October 4
PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE / PART 1
THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
-Ephesians 2:3 states, … Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others
…
-This verse of scripture gives us an explanation concerning man and the root of his problem. It tells us that
… WE ARE BY NATURE THE CHILDREN OF WRATH … This is the very root of our problem! Man is born with a nature
that is contrary ( or against ) to God. This nature can be referred to as: the sin nature, the beast nature, or that
nature that is anti-Christ ( against, or instead of Christ ). The word “nature” refers to the intrinsic character
of a person or thing. The word “wrath” speaks of intense desire and longing. This tells us that man is born with
an intrinsic character that automatically desires and longs to fulfill the desires and lusts of the flesh. The root of
our problem is to be found in the nature that we are born with. This nature, left up to itself, will ALWAYS be contrary
to the things of the Spirit. It will always gravitate to the things of the flesh. This nature will always seek self-promotion
and self-exaltation, which is that spirit of anti-Christ ( that which is instead of or against Christ ). As well, this nature
causes us to constantly come short of the glory of God, bringing us into a lifestyle of sin. ( The word “sin”
means to miss the mark. The mark that is being missed is the very nature of God. ) It is not so much that sin is our problem,
as much as it is the FALLEN NATURE that we were born with that produces sin in our lives. That is the problem. This fallen
( sin ) nature could also be referred to as the ADAMIC NATURE, for we did inherit it from Adam.
-Genesis 5:3 tells us that Adam lived 130 years, and brought forth a son IN HIS OWN LIKENESS, AFTER HIS IMAGE;
AND CALLED HIS NAME SETH: … This tells us that Adam brought forth children in his own likeness, passing on his fallen
state and fallen condition ( nature ). This is the reason that we are by nature the children of wrath.
-WE MUST LOOK WITHIN TO SEE OUR PROBLEMS AND FAILURES, for they are the result of our ( inherited ) Adamic
Nature. It will do us no good to look without, pointing our self-righteous finger at others. We must deal with …
-THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM!-
