THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SPIRITUALITY (Thoughts on the dynamics of becoming Christlike)

The Apostle Paul states a key commandment in Col. 3:2: “Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth.” Paul expanded on this thought using slightly different terms in Romans chapter eight: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Note: Paul was speaking to “brethren” in these passages. Saints, we have a choice between two lifestyles, two ways to “walk” or live out our life before God.  Those who live according to the flesh are controlled by Self’s desires and set their minds on things on earth, seeking those things which gratify their fleshly nature. Those who live according to the Spirit are controlled by the desires of the Holy Spirit and set their minds on things above, seeking those things which gratify the Holy Spirit. Those who continually live according to the flesh will, spiritually, suffocate and die, as the Sower Parable states (i.e., seed sown among the thorns).

The context of Col. 3:2 is very important, setting the criteria by which we can obey this command. “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is ... For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”  (verse one and three). “If then”: For the saint there is no more important “If” for to be “raised with Christ” is co-resurrection, which can only occur after co-death and co-burial of Self. As far as the world is concerned we have died – our fleshly nature Self has been crucified with Christ – and we have been raised with Christ -- sharing His resurrection and His nature -- to a new life hidden with Christ in God.

The focus of our mind will remain earthbound until we willfully take the pathway to Golgotha… presenting our bodies as “living sacrifices.” Self will not die easily, rather bit by bit, making our co-death and co-resurrection an on-going process. This is why Col. 3:2 is in the present imperative, a command involving continuous action. We must moment by moment day by day yield to the Holy Spirit’s work of removing the tentacles of Self from our heart and replacing them with the resurrected nature of our Lord, as we refocus our mind on things above. Paul’s command in Rom. 12:2 fits nicely here: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We must stop allowing the world’s culture and customs to mold and shape our mind through an earthbound mindset. Rather, we must submit to the Holy Spirit who will renew our mind in conformance to the principles and values of God’s Kingdom. Renewed minds… minds made new again, will, by nature, focus on things above…

But there is more: We are not only partakers of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, but of His ascension, for God has “raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” You see, believers and Christ are one – where He is we are! Here is how the Amplified Bible explains co-ascension in Eph. 2:6: “ And He (God) raised us up together with Him (Jesus) and made us sit down together, giving us joint seating with Him (Jesus) in the heavenly sphere by virtue of our being in Christ Jesus.”

Co-death, co-burial, co-resurrection, and co-ascension are the spiritual potentials of those saints who are being “conformed to the image of His Son”, molded into the nature of Christ… sharing inwardly His likeness (Rom. 8:29). Of course, submission to the Lordship of Christ, and the willingness, no, the desire to put Self to death are the critical foundational steps for anyone forsaking all to become Christlike. These spiritual potentials become realities when we learn to possess our possessions and appropriate by faith what God’s word has entrusted to us. And as our experiential position is brought into conformance with our judicial position – as we become what God says we already are – Christ’s victory will become our victory in the fullest sense.

WHERE HE IS… WE ARE…

GOD LOVES THE WORLD

Saints, we need a clear understanding about how we should relate to this world we inhabit. The Apostle John states in John 3:16, “ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son”, whereas this same John writes in 1 John 2:15, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” And James, the brother of our Savior states for the record in James 4:4, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God”, calling those who befriend the world adulterers. These passages pose a dichotomy which can only be understood if we understand the “world” God loved is a different world then the world He commands us not to love. God loved the perfect world He created but hates the corrupted sinful world humanity turned it into through willful disobedience. We must take care to keep the distinction between God’s perfect original creation and man’s twisted sin-laden representation of it, when we study scriptures. We should, as Randy Acorn recommends, add the worlds “as it is now, under the curse” whenever a passage is referring to the world after the fall of mankind. For Example:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...

Do not love the world, as it is now, under the curse, or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, as it is now, under the curse, the love of the Father is not in him.

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world, as it is now, under the curse, is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world, as it is now, under the curse, makes himself an enemy of God.

And do not be conformed to this world, as it is now, under the curse, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

For the wisdom of this world, as it is now, under the curse, is foolishness with God.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world, as it is now, under the curse, lies under the sway of the wicked one.

For the form of this world, as it is now, under the curse, is passing away.

GOD HATES THE WORLD

AS IT IS NOW, UNDER THE CURSE

AND WE SHOULD TOO

(1 Jn. 2:15; James 4:4; Jn. 3:16; Rom. 12:2; 1 Cor. 3:19, 7:31; Jn. 5:19)

THIS ELECTION IS NOTHING IF NOT A HARBINGER OF THE TIMES

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one (i.e., the antichrist) will be revealed.” Saints, it is the Spirit filled Church that “restrains” the lawless spiritual erosion at work in the world, to bring about in God’s timing the revelation of the antichrist and all the “End-Things” God has foreordained. It is God who places leaders in power, to fulfill His purposes: Obama won in 2012 because it was God’s will. Our country’s moral and spiritual values are steadily eroding, our culture is clearly left of center, and America is now humming, if not marching to the drum beat of the secular progressives. It now may be impossible for a truly conservative person to be elected president.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.” Things are going to get worse as more and more people are blinded by the god of this world, despising good, loving pleasure, turning away from the path of righteousness to pursue Fool’s Gold -- the cares, pleasures, desires, and riches of secular earth life. Many “professing” Christians are void of the implanted Christ-Life, never having presented their bodies as a “living sacrifice” to God: Never having allowed the Holy Spirit to take control and transform their nature into the nature of Christ. They are Christians in name only, wearing the label but not possessing what they profess, and their numbers will grow. There will be a great falling away -- we are already seeing it -- the love of many is growing cold, and powerless forms of “godliness” abound.

Saints, our great Eternal Hope should deliver us from all despair. We have known this time would come for God’s word clearly tells of it. Well... now it is here! Spiritual erosion will bring persecution, and persecution will bring a great harvest for God’s Kingdom, and soon... very soon, we will all go home to be with Daddy. But for now, we have work to do. It truly is an exciting time, so... don’t get distracted... don’t fall asleep... keep your lamps burning brightly… be saturates with the Holy Spirit of God… set your mind on things above. Be something different: Be Salt! Be Light! Let people taste and see the goodness of God’s Kingdom flowing out of you... like a river of living water. And... Let it flow 24/7...

(2 Thess. 2:7-8; 2 Tim. 3:1-5, Matt. 24; 12)

BE SALT…

BE LIGHT…

AND... LET IT FLOW 24/7...

BONHOEFFER REVISITED

When Christ calls a man, He bids Him come and die. The essence of discipleship is revealed in understanding Grace: Specifically, what Grace cost God, and what Grace will cost all who answer God’s call.  

Cheap Grace is the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner... the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance and conversion, baptism without church discipline, discipleship without obedience, communion without confession … profession without possession. Cheap Grace is Grace without discipleship, Grace without the Cross, Grace without Jesus Christ living and incarnate... Grace without transformation into Christlikeness. Cheap Grace is not the kind of forgiveness of sin that frees us from the slavery and toils of sin, but a cheap covering for sin with no contrition required and no deliverance from the bondage to sin expected or desired. Cheap Grace is the Grace we bestow on ourselves.

Costly Grace is the Treasure Hidden in a Field... the Pearl of Great Price, for the sake of which a man will gladly go and sell all that he possesses. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye or cut off the hand that causes him to stumble. It is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves all to follow Him. Costly Grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. It is costly because it condemns sin, and it is grace because it justifies the sinner. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is Grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it compels submission to the yoke of Lordship... transformation into Christlikeness, and it is Grace because His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of His Son -- we were bought at such a horrific price -- and what cost God much cannot be cheap for us. And, above all, it is Grace because God did not reckon His Son too dear a price to pay for our life. Costly Grace is the Grace God bestows on us by the Incarnation of Christ... Christ in me, my only hope of glory...

WHAT COST GOD MUCH CANNOT BE CHEAP FOR US