WHY THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS LIKENED TO A PILGRIMAGE

Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul.  (1 Peter 2:11, AMP)

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11, NKJV)

I have quoted the verse of Scripture above from two different versions of the Bible for the purpose of emphasis. The reason why the Christian faith, unlike any other faith system under heaven is likened to a pilgrimage is because of the Godward movement its adherents are empowered to make on a daily basis. No other faith system emphasises the need for Godward movement and empowers its adherents with the tools to achieve this. You can therefore rightly call Christianity a journey of faith.

Why is Christianity the only faith system that emphasises Godward movement? It is because it is the only faith that practically empowers believers with the tools to win the war being waged against their souls by the alluring yet virulent and insidious desires and passions of the flesh. The Bible accurately labels these desires as evil because their architect and source is the devil himself.

 Evil does not mean bitter, unpleasurable and undesirable. On the contrary, evil in most cases is naturally sweet, pleasurable and desirable. Evil simply means sourcing or taking origin from the devil. This means at the bottom of the evil desires and passions of the flesh is the devil surreptitiously but purposely wielding the weapons of war.

 This means the evil desires and passions of the flesh, just like all weapons of war, do not operate by themselves. They need the commandeering of hands skillful and experienced in making war!

Why is the war being waged by the evil desires and passions of the flesh aimed at the soul? This is because the soul is the middle vessel between the spirit and the body of sin. And whoever controls it controls the entire man. 

The flesh seeks  the soul by constantly bombarding it with evil desires and passions; God releases His life from His command tower in the spirit of the believer. It’s left for the believer to daily choose who they engage – spirit or flesh. 

A soul under the tyranny of sin leads to the rise of a man that is a total aberration from God’s original design. A soul under the dominion of God leads to the rise of a man in the image and likeness of God.

To be continued...

CULLED FROM MY BOOK - GODWARD 

APST AROME OSAYI