A SHEEP IN WOLVES CLOTHING
( DOCTRINE OF THE TWO-FOLD NATURE OF MAN)
TEXT: ROM. 8:1-14
INTRO: *************** READ TEXT **************************
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THAT SAYING OR PHRASE " A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING"?
TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH THE EXACT OPPOSITE AS THE TITLE SUGGESTS.
THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE MOST MISUNDERSTOOD TRUTH THAT THE BIBLE TEACHES, THE TWO-FOLD NATURE OF THE CHILD OF GOD.
SO MANY CHURCHES TODAY DON'T BELIEVE IN OR PREACH THE TWO FOLD NATURE OF THE BELIEVER AND THAT IS A SHAME BECAUSE, TWO REASONS,..........
1.) THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES IT .............
2.) AND BECAUSE ALOT OF DOCTRINAL TRUTHS HINGE OFF OF THIS BELIEF.
WHEN MISINTERPRETED, THIS DOCTRINE CAN BE VERY DAMAGING TO PURITY OF THE TRUTHS AND DOCTRINES OF THE BIBLE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE OF MANY,THIS DOCTRINE EFFECTS THE TRUTH OF THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER.
ALL THE REST OF THE WORLD TEACHES THAT I MUST WORK FOR OR MERIT THE SALVATION GIVEN BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST AND I MUST CONTINUE SINLESSLY WORKING TO KEEP IT.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MY BIBLE TELLS ME THAT THOSE WHO PREACH AND TEACH THIS ARE BLIND TO THE REAL TRUTH THAT MAN IS BORN TOTALLY DEPRAVED AND SEPARATED FROM GOD AND THAT NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEY ARE OR ACT, THEY ARE NOT OR NEVER CAN BE GOOD ENOUGH TO MERIT SALVATION OR EARN IT NOR ARE THEY GOOD ENOUGH OR STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP IT.
THE BIBLE TEACHES ME THAT MAN IS A TRIUNE BEING CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.
MEANING MAN CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN PARTS JUST AS GOD, ....BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.
AND THAT MAN, THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD, HAS A CURSE ON IT THAT CAME IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN THAT SEPARATES HIM FROM GOD, BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.
BUT WHAT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BLINDED BY SATAN CANNOT SEE IS THE FACT THAT ONCE A PERSON IS SAVED BY THE FREE GIFT JESUS OFFERS, HE STILL RETAINS THAT SINFUL PART THAT IS NOT SAVED OR MADE WHOLE.
SO WHAT PART OF MAN IS SAVED AFTER CONVERSION? **** THE SPIRIT!! *****
THE MIND IS STILL CORRUPT AND THE BODY IS STILL CORRUPT, THE SPIRIT IS THE ONLY THING THAT THAT GOD IS INTERESTED IN AT THE TIME.
THE SOUL, OR MIND, IS TO BE REDEEMED DAY BY DAY, BY THE GROWTH IN GRACE.
Rom 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
(KJV)
AND THE BODY WILL NOT BE REDEEMED FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN UNTIL THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY OR THE CHANGE IN A TWINKLING OF AN EYE.
TO PUT IT IN SHORT.......
--------- THE UNSAVED MAN HAS ONE NATURE....SINFUL AND CORRUPT.
--------- THE SAVED MAN HAS TWO NATURES .... THE SINFUL RETAINED AND THE NEW NATURE BEGOTTEN OF GOD.
LET'S LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE TWO-FOLD NATURE OF MAN OR " A SHEEP IN WOLVES' CLOTHING".
I. THE NATURAL MAN AND THE SPIRITUAL MAN CONTRASTED..................
A.) DEFINTIOINS OF TWO TERMS...
1.) "NATURAL" MAN--- REFERS TO THE DEPRAVED, SINFUL, CORRUPT MAN.
2.) " SPIRITUAL" MAN--- REFERS TO THE DIVINE NATURE THAT IS IMPARTED TO
EVERY SAVED PERSON.
**** IMPORTANT NOTE****
BOTH THE NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL MAN ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE ATTRIBUTES OF THOUGHTS, DESIRES, PURPOSES, AFFECTIONS, AND ACTIONS.
B.) FOUR PAIRS OF BIBLICAL TERMS USED IN THE BIBLE TO INDICATE DIFFERENCE
1.) THE OLD MAN AND THE NEW MAN.......
Eph 4:22
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
(KJV)
Eph 4:24
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
(KJV)
2.) THE OUTWARD MAN AND THE INWARD MAN.....
2 Cor 4:16
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
(KJV)
*********************** ELABORATE ON THE VERSE (INWARD MAN&OUTWARD MAN)****
---- IT IS THE INWARD MAN THAT IS THE "WHOSOEVER" THAT IS BORN OF GOD, IS THE SEED OF GOD, AND CANNOT SIN OF (1 JN. 3:9).
----THE OUTWARD MAN DELIGHTS IN THINGS OF THE FLESH (PERISHING THINGS), BUT THE INWARD MAN DELIGHTS IN THE REFRESHING THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.
3.) THE CARNAL MAN AND THE SPIRITUAL MAN.......
**************** DISCUSSED IN THE TEXT ROMANS 8:1-14 *********************
AFTER ONE HAS BEEN BORN, BEGOTTEN, OF GOD, AND THE BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD IS A SPIRIT, THAT MAN IS THEREBY AND THEREIN A PARTAKER OF GOD'S DIVINE NATURE.
*** THE SPIRITUAL MAN HAS A SPIRITUAL MIND AND THE CARNAL MIND HAS A CARNAL MIND.*****
CARNAL MIND ------ ENMITY WITH GOD. ***** READ VERSE 7 OF TEXT ******
SPIRITUAL MIND---- HARMONY WITH GOD.
***NOTE*** TO LIVE AFTER THE CARNAL MAN(FLESHLY) BRINGS CHASTISEMENT EVEN TO DEATH.
TO LIVE AFTER THE SPIRITUAL MAN IS TO PUT TO DEATH (SUBJECTION) THE DEEDS OF THE MORTAL BODY. ( ROM. 8:12-13 )
4.) THE NATURAL MAN AND THE SPIRITUAL MAN...
1 Cor 2:14-15
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
(KJV)
1 Cor 15:44
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
(KJV)
WITH THE PRESENCE OF TWO CONTRASTING, OPPOSITE THINGS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CONFLICT AND DISSENTION.
*** NOT ALWAYS TRUE, "OPPOSITES ATTRACHT!!"
LET'S LOOK AT THIS CONFLICT.........
II. THEIR WARFARE WITH EACH OTHER..............
Gal 5:17
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
(KJV)
THE APOSTLE PAUL UNDERSTOOD THESE TWO NATURES ANS HE REALIZED TEH DAILY CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO.
*************************** READ ROM. 7:22-23 ****************************
*************************** ELABORATE *****************************
ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T ERADICATE THAT SINFUL NATURE SFTER BEING SAVED WHILE ON EARTH, WE CAN UNDER THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT, SEEK TO KEEP THE BODY UNDER SUBJECTION.
MAN HAS A FULL TIME JOB UNTIL DEATH TO WATCH HIMSELF CLOSELY!!!!!!!!
ILLUSTRATION: KICKING MULE OR HORSE ....BY NATURE/ MUST ALWAYS BE ON GUARD AND WATCHFUL OF HIM OR HE WILL KICK YOUR HEAD OFF / SAME WITH MAN
CONCLUSION:
LET ME GIVE YOU THE ULTIMATE FRUITS OF THE TWO NATURES FROM GOD'S WORD.
----- THE OLD, OUTWARD, CARNAL, NATURAL MAN...........
James 1:15
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
(KJV)
----- THE NEW, INWARD, SPIRITUAL MAN............
****************** READ ROM. 8 : 11 *********************
INVITATION:
END
