The Plumbline

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (Psalm 139:13-14) How well do you know the one who created all that you are? If we want to understand him more, we need only ask for his help to see clearly what he says, does, and doesn't do. Yes, I said the things he doesn't do because there are just some things that are contrary to his nature, while they may be inherent in our own human nature. He doesn't sin - it isn't in is nature. He won't contradict himself - it isn't in his nature. He won't go back on a promise - it isn't in his nature. While all those things may be part of our human nature, they are not part of his. God made us in his image, but we were born with a sin nature - able to choose to do the things that are contrary to his nature. We need his exchanged nature in order to live upright and holy lives...

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. (Ephesians 2:1-3) None of us is able to argue that we are 'without sin', though some will say they are 'good people', their 'goodness' is not going to stand up in the presence of God's holiness. Obedience is always toward a 'force' of some kind. We can be obedient to the force of nature - looking at the warning signs of impending storm and sheltering against it. We could be obedient to the law of the land - driving the speed limit, paying our taxes on time, and not trespassing on private land. We also can be obe...

The spirit of man - stop for a moment to consider all that is inherent in the spirit of man. Scripture points to man being a tri-part being:  Body, Soul, and Spirit.  Body we understand for it is what we see and feel each and every day.  Soul we get because we can think rational though and learn concepts such as arithmetic or steps in a process - understanding that soul consists of the mind, will and emotions.  Spirit we don't so easily comprehend because it is not as "systematic" as our  minds or as "evident" as bodies.  It is this spirit part of man which allows man to commune with God and experience the things God has in store for us.  It is this spirit which many will say will either make or break a man. It is this spirit part where man differs from animals - for it is the place God's Spirit and a man's spirit become one.  We can trace this three-part make-up of man back to the creation story in Genesis.  I think the most important diffe...