Category Archives: Dan’s Blog

Righteousness through Law

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Man’s motivation to be righteous before God is the product of his conscience. And the bedrock of man’s conscience is God’s law. Law has reached its pinnacle of perfection in the Law and Prophets of the Old Testament. The Law is indeed the epitome of God’s will for man prior to His revelation of what Paul calls God’s mystery—Christ Jesus Himself.(Colossians 2:2)

The truths of God’s law have filtered into all cultures in varying degrees to become the cornerstone of man’s attempt to gain acceptability in the eyes of whoever he perceives to be his god. Such law is the “elementary principles of the world” identified in Scripture. (Colossians 2:20) 

There are two basic elements of man’s attempt to be righteous before God: doing good (in an attempt to please Him), and restraining ourselves from doing evil (to keep from displeasing Him). These elements are at the heart of the activities of all religious systems, and may be thought of as the positive and negative aspects of man’s attempt at righteousness—the opposite sides of the same coin. But all this effort boils down to just one thing: earning one’s own way in an attempt at self-justification.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

God’s Guidepost to Life

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We are inherently self-interested creature in this sin-riddled world, and our sin is blatantly exposed by the presence of law. This fact is undeniable: “the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” (1 Corinthians 15:56)

What’s really sad about God’s law is not that it had to be imposed, but that it was so quickly interpreted as a means by which a person might earn his own righteousness—becoming the framework for man’s attempt to work his way to heaven. From the very beginning God had something far different in mind; law was to be a guidepost to His gift of life.(Romans 7:10)

Law was never intended to be the vehicle to bring us into right standing with Him, because ultimately God wanted to freely impart His own righteousness—and thus His life—to man.(Galatians 3:21) Consequently, man’s attempt to earn his own righteousness through works (what is commonly called works righteousness) can result in little else but pitting us head-on against God’s plan.

Paul talks about God’s people being held in custody under law—like children under a tutor—until the fullness of time came when Christ was to justify those who believe.(Galatians 3:22-24) Law had its purpose then, and still does now. But since freedom from law is the very essence of our freedom from the power of sin, we need to better understand the manner in which law relates to our righteousness in Christ now that He has come.

Law was a Must!

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Prior to his sin being exposed by God’s commandment, Adam didn’t realize that he harbored rebellion in his heart, since there was no standard by which it could have been measured. But there is no doubt that this weakness was there, because as soon as law arrived, sin was right there on its heels.(Romans 7:7)

God most likely wanted Adam to stay away from that tree well before He ever gave the commandment, but Adam couldn’t be blamed if he didn’t know it was wrong to eat of its fruit. So had he eaten it prior to God’s command, he would not have been held guilty of any offence.(Romans 4:15)

Still, had law never been given, Adam’s self-willed nature (sin in the flesh) would have been just as destructive over time. Why? Because the self-interest inherent in his nature would naturally have come into play as he interacted with his offspring—and they with him. The only difference here is that, in the absence of law, guilt for their sin could not be charged to them. It’s not hard to see why, then, law is so necessary in God’s eyes.(Galatians 3:19, Romans 3:20)

There’s no question that it was imperative for God to impose such a standard, because in the absence of law mankind would have rapidly self-destructed.(Romans 7:13)

Law Exposes Sin

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While it is obvious that God’s intention for law was both to curb sinful behavior and provide direction, its main purpose was to expose sin. Paul puts it this way in Romans 7:7: “I would not have come to know sin except through [law].” Law identifies and exposes sin because it sets the standard of God’s righteousness (His holiness) against that of our own self-centered, sinful motivations and behavior. So law can be thought of as a gauge of sorts, because it contrasts God’s righteousness with our own lack thereof.

But this begs a very pertinent question: did sin exist before the first law was ever given? Yes it did; at least man’s predisposition to sin did. But in the absence of law, sin laid dormant in Adam. Adam was created perfect, but being created perfect also meant being created human. And being human, he was subject to the chronic weakness of self-will. But Adam’s inherent self-will—and the sin which is the natural outcome of that weakness—was not recognized for what it was until law came on the scene to expose it.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

 

No Escaping it!

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As a matter of course, man without God is drawn into the world system made ever more powerful at the direction of demonic powers. Here we find those who have worked their way into positions of advantage (power), aiding and abetting the enslavement of their fellow men. Though the conflicts and challenges we experience in life may seem on the surface to be with people themselves, ultimately our struggle is against Satan himself as he goes about manipulating us through the world system he has developed and refined.

We dare not forget what Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12: “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” 

Now it’s not hard to see how such captivity can happen to those who have little or no knowledge of God.(Ephesians 4:19) But what about those of us who have come to know, love and serve God? What is the effect of this powerful world system on our lives? The truth is that its impact is clearly oppressive for us as well. So we would be foolish to think that we could remain untouched while living in a world infected by such sin.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

 

 

Satan & the World System

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Knowing what we now do about the motivating forces of pride, self-will and self-interest, it’s not hard to see how Satan can easily manipulate our weaknesses to his advantage. He does this mainly by influencing people through the world system, which he has established with the help of man. What is this world system? It is a structuring of society—politics, the economy, arts and entertainment, education—in such a way as to provide an alternative to mankind’s innate God-created spiritual need.

Even if the devil were never involved, society would need to function in such a way that people could cooperate in an interactive system of some sort. So we shouldn’t think that participating in the world’s social order is somehow disgraceful in God’s eyes. Otherwise, we would have to retreat from society altogether. That doesn’t seem very practical, nor is it the real issue. Rather, where we place our hope is what’s truly important: do we try to find fulfillment mainly in what the world has to offer, or is our hope rooted in Christ and His kingdom?

It’s extremely helpful, though, to understand how Satan has tweaked society for the purpose of serving his deviant objectives. Let’s think for a moment about how he uses the world system to enslave people through the power of sin. Take, for instance, the sin of greed. It’s not too hard to see how financial systems throughout the world have been structured in such a way as to bring about enslavement to greed. Or how about our sexuality? Can you see how what is deceptively called “adult” entertainment (pornography), or even something seemingly so innocuous as fashion works toward enslaving people under ever more serious sin? The media is awash with titillating images designed to ensnare us for the purpose of boosting their ratings. Another massive pitfall is man’s desire for power—born out of his inherent sense of pride. Political and corporate systems have been developed and routinely manipulated by Satan to entrap people in power’s insatiable grip. And the list goes on.

As a matter of course, man without God is drawn into these powerful systems. And there we also find those who have worked their way into positions of advantage (power), aiding and abetting the enslavement of their fellow men. Yet though the conflicts and challenges we experience in life may seem on the surface to be with people themselves, ultimately our struggle is against Satan himself as he goes about manipulating us through the world system he has developed and refined. We dare not forget what Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12: “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” 

Manipulation by the Devil

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The devil has found fertile ground in mankind because of the frailties of human nature. And with man’s help he has developed powerful tools of manipulation in his pursuit of destroying us. Let’s face it, he’s had plenty of time to figure us out. How does he go about this business of enslaving people? Well, just as God mainly works through people in all He does on this earth, Satan and his demons work through people in wreaking their havoc.

Further, it goes without saying that demons, being spiritual creatures, have direct access to man’s immaterial nature. They have no trouble taking advantage of a person’s dead spirit, since people naturally lay themselves open to attack when devoid of the life of God within.

Jesus talked about a man who got rid of an evil spirit only to have it, along with seven others, enter once again when it returned to find its house “unoccupied, swept, and put in order.”(Matthew 12:44) Many other passages in Scripture make it clear that demons are able to exert powerful influence over the heart, oppressing and sometimes even possessing people.

Watch out for Satan!

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Our difficulty in choosing God over self is complicated all the more by the presence of a powerful adversary. When God banished Satan from heaven, He sent him here. Have you ever asked yourself why God, who “knows our frame” and is “mindful that we are but dust,”(Psalm 103:14) would place us in a world controlled by Satan and his minions? Outside of God’s intervention, such a world leaves domination by Satan as the only reasonable prospect.

We don’t have a chance without God! Even with the power of God’s Spirit residing within, our ongoing struggle with self-will is greatly affected by the challenges Satan presents. So it’s critical that we understand Satan’s role in bringing about the domination of sin over people’s lives.

The enemy presents sin as good and pleasurable—concealing the bondage, fear and unhappiness it always brings. By its very nature, sin stirs up hope in the human heart. It’s a lot like the hope inspired by the promises Hitler made, which ultimately led to the loss of some fifty million lives in World War II. The Nazis offered the German people prosperity and future peace in return for allegiance to Hitler and his cause. But all along their hidden agenda was complete domination, not only of the world but of their lives as well. The destruction their collaboration ultimately caused is a graphic reminder of the consequences sin always brings in the end.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

 

 

The Cancer of Pride

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Have you noticed the blemish of pride in people around you? I see it wherever I turn. Having been in the world of business for the past several decades, I’ve witnessed enough pride to last me several lifetimes. But this isn’t only an issue among the rich and powerful; pride affects the poor just as easily. And pride obviously runs rampant in the Church, often marked both by the self-promotion of its leaders and the obstinacy of its members.

Pride not only manifests itself in rebellion against God, but is also the cause of harm to our relationships with others. The root of pride in our nature makes us feel like we’re better than those around us. This cancer spans the common experience of man, from the personal level to interaction between nations. It is witnessed in our offensive attitudes and behavior toward one another, and in extreme cases even results in crimes against humanity. So it’s not hard to see why God cannot tolerate the festering of pride in His children. It’s just too destructive. And on the flip side, this is precisely why humility is such a coveted virtue in God’s eyes.

Pride? Me?

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All sin is ultimately rooted in what C.S. Lewis calls the great sin: pride: “Pride leads to every other vice; it is the completely anti-God state of mind.” (Mere Christianity) He says pride is essentially competitive in nature. And being so, the natural course of ego and conceit (pride, self-importance) is to demand our own way—no matter what God has to say about it. So it’s not hard to see why the Bible defines sin as “lawlessness.”

Lewis goes on to say that pride, “is one vice of which no man in the world is free; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine they are guilty of themselves… and the more we have it in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.” It’s not at all uncommon for Christians themselves to be oblivious to pride in their life, or at least not appreciate the extent to which this cancer influences them.

Pride is at the very core of the problem of sin because a demanding ego causes us to pursue the things of the world, where it’s easy to experience instant and tangible satisfaction for our misdirected needs—however deceptive and short term this fix might be.(1 John 2:16)

Being the offspring of self-will rooted in self-interest, ego constantly seeks to enhance itself in an attempt to satisfy the desires of the heart. When you think about it, it can easily be seen how all the sins described in the Bible are rooted toward serving this end. So, in our struggle against sin, it’s very helpful to understand why we continue to do what we do, even though we ultimately do not find it rewarding. Pride is the culprit, and the flesh is its instrument.

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself