"But the fruit of the Spirit is… self-control." - Galatians 5:22
The end of this list, and thus the summit of a Christian's spiritual walk, is self-control. What commonly is spoken of as the Holy Spirit's government of us does not mean that He directly controls any part of us. That misunderstanding has lured Christians into passivity, or worse, deception, the end of which road is despair. But if we know that the Spirit is to lead man to the place of self-control, we are on the way to progress in spiritual life.
As believers, it is through our renewed will that the Holy Spirit rules. God's object in creation was to have man with a perfectly free volition, and his purpose in redemption is no different. The Christian is not obliged to obey God mechanically; instead his is the priviledge of fulfilling God's desires willingly and actively. We are perfectly free to choose or reject the various charges in the New Testament concerning life and godliness. They would mean nothing if God were to annihilate the operation of our own wills. The choice is ours: flesh or Spirit? And the fruit of the Spirit is self-control.
The Joyful Heart (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Galatians 5
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Hidden Unbelief and Fear
"Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children." - Genesis 20;17
It is striking evidence of the spiritual life of this man of God that he could pray for children to be granted to others while his prayers for his own wife were still unanswered. He interceded for Abimelech, and God heard.
It is difficult to understand Abraham's reversion to that half-lie about Sarah being his sister, especially in view of the deep fellowship with God which had just preceded it. But this time he discloses that the arrangement made between them dated right back to Mesopotamia. Some hidden root of unbelief and fear had lingered through all these years, and now at length had come to light. At the start of his wanderings Abraham seems to have feared Sarah might be separated from him. Yet surely by now he should have known God would take full responsibility to see this does not happen.
At last, here in Gerar, the lurking fear was dragged out into the light of day, and slain, leaving Abraham free to pray for others. He did not pray for Sarah. Now he had no need to. Immediately after this Isaac was born.
A Table In The Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Genesis 20
It is striking evidence of the spiritual life of this man of God that he could pray for children to be granted to others while his prayers for his own wife were still unanswered. He interceded for Abimelech, and God heard.
It is difficult to understand Abraham's reversion to that half-lie about Sarah being his sister, especially in view of the deep fellowship with God which had just preceded it. But this time he discloses that the arrangement made between them dated right back to Mesopotamia. Some hidden root of unbelief and fear had lingered through all these years, and now at length had come to light. At the start of his wanderings Abraham seems to have feared Sarah might be separated from him. Yet surely by now he should have known God would take full responsibility to see this does not happen.
At last, here in Gerar, the lurking fear was dragged out into the light of day, and slain, leaving Abraham free to pray for others. He did not pray for Sarah. Now he had no need to. Immediately after this Isaac was born.
A Table In The Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Genesis 20
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