiers are rewarded. As we study on our Bibles and meditate on God’s Word we become closer to Him and the chances of lapsing into self-righteousness are greatly decreased and also when we do we are able to come out of that pit much more quickly by listening to the Holy Spirit.
Brothers and sisters, do you study your Bible and meditate on God’s Word or do you merely read your Bible? Do you operate on self-righteousness or do you work on the fruit of the Spirit which is God’s righteousness?
In Christ,
George