Missing Circle: Far be it from me to find any fault with Bill Bright. He was undoubtedly, a true man of God that was used mightily for His purposes. I fear I am not fit to have tied his shoes. However, I find that he left a key aspect from his well-known instruction regarding the Natural man as compared to the Spiritual man.
In his mnemonic, he drew three circles depicting where Christ was positioned in the lives of the natural man (the unsaved), and the carnal man and spiritual man (the saved). In the life of the natural man, Christ is held at arm’s length outside the circle representing the person’s life. In the saved person’s life, both spiritual and carnal, Christ is invited into that circle. Christ is on the throne of the spiritual man’s life, whereas He is not on the throne of the carnal man, albeit still inside the circle.
There are so much theology and teaching that stems from this simple mnemonic. For example, the affairs of life are in order in the spiritual life; spiritual fruit is only evident in the spiritual man’s life. We easily become fleshly and dethrone Christ when our focus is on cares of the world.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
As a side note, the carnal man is not the person who has paid lip service to Christ. This person, who has casually asked Christ into their life without ever placing Him on the throne of their life, is deceived and is possibly not truly saved. Christ must be made Lord.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For the saved, our sin dethrones Christ. The way in which we get back to the spiritual is to repent, to “confess our sins”.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The time between sin and confession is a mark of spiritual maturity. The more spiritually mature we are, and thusly, the more sensitive we become to the Holy Spirit, the more quickly we want to get back into proper fellowship with our Savior. If we refuse, God withdraws; in fact, God says He will not hear our prayers until we repent.
Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
I could go on. Every Christian needs the teaching that flows from this simple teaching instrument. It is clearly inspired in its simplicity and clear teaching. But, there is something missing.
What is missing is a circle representing the “religious man”. Like the natural man, this would represent the unsaved person holding Christ outside the circle of his life.
But, in this case, the person has elevated Christ (or rather, possibly, the church) to a higher position, although still outside the circle of his life. This is a person, like Paul (Saul) before his salvation, who is working tirelessly for the tradition of the church. These are often more busy with the activities and programs of the church than the saved, more even than the spiritual man.
Yet, like the carnal man, they are busy with good things that are often not God’s things. Theirs is a show of pretense – a religious display. This person often believes they are pleasing to God and will go to heaven for their many works. They hold a form of religion, but deny the power. They have never surrendered their lives to Christ. Therefore, they are akin to the Pharisees that Jesus described as “white-washed seplicures”.
“Our opinions and our ideas begin to replace the Word of God. … When we quench the Holy Spirit, minimizing the Word of God and its power will follow.” – Leading the Way, My Journal, January 2015
These are just as confusing to the on looking world as the carnal man. They both operate in the flesh. We are confused with their many good works and display of religiosity. Yet, they are far more deadly to the church. These are the tares. They look so much like wheat; it is nearly impossible to discern the difference. Although, when Christ returns, the tares will be separated from the wheat.
In the meantime, they are robbing the church of power. They move into the church, play the part, and work the works of the flesh and even the works of their father the devil, right from inside the church. They perpetuate an old tradition that denies the power therein. Sadly, seemingly good to all but the most discerning, their traditions are embraced by even God’s elect.
These are truly the ones to whom Jesus will speak arguably the most frightening and sobering words in all of scripture:
Matthew 7: 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Notice that they did more than most true Christians – prophesied, cast out devils, many wonderful works. Sobering, indeed! Surely we must work out – test to be sure, examine ourselves – our salvation, lest we deceive ourselves living out a form of religion – an Old Tradition; a tradition that leads to death.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.