Don't Rational-Lies Sin To Get Your Way

My Utmost For His Highest 

Where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal…? —1 Corinthians 3:3

{CHAMBERS} “The natural man, or unbeliever, knows nothing about carnality. The desires of the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against the flesh, which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the awareness of it. But Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). In other words, carnality will disappear. Are you quarrelsome and easily upset over small things? Do you think that no one who is a Christian is ever like that? Paul said they are, and he connected these attitudes with carnality. […] If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it. If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the darkness.”

{ELGIN}  I was chatting with friends the other day and they mentioned how frustrated they were with the conduct of a business meeting at church.  I shared Galatians 5:18-26 with them as a guide to determine if what people were saying and the way people were acting was rooted in the flesh or the Spirit.  If a Christian is motivated by their flesh, you can confront them over it, but they need to confess it.  They have a spiritual problem.  The people can explain why what they are doing is “OK”, but it is not.  The Spirit brings unity and peace .. the flesh brings disunity and conflict.  Pretty simple really.  Some have resolved in themselves that their behavior is inherited, that is part of their personality and justifiable.  They are attempting to “rational – lies” their sin.  Tell themselves rational – lies to convince themselves that what they are doing is not sin, that their behavior really does glorify God.  But wait, before you condemn them, we all struggle with this problem, the thing is, not to yield to it. 

So what to do when you encounter it? Maybe in a church business meeting?  Point the people to Jesus.  Turn your light on.  Not your holier than thou light.  But the gentle reminder of who we are in Christ and the need to walk and meet in the unity of the Spirit.  You can certainly disagree, but you don’t have to sin to do it. To bring some context to it .. This is what Jesus said about the importance of getting your own way …. (Matthew 5:38-40) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”