Petty Wars Over Abstruse Points and Unimportant Questions 2/2

I resisted as much as I could yesterday not to make any comments on my blog post of August 3rd because it was from Charles Spurgeon and I kept saying to myself that it is complete, in need of nothing, especially from me.

But, this morning during my devotion time, I realized the same thing that God had put on my heart to add to the post yesterday was not only right there but had to come out. God confirmed it for me as I read Oswald Chambers devotion for August 4.  A few lines I read from the daily devotion, reminded me of what God taught me about man being caught up in unimportant questions arising from His doctrines, when in reality we have no business wasting precious times on earth, trying to decipher things that we understand mainly from our own point of view. Things that truly make no difference who’s wrong, who’s right just as long as we are living out the Christian life through  the Spirit and in God’s will.

A few years ago, when God was teaching me the abiding process, as usual, I was in a hurry and went before Him. I came across a controversial subject about whether Christians had two natures or one. Lots of eminent writers and pastors wrote about the subject. Apparently, the controversy started somewhere between fifty to sixty years ago. There is a group who believes that Christian have only one nature and another group who believes Christians have two natures. Because this was closely related to what God was going to teach me, I was getting immersed in reading as much as I could so that I could understand better how I am to walk with Him.

Those who believe that Christians have one nature writes their books from the point of view that all Christians should walk in the new nature that God has given us at the time of Salvation and some complex terminology of the word "nature".  Of course it makes sense, otherwise why would we need to be born again? Those who advocate that a Christian has two natures they based it mainly on Romans 7 where Paul was struggling with his two natures. Guess what? They are right too, because as long as we remain plain human beings, and God has not put His last touch on us to make us perfect, we will always have two natures.

God, realizing that I was wasting precious time to understand these two sides, felt the need to teach me the futility of trying to decipher who’s wrong and who’s right. Oswald Chambers said: “ The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.” He then said to me, does it really matter whether you find out you have one or two natures? Let’s say you finally settle the issue, what do you get out of it if your life is not right with me? Before I could answer He showed me the vanity of the head knowledge that I would possess that would make for great debates? Then, He showed me how both parties were right.

My dear brethren, I could try to explain it, but would never get it right because one would have to see the old nature and the new one we all possess on the inside, then see how Christ calls us to live out this life in the new nature to truly put it all together.  Suffice to say that both parties are right. As long as we are imperfect people, we will have these two natures. While there are books out there well written about how Paul who vacillated and struggled between the two natures in Romans 7, but, years after that, Paul learned to live in the spirit in the new nature, by faith. There he found peace and rest in his Saviour, hence the life in the Spirit we found being the theme of Romans 8.

Here is why both parties arguing about the one or two natures are wasting precious time.

ONE NATURE

Christians truly have one nature which is the new one God put into us at the moment of Salvation. God also knows as long as we are on this earth, we will fail Him and we will step out of the new nature to contend with the flesh. God showed me the purity of the new nature contains His very holiness and cannot be blemished with even the smallest sin. We need to be cleansed of our sins with the blood of Christ each time we walk away from Him and reconnect us to the oneness we have with Him.

TWO NATURES

As for those who argue about a Christian has two natures, they are also right, but in their mind, they do not understand that Paul had truly found rest and Romans chapter 7 was a part of his life that he left behind as he matured spiritually and learned to live in the Spirit. He also showed me that some Christians are so keen on living in the flesh, they found solace in Romans 7 and they do not want to let go, hence they enjoy knowing that Paul had the same problem too.

He taught me that it does not matter what I believe, as long as I step out of the new nature that I received when I was regenerated, there in the flesh, I am not walking with Him. There in the flesh I have taken a detour. There in the flesh, I could become so comfortable and let go of Him while I find comfort in backsliding. The new nature has been given to us to live in it. It is in the new nature that we find peace, rest, power, provision for the journey, strength to endure and so on. There in the new nature, we learn from the Spirit as we walk in faith, in Spirit. In the new nature, that is where the triune God dwells. There is a mystery that belongs only to God which explains the separation that takes place in us each time we sin.

Spiritually speaking, once you step out of your oneness with Him, through sinning, it looks like you are disconnected from your oxygen and your lungs need to get use of breathing the regular polluted oxygen that we breathe naturally every day. But, this polluted oxygen, instead of the air we breathe; spiritually speaking, it is us in our flesh as we fall back to the old nature.  He showed me the awareness we have when we first separate from Him, and how easy it is to get used to the flesh without Him. Explaining this experience in human words can never do justice to anything that we experience with God, we can only attempt to convey our spiritual experiences with human words.

The key thing He told me that should matter in my journey with Him is found in Matthew 6:33 “But, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." 

OSWALD CHAMBERS AUGUST 4TH DEVOTION

Petty Wars Over Abstruse Points and Unimportant Questions

Charles Spurgeon

"Be careful to devote yourself to good works." Titus 3:8

"Avoid foolish questions." Titus 3:9

Our days are few, and are far better spent in devoting ourselves to good works, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. Incessant discussion of subjects of no practical value, do a world of mischief. Our churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said—neither party is any the wiser! Therefore, the discussion no more promotes knowledge, than love! It is foolish to sow in so barren a field.

Questions upon . . .
  points wherein Scripture is silent;
  mysteries which belong to God alone;
  prophecies of doubtful interpretation;
  modes of observing mere human ceremonies
—are all foolish! Wise men will avoid them! Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions—but to avoid them altogether! If we observe the apostle's precept to be careful to devote ourselves to good works—we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business—to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings!

There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish—which we must not avoid—but fairly and honestly answer, such as these: 
  Am I growing in grace and Christ-likeness?
  Does my life adorn the doctrine of my Savior?
  What more can I do for Jesus?
Such inquiries as these, urgently demand our attention!

If we have been at all given to arguing and disputing, let us now turn to a service so much more profitable. Let us endeavor to lead others, both by our precept and example, to "avoid foolish questions."