Written by Pastor Mark Driskill
November 4, 2011

Read Ephesians 4:19

“Greedy to practice every kind of impurity.”
Having blocked out the things of the spirit from the mind the soul without Christ must be led by the only thing left, the desires of the flesh. Humans are hard wired to need God, or a god to worship. Without the true God in his rightful place then the only other god left is the self.

Put away all arguments over various religions. There are really only two options, God or the self. While a person may claim another religion or god figure it is really the self that is being worshipped. I have found a way to attain my desired eternal haven through my own works and therefore I boast, if even quietly behind a façade of humility, in my righteous rituals and practices and even my restrictions. Christ however does not allow this. He makes it clear from the outset that you and I have nothing in ourselves to boast in, only in the cross through which we have been crucified to the world and the world to us.

This is where the unbeliever falls down. He cannot let go of his desires, even his desire to earn a place in heaven by his religious works. His mind is alienated from redeeming love because of his hardened heart and he is held captive by what he sees and wants for himself. But when Christ liberates a person from bondage to the self-there is an unspeakable freedom of soul and spirit. Jesus promised this to the Jews who had believed in him in John 8 “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” But even they could not bring themselves to take hold of freedom, replying, “We have never been slaves to anyone.” They were so secure in themselves that they could not even see their bondage, and they had believed in Jesus.

This tells us a most dangerous truth. Even those who believe in who Jesus is can still be enslaved to themselves! Believing about Jesus does not set us free. Only putting ourselves in his hands by true faith and allowing him to redeem us can set us free. Do you believe the right things about Jesus? Great! Now go a step further and trust in him, really trust in him. Invite him to set you free from your addiction to yourself and your desires. Allow him to have control of who you are and what you are becoming. Allow him to be more than a religious figurehead in your life. Make him your healer, your deliverer. Otherwise you will remain religious and lost, and without hope.

Pastor Mark Driskill
Web Minister of Begotten By the Word web ministry
See our website at http://ourchurch.com/member/b/bbtw
and
www.facebook.com (to group “begotten by the word”)
Begotten By the Word is a ministry of Helping Hands Christian resources-Evangelism Outreach
www.hhcr05.org
(Feel free to copy in any way that will bring glory to God and further his kingdom.)