For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. Romans 7:18-20
One of the word phrases that is being bandied about lately is ‘cognitive dissonance’. What is cognitive dissonance? The Merriam- Webster dictionary defines it as a ‘psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously’. This certainly is very evident in all areas of our culture now. It is probably most evident in our current Government at EVERY level. But the ‘psychological conflict’ has become the necessary ‘politically correct’ ability that everyone must have, according to the enemies of God. Scripture would describe it as an act of searing the conscience of the individual.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. Romans 2:14-16
God’s given ‘conscience’ to the human race has been written on every soul. But that doesn’t mean that conscience can’t be over-ridden. It just becomes this nagging barometer that eventually is shoved so far down into the individual — it is rarely ever acknowledged again within them. How can it be so over-ridden? By another gift from God called ‘free will’ which gives the individual actual ‘choice’. We get to choose and make decisions on every step and path we take. This ability to make choices no matter how illogical, harmful, evil, or personally devastating allows for this cognitive dissonance to be present within the individual.
Now let’s look at what scripture says is the main culprit of this cognitive dissonance. The last phrase in verse 20 says “ … it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” ‘Sin’ that nasty word the enemies of God have worked SO hard at eliminating from all language and concept. But ‘sin’ still remains no matter how hard you try to ignore it, or explain it away. I’ve watched preachers and teachers go through lots of theological hoops to try to say ‘sin’ no longer exists. Yet evil still remains. Self justification is really big these days. The ability to make up a good excuse is now seen as a ‘good thing’ and even praised by those who don’t want to recognize the Truth of things. Self aggrandizement — seems to be the necessary component of all social media these days. The God given moral code is almost completely seared from the face of the globe, as centralization has been the main goal of the enemies of God.
But if you want to be a follower of Christ – then you will have to allow the Holy Spirit to do inventory on all the things within you that show your current cognitive dissonance. It is that ‘inner’ Voice of the Holy Spirit that brings conviction of the ‘hidden’ sin that has been shoved down by you and kept in that ‘private closet’ of your soul that no one else knows about. That currently held ‘sin’ within you — is what makes your cognitive dissonance possible. Sometimes that ‘sin’ isn’t even seen as sin by you. You’ve convinced yourself that at first it wasn’t sin — and you ignored your God given conscience within you. And when that ‘sin’ pricks you — you make excuses for it. And you then have the first seeds of cognitive dissonance growing in you. And the enemy uses that process to begin on all sorts of other tracks of thinking within you. And the sin pile within that ‘private’ closet begins to grow.
Do you want God’s grace? Do you want His forgiveness? Then opening the door to the ‘private closet’ holding all of that sin in your soul must be held open for the work and healing the Holy Spirit wants to do in your life. Did you really give Him the ‘keys’ to your life? All the keys? What is your reaction when God’s grace exposes the Truth of your life? Do you admit it or do you right away make excuses and blame someone or something else?
The indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested by His fruit being displayed daily in your life. Every action and reaction a person has can be held to the standard / grid / filter of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. Just for redundancy sake I’ll post it here again.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
If you’ve really given Jesus the ‘keys’ to your life — then He will begin to ‘clean house’ going room by room, space by space, board by board, and remaking your life into His original thoughtful design He planned for you. If you allow Jesus to do that work with the Holy Spirit within you then you will molded closely to His image and character at the end of His work. But it’s a process He wants to do WITH you, in relationship.
Be brave — hand Jesus ALL the keys to your life. And don’t be surprised when He begins to clean and make changes.
When cognitive dissonance is exposed in your life — allow Him to show you how it got there. You could be really brave and ask the Holy Spirit if there is any current cognitive dissonance that you are holding on to and why.
Allow God’s grace to work in your life.