Of course the opposite of self-control is the lack of self-controlled, which includes behavior that is unrestrained and undisciplined. These words are often interchanged in the Bible, and especially with various translations. And so, I will take some liberty here in the Biblical use of these words to describe the vice of being unrestrained and undisciplined, therefore lacking of self-control.

Note that Gal. 5.23 after stating the fruit of “self-control,” the verse ends with “Against such there is no law.” The importance of this is extremely significant. Why is it so significant? Because it brings to the surface the distinction between the Law of the Old Testament written on scrolls to restrain the people, with the moral law of the Spirit written on the hearts of New Testament believers. For example comparing two scriptures:

Prov. 29.18 “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.”

This scripture clearly show the legalism of the Old Testament and how it “restrains” the people, serving as a covenant between God and Israel, revealing God’s character and standards, but also revealing man’s sinfulness. So it established a legalistic framework of how to worship,, practice certain rituals, proper social behavior, and moral standards. Without this revelation, it is written that “the people cast off restraints,” they become undisciplined, and their behavior breaks the covenant and is unacceptable to God. The disciplinary component of the covenant is then Divinely applied.

Now consider the “covenant” of the New Testament as revealed in Rm. 8.1-8,...

The wisdom of the world says the root cause of unfaithfulness are personal issues like: a feeling the something is missing in the relationship; a lack of emotional connection, unmet needs, self-esteems issues, or an opportunity suddenly arises and you feel your desires will be met in another God, or another mate or a different friend, or a different place. This is all the deeper the world can go in understanding unfaithfulness⎯summed up in self-centered wants and fantasies. All those supposed root causes have one thing in common, and that is “you,” otherwise known as: I, me, myself or the ego. In a true relationship the “I” is lost in the union with another, thus becoming we and us. In regards to marriage, it is written “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Mt. 19.5); In regards to our heavenly Father, Jesus prayed, “that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be one in Us,” (Jn. 17.21), and in regards to other believers, it is written, “for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3.28)

The essence of worship extracted from this verse is that worship must be “in spirit and truth.” Spiritual worship in the New Testament is quite different than the physical worship of the Old Testament and the two must not be intermixed, even though they very much are today. Those of the Old Testament had never been born anew of the Spirit therefore they only know the worship of the natural man in temples, at sacrificial altars and holy places, but having known nothing of spiritual worship. All worship involves coming into God’s presence in humility and surrender, with an open heart of praise and thanksgiving. However, worship of the Old Testament involves elements of the natural man not found in the New Testament. For instance, Ps. 150.4

“Praise Him with the timbrel (tambourine) and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!”

Using instruments and dance are of the natural man and are not of the spirit. The New Testament does not mention instruments and dance in worship, or are there any doctrinal statements giving advice on what kind or music may accompany worship. There are no examples of instruments and dance ever being used in any of the early churches. Christians have no Biblical or prophetic command from God to introduce musical instruments or dance in the worship of God. The early church, from which I personally pattern the whole of my spiritual life, used only prayer and singing for both personal and public praise and worship.

These minor sins are like the dirt that accumulates on the feet of one walking barefoot. The feet must be washed regularly. Once when Jesus was with His disciples He poured water in a basin and began to wash the disciple’s feet and dry them with a towel. Peter, feeling so inferior to Christ resisted. Jesus said that if He didn’t do it Peter would have no part with Him. So Peter said in Jn. 13.9, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!” To this, Jesus’s reply is very important, ”10Jesus told him, “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean.”⎯ thereby making the clear distinction between being thoroughly cleansed by the bold of the Lamb at salvation and the need for continues cleansing of minor sins.

Romans 8.9-11 is a most powerful passage of Scripture. Here, it is the self-same Spirit, who is also referred to as the Spirit of God, and also the Spirit of Christ, and ultimately as Christ. Whatever the title, the most gripping truth of all three Bible passages presented here, Acts 2.38-39, Jn. 14.16-18, and Rm. 8.9-11 is the fact that He dwells in you! What was then received at baptism is now present in your daily life, and will also be present at your coming death and resurrection; this great mystery is revealed, Col. 1.27, “Christ in you the hope of glory.” “In you” mind you, not in your midst, not in heaven, not surrounding you, not in the temple or church building, but within you, the Spirit of Christ now in union with your own spirit. Just as the fertilized seed in a women needs the environment of the womb to nourish, protect, and give growth to the fetus, this Holy Spirit receives the deposit of the seed of Christ in the heart of the believer, nurtures it, protects it, and gives it growth into becoming a new man.

Our focus here is on the distinction between sin as an evil act and sin as a power or force, as a compulsion to act in its own behalf. The power of sin like gravity, is ever present at work to corrupt the inner nature of man; and when given into, man commits sins by his outward actions. The simple sentence, “I sin,” is a complete sentence because it has a noun “I” and the verb “sin” that implies the action of committing sins. If however, as Paul writes, “…the law of sin in my members,” (Rm. 7.23) here the word sin is a noun, not indicating the action of sinning but of a present power of sin. I believe the word “sin” appears over forty-one times in Romans 5-8, forty times as a noun, which identifies a thing present, such as a power, and only once as a verb, indicating the act of sinning. This is an important fact to remember.

This Episode begins by initiating a more detailed study of the events of the fall of Adam and Eve and its subsequent effect on all humanity. The Episode is an attempt to explore these events more closely, unveiling the truth of what happened in the Garden of Eden; considering both the natural and the spiritual realms in which man is intended to live and experience. To do so there need to be laid a foundation of understanding that is to be built upon, a foundation of some key ideas and Biblical concepts. This introductory Episode of “What Really Happened in the Garden” is too much to be discussed in a single setting. Thus, it is divided into four Episodes, each parts; each part set to answer specific questions. This Episode, Part I, addresses the following questions:

1. What is the significance of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the Tree of Life? Are they really trees with potent fruit or are they symbolic of something spiritual?
2. If man is body, spirit, and soul, how has the fall affected the total man?

We are now ready to build upon the foundation laid by those six scriptures in Part 1of the previous Episode: Eph. 4.20-24; 2 Cor. 5.17; Col. 3.10; Gal. 6.15; Rm. 6.4; and Rm. 7.6 and now attempt to establish the mystery of how those two wills that seemingly act independently of one another come together as one in the new man. Even as man has two eyes to see, both looking at the same objects and giving direction to our walk, in like manner the new man can see as one in the natural as well as in the spiritual and to make godly decisions in life⎯it is part of his or her new nature. After all, life is intended to be spontaneously experienced, as our souls interact with the natural world through our bodies and also interact with the spiritual world through our spirits, we are made complete as our spirits are now bonded in unity with the Holy Spirit; this was as promised by Jesus in Jn. 14.16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.”