Ancient, But Not Archaic
Nowadays, anything Biblical is considered to be outdated and archaic by many in this world. If the ancient spiritual practices happen to be non-Biblical, then they are tolerable. This is because they don’t challenge the prevailing worldly culture of the deification of the self, along with its relativist morality. As long as they don’t tamper with the worldly rebellion against the Biblical God, they can exist.
The spiritual battle between God and Satan is manifested in the material realm. Satan is even quite content with a Christianity which is a form of godliness, but rejects or ignores its power to transform an individual into a child of God: anything but that (see 2Timothy 3:5).
Being a child of God requires us to change our allegiance from the world and Satan, to allegiance to God. This is required of us all because we are born alienated from God as a result of the sin of Adam (see John 3:18). We are all born under the influence of the law of sin which is our human weakness (see Romans 7:14 thru 8:2). Paul describes it as doing the things that we don’t want to do, and not doing the things that we should. This law of sin is prior to our sin actions. They do not cause us to be under the law of sin. The law of sin causes our sin actions.
Merely trying to avoid sin actions on our own strength does not bring us righteousness before God (see John 6:28-29). We need to avoid them with God’s strength. When the people asked Jesus “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Jesus’ response to the people was very simple. It might be too simple for most Christians today who are caught up in a legalistic form of Christianity, which is no more redeeming than a legalistic Judaism. Righteousness by works is not exclusively a Jewish thing. God’s strength to avoid sin comes to us only through Christ.
When we have God’s peace and strength through Christ for overcoming sin, then we can live in this world with holiness. Inner peace and strength are fruits of the Spirit which flow into us through the Spirit of Christ when it is within us (see Galatians 5:22-23). The peace that the world offers is a transitory peace. God sustains the peace that comes from Him. There is also a spiritual discernment available only for those with the Spirit of God. It is called the mind of Christ (See 1Corinthians 2:9-16).
God gives grace to those who are humble towards Him. This type of humility is well described in 1 Peter 5:5-7 where it says: “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (see also James 4:6-10, and Philippians 4:6-7). This is basic Biblical spirituality. God wants us to be anxious for nothing by casting all of our care upon Him (see also Proverbs 3:5, Psalms 37:7, 55:22, Isaiah 26:3-4, 55:7-9, and John 6:63).
When I tried this simple spirituality, I was shocked that it still worked after 2000 years. It was ancient, but not archaic.
For more information and a FREE download of Peter Aiello’s entire book, visit http://www.hiddentreasure.website/.
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