The War for Your Want-er
Authentic doesn't equal Holy
“I’m just being honest.”
Most Americans have heard this expression or something like it. The highest virtue of our age is to be “authentic.”
Showing people who we really are and what we really desire is an act of bravery that is celebrated… most of the time.
The crazed gunman who shoots up a school as he lives out “his truth” as printed in his manifesto is being authentic, right?
Real desires are not the same as right desires. Genuine desires are not necessarily good desires.
Just because something comes from within you does not mean it is good for you. Jesus told us that sin comes from the heart, but His disciples in individualistic-therapeutic cultures have allowed the world to set our theology.
We live in a culture where looking inward is more valuable than looking upward and authentic desires are more important than righteousness desires.
No wonder there are Christians acting as if homosexual desires are not sinful unless you act on them!
The Bible does not teach us that our greed is good because it came from inside. The Word of God does not teach that anger is holy because it is felt wholly. The sexually perverse desires we experience are not sanctified.
Look at Paul’s admonition to the Galatians,
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Galatians 5:16–17
Paul calls the believers to actively walk by the Spirit so that they will not gratify desires they experience from the flesh. Paul knows that the desires of remaining sin are at war with the Spirit of God.
Because Paul knows these things, He calls believers to evaluate their desires– not worship them!
“You are not to do whatever you want.”
Desires that come from the flesh are not neutral, they’re deadly. We fight sinful desires by naming the source, not merely refraining from the action.
Christian, don’t be deceived by any false doctrine that calls sin or sinful desires an identity. The fight with the flesh will continue till the resurrection, but beware of those who flirt with the flesh instead of fighting it.
The examination of our desires is not “Did this come from me?” But did this come from remaining sin in me or from the Spirit of God who lives in me?
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Galatians 5