THE FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR: REBELLION IDOLATRY AND NEED IDOLATRY
#3 of the Walk Applied Model Discipleship & Counseling Continuing Series:
The Walk Applied is a comprehensive Christian biblical model
that is applicable for counseling, discipleship. mentoring, teaching, etc.
Ask Christians what the flesh is and you'll get a wide variety of answers. Many would answer something like "the flesh is our propensity to sin" or "do the wrong things". Here in the Walk Applied we explore a new and different context on the flesh - one that is far more correct than simply expressing our sinful tendencies.
Adam and Eve denied God
Adam and Eve expressed their God-given right to free will and choice. When they rebelled and disobeyed, the result was that they came under intermediate satanic authority that had been allowed for by our sovereign Heavenly Father. God, in His infinite wisdom, allowed us the enormous privilege of the capability to choose or deny Him. He also graciously granted consequences for our sinful choice. He could have simply destroyed us, but that wasn't His plan. God's response was to allow us an idolatrous belief system that forms the foundation of our sin issues. The two idolatry belief systems - Rebellion Idolatry and Need Idolatry - are intrinsic and innate. We cannot remove them. They are so deeply embedded in our nature that only Jesus can resolve our basic problems.
The Foundations Of The Sinful Flesh
In the second installment of this series ("The Fall & The Consequences"), we introduced the foundational layer of the natural belief system that has 4 elements. We summarize them once again here briefly.
GUILT: The innate, gnawing paranoia of the knowledge that we have offended God SHAME: Our deep seated regret that we offended God; the firmly embedded root in our sinful fleshly belief system of why we feel that something is wrong with us. INSECURITY: Since we have been separated from God, who will take care of us? IDOLATRY: False worship: Our innate need to seek that which we believe will bring us security. Idolatry is manifested when we: - Worship anything other than God - Worship what we believe is our security - Worship what brings us pleasure
Two Idolatry Belief Systems
The Walk Applied posits two idolatrous belief systems:
Rebellion Idolatry and Need Idolatry.
Rebellion Idolatry Belief System
PRIDE: I am the authority; It is permissible for me to come out of God's authority as I see fit. FACADE: I must present an image of myself so that I will not be "judged" by others. No one can see the "real" me; otherwise, they can "judge" me. SECURITY: Human Institutions protect me. PERFORMANCE: The "better" I perform, the "better" person I am. PLEASURE: The creation of false intimacy & acceptance whereby I do not have to reveal the"real me" so that others cannot "judge" me. ENTITLEMENT: I should have what you have because I am "above you" and can "judge" you.
Need Idolatry Belief System
PROVISION: I have more than you, so I am superior to you, thus, I can "judge" you. What I have is better, so I'm better. Since I have more than enough, I don't need God. The more I accumulate, the more secure I am HOME: Human institutions protect me. If I am strong enough, I can protect myself. Thus, I don't need God. If I can protect myself, I'm superior to you; thus, I can "judge" you. ACCEPTANCE & INTIMACY: "I cannot let anyone see the real me, otherwise, they can "judge" me. I can achieve intimacy via sex, or by projecting the right facade. I can control my family and how the community sees me via power, coercion, manipulation, and facade. Since I can achieve acceptance in these ways, I don't need God. IDENTITY: My identity is found in how I relate to others and human institutions. My foundational understanding of how I fit in this world - my world-view - and how I relate to others is found in performance, facade and security. I believe that what is important and true is found in the natural. I am not accountable to God. KNOWLEDGE: Knowledge is king. We can figure out what we need to know. We are evolving to a "higher" level, thus, we don't need God. If I know more than you, or if I can create the facade that I know more, then I am superior to you; thus, I can "judge" you PURPOSE: I'm free to believe whatever I like. There is no God, so I'm not accountable to anyone. Thus, my purpose and mission are whatever I want it to be, if I even want to have one. If my purpose is more "noble" than yours, or if I achieve more than you do, I can "judge" you.
No video this time...
Next Time: #4: Rebellion Idolatry
N. Patrick Marica contributes incisive Christian commentary on this blog on a regular basis. He has been the Director of Godly Training Ministries since 1993. He has his MA from Liberty University in Marriage and Family Therapy. He is the author of the forthcoming book: The Walk Applied". He has been married to Kathy since 1985. They have 2 adult daughters and 1 extraordinary son-in-law.
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