Our Resolute Spiritual Inertia
There is some controversy concerning the inertia relating to the speed of the earth's rotation around the sun. Some think that the speed is changing and some do not. But there seems to be agreement that the inertia related to the rotation of the earth on its axis is changing. It is slowing very, very slightly as a result of the "tidal effect". Sometime ago I got to comparing the inertia of the heavenly bodies to something that I have been observing for a long, long time. I call it our "spiritual inertia". We have all witnessed the difficulty to change a person's thinking once they have developed a certain point of view. That is not to say that a person's thinking can't be changed through sustained and persuasive efforts. But there is a state of thinking, spiritual inertia, which requires an act of God to change. It's related to changing our self serving ways to first understanding Godly ways and then slowly adopting those was as our own. The term "inertia" may be succinctly defined as: the tendency of a body that is in motion to stay in motion being resistant to change. The dictionary also provides a term that is not limited to the physical: "bureaucratic inertia". The following pictures how we may be able to change from a spiritual inertia, that results in futility, to one that results in fulfillment.
1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
1Co 1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The very personal and individual ways that have been learned for self wellbeing and self service represents the most profound example of "inertia" that exists, especially when one thinks in terms of spiritual inertia.
Our present personal values are the result of a lifetime of experiences that we have been exposed to one way or another. Once our individual "universe" is established it continues with the utmost resistance to change. In this respect it is in a realm of its own and may be considered as profound. Its development does represent the continuous effort to secure a "fulfilled" life. One's life may require a 150 foot personal yacht, or for someone else, a supply of distress relieving products. I think it is virtually impossible to over emphasize the power of the spiritual inertia that we all posses!!! That innate power requires God's intervention to cause the mind of God to enter into our mind to be both a guiding and enabling Spirit.
The Bible gives us graphic examples of the control this corrupted power has. After the Israelites witnessed the most profound miracles one could imagine they became fearful after Moses left them alone for forty days. They reverted back to the only gods they had been raised with.
Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
There has been much commentary concerning this event but I just would like to focus on the spiritual inertia that compelled these people to secure their well being.
Then we can consider something that represents the other end of the scale of our inertia. This also relates to Moses. We know that Moses was or is one of the principle fathers of the faithful. The following comes from the "Contemporary English Version" to help make it more understandable.
Heb 3:3 But Jesus deserves more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves more honor than the house.
Heb 3:4 Of course, every house is built by someone, and God is really the one who built everything.
Heb 3:5 Moses was a faithful servant and told God's people what would be said in the future.
Yet, near the end of Moses' life he made a significant error. In his anger regarding the people he struck "the rock" instead of speaking to it and took some credit for providing water for the Israelites.
Num 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
Num 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
Remember about eighty years prior he became angry and in his "righteous indignation" he killed an Egyptian.
Exo 2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
Exo 2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
It seems apparent that there was an element of his nature that was powerful enough to last for those many decades. It is a dramatic example of the "spiritual inertia" that we posses. Moses was led by the Spirit of God to fulfill a great part of God's plan. Those called to be "firstfruit" are living by God's Spirit and will also be a great part of God's plan. Because of Moses' example, we can now better understand how the firstfruits are with difficulty saved.
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely G3433 be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
G3433 mol'-is Probably by a variation for G3425; with difficulty: - hardly, scarce (-ly), + with much work.
Some time in my past I remember a quote from an individual. I can't remember the subject but I will never forget what he said. Even though he recognized that what he previously thought was proven wrong he would not change his personal view regarding the subject. This might be a good time to include Proverbs 16:25.
Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
I recently read the 1984 interview of a KGB defector. The interview was lengthy but there was a particularly revealing section that related to the "demoralizing" of a person and gives dramatic relevance to the idea of spiritual inertia.
Yuri Alexandrovich Bezmenov,
"As I mentioned before, exposure to true information does not matter anymore," said Bezmenov. "A person who was demoralized is unable to assess true information. The facts tell nothing to him. Even if I shower him with information, with authentic proof, with documents, with pictures; even if I take him by force to the Soviet Union and show him [a] concentration camp, he will refuse to believe it, until he [receives] a kick in his fat-bottom. When a military boot crashes his b----- then he will understand. But not before that. That's the [tragedy] of the situation of demoralization."
But when we consider the multitude of strongly held beliefs regarding religious subjects, one can marvel at the diversity of those diligently sustained beliefs. And this propensity to hold on to varying subjective points of view even abides with those who are "dedicated" to searching out truth.
One might wonder how this world has continued on as long as it has? A part of the answer is that there are those who can recognize value in ways that produce peace and stability.
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
These verses speak of "the law". Law is required to provide a guide for a universal compliance of conduct to produce harmony. The creator has given us a very comprehensive law to complement his creation. Paul specifically refers to it.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
There is absolute need for "law". In the New Testament "law" is referenced 269 times in various applications. Prior to God's Spirit given to a person there can be little or no true appreciation for God's law or laws. As one grows in the ways of God there will be a greater and greater love for the laws that God has given us. They have been given to guide our way to peace and stability. They are especially vital, for the individual, in this distressed world. And wouldn't it be wholly appropriate to ask if God possessed "spiritual inertia".
Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
In the completeness that God the Father and God the Son have determined for those who love them, the whole of our "spiritual inertia" will be an indispensible part of an ever fulfilling eternity.