This shows us that the main problem for carnal person is that it is a life solely in human strength. We can’t do God’s will alone in our own strength. Let’s read a few Bible verses on this topic,

Isaiah 64:6 NKJV: “And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.”

Jer. 13:23 NKJV: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.... I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

Rom. 8:7 NKJV: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” And NIV:“Themindgovernedbythe flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.”

Ellen White said very clearly and accurately:

“He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. Man cannot be saved without obedience, but his works should not be of himself; Christ should work in him to will and to do of his good pleasure.” E.G. White, Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

I think these references show sufficiently that we are not capable of doing God’s will without the Holy Ghost. Our main concern is that we always need to make a decision for God’s will and that God gives us the strength to implement it. This understanding of the doctrine of righteousness by faith is extremely important and liberating. However, we can’t discuss it in detail here.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN, WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO DO SOMETHING THAT EXCEEDS THEIR STRENGTH?

What happens when I often realize: I can’t do it! Now I’ve failed again! I think that to some degree we experience disappointment.

This problem is much more prominent in the younger generation rather than the older one. Older people are used to a stronger sense of duty, obedience in the family, school and business. Thus they aren’t as easily annoyed by a disappointment as younger people are. But the problem is equally present in young and old. Only a younger person notices it more distinctly. Traveling the path of faith in their own strength is the foremost problem of every carnal Christian, whether he knows it or not.

How do we try to solve this problem? One person may pray more intensely for God’s help and decide to try harder. Another person may think that we shouldn’t be so narrow-minded. Now he starts to take things more casually and feels freer. Still another completely abandons his faith and may even feel better. The only problem is that these apparent solutions are false solutions, because the conse- quences will come sooner or later. The correct way is to take God’s laws seriously, because they were given in love and are for our own good. However, we need God’s strength for this. The right way is to live in the power of the Holy Spirit with increasing joy, motivation, strength, fruitfulness and victory.

THE CENTRAL PROBLEM

I think we have recognized that this mostly has to do with carnal Christianity. Isn’t it becoming clearer and clearer why Jesus doesn’t want any lukewarm followers? They don’t have life in abundance like God wants to give us and they are a bad example even though most of them don’t even know it. The problem is much more serious than we think.

“Half-hearted Christians are worse than infidels; for their deceptive words and noncommittal position lead many astray.” EGW Letter 44, 1903, quoted in Adv. Bible Commentary, Vol.7, p.963 on Rev. 3:15-16

In the book Christ our Righteousness by Arthur G. Daniells we read the following:

“But formalism is most deceptive and ruinous. It is the hidden, unsuspected rock upon which, through the centuries, the church has so often been well-nigh wrecked. Paul warns us that the 'form of godliness', without the power of God will be one of the perils of the last days, and admonishes us to turn away from the deceptive, bewitching thing.” Arthur G. Daniells, Christ our Righteousness, p. 30, - Christus unsere Gerechtigkeit (Hamburg 1962), S.20

QUESTIONS FOR MEDITATION & DEVOTION

1. Why can’t we do by our own?

2. How do you think people are trying to reach heaven by their own?

3. Why is it worse to be a “half-Christian” than to be completely “out”?

4. In your opinion, what can you do to surrender completely?