Transforming the Soul Through Truth and Love

 

Summary

In our journey towards transformation, we must first cultivate a love for truth. This begins with acknowledging the uncomfortable truths about ourselves, which we often prefer to ignore. Transformation is impossible without this foundational step. As we delve into the third chapter of Dallas Willard's "Renovation of the Heart," we confront the concept of sin and the condition of being lost. These are terms that have lost their potency in modern discourse, yet they are crucial to understanding the human condition. Jesus' question, "What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and lose their soul?" challenges us to reconsider what it means to be lost. Being lost is not merely about the destination of hell; it is a present condition of the soul, characterized by a disordered will, a mind that forgets truth, and a body enslaved by desires.

Our wills often fail to choose the good, and even when we do, we struggle to bring it to fruition. Our minds are plagued by regrets and forgets, where we selectively remember or ignore truths that are inconvenient. This self-deception extends to our social interactions, where we use our bodies and words to mask our true intentions. The result is a fractured soul, unable to find satisfaction or meaning, regardless of worldly success. This is the essence of a lost soul.

To address this, we must seek truth and live in the love of God. First John 3 reminds us of the profound love God has for us, calling us His children. Jesus came not just to remove the guilt or punishment of sin but to heal us from the inside out. This healing involves aligning our wills, minds, and bodies with God's truth. It is a challenging journey, but one that leads to true transformation and fulfillment.

Key Takeaways:

- Transformation requires a deep love for truth, starting with the truths about ourselves that we often avoid. This love for truth is essential for genuine change and is the first step in our spiritual journey. [00:35]

- The concept of being lost is not just about eternal damnation but a present condition of the soul. A lost soul is characterized by a disordered will, a mind that forgets truth, and a body enslaved by desires. [02:14]

- Our wills often fail to choose the good, and our minds are plagued by regrets and forgets. This self-deception extends to our social interactions, leading to a fractured soul that cannot find satisfaction or meaning. [05:21]

- Jesus' mission was to heal us from the inside out, not just to remove the guilt or punishment of sin. This involves aligning our wills, minds, and bodies with God's truth, leading to true transformation. [12:00]

- Living in the love of God is essential for healing and transformation. First John 3 reminds us of God's profound love, calling us His children, and this love is the foundation for our journey towards wholeness. [11:17]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:35] - Love for Truth
- [01:26] - The Path of Sin
- [02:14] - Understanding Lostness
- [03:28] - Self-Blindness and Lostness
- [04:21] - Misunderstanding Jesus' Words
- [05:07] - The Disordered Will
- [06:08] - The Mind's Forgetfulness
- [07:23] - The Enslaved Body
- [08:31] - Deception in Social Relationships
- [09:53] - The Human Condition
- [10:18] - The Chaos of the Mind
- [11:06] - Cultivating Love for Truth
- [11:49] - Jesus' Healing Mission
- [12:48] - Conclusion and Encouragement

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Mark 8:36 - "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"
2. 1 John 3:1-5 - "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are... He appeared to take away sins."

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#### Observation Questions
1. What does the sermon suggest is the first step towards transformation? [00:35]
2. How does the sermon describe the condition of being "lost"? [02:14]
3. According to the sermon, what are some ways our minds and wills fail us? [05:21]
4. What does the sermon say about Jesus' mission in relation to our sins? [12:00]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of being "lost" in the sermon differ from the traditional view of eternal damnation? [03:01]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that self-deception affects our social interactions? [08:31]
3. How does the sermon interpret Jesus' question about gaining the world and losing one's soul? [10:18]
4. What role does living in the love of God play in the process of transformation, according to the sermon? [11:06]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a truth about yourself that you have been avoiding. How can acknowledging this truth be the first step in your transformation journey? [00:35]
2. Consider a time when your will failed to choose the good. What practical steps can you take to align your will with God's truth in similar situations? [05:07]
3. Identify a regret or "forget" in your life. How can you address this in a way that aligns with the sermon’s message of healing and transformation? [05:21]
4. How can you cultivate a love for truth in your daily life, especially in areas where you might be self-deceptive? [11:06]
5. Think about a relationship where you might be using your body or words to mask your true intentions. What changes can you make to foster more genuine interactions? [08:31]
6. Reflect on the love of God as described in 1 John 3. How can this understanding of being God's child influence your approach to personal transformation? [11:17]
7. What is one specific area in your life where you feel "lost"? How can you seek healing and alignment with God's truth in that area? [03:01]

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Uncomfortable Truths for Transformation
Transformation begins with a deep love for truth, especially the truths about ourselves that we often avoid. This love for truth is essential for genuine change and is the first step in our spiritual journey. Acknowledging uncomfortable truths about ourselves can be challenging, but it is necessary for true transformation. When we confront these truths, we open ourselves to the possibility of change and growth. This process requires humility and courage, as it involves facing aspects of ourselves that we may prefer to ignore. However, by embracing these truths, we lay the foundation for a life aligned with God's will and purpose. [00:35]

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: What uncomfortable truth about yourself have you been avoiding? How can you begin to confront it today with God's help?


Day 2: Recognize the Present Condition of Lostness
The concept of being lost is not just about eternal damnation but a present condition of the soul. A lost soul is characterized by a disordered will, a mind that forgets truth, and a body enslaved by desires. This condition affects our ability to find satisfaction or meaning, regardless of worldly success. Recognizing this state of lostness is crucial for understanding the human condition and our need for transformation. It challenges us to reconsider our priorities and the direction of our lives, urging us to seek alignment with God's truth and purpose. [02:14]

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways do you see the condition of lostness in your own life? How can you begin to seek alignment with God's truth today?


Day 3: Overcome Self-Deception for a Whole Soul
Our wills often fail to choose the good, and our minds are plagued by regrets and forgets. This self-deception extends to our social interactions, leading to a fractured soul that cannot find satisfaction or meaning. Overcoming self-deception requires honesty and a willingness to confront the ways we deceive ourselves and others. It involves examining our intentions and actions, seeking to align them with God's truth. By doing so, we can begin to heal the fractures in our souls and find true satisfaction and meaning in life. [05:21]

"Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: How have you been deceiving yourself or others in your social interactions? What steps can you take to align your actions with God's truth?


Day 4: Align with God's Truth for Inner Healing
Jesus' mission was to heal us from the inside out, not just to remove the guilt or punishment of sin. This involves aligning our wills, minds, and bodies with God's truth, leading to true transformation. Inner healing requires a commitment to living in accordance with God's truth, allowing it to guide our thoughts, actions, and desires. This process is challenging but ultimately leads to a life of fulfillment and purpose. By seeking alignment with God's truth, we open ourselves to the transformative power of His love and grace. [12:00]

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32, ESV)

Reflection: What area of your life needs alignment with God's truth? How can you begin to seek His guidance and healing in this area today?


Day 5: Live in God's Love for Wholeness
Living in the love of God is essential for healing and transformation. First John 3 reminds us of God's profound love, calling us His children, and this love is the foundation for our journey towards wholeness. Embracing God's love involves accepting our identity as His beloved children and allowing His love to shape our lives. It requires us to trust in His goodness and faithfulness, even in the midst of challenges and uncertainties. By living in God's love, we find the strength and courage to pursue transformation and wholeness. [11:17]

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." (1 John 3:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you embrace your identity as God's beloved child today? What steps can you take to live more fully in His love?

Quotes


i want to start with two quotes from my wife just this morning one of them she said that it is impossible to pursue transformation without developing a love for truth if i want to really change it will be indispensable that i cultivate a love for truth because that's reality starting with the truth about me that i most want to not look at which is what we're looking at a lot these days so stay with me through these next couple of messages if you're part of this journey [00:00:25]

and it struck me that this gets to the core of what we're talking about in these days we do what we would not do and we become that which we would not be we don't want to we don't want to do wrong and yet we did so that brings us to this third chapter of dallas willard's book renovation of heart we're seeking renovation but there's no way to do this without going through the path of sin something that we don't talk about in our day words that have largely lost their power and meaning [00:01:19]

and dallas writes in chapter three about radical evil in the humans in the ruined soul about being lost and that too is kind of religious language somebody is lost jesus famously said what does it profit a person if they gain the whole world and yet lose their soul that's we're going to explore today with the sobering vistas of the human heart and soul before us dallas writes we need now to rethink for our time what it means to be lost for a ruined soul is a lost soul [00:02:17]

considerable confusion on this topic has resulted from trying to think of being lost in terms of its outcome theologically that outcome is hell a most uncomfortable notion certainly if you are lost in any sense there is little likelihood of you arriving where you want to be but the condition of lostness is not the same as the outcome to which it leads there is a condition of lostness and then there is an outcome that that leads to we are not lost because we're going to wind up in the wrong place we're going to wind up in the wrong place because we are lost [00:02:41]

lostness is a factual condition of the self of the ruined soul you either have it or not just as you have or do not have a certain physical disease that can kill you if you have the condition of lostness you may not know it most likely you won't it's inherently a condition of self-blindness you need treatment nevertheless if you are not to be lost forever and being informed of your condition and what to do about it can help you find relief and that is what we're doing now [00:03:37]

so i want to talk for a moment about what does it mean to be a lost soul when jesus said uh unless uh what is the prophet a person that they gain the world and lose their soul i used to think what he was saying was it doesn't do you any good to make a lot of money and have a lot of sex and a lot of pleasure if you end up going to hell that is not what he's saying it's true of course but it's not what he was saying [00:04:13]

lostness involves each of these dimensions of our personhood so with our wills our wills do not work right we often fail to will what is good i go through life and i could bless everybody that's a part of my life but i don't think to do this or worse yet i actually will that which is wrong or if i do will that which is good i'm not able to bring it about and so i will to be a generous person and yet i'm greedy all the time and then that gets into our mind [00:04:46]

there's a fascinating book i'm reading right now it's called the midnight library about a woman who despairs of her life she is a ruined soul and she wants to die but she's stuck in between life and death and she's given this very weighty book called the book of regrets and she can hardly stand to read it millions of choices and so many of them led to regrets but then there's not only the book of regrets there's what we might call a book of forgets [00:05:18]

and this is part of how the will and the mind interact with each other because the mind if my mind if my will is working right it must choose the good and be powerful enough to execute it but of course it's not if my mind is working right for a flourishing mind i must think thoughts that are true and desire things that are noble and good but i don't and then my mind ends up forgetting that which i my will does not want to remember [00:05:54]

and then you put all of this together a splintered will and a disordered fractured never satisfied mind fueled by desires that has ego all over it and then a body with appetites where sin has got into habit so i don't even see it i don't even remember and then relationships that are built on that kind of deception and my ego is trying to use you now this is the human condition and that is a lost soul [00:09:16]

so what do we do well we begin by seeking to cultivate a love of truth god would you reveal the truth to me to the extent that i'm able to absorb it and what's required in order to do that first of all is to live in the love of god it's very interesting in first john 3 those wonderful words you might know them where john says think about behold the manner of love god has for us that we should be called the children of god and that is what we are [00:10:56]

he appeared to take away our sins now it doesn't say as people often think he appeared to take away the guilt of our sins or the punishment of our sins or the pain that we would go through if god was really mad at us for our sins no no if if jesus tried to deliver me from external pain or punishment without healing me from my divided will and my messed up mind and my enslaved habit-driven body and my root doesn't make any difference you could take me to any pleasure palace in the world i would be a miserable person i need to be delivered healed from my sins and that's what jesus does [00:11:44]

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Transcript
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