09/10/20 SIN'S PROBLEM & GOD'S PROVISION

09/10/20 SIN'S PROBLEM & GOD'S PROVISION

The DOUBLE MIND (James 1:8) is what Romans 7 describes.

But God delivers from the DOUBLE MIND (James 4:6) in Romans 8.

GOD DELIVERS FROM THE DOUBLE MIND
The DOUBLE MINDED are unstable, imperfect in love, faith, commitment.
James 1:2-8
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
DLG note...
God calls us to be perfect (pure, complete) in love and commitment. Biblical perfection is obtained by faith in the finished work of Christ, just as forgiveness is obtained by faith in the finished work of Christ. James tells us that the Double Mind makes us unstable and therefore robs us of faith, patience, wisdom.

The DOUBLE MINDED MAN is described in Romans 7:
Romans 7:14-24
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
DLG note...
God calls Double Minded Christians, Carnal. The Double Minded, Carnal Christian is torn between what he should do and what he should not do, between obedience to God and disobedience to God. This Carnal Mind is death and cannot be controlled.

Romans 8:6-7
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

The Carnal Christian is a Christian, with three natures.
1. He has a human nature, the God given nature to be human (body, soul and spirit), but the new Christian.
2. He also has a Sinful Nature, the nature to sin, aka Carnal Mind, Carnality, Old Man, Double Mindedness (inherited at conception from Adam, due to his sin in the Garden).
3. He is also a partaker of Divine Nature, aka the New Man, the Mind of Christ (imparted to him by the Holy Spirit, at the time of his conversion).

The Old Man battles the New Man, the Carnal Mind battles the Spiritual Mind and the believer chooses which mind to follow.

This is the battle that goes on until God delivers from DOUBLE MINDEDNESS. by purifying the heart (delivering it from the Old Man, the Carnal Mind, the inherent Evil Heart of Unbelief.

Romans 7:24-25 tells us that God delivers us from the Carnal Mind, through Jesus Christ.

Romans 7:24-25
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 8:1-16 explains the deliverance and makes it clear that a believer can walk (live) in the Spirit rather than walk (live) in the flesh (carnality, sinful living).

Romans 8 clearly reveals deliverance from the flesh (Carnal Mind) as Romans 6 clearly reveals deliverance from the Old Man and the domain of sin.

Romans 8:1-16
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
DLG note...
James addressed the solution to the problem of the DOUBLE MIND. Consistent with all of God's revelation, James tells us that the sinner should cleanse his hand (his behavior, his actions) and the believer should purify his heart (his inner man).
James 4:6-10
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.