Angelic Conflict part 211: Human history (the Church) – Rom 12:1-4; 8:29; Tit 3:3-7; 2Co 5:17; Psa 116:12-13; Joh 3:27, 34.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 211: Human history (the Church) - ROM 12:1-4; 8:29; TIT 3:3-7; 2CO 5:17; PSA 116:12-13; JOH 3:27, 34.

 

ROM 12:1 I urge you therefore [based on the 315 verses of the first eleven chapters], brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual [reasonable based on your position in Christ] service of worship.

 

The word translated spiritual is logikos, which is where we get our word logic from and so it is often translated reasonable. However, there is no link to human reason in worship without the wisdom of the word of God and the teaching, leading, and influencing of God the Holy Spirit, so it is rightly translated "spiritual service."

 

"spiritual service of worship" - reasonable spiritual worship based on ones position in Christ and dependence on doctrine and the Holy Spirit.

 

This gets to the underlying motivation and reason as to why a believer does what he does. Is it just overt, going through the motions, in other words, an overt show of worship as the Pharisees were with the Law, or is it an outward manifestation of an inward spiritual life? This is why no one can judge the spiritual status of another. There are a variety of gifts, ministries, and effects, but there is one Lord, one Spirit, and one mind that is causing the growth. With genuine growth comes genuine service that is well pleasing to the Father.

 

ROM 12:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

One of the great attacks of satan against God's church is the world system. "Conformed" - suschmati,zw [suschematizo] = to fashion or shape one thing like another.

 

You might notice that in the center of this word is "scheme", which is a complex unity in which the component elements cooperate and interact according to a definite plan; a system of correlated things, institutions, arrangements, etc.; also the manner in which such a system is organized.

 

The schemes of the world, satan's schemes, are all directed toward one goal - the destruction of the church as the representative of Christ.

 

2CO 2:10-11

But whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

 

Here the scheme of the devil is to cause division in the local church so as to get the members focused on one another's failures or differences and off of the common mind, love, spirit, and purpose.

 

The word used in ROM 12:2 is not kosmos but aion, the word for "age."

 

This "age" (world) is a reference to the church age and therefore to the specific schemes of the world system that are aimed at the church.

 

Though some of the methods of the past age, the age of Israel, might be similar, there is a different target and so the method of rolling out these attacks will take on different nuances. Lies, deception, idolatry, religion, etc. are used to topple God's organizations. That's the objective, which is an overall end to a plan. The overall campaign plan is strategy, which involve operational patterns, activity, and decision making that lead to the execution of tactics. While satan's objectives have remained the same, which is basically dethroning God of His sovereignty by destroying His righteousness and justice, the strategy and tactics have changed as God's organizations and policies have changed. God's representative on earth today is the church which is comprised of each individual believer. These are satan's present targets. Those believers gain momentum and power as they organize into individual cells that are local assemblies.

 

Therefore, the individual believer is the target as well as the local assembly. And since each depend on the word of God and the Holy Spirit, these are under intense attack as well. Unfortunately there have been many casualties, but fortunately, the victory is already won and secured, and in each generation, a remnant has exploited that victory and flat out embarrassed satan.

 

One of satan's strategies is to emphasize the realization of fortune, fame, power, and pleasure to the human race in a way established by the kosmos of this age. More than ever the goals of fortune, fame (internet now), power, and pleasure have been dangled in front of mankind. These goals are not sinful in themselves, but the method of attaining them according the rules of the "age" are absolutely evil and God makes it abundantly clear that is what He thinks of them.

 

The pursuit of these things as ultimate goals moves the mind to occupation with self, occupation with others, and occupation with fleeting, earthly elements, and away from occupation with Christ.

 

What the present "age" calls goals are by-products to the positive believer, whose goal is realizing the fulfillment of God's plan for his life.

 

In this age, especially in the age of progressivism, the ends, the goals justify the means and that is never true in the plan of God.

 

Plus, God has designed the human heart in such a way that these things will not satisfy. The thrill is only in the chase and a life spent in pursuit of these things never finds balance and capacity and the life becomes warped because mind and heart and life are turned to the pursuit of that which can neither glorify God nor truly satisfy the human heart.

 

Phrases become acceptable ways of life: it's a dog eat dog world; he who dies with the most toys wins; every man for himself; everything has a price; you only live once, get it while the getting's good; etc.

 

To try to get merely in order to possess something is covetousness, which is idolatry:

 

COL 3:5

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

 

Fame or recognition is an area of ruthlessness. Even in our own circles we are not to look for it, but if one is recognized so be it, it is a by-product of our true goal. Your Father who sees in secret will repay you. The same is true for the pursuit of power and pleasure.

 

Power is offered by satan to those, even those who don't know the source of the offer, who worship him.

 

MAT 4:9

"All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me."

 

Don't ever cease from your alertness, for the devil prowls about seeking someone to devour with deception. His organization is constantly preparing to make you an offer that they hope you can't refuse; an offer of something as a substitute for God's gracious gifts.

 

The positive believer will grow out of the worldly lusts as well as the legalism in his mind, and he will find true worship and true service, which will bring him overwhelming joy.

 

God the Holy Spirit will be his guide in the rich pleasures of life whether they be nature, sports, music, the arts, reading, social life, romance, etc., etc., etc. He will enjoy them more than an unbeliever ever could because he has been given a new capacity for them and he doesn't look to them as his source of happiness and so all fear and anxiety over losing them or not gaining them is removed and a rich capacity from understanding his position in Christ remains.

 

ROM 12:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

Not conformity but transformation - the form, the shape, or substance is carried across into something entirely different.

 

What are we to be transformed to? We are to be transformed into a life that is more and more in the likeness of the glory of the risen Christ.

 

ROM 8:29

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son [not of this world but from above], that He might be the first-born among many brethren;

 

The ultimate transformation is in eternity, when we see Him, but God has, in great genius, made the plan so that we can see Him now, in the eyes of our soul, and so we can be conformed into His image in time.

 

1JO 3:2

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

 

Though we all look to that transformation in the future, the progression of it is to be a reality today as our minds are transformed into harmony with who we are in Christ.

 

The transformation, over and above and conformation to the world system of the age, is accomplished in only one way and that is through the renewing of the mind.

 

"renewing" - avnakai,nwsij [anakainosis] = to cause something to become new and different with the implication of becoming superior.

 

This word is used in one other place in the NT and it is fruitful to look at its use there in order to gain clarity.

 

TIT 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

 

Since the fall of Adam all men have been born with physical bodies and an inner nature which was 100 % deprived and fallen.

 

But when man becomes born-again through faith in Christ there is a complete transformation from enemy of God to son of God, from old man to new man, from fallen to regenerated, from death to life.

 

TIT 3:4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared [all of this is embodied in the person of Christ],

 

TIT 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing [anakainosis] by the Holy Spirit,

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation made us brand new creatures in Christ, the holy temple of God, entering us into union with Christ forever.

 

Our position was completely transformed by the work of the Spirit at salvation:

 

2CO 5:17

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new [kainos] creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

 

TIT 3:6 whom He poured out upon us richly [influence, teaching, leading of GHS] through Jesus Christ our Savior,

 

TIT 3:7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

The realization of our inheritance as royal family in Christ is tied to the ministry of God the Holy Spirit as it is in ROM 8:16-17.

 

 ROM 8:16-17

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

 

When you believed in Christ you were completely transformed into a child of God, a child of light, and a brand new power became available to you.

 

If we are not living the transformed life, it is simply because we do not wish to avail ourselves of the power that is present within us when we had received Christ as Savior. We are not learning in order to become something different but to think something different that is in accordance with what creature we have been transformed into at salvation.

 

The Spirit renewed us at salvation and it is the same Spirit that renews our minds.

 

1CO 2:10-12; ROM 12:2; ROM 8:16; and HEB 4:12 therefore show us that the mind and the heart and the divine new spirit and the Holy Spirit are all in the works in a believer who is positive, willing, and yielding to the will of God.