The Spiritual and Sinful Natures

Due, in part, to my recent study in Romans and my recent reading of the Ted Dekker book Three, I find myself thinking about the nature of man. Specifically, the dichotomy between man's spiritual nature and man's sinful nature.

I define man's spiritual nature as the part of man that seeks to imitate the holiness of God. I (think) I believe that all men are born with a spiritual nature. At some point in time that nature is given a rebirth, as God and man become joined through Christ in salvation.

The human nature is certainly something we're born with. It is that part of us that acts out of selfishness and pride. It seeks to put us at the center of all that happens around us. It allows us to rationalize our actions and push God to the backburner.

The spiritual nature and the sinful nature are always at war. Each wants to be fed. Each needs to be fed in order to grow and dominate the other. Why are the so-called spiritual disciplines and spiritual activity so important -- prayer, fasting, worship. meditation, fellowship with believers, the Lord's Supper, baptism, reading of scripture, etc.? Because it is food for our spiritual nature. Think of each as a power pill -- a dose of God that refreshes the spiritual nature.

The sinful nature hardly needs any direct "help" from us -- it is fed at will by the world. The more wordly our environment, the more we eat. Sometimes, simply being in the presence of "sinful nature food" is enough to get us eating, whether we know it or not. A few examples .... Ever been to a party and eaten three dozen shrimp tails, when six would do? I have. Somewhere between six and 36 we cross the line to gluttony. At the same party, a person may be handed a beer or glass of wine. Seven later, the line from sobriety to drunkenness has been crossed. The sinful nature has been fed. Or how about last year's raise? What kind of food was purchased with the extra money -- spiritual food or sinful food? If I made an extra five grand, would I give a substantial amount away, or would I instead by a few more toys that I have been "sacrificing" until I could "afford" them?

The hard part about the spiritual and sinful natures is this -- seems we have to be pretty intentional about feeding the spiritual nature, while the sinful nature can saddle up to the buffet all day long. I suppose that's one reason why Jesus said that the ultimate highway of the spiritual nature (salvation) is just a two-laner, while the road to destruction is paved a mile wide.

What will you and I choose today for food? May our eating be profitable.