06/08/17 THE BIBLE ADDRESSES THE "SELF" PROBLEM

06/08/17 THE BIBLE ADDRESSES THE "SELF" PROBLEM

The longer I live, the more I realize how twisted carnality can make a person. If a person does not surrender completely to the purifying power of God (in God's word, in Christ's blood and in the Holy Spirit) and is not willing to have the Root of Bitterness removed, then his/her whole view of life is not only tainted but twisted.

Entire Sanctification, when accepted as a personal and instantaneous and cleansing work of grace, removes the self orientation that causes so much inner turmoil, interpersonal breakdown and misrepresentation. When the Old Man is allowed to continue in the life of a person, then that person is going to cause people to stumble. This is because he thinks with a Double Mind (the mind of the flesh and the mind of the Spirit) and he speaks with sweet words and bitter words at the same time.

The believer who has not come to total surrender to God, and death to self, cannot consistently walk in the Spirit. As long as a person walks in the flesh he will have a skewed view of life and an inordinate view of self, which will make him/her resistant to rebuke, counsel, correction. That person is a loose cannon on board the Old Ship of Zion.

The sinful nature (Carnality, Old Man, Root of Bitterness, Evil Heart of Unbelief, Double Mind, The Flesh) will not, INDEED CANNOT be ruled by God and will not yield to love or truth. Until it is crucified, removed and replaced by the fulness of the Holy Spirit, then that person will be the cause of division, because love, sensitivity, humility are overruled by self assertion.

The purifying work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is so vital that Jesus Himself told the disciples to go into all the world, ONLY AFTER THEY HAD TARRIED IN JERUSALEM AND RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The evidence of the fulness of the Holy Spirit is not speaking in any kind of tongue, but rather having a pure heart.

Remember, the plan and goal of God for a person is perfect love from a pure heart,

1 Timothy 1:5
(5) Now the end of the commandment is charity (love) out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Galatians 5:13-15
(13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
(14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

James 4:7-8
(7) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

1 Peter 1:22
(22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

Romans 13:8-10
(8) Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
(9) For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
(10) Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Hebrews 10:22
(22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

1 John 3:3
(3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Matthew 5:44-48
(44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
(45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
(46) For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
(47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
(48) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.