TEMPTATION, THE MIND, AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE

 I wish all new Christians had a basic lesson on temptation.  The NT puts temptation in the realm of spiritual warfare.  That topic reminds me of an irony.  On the one hand, I have an atheistic-leaning philosophy colleague who once mentioned that he believed in the reality of an evil dimension and wondered if he should then believe in a dimension of good, of God.  On the other hand, many Christians reject the notion of a spiritual reality of darkness.  I worry that it is dangerous for the Church to neglect this issue when teaching about temptation.  (Below: I do not like to string “proof texts” together, but the following ones will make my main point and hopefully will encourage further study.)

The “Battlefield” of the Mind
Our movement into sinful behavior starts with our inner, thought-life.  That is where Christians are to confront their own sinful tendency.  James gives us the process by which sin is birthed.  It starts with our own "natural" human desires:

… but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15, NIV)

Moreover, Paul lets us know that the thought-life is the location of spiritual warfare:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor 10:3-5, NIV)

To be fair to the context of 2 Corinthians, Paul is initially speaking of the teachings and arguments of his opposition (strongholds and arguments); however, as he moves toward “we take captive every thought” (noama), his focus shifts to the inner thought-life of each person, because it is in the mind that we are led astray.  For example, in a few verses following, he mentions:

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Cor 11:3, NIV).

Or one might refer to:

They [Gentiles] are darkened in their understanding [dianoia – from same semantic range as noama] and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. (Eph 4:18 NIV)

Christians are to guard and renew their minds in Christ:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed* by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2 NIV)

The temptations we face are quite normal:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1Cor 10:13, NIV)

Yet, when we live in Christ (participatory theology), we are empowered to overcome temptations:

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Heb 2:18, NIV)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Heb 4:15-16, NIV)

Application
We live in a culture that blithely accepts that who we are is what we think and feel.  Moreover, in terms of neurology, it is true that the brain is “addictive.”  That is to say, our mental processes easily become thought patterns into which we become “locked.”  However, biblical teaching is consistent about holding us responsible for our inner thought-life ("heart" and "mind"), because that is where deception and sin are birthed.  An early lesson in Christian living should teach us that we are to engage and “battle” ungodly thoughts and desires so that our minds might be transformed in Christ.
    This inner life is also the realm of spiritual “warfare.”  I think the following statement I once heard is on the right track: “As an infection is to a cut, so is the spiritual realm of darkness to our normal pathologies.”  That is to say, just as we all get cuts and scrapes, we all have normal weaknesses and temptations; but, there is a spiritual dimension in life that can destructively exacerbate our weaknesses.  For example, “the Satan” in Hebrew means “the adversary” to God.  The notion is that there is some real adversarial activity that we experience.
    So, how do we “battle” for the mind?  We are to take our thoughts captive for Christ.  I will give a personal example.  It is not atypical for me as a male to see a woman and have a lustful thought.  Temptation is normal.  However, it is my responsibility to make sure that such temptation does not germinate.  The pattern I have tried to develop is to turn the temptation around into something good.  To myself, I pray, “Lord, bless this woman, and cleanse my thought-life.”  I find that blessing someone personalizes them and changes my thinking about them.  My main point is that who I am is not simply a matter of what thoughts and desires come to mind, but how I allow Christ to transform my heart and mind.
    Moreover, besides stopping thoughts that are contrary to God, we are also to nurture positive thoughts:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. (Phi 4:8, NIV)

 Lord, you know that I am frail and weak in myself.  Help me in Christ to guard my thoughts and nurture them that they might be pleasing to you.  Amen.
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*Re: "be transformed."  English cannot quite capture the sense here of what is called the “middle voice” in Greek.  The idea is that the subject “you” acts in cooperation with the agency of God to effect transformation.

ADVENT INCARNATION: WHAT DOES JESUS’ HUMANITY MEAN TODAY?

The role in which Jesus serves us today in his humanity is often overlooked.  Yes, our God became incarnate and emptied himself to become of servant and to die in humility.  But that is not the end significance of Jesus humanity.  I will circle around to this point.

I love the story of the father who brought demon-possessed son to Jesus’ disciples and they failed to heal him (Mark 9:14 – 29).  They then brought the boy and his father to Jesus, and the father said,

“But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
“’If you can,’” said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
(Mk. 9:22-23 NIV)

The father made a request or prayer to Jesus, basically saying, "I am trusting!  Help my insufficient, or weak, trust!"  This father is modeling a prayer for us today, one that Jesus will answer – on the basis of his humanity, his vicarious humanity.  Here are four key texts from Hebrew with a focus on Jesus’ humanity.

(Hebrews 2:17-18) For this reason he (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(Hebrews 4:15-16) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

(Hebrews 5:7-10) During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

(Hebrews 7:23-26) Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.  Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Such a high priest meets our need-- one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

First Point:  In his humanity, Jesus was and still is our high priest.  The priest represented the people before God.  The priest interceded for the people before God.  And, although Jesus offered a sacrifice once for all, these texts make clear that He was not a one-time priest; He continues in the role of high priest, interceding for us.  And does so on the basis of His humanity.  Jesus’ perfect human life makes him the perfect high priest and intercessor, because He was tempted in all ways human, but remained holy.

Background to second point:  Participation Theology
Over and over, the Bible teaches participation theology.  Not only do we participate in the life of Jesus, but that He participates in our lives.  Supporting texts:

·        John 14-15: unity with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, “Abide in me and I will abide in you….” (John 15:4)  “ I am the vine, you are the branches” (15:5)

·        Being filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18) and walking in the Spirit.

·        United with Jesus in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:5)

·        Raised with Christ and living in Christ (Col 3:1 – 4).

Second Point:  Jesus is with us to help us in our weakness of faith.  Jesus is there to believe in us, with us, for us, and through us.  He is “able to help those who are being tempted” “so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  So, too, brothers and sisters in Christ are there to believe for each other.  We one Body in Christ.  Therefore, when we are weak in faith, we can cry out to Jesus, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"  Jesus, who understands our humanity, is there to intercede for us.  And, our brothers and sisters in Christ, are also there to believe for us when we cannot.

Lord, Jesus, thank you that you became incarnate and became a high priest.  Thank you that in your humanity, you intercede still as my high priest.  Help me with my unbelief.  Amen.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST VS THE FALSE SELF

Yesterday’s devotion from Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations is still in my mind.  He said, “The false self is all the things we pretend to be and think we are.  It is the pride, arrogance, title, costume, role, and degree we take to be ourselves.  It’s almost entirely created by our minds, our cultures, and our families…. We have to undercut the illusion right at the beginning, and when we do that, we discover the True Self ‘hidden with Christ in God’ (Colossians 3:3).”  I love Paul’s key theological theme of participatory theology in Colossians, and Rohr has it right.

The new Christian Colossians, mainly Gentiles, had been infiltrated by false teachers who challenged the sufficiency of Jesus.  [Note: Much false teaching appeals to our failure to accept the sufficiency of Christ for us.  Rather than humbly and thankfully surrendering to the grace of God, it is my “natural” tendency to think that I need to prove my worthiness, self-worth.  That never works.]  The false teaching at Colossae advocated special times and types of worship, some which involved asceticism (see 2:8-23).  Such practices may look wise and humble, but have no value (2:23); that is, such practices do not transform a person spiritually, which is what Paul wants for them (see his prayer, 1:9-12).  He wants them to be “empowered in all power according to the might of his [God’s] glory” (1:11).  How?  By recognizing that when they are reconciled to Christ by faith, they are “in Christ” and Christ participates in them.

Paul’s first premise is that in Christ dwells the fullness of God so that Christ has supremacy over all things, including all spiritual and earthly powers and principalities (1:15-20).  Paul’s second premise is that those who have received Jesus as Lord have Christ in them (1:27; 2:6).  These images abound; believers are: reconciled to Christ, rooted in, are his body, circumcised in, baptized with, died with, alive with, raised with, hidden with, etc.  Participatory theology!

If Christians actualized their true self in Christ, that in Christ we are seated above all the “powers and principalities” that pull us down, then we will be empowered to “put to death” our false selves and all that is unclean in us, put on our true selves, and live godly lives (3:1-14).

Lord, may I truly recognize, imbibe, and live out who I am in You.  Amen.