Defile His Spirit

Dr. Couch: We understand how we can defile the flesh, but how does one defile his spirit? I find it interesting that we are responsible for external and internal defilement as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:1. ANSWER:  By the way Paul pens this verse, we are capable of defiling "flesh and spirit." It is as if he puts the two together. He does not use an article before each word. We defile both together, not just one, such as just the "flesh." The passage reads: "Having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."    The word "defilement" means "pollution, contaminate, stain." It is implying a stain of excrement. It can be seen and cannot be missed! When we make the outer flesh filthy with sin we also do the same to our whole inner being, our spirit. In the human being, both body and spirit work together. They stand in wholeness together, or they are polluted together.    "Perfecting" in the Greek is a Present Participle of "epiteleo" meaning "to bring to a completion, to a maturity." To cleanse ourselves would be to confess our sins and walk away from those that are making us filthy.      Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (9/10)

Physical Idols

Dr. Couch, why do people need a physical idol to worship in order to be immoral, such as Israel with the golden calf? ANSWER:  There is something about the human mind that needs an object to see. This brings about a visualization of that which is opposite from God who is Spirit, and cannot be seen. To the carnal (fleshly) mind this is a kind of advancement for someone who must see their god. Christ is God in the flesh but we, in a sense, do not need to "see" God. Yet, we can visualize His mercy and grace when we look at Christ. We are able to identify His graciousness when we observe Jesus "in action." We note how He relates to people, thinks of their needs and relates to their pains and sorrows as God.     John the apostle puts it this way: "No man has seen God a any time, the only born God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him" (John 1:18). The word "explained" is "exeeomai" in Greek. The word means to "exegete" or to "lead forth." Thus, Christ "interprets, explains, describes" God be being in the flesh.    By the way, there is a textual issue in this verse, and I do not want to get too far afield in explaining the passage. But the better Greek manuscripts say "the only born (begotten) God" rather than "the only born (begotten) Son. "God" is in the better readings. In other words, Christ is the only God who has revealed Himself in flesh and was born among men!    The word "ekon" can be a good word. It is used to mean "image." Christ is 'the image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). And "the image of God" (2 Cor. 4:4). Concerning believers, Paul writes: "Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old man and with its evil practices, and have put on the new man who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image (ekon) of the One who created him" (Col. 3:9-10).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Mar., 10)

Strongholds and the Christian Life

Dr. Couch, what are the "strongholds" in our lives? And is it accurate to describe these in understanding how the Christian life works? ANSWER:  The expression comes from 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. In the NAS it reads "for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh; but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations, and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God."    The charismatics use this passage and say the strongholds have to do with the flesh. While this is true they often do not get to the solution. What Paul is concerned about are the "lofty things" that come against knowing God. This is how we defeat the tug of the flesh. Dan Mitchell in our commentary series writes: "If Paul did not possess divine authority, he could not possess divine power. The real war in which we are engaged today is the war of ideas." The charismatics often do not see the Word of God as the final answer to the pull of the flesh. They hold on to some kind of "power" they think that have within themselves and therefore, they remain defeated. It is the study of God's Word that liberates—the knowledge of (or about) God! The charismatics have "an irrational system, which is beyond the capacity of reason to discover or to fathom to its depth," says the great Greek scholar Nicoll. They work from emotion and not from the objective knowledge of Scripture, and thus fly off in all directions—to mysticism.    Hope this helps.    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (1-10)

Destroying What God Has Built

Dr. Couch, there seems to be people out here in our churches and schools bent on destroying what God has built? Is this not so? ANSWER:  Yes, you're right. There are people who are deep into carnality and fleshliness. They are not into heresy but simply carnality! Paul speaks about this in 1 Corinthians 11:19. "For there must be heresies among you, that they which are approved (who are tried) may be made manifest among you."    I have seen evil men in churches who are heretics. Not doctrinally so but in their actions, Hodge would say. Hodge points out that the word "heresy" here implies that they choose to destroy, say a church or a seminary. The word implies, he says, a "chosen way of life, a party of men who come together to destroy." Hodge goes on and writes: "By the prevalence of disorders and other evils in the church, God puts his people to the test. They are tried as gold in the furnace, and their genuineness is made to appear. It is a great consolation to know that dissension, whether in the church or in the state, are not fortuitous, but are ordered by the providence of God, and are designed, as storms, for the purpose of purification."    So be prepared for evil men in the church who will try to take over, to divide, and cause trouble. In God's mysterious providence they are sent by Him to make you stronger. There are no accidents with the Lord. All things have a reason for happening!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Seduced by Idolatry

Dr. Couch, can believers be seduced by idolatry? ANSWER: You bet they can! Not so much today, but during Paul's day many of the Gentiles were tempted again to serve idols. Paul warns believers about this. He told the Corinthians, "Do not be idolaters, as some of" the Jews were in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:7). He added, "My beloved (the believers), flee from idolatry" (v. 14). And then John wrote: "Little children, guard yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21 ).    We forget that believers can act fleshly or carnal and live just like the world. Paul warned: "You are not able to receive solid food, "even now you are not yet able. … are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men (the lost)?" (1 Cor. 3:2-3).    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch

Do Believers Have Power Over Sin?

Dr. Couch, do believers have power over sin? 

 

    The answer is clear, no, no and no! Our flesh can accomplish nothing! I overcome and mature by the power of the Holy Spirit working through me. The power is not innately mine, though that is the way some Charismatics present it. This is wrong! 

    Paul writes, “Be continually walking (present tense) ‘with’ the Spirit and you will NOT carry out the ‘cravings, greed’ of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). Paul then lists the works of the flesh in verses 19-21. This is all the human flesh can accomplish, strife, jealousy, dishonesty, etc. It is not capable of anything else! 

    The flesh has been crucified with Christ, its passions and desires (v. 24). So the fruit of the Spirit must come out, such as Paul describes in verses 22-23. He adds, “If we are living by means of the Spirit, let us also walk by means of the Spirit” (v. 25). 

    In my opinion it takes time to learn to walk with the Spirit so that what I do is really taking place by His power and ability, and not mine. This does not happen instantly! Lewis Sperry Chafer wrote: “The contention that one has no disposition to sin must be based upon a shocking lack of self-knowledge as to the motives and impulses of the heart, or such an assumption is made through failure to comprehend the true character of sin itself.” (Chafer, He That Is Spiritual, pp. 109-10) 

    Hope this helps and thanks for asking.

    Dr. Mal Couch