An Unseen Force

There is a force that chooses what I like, what I want, and what I think is best for my life. It thinks it can make me happy and knows everything needed for my personal gratification.  It has an insatiable appetite for more money, power, success, cars and homes as the answer for my peace and contentment. It is never satisfied with what it currently has in its possession, and it hates change. It is my “self” dominating every aspect of life. It obsesses on self-preservation and lives in daily conflict with the will of God.

The fallen “self” is suicidal as it prefers death rather than giving up its power and control over my life. It would rather send me to the grave filled with bitterness and anger than be willing to forgive and let go of my hatred for others (murder-suicides).  Prison time is better than letting go of my pride, anger, and resentment over anyone telling me what to do. Three or four marriages, three or four jobs, three or four DUI’s is the tragic alternative to surrendering control of my life to Christ.

Self is the terrorist exposed! Its deceit rooted in the lies and deception of the enemy. (2Cor.4:3-4)[1] Even when exposed to the light of God it never dies off. It fights inside of us till our last breath. (Rom.6:6)[2] The fallen self must relinquish control of my life back to God. It is a moment by moment challenge and in Christian terms, “taking up the cross and dying to my will” is a slow and agonizing process because I don’t want anything to take my power and will to control my life away.

The danger and paradox for the Christian are the spiritual self can impersonate the character of Christ as long as it does not have to give up control. The self will suffer; it will sacrifice, give money and do all sorts of religious exercises not to give up power. It will faithfully attend worship services as long as it doesn’t have to let go of its preeminence. It is comfortable wearing a Jesus mask!  The greatest chapter ever written on love depicts this hypocritical way of living.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Cor. 13: 1-3)

 

 

[1] 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [2] for we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.