There is a sense in which Christians do live a double life – a difficult matter. Many, possibly most, seem not to be comfortable with this tension. The inner conflict, a major paradox in the minds of analytical Christians, even for casual laymen, is a mystery for many. They need to give attentive study to the middle chapters of the Romans Epistle. The Apostle admits his own struggle with the causes of inner conflict, summarized in the words, law and sin. He discovered sin from the affirmations of God’s laws that identified sinful nature and behavior. He even recognized the seeming contradiction, actually a paradox in which that which helps liberate people, the Law of God, is also a shackling thing. The law is the definer of sin, and sin is affirmed as something which is both forbidden and inescapable. Without God’s Law the problem would not be sufficiently defined. The problem would be present, but we would not recognize or understand what it is that looms before us. The relief in the paradox is that provision is made, not only to make diagnosis, but to heal. The way is made for escape from that which binds, to that which sets free. The way in which the people of Israel were freed from the poison of the serpents, was to raise the image of a serpent in the wilderness – paradox. Today the coiled serpent (death) symbol is used by physicians for their identifying logo as healers (life).
Some persons never learn that that which heals is formed like that which kills. Christ, our Savior (hurting/healing), is also our Judge (judging/liberating). The functions exist together. The One who lived the most perfect life ever to have been lived, was made to take on the sin [the cesspool] for us. There is, said Isaiah, no beauty that we should desire him. I would rather know and be with Jesus than to know and be with any other person or all persons. At the end of life, if I am unacceptable to Jesus I would rather be with anyone than to be with Him. In this understanding, I can choose him as my Savior so to have adequate defense (justification) when he judges. He becomes defense attorney as well. In the end he resolves the paradoxes. He provides resolution through the inevitable and persistent opposing tugs of righteousness and carnality.
The biblical weapons for winning this warfare are not carnal. They cannot be perceived as a rifle or cannon may be understood and fired at an enemy. Our weapons for winning are not humanly dramatic, are without monetary cost, and are virtually invisible, perhaps laughable to those who do not understand them. They are prayer, Scripture more than script, and the daily maintenance of the indwelling Holy Spirit in the lives of those who submit to spiritual regimen. This involves the fidelity of one’s conduct to biblical tenets; the commitment to progressive spiritual growth; and, the service of Christians to the needs of others. Or it may be put in negative terms: avoidance of hypocrisy, of spiritual denial or stalling, and of selfish self-interests. In short this is the meaning of the concept: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things [needed for spiritual and/or physical life] shall be added unto you. Application of this verse brings peace and victory in life. Of the various faiths, this is the only one that has God absorbing human impasse leading to immortality. Even for Christians, clear about the divine order and process the application takes some doing. Believing, the faith person may be confused, even weak in application. Outwardly the individual may appear saintly, but inwardly feel like Judas. The contradiction may be reversed – outwardly worldly and inwardly devotional. Whatever the directions for hypocrisy, the Apostle argues for spiritual integration. Without that integration there will not be genuine assurance about ultimate consummation of life. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020