Swimming Upstream In A Downstream World

Feature 3 –October 2016 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Salmon leaping at Willamette Falls
Wikipedia Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0, public domain.

Swimming Upstream In A Downstream World

The moral foundation of life is eroding, and two keywords of today’s culture are “tolerance” and “acceptance” – especially in relation to wrong things. How can the Christian “swim” against such a strong current? In many ways we need to be like the salmon that God created!

Far upstream in fresh water rivers salmon begin their normal life cycle as eggs. Once hatched, they become fingerlings (young fish). Passing downstream, they eventually live in the sea. Upon reaching maturity they have an absolute resolve to go back to their spawning grounds, hundreds or thousands of miles away. The trip back is full of danger as they swim against powerful currents and jump up waterfalls against great odds. Many of the adult salmon eventually reach their spawning grounds and are able to lay their eggs, giving life to a new generation.

Like the adult salmon, the Christian must swim upstream to fulfill his purpose of pursuing Christ. When he stops swimming, or actively following Him, he automatically begins to be swept downstream, no longer distinguishable from those flowing in the current of this world.

What Is The World?
The Bible speaks of the world in three ways: the planet (Gen. 1:1,31; Acts 17:24), the people (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 4:9-10) and its program or system. God created the earth we live on and called it “very good” (NKJV). He loves people so much that He sent His Son into this world that He might redeem, rescue and reconcile them to Himself. But what does He say about this world’s system?

Satan controls it, opposing God and the work of Christ. It is the very opposite of what is godly (1 Jn. 2:16). Three times in John’s gospel the Lord Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this world” (12:31, 14:30, 16:11). Paul called him the “god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4). In 1 John 5:19 we read: “We know that we are of God and the whole world lies under the sway [power or control] of the wicked one.”

We might ask, “How did this happen? If God created this world and everything in it, how is it that the world system is now under Satan’s rule?” Genesis 1:26-28 gives the answer. There we read that when God created man, He gave him dominion over the earth. The psalmist meditated on this and in amazement wrote: “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet” (Ps. 8:4-6). Adam was to have rule and dominion over everything on the earth. He was to subdue it. But in the third chapter of Genesis we read of Adam’s sin. One consequence was that when Adam surrendered to the temptations of Satan he also surrendered his dominion over the earth. Satan became, and now is, the ruler or prince of this world.

The Spirit of God took up Psalm 8 in Hebrews 2:5-9, reminding us that what the first Adam lost the last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, reclaimed: “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

Paul reminded us just whose influence this world is under: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others” (Eph. 2:1-3).

The current of this world is very strong against anyone who resolves to follow Christ – a current of wickedness, immorality and sin. The acceptance and practice of ungodly values and activities pervade the world in which we live, much like a banyan tree. Because of its unusual growth habits, this tropical tree is known as a “strangler fig.” These large trees can reach more than 200 meters (656 feet) in diameter, with a height of 30 meters (98 feet). Native to India, this tree’s roots descend over the trunk of a host tree, seeking the soil below. Once they have rooted themselves, the roots of the strangler fig quickly thicken and lengthen. Where the banyan’s roots cross each other, they fuse, creating a lattice around the host tree’s trunk. Gradually these roots starve the host tree of light, water and nutrients, until it dies and rots away. Likewise, as the seeds and roots of compromise are tolerated in the world and in the professing church, spiritual life and fruit are being sapped away.

Satan’s Tools
Satan has three basic tools that he uses to squeeze out the productivity of the Christian life. They are given to us in 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.” Let’s take a look at each one.

1. The Lust Of The Flesh – This is the unbridled desire of the flesh to commit “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you ... that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).

Paul also taught that “those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (v.24) and our “old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be a slave to sin” (Rom. 6:6). We are to “consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v.11), making no provision for the flesh or to fulfill its lust (Mt. 5:28; Rom. 13:14; 1 Pet. 2:11).

2. The Lust Of The Eyes – This is a shameful longing for things we see. Paul listed examples in Ephesians 5:5-7 and Colossians 3:5-7. Look away from worthless things (Ps. 119:37; Prov. 23:5; Isa. 33:15)! The Lord Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness” (Mt. 6:22-23).

If the eye is properly focused on the light, the whole body can function properly. But if the eye is not focused or is seeing double, there will be problems. The Lord Jesus continued, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other” (v.24). If we do not control our eyes it will affect our allegiance to Christ.

3. The Pride Of Life – This can include boasting about age, wealth, accomplishments and many more things. An example of the pride of life is found in Luke 12:16-21. The man in that story was hardworking and proud of his accomplishments, but he had no thought for God or his eternal future. Instead, God instructs us “not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Phil. 2:3).

These are the same three tools that Satan used against Eve in the garden of Eden and against the Lord Jesus in the wilderness (Gen. 3:6; Lk. 4:1-13). Satan can use any of these at any time in anyone’s life. Therefore, Paul warned us, “lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11).

We have already seen many reasons why we as followers of Christ should not love the world’s system, but let’s consider a few more points.

Love Not The World
James, a very practical apostle, strongly stated, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4). He connected friendship with the world to committing spiritual adultery – replacing God.

This world did not know our Lord, so why should we, as His people, want to be very familiar with it (Jn. 1:10, 17:25)? It hated and crucified Him (7:7, 15:18)! Why would we go back to the world to which we no longer belong (17:14-16; 1 Pet. 4:12-19)? Christ did not belong to this world (Jn. 8:23), His kingdom is not of this world (18:36) and He overcame this world (16:33)! God sees us as having died with His Son on the cross, therefore Paul declared that our boast should not be in this world: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).

Which direction are you swimming – upstream or downstream?

The Danger
The greatest threat to the people of God has always been conformity. We need a fixed point of truth that will not let us drift away. It has been said that “conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth,” 1 and in many ways that is true.

Consider Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Conformity and gradual compromise destroyed his life. When we are first introduced to Lot, he was accompanying his uncle out of Ur of the Chaldees (Gen. 12). At first he conformed to Abram (his name before God changed it to Abraham, 17:5), but soon material success caused him to fall prey to worldliness. When there was a falling out between Lot’s servants and Abraham’s, not wanting strife between them, Abraham told his nephew to choose the portion of land he wanted. “And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan [the lust of the eyes], that it was well watered everywhere [lust of the flesh], before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself [the pride of life] all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other” (13:10-11). Lot began swimming with the current, dragged along by the enemy’s tools.

Many times the enemy slowly pulls and allures us toward the world. Like wading into a stream, Lot started edging toward the worldly influences of Sodom. He first pitched his tent outside it (v.12), then he dwelt in it (14:12). Soon he was swimming downstream, compromising with each stroke. By the time Abram rescued Lot after Sodom was attacked by nearby nations (Gen. 14), Lot had become a person of some importance among the Sodomites: He sat in the city gates, a place of prominence of the city officials and judges. However, it did not bring him true respect or influence.

Compromise with the world will always end up hurting those we love. Though Lot was deeply disturbed by the vices surrounding him (2 Pet. 2:6-9), his compromise caused him to lose all influence and witness to his own family. It caused him to hesitate and waver at a crucial moment, even to argue with God’s angels. It is not surprising then that his wife also lacked the faith and obedience to follow God’s commands. Looking back to the world, she was lost in death (Gen. 19:26). His two daughters were lost to immorality because they had grown up in a household where personal desires and worldly thinking took precedence over morality and God’s word (vv.30-38). We will never influence the world by trying to be like it!

The Challenge
The apostle Paul gave a challenge: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).

In the original Greek language of the New Testament, the word used for “transformed” means “metamorphosis.” Biologically, according to Dictionary.com, metamorphosis is “a profound change in form from one stage to the next in the life history of an organism, as from the caterpillar to the pupa and from the pupa to the adult butterfly.” Although an outward change in appearance or form takes place, the change comes from within the life of the organism. A caterpillar changing into a butterfly is an excellent picture of what the Bible speaks of concerning the transformation of believers into the image of Christ.

Another has expressed points about transformation well:

Transformation means “change or renewal from a life that no longer conforms to the ways of the world to one that pleases God” (Rom. 12:2). This is accomplished by the renewing of our minds, an inward spiritual transformation that will manifest itself in outward actions. The Bible presents the transformed life in Christ as demonstrated through our “bearing fruit in every good work [and] growing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10). Transformation involves those who were once far from God being “drawn near” to Him through the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13).

Moreover, evidence of transformation within us is seen in the way we increasingly reflect the likeness and glory of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18) ... Paul said, “You, however, are controlled, not by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Rom. 8:9).2

A transformed life demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-24: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Different Mind Set
A renewed mind is the key to the Christian life. The reason why unbelievers do not respond to the truth is that they cannot discern spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). The gospel is a call for the unbeliever to repent of his sin and embrace Christ by faith. “Repentance” carries the idea of a change of mind. Our thinking, as believers, must be continually aligned with the mind of God, being transformed from old, ungodly ways of thinking into new, godly ways of thinking. What we know in our minds to be true forms a conviction in our hearts of that truth, and that conviction in our hearts translates into action and behavior. Therefore, we must first renew our minds.

The only way to replace the error of the world’s way of thinking is to replace it with God’s truth, and the only infallible source of God’s truth is His revealed Word, the Bible. Psalm 19:7 reminds us that “the law of the LORD is perfect, converting [restoring or renewing] the soul” and Psalm 119:97-104 says, “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” We also read in Proverbs 23:7: “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

What we understand and believe develops our thinking, which affects our conduct. James speaks of “the implanted word” which is able to deliver us as we practice the instruction it gives (Jas. 1:21-27). This demonstrates true Christianity!

Transformation through renewed minds comes as believers expose themselves to God’s Word through a quiet time with the Lord and personal Bible study. The faithful teaching of the Word each week as we gather with other Christians helps to keep us thinking in a manner which pleases God. Good, solid, group Bible studies will help us to know God’s mind. An assembly of believers gathered together and faithfully practicing biblical principles is invaluable in helping us renew our minds. There are no shortcuts. There is no magical formula for renewing our minds. We must fill our minds with God’s Word. Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth; Your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).

Test All Things
We are living in difficult days when there are men and women who do not love the truth of God’s Word. There are those who do not want to hear sound doctrine; they would rather be entertained, following after those who simply sound good – having a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Tim. 3:5, 4:3-4). While Paul instructed us to “preach the Word” and “do the work the work of an evangelist” (vv.2,5), he exhorted us to “test all things; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Th. 5:21). The aged apostle John also understood how important it is not to believe everything you hear. Listen to his instruction in 1 John 4:1: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” We must be careful! Prove all things you hear by using the infallible Word of God to test what is said.

John warned us not to believe all who claim to speak for God. He spoke of “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (v.6). What we hear preached today either comes from whom the Lord called “the Spirit of truth” (Jn. 14:17, 15:26, 16:13), who is the Holy Spirit; or the spirit of error, which is of Satan and his demons. We know that God speaks truth and reveals truth. We also are well aware that Satan speaks lies and is a deceiver. It is crucial that we be able to discern the difference.

As we swim upstream in our Christian life, against the current of the world, we need to discern which things are of God and which things are dangers or simply debris. We can only do that by being in the Word – knowing and rightly dividing it (2 Tim. 2:15).

ENDNOTES
1. John F. Kennedy, September 25, 1961.
2. “What does the Bible say about transformation?” Got Questions Ministries, accessed April 11, 2016.

By Timothy P. Hadley