It’s Monday morning, you hit the print button on your computer, and instead of the 20, color copies you asked for, the dang machine has mysteriously reverted to its default setting, and spitefully turns out one black and white. Grrrr! Don’t you hate when that happens? You thought that everything was set up the way you wanted, and then it goes back to the factory installed setting. Over a third cup of coffee, while I do some resetting, I got to thinking about how all of us are like that pesky computer. Every one of us comes into this world with our own default settings. The Bible calls these settings “original sin“, or our “sin natures“. Since the days of Adam’s blunder in the Garden of Eden, all of us have inherited a human, fleshly sin nature. It’s there from day one. Watch little children for a while, and you’ll see it at work. Paul puts it like this: “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.” Galatians 5:19-20.
I like to think that I’ve left all that stuff behind when I decided to follow Christ, but almost daily, a default setting tries to click on. Cut off in traffic, paper cut, frustration with kids or spouse, any of those can cause us to revert, and sometimes it just happens with no provocation at all. Once again, Paul, a Super Hero of faith, tells us about his own battle: “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Galatians 5: and again in Romans 7:15, “I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” If this guy had problems with his settings, what chance do I stand?
Even for those living under the grace-filled blood of Christ, it is a daily battle, I’ll be honest. But, it is a battle we are prepared for, and can participate in victoriously. We must live a life guided by the Holy Spirit, so that every choice, action, word spoken or decision will not fall back on the old sinful nature, Sure it’s tough, I hardly have to tell you that, but we have the supernatural power of Christ living within us, even when the default settings kick in. “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” Galatians 5:16. Exchange those old settings, for these: “the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
To sum it up, I refer to Paul, again: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:24-25. Remember, we’re not in this alone, and default settings no longer have to control us!
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