Experiencing the Presence of God: Teachings From the Book of Hebrews by A. W. Tozer & James L. Snyder

Author:A. W. Tozer & James L. Snyder [Tozer, A. W. & Snyder, James L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Religion, Christian Life, General, Inspirational, Spiritual Growth
ISBN: 9780830746934
Google: 2-AsngEACAAJ
Amazon: 0830746935
Barnesnoble: 0830746935
Publisher: Regal
Published: 2010-08-24T22:00:00+00:00

Thee while the first archangel sings,

He hides his face behind his wings,

And ranks of shining thrones around

Fall worshipping, and spread the ground.

Compare that first archangel over against that old devil, which is called the “Dragon” and “Satan.” It would be difficult to find two creatures as far apart morally as these two. Both have an unknown factor within telling them to act like themselves. The archangel instinctively acts like an archangel, and Satan always acts like himself.

The only thing I can say in Satan’s favor is that he always acts like himself. When he is deceiving, he is acting like the devil; he is acting like himself. Remember what Jesus said about certain Jews who were persecuting Him: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do” (John 8:44).

When the archangel is acting like an archangel, he is not acting because he has been trained to do so. He is acting from the inside. Something within him makes him act like an archangel, and he does not resist. He desires to do it just like the little chick does not resist the temptation to scratch; it scratches because something inside of it is impelling it to scratch. So the archangel is not comparing himself with someone else and saying, “I’ve got to act like an archangel.” He acts like an archangel because he is an archangel.

This brings up the old question the Church has debated from time immemorial. Does a sinner sin because he is a sinner, or is he a sinner because he sins? Well, both are correct. We can go round the theological circle until by the grace of God we break out of that and we are a sinner no longer. Therefore, the sinner is one who sins, but he sins because he has been a sinner. When he sins, he is simply acting like himself.

The crowning achievement of the New Testament is to implant in the heart of a believing man an unknown factor that impels him to act righteously and holy.

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