The consequences of Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil created the fall of man. After the fall, God told man to master sin. Later God added the law, which further showed man his sins, and that he could not completely follow the law. Therefore, every year the high priest made atonement with blood for the sins of the people. Fast forward to the New Covenant where Jesus came, destroyed the consequences of Adam and Eve’s mistake, and fulfilled the law by taking on sinful flesh in His perfect body. Jesus died to shed His blood for all mankind’s sinful flesh. Presently, believer’s sins are forgiven; however, we still must master sin by controlling our flesh through Jesus’ atonement. Today we will see how we master sin by learning to place our souls (self) on the cross when dealing with natural love, our sinful flesh, and all situations where we need God’s guidance.
Scriptures:
Luke 14: 25-33: 25 Large crowds were now traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. 28 Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it? 29 Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying,‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’ 31 Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple. Berean hate-miseo –love less; life-psuche-breathing being with a rational immortal soul; mind
Genesis 3: part 6, 7: 6 …she took from its fruit and ate; and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Eyes-ayin- outward appearance of what they focused on
Matthew 10: 37-39: 37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.38 “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. NAS life-psuche– breathing being with natural rational immortal soul; mind
To love father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter, relatives, friends, pets, etc. is all a type of natural love. One of the greatest indicators that tell us if we are living in our soulish realm is where we place the importance on our natural love for others. Is our natural love for others more important than following God? In order to deny our soul; meaning our self life, we must lay down the natural love we have for others at the cross. We must learn to put family, friends, and relatives daily at the cross, and take up our own cross and follow Jesus’ calling and purpose for us. We must put Christ and His calling before everything else. We must search our own soulish self life, and determine not to place natural love and affection before God.
John 12: 24, 25: 24 “Truly, truly,I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26 “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. NAS life-psuche – breathing beingwith rational immortal soul
Luke 9: 23-25: 23 Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 What does it profit a man to gain the whole world,yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truthfully, some who are standing here will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” Berean life-psuch-breathing being with immortal rational soul himself-self ; own conceits
Galatians 5:16: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. NAS
Steps to pattern your “self” after in order to walk in the spirit:
1. To walk in the spirit, DO NOT check your soul and spirit by the discernment of good and evil. Decisions are not determined by doing good, or guilt pleasing others.
2. To determine whether we are in the soulish realm; we must place everything at the cross.
3. Take the matter, the situation, the natural love for others, and place it at the cross. Ask the Lord to show you whether this situation is your own self desire, or God’s will for you.
4. Questions to consider when determining whether we are in the spirit, or following our own self:
a) Do I have my own agenda or my own interest in this decision?
b) Am I self-centered in the outcome of this?
5. Make sure all decisions placed at the foot of the cross are not determined by good or evil, but determined by God’s will.
