I want to preface with the following: “the law of the
Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure making
wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7) The plan of Salvation is a “perfect” plan,
if there appears to be certain inconsistencies in it; that is a short coming on
my end not God’s.
The
Question: If the Carnal Nature is totally eradicated, what causes a person
to fall?
Short
Response: The best defense is a good offense; commit everything to God’s
keeping and he will keep you, and you won’t have to worry yourself with
falling.
Long
Response: A person can remain “sinless” so long as he or she
chooses. The key word is “chooses.” The Holy Ghost dramatically
alters the desires of your heart; however, it does not remove a person’s right
to choose to disobey. It does not make us spiritual robots. I ask
you: Why did Jesus say: “(38)Then
saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye
here, and watch with me. (39)And
he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I
will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26: 38 & 39) It sounds to me like
he made a choice to go to the cross, a choice to obey God. Does this
automatically imply that Jesus had carnality in him urging him to
disobey? No. The scriptures declare plainly he was the Son of God
and “in him was no sin.” (1 John 3: 4-6) (If we abide in him, and He in us,
then you find in us, like in him, no sin! Praise God for FULL
salvation). Any persons of understanding must readily except that the
carnal nature was non-existent in Christ, however the opportunity for
disobedience evident. So it is in our lives. We have the opportunity for disobedience
around us daily, but we remain “kept from the world;” and will remain as long
as we “choose” to surrender to the will of the Spirit i.e. the will of
God. In this vein of thought we find what I believe to be one of the
reasons a person falls: they fail to yield.
When you lay all on the alter and say God I no longer want to
be the sinful person I am, and you “chose” to take the narrow way.
The Holy Ghost can then come in and perform a “nature change.” This
Spirit will then abide in you as long as you abide in Christ. However,
when you fail to yield to the Spirit and fail to crucify your “right-to-choice”
you begin to cultivate: your ideals, your wants, your wishes, and the devil is
right there helping you along: confusing, tempting, offing opportunities to
compromise convictions, lying, robbing your JOY, and taking your peace.
Finally, during this slow fade, you forget what the voice of God sounds like,
leaning only on yourself until you finally make a decision against his will;
you sin, and you exalt yourself above him. While carnality is absent,
your right to choose remains; that is what Satan cultivates; that is why “pride
goeth before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18).
It behooves us to give it all to God and leave it there.
“For the which cause I also
suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day.” – 2 Timothy 1:12
Comments, Questions, Thoughts, etc. welcomed at pgcollins65@gmail.com
