Questions & Answers
by Editor(s)

Q: Since I am operated by Christ or Satan but never a "just me," does that mean I don’t exist somehow? Where is my responsibility to make moment-bymoment choices? That sounds like I don’t get to feel or do what I really want to do.

A: First of all, it helps to know how I function as a human being,. I am a spirit "made in the image of God" clothed in a soul (mind and emotions) and a body. My soul and body are channels through which I receive information from outside myself and how I express myself (my spirit) in everyday living. Although I am thinking and feeling things all the time, it is in my spirit–the seat of my desire, choosing, and knowing-that I make the moment-bymoment choice of what I believe.

I began life believing the lie that everyone believes: that I am "just me" with the power to carry out my desires. The truth is that I was always operated by another. According to Ephesians 2:1, 2 and I John 4:4, my human spirit was hooked up to Satan’s self-for-self spirit before I was born. I thought I was "running the show" when all the time Satan was acting out his wicked and self-righteous deeds.

Then by believing in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross, I was spiritually born-again–my spirit became united to His Holy Spirit. Jesus spoke of this union with His example of the vine and branches in John 15:5: "I am the Vine, you are the branches. He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." He also used several examples to explain that when I do not "abide" in Him–believe He is living through my human form through our spirit-union–I am temporarily controlled in that area by Satan, and become the vehicle for his selfish deeds (Romans 7 is a graphic description of this).

I do, therefore, have an awsome responsibility as an individual. I must choose to believe the truth: I am a spirit operated by Jesus Christ, not an independent, self-operated person. My personality or uniqueness is not annihilated–I still have feelings and thoughts as part of my human makeup (soul). But I am not just my feelings, and I do not need to let them (or my mind) dictate what I believe. Even though I may feel scared, angry or whatever, Christ-I can do whatever I know is right to do since He is linked to my spirit and  running the show." I can also trust that my desires are His desires, as long as I understand that Christ (the Vine) is operating His life of other-love through me (a branch).

Q: Now that I know that Jesus Christ is living out His life as me, why do I need to know doctrine? Isn’t it enough just to trust God?

A: First of all, the definition of doctrine is, very simply, teaching. The teachings (doctrine) and beliefs that I have chosen are what I believe God through the Bible, has taught and continues to teach me. The Holy Spirit has taken God’s written word and quickened it (made it alive) in my spirit. The Bible says that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16).

In other words, God wrote the Bible to tell us what He wants us to know and believe about Himself, His universe, Jesus Christ, ourselves, our fellow man, etc. These biblical doctrines (teachings) make me want to trust Jesus Christ. I can’t figure how I could know God apart from His written word. The name God would mean nothing just by itself. I could have God experiences, but how would I know these experiences were God if He had not told me what He is like? How would I know what sin is if God hadn’t shown me? The Bible says man sinned before the Law was given, but he didn’t know it–he sinned ignorantly. Nonetheless, he paid the price of death for it. It was through the Bible that I learned that I was lost and going to hell. It was through the Bible that I learned about Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation bought for me on Calvary. God’s teachings are life to me–they have been made alive in me by the work of the Holy Spirit.

God’s people, both in person and through their writings are all forms of God coming to me in different ways. The people and people’s books in my life are not "props" that take God’s place. They are put there by God to encourage me, love me, help me, instruct me, admonish me and correct me. When I trust that it is Christ living and that I’m not just an "alone I" but I am a Christ/I (Galatians 2:20), then it is Christ in and through me that keeps His law and fulfills His doctrine perfectly. You see, I do trust God. It is through teaching and testimony (doctrine) that we are persuaded that He is trustworthy.