This is the second message of a series of three.
War of the worlds
The war within
Part 2
I cor. 5:6-8
7/24/05
At the end of the movie, Ray, played by Tom Cruise, notices that the aliens are starting to get weak and even die. So he asks some people what is happening to them and they responded that they didn’t know either. Not until the last scenes of the movie do we hear a voice that explains why the sudden death of the aliens was taking place. It wasn’t from the military might of the humans, that would be like a war between humans and flies, but it was the microbes unseen by human eyes. Once the aliens entered our atmosphere, drank our water and ate our food they began to die because they did not have an immunity to our diseases. They were ignorant of the unseen.
The bible says in I Cor. 5:6-8 (read)
Paul uses the analogy of bread and yeast to talk about the unseen in our lives.
What is it that we cannot view with our eyes when we look at someone else?
Their heart, that is their attitudes, thoughts and intents.
The bible says “man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart.”
Jer. 17:9 says “The heart is deceitfully wicked, who can know it?”
We have a dilemma that I like to call the human condition. It is called sin in the bible. It is the one thing that all human beings share that is unseen and deadly. But God has made a way for us to win this war from within.
In the bible “yeast” (which produces fermentation) is a symbol of that which permeates the whole and corrupts truth, righteousness and the spiritual life.”
How apt of Paul the Apostle to use that which Jesus himself spoke about to explain how to fight the unseen sin nature.
Our human nature tends to limit us from our full potential in God. On a daily basis an unseen war rages within our hearts.
That is why I believe Paul wrote Romans 7:15-25 (read).
Who hear can identify with those statements?
We must learn to reel in our thoughts. This battle we fight has the potential to be deadly.
A man once dreamed of passing into the world beyond. An angel met him and showed him a great golden book. “What is that?” he inquired. “It is the book of your life,” was the reply. Looking closer he saw that there were some writing on the first page. “What is there?” he asked. “These are your evil acts,” said the angel, “and you see that they are many.”
The angel turned the page, and the dreamer say that the next sheet was more closely written. “These,” said the angel, “are your evil words, and you see that there are more of them than there are acts, for a man speaks more than he acts.” The poet trembled.
The next page was still more closely written. “What are these?” asked the dreamer. “These are your evil thoughts, and you see that there are very many, for a man thinks more than he speaks or acts.”
With a trembling voice, the dreamer asked what the fourth page contained. The angel turned it over and lo! It was black as midnight. “This represents your evil heart,” said the angel, “for it is out of the blackness of the heart that all thoughts and words and acts come.”
-R.P. Anderson
In verse 7 Paul says “get rid of the old yeast”. He is saying here to throw off your sin, repent, turn back to God, do a 180. For Christ has made you new, don’t add the yeast of sin and mess up the whole batch.
Sow a thought, reap a word
Sow a word, and reap an act
Sow an act and reap a character
Sow a character and reap a destiny.
The bible says that you are a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things are new.
How do I become new? Trust in Christ alone for salvation. “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” That means he has paid the debt for our sins. They are atoned for. The work has been done and it is finished.
Then in verse 8 Paul says “Therefore let us keep the festival”…meaning therefore let us worship God with clean hands and a pure heart. Free from the yeast of sin.
There is one way for us to win this unseen battle from within.
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Daily we must put on the mind of Christ.
Here are six ways to think like Jesus taken from Matt. 5:21-47:
1. It’s not enough to avoid killing; We must also avoid anger and hatred.
2. It’s not enough to offer regular gifts with God and others; We must also have right relationships.
3. It’s not enough to avoid adultery; We must also keep our hearts from lusting and be faithful.
4. It’s not enough to be legally married; We must also live out our marriage commitments.
5. It’s not enough to make an oath; We must also avoid casual and irresponsible commitments to God.
6. It’s not enough to seek justice for ourselves; We must also show mercy and love to others.
We are, more often than not, guilty of avoiding the extreme sins while regularly committing the types of sins with which Jesus was most concerned. In these six examples, our real struggle with sin is exposed. Jesus pointed out what kind of lives would be required of his followers. Are you living as Jesus taught?
That is how we win the war within.
War of the worlds
The war within
Part 2
I cor. 5:6-8
7/24/05
At the end of the movie, Ray, played by Tom Cruise, notices that the aliens are starting to get weak and even die. So he asks some people what is happening to them and they responded that they didn’t know either. Not until the last scenes of the movie do we hear a voice that explains why the sudden death of the aliens was taking place. It wasn’t from the military might of the humans, that would be like a war between humans and flies, but it was the microbes unseen by human eyes. Once the aliens entered our atmosphere, drank our water and ate our food they began to die because they did not have an immunity to our diseases. They were ignorant of the unseen.
The bible says in I Cor. 5:6-8 (read)
Paul uses the analogy of bread and yeast to talk about the unseen in our lives.
What is it that we cannot view with our eyes when we look at someone else?
Their heart, that is their attitudes, thoughts and intents.
The bible says “man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart.”
Jer. 17:9 says “The heart is deceitfully wicked, who can know it?”
We have a dilemma that I like to call the human condition. It is called sin in the bible. It is the one thing that all human beings share that is unseen and deadly. But God has made a way for us to win this war from within.
In the bible “yeast” (which produces fermentation) is a symbol of that which permeates the whole and corrupts truth, righteousness and the spiritual life.”
How apt of Paul the Apostle to use that which Jesus himself spoke about to explain how to fight the unseen sin nature.
Our human nature tends to limit us from our full potential in God. On a daily basis an unseen war rages within our hearts.
That is why I believe Paul wrote Romans 7:15-25 (read).
Who hear can identify with those statements?
We must learn to reel in our thoughts. This battle we fight has the potential to be deadly.
A man once dreamed of passing into the world beyond. An angel met him and showed him a great golden book. “What is that?” he inquired. “It is the book of your life,” was the reply. Looking closer he saw that there were some writing on the first page. “What is there?” he asked. “These are your evil acts,” said the angel, “and you see that they are many.”
The angel turned the page, and the dreamer say that the next sheet was more closely written. “These,” said the angel, “are your evil words, and you see that there are more of them than there are acts, for a man speaks more than he acts.” The poet trembled.
The next page was still more closely written. “What are these?” asked the dreamer. “These are your evil thoughts, and you see that there are very many, for a man thinks more than he speaks or acts.”
With a trembling voice, the dreamer asked what the fourth page contained. The angel turned it over and lo! It was black as midnight. “This represents your evil heart,” said the angel, “for it is out of the blackness of the heart that all thoughts and words and acts come.”
-R.P. Anderson
In verse 7 Paul says “get rid of the old yeast”. He is saying here to throw off your sin, repent, turn back to God, do a 180. For Christ has made you new, don’t add the yeast of sin and mess up the whole batch.
Sow a thought, reap a word
Sow a word, and reap an act
Sow an act and reap a character
Sow a character and reap a destiny.
The bible says that you are a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things are new.
How do I become new? Trust in Christ alone for salvation. “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” That means he has paid the debt for our sins. They are atoned for. The work has been done and it is finished.
Then in verse 8 Paul says “Therefore let us keep the festival”…meaning therefore let us worship God with clean hands and a pure heart. Free from the yeast of sin.
There is one way for us to win this unseen battle from within.
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Daily we must put on the mind of Christ.
Here are six ways to think like Jesus taken from Matt. 5:21-47:
1. It’s not enough to avoid killing; We must also avoid anger and hatred.
2. It’s not enough to offer regular gifts with God and others; We must also have right relationships.
3. It’s not enough to avoid adultery; We must also keep our hearts from lusting and be faithful.
4. It’s not enough to be legally married; We must also live out our marriage commitments.
5. It’s not enough to make an oath; We must also avoid casual and irresponsible commitments to God.
6. It’s not enough to seek justice for ourselves; We must also show mercy and love to others.
We are, more often than not, guilty of avoiding the extreme sins while regularly committing the types of sins with which Jesus was most concerned. In these six examples, our real struggle with sin is exposed. Jesus pointed out what kind of lives would be required of his followers. Are you living as Jesus taught?
That is how we win the war within.
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