Sunday, July 11, 2010. 10:15am
Translator: Rev. Samson Kalgur
“Kurien Thomas has 4 enemies: the world, the flesh, the devil, and Kurien Thomas. The last is the deadliest of all.”
~ Kurien Thomas
London's Time Magazine is said to have run a number of articles under the heading "What's Wrong With the World?" While a number of people had written to the editor their opinions and answers, the shortest reply is said to have come from the famous G.K.Chesterton. He wrote:
Dear Editor,
Regarding your question "What's Wrong With the World",
I am.
Yours,
G.K. Chesterton
A Preacher was struggling over the preparation of his sermon for Sunday. His son, however, was in a different mood. He kept coming and asking his dad to come over and play with him. Disturbed, the father struck up on a game in which he thought he could get his son engaged for a while. He tore a map of the world into ten pieces, shuffled them, and asked his son to fix the map, grateful by this time that this would spare him some moments of silent preparation. However, the boy returned within a few minutes and showed the fixed map to his dad. Surprised, the dad wanted to find out how he was able to do that. The son replied, "That was easy, dad. While you were tearing the map, I saw the picture of a man on its back. So, I figured out that if I could fix the man, I could fix the world." The preacher got his message for Sunday.
Man is the problem. I am my own greatest problem and my greatest enemy.
Why is the self such a deadly enemy?
1.Because it is sold under sin, and is totally unspiritual (Rom.7:14) – Sin is its Master
2.Because it has nothing good in it (Rom.7:18)– Education informs but can’t transform (e.g. Educated cat, so civilized, but pounced upon and created chaos on seeing a mouse)
3.Because it is carnal and ruled by the passions of the flesh (Rom.7:5)– Sartre: “man is a bundle of passions”
4.Because it is in enmity with God (Rom.8:7): it does not submit to the law of God
5.Because it wars against itself (James 4:1, 1Peter 2:11)
6.Because it cannot relate to itself properly: self-possessed: narcissism or despair (Isa.14:12 - Satan's I's. Self-love or self-hatred.
7.Because it is possessed by folly and madness (Eccl.9:3)
8.Because it has a deceptive heart (Jer.17:9). It deceives me into believing false things. It seduces the drunkard into destroying himself with wine, as it appears red and dances in that venomous glass.
9.Because it has a defiled conscience (Tit.1:15): defiled by guilt (condemnation), defiled by sin (hardening). Only the blood of Jesus can purify and heal our conscience.
10.Because it cannot be fought against nor fled from. Like a little boy trying to run away from his own shadow. It keeps following everywhere you go.
11.Because it opposes itself and creates a self-contradictory and blasphemous lifestyle (Acts 18:6, 2Tim.2:25, KJV)
2 Wrong Methods that Complicate the Problem
1.Escalation: Power, Money, Luxury, Religious Influence
2.Escapism: Drugs, Alcohol, Sex, Parties, Shopping, Movies, Novels, Complaining (shirking personal responsibility)
False Views that Abet and Aid Self’s Ruthless Reign
1.Self is Intelligent and Mighty (Jiva is immortal and infinite – Yoga, Medicine, Education - Is Education power?): Pride of Life
2.Self has to be satisfied (“In the beginning was hunger, that hunger is self”): Lust of Flesh
3.Self is the criteria of good and evil (“eyes were opened” – saw naked): Lust of Eyes
In a Word, “HUMANISM” – Man is the center of the universe. Man is the measure of all things.
They even judge what God should be like, and are ashamed of the justifying and holy God of the OT
The Divine Solution: JESUS CHRIST
1. His Incarnation - Self-Emptying
2. His Obedience - Self-Surrender
3. His Crucifixion - Self-Giving
4. His Resurrection - God's Salvation
WHEN WE CAST OURSELVES ON CHRIST, HE EMBRACES US
HE LOVES US AS WE ARE
HE CALLS US AS WE ARE
1. When we realize and confess our condition and come to Him with humility and total abandonness, He gives grace.
2. When we repent from sins, the old life is blotted out. The old self is crucified with Christ and rendered powerless.
2. The Spirit of His Resurrection makes us alive, a new person, gives us a new heart and gives us power to completely live for Him.
Let's call out to Him in our poverty of soul and weakness of flesh! May He fill us with Himself and deliver us from all evil!
Domenic Marbaniang, July 2010
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