p. 648 | The Two Natures by George B. Starr

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 19, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 41.

The Two Natures

By George B. Starr

War to the Death—No Mimic Conflict Is the Battle of Life

By GEORGE B. STARR

We all start in life with one nature—the human nature. “The first man is of the earth, earthy.” He loves earthly things, earthly pleasures. The world’s ways, even its sins, are not repulsive. Its songs, its foods, its revelry, its gayety, its music and mirth, its abandon, its pride, its idolatry, its self-love, its ease, its freedom from burdens, its large plans for further happiness in matchmaking and money getting and bank credits, its home making, with every pleasure for self serving—all these fill the mind and heart of the first man.

His leisure moments even are spent in daydreaming, and reading descriptive stories of the realization of these things. All his natural powers are kept at high tension, and his imagination is stayed upon the highest keys of what the world calls pleasures. But even in early life, the majority meet angel visitants from another and a better world. Whispers of a higher life—a purer, sweeter, dearer life, an everlasting life—are heard. The gospel of a new birth and a new nature is heard from human lips that have experienced it; and hope is awakened that there is really something better, nobler, higher, more enduring, than the brief earth life, with its transient, exhausting, unsatisfying, sinful pleasure. In many instances, the heart is won, the will captivated, and yielded to Christ, the Author of the new nature and the new life. The Spirit of God works mightily; and a new heart and a new man—a new nature—is really created.

THE NEW MAN FROM HEAVEN

“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.” 1 Cor. 15:47, 48.

When Christ is accepted, then begins the real battle of life—the old nature struggling for its very existence, for recognition, demanding attention, pleading for indulgence in earth pleasures; and the new nature battling against it, crucifying and denying it. The life struggle is then on, and the question is to be decided as to which shall triumph, the old man or the new, the old nature or the new.

PERPLEXED OVER THE CONFLICT

This very conflict has been a cause of perplexity to many earnest and sincere Christians. They are sure that they have been converted—born again; and if so, they inquire, why this deadly conflict? Why these temptations and struggles? But this condition is the very ground for hope and comfort. The fact that there is a struggle, is proof that there has been a new birth. When there is but one nature, there is no battle. The one will, the one nature, has its way fully, unopposed. But when the new nature takes command, and gives orders for the subjection, crucifixion, and utter overthrow of the old nature, war is declared, and war to the death is to be maintained until one of the two natures triumphs forever.

“But,” says one, “I thought that when the new man was created, then the old man, with his lusts and deeds, was immediately and forever put away.” If that is correct, then what is the meaning of such expressions as these?

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Rom. 6:6.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and

the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2:20.

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal [natural] flesh.” 2 Cor. 4:10, 11.

“I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” 1 Cor. 15:31.

The old man, the first man, the earthly man, dies daily—a slow death of crucifixion—put to death by the new man. He is kept under, conquered, but never converted. God never promised to convert the old man, but He has promised to destroy him forever. We are to consent to his destruction, and to cooperate with God and heavenly agencies in his final extinction.

ALWAYS TRIUMPHANT

You ask, “Can a man be happy as a Christian, with this continuous battle on?”—Surely, and the happiest he has ever been; for he now enjoys the high emotions and triumphant joys of a conqueror—the man who wins every battle.

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place.” 2 Cor. 2:14.

The transformation also is to be complete. We are to look and act and be as actually like the new and the divine as we were actually like the first man Adam—our common progenitor; for it is written, “As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” 1 Cor. 15:49.

“AS”—let us write it in capitals upon our hearts, and work it into our hopes. “AS” in every particular we have been sinful and weak and failing and defeated, “SO” we shall be holy and powerful and victoriously obedient and happy, as was the last Adam, our triumphant Lord Jesus Christ. “We shall be like Him.”