Eldredge’s wonderfully helpful category of The Poser was transformational for me. It helped even more when I searched Scripture for this category - and I found it: The Poser is what the New Testament calls the Flesh. Paul discusses some important things about this in Romans 6 and Romans 7. • In Rom.6:6 Paul says “We know that our old self [or “old man” [palaios anthropos]) has been crucified.” If my old man/self was crucified with Jesus, then my old man/self is now dead. When Jesus arose out of the grave, my old man/self didn’t rise with him. My old man is still dead (Rom.6:6) and buried (Rom.6:4) - twice removed, as I like to say. • So if my old man/self is dead, why do I sin? • Paul answers this in Rom.7:7-20, where Paul turns his attention to the Flesh, which can be thought of as the old self’s (the old man’s) habits. Even though my old man/self is dead, all the habits and trained responses and trained thought life of the old man/self is still active - and those collective, cumulative habits are the Flesh - what Eldredge puts in more practice language as the Poser. • The Poser/the Flesh ISN'T the real me. The False Self Eldredge mentions is the Flesh. The real me - the true me - is a new creation, is the righteousness of God in Christ, is a saint who sometimes stumbles. For the believer, the real man/self is the born-again man/self, the New Man/Self. • NOTE WELL: I am STILL a sinner saved by grace, absolutely. What I’m pointing out here is that is not all that I am - it’s not all that any believer is: - I as the New/Man am qualified by Father to share in the inheritance of the saints (Col.1:12); - I as the New/Man am a new creation - a new man (2 Cor.5:17) - I as the New/Man am the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor.5:21). • Eldredge’s use of the term “Poser” is very helpful - it doesn't sound "theological" - and it’s so good to see how this term Poser connects with the Biblical discussion of the Flesh. • BTW and FWIW, the internal civil war going on inside every believer ISN’T between the Old Man/Self and the New Man. The Old Man/Self is dead and buried (Rom.6:6 and 6:4). The internal civil war going on inside the believer - “Part of me wants to do X [a bad thing] but part of me doesn’t want to do X” - that civil war is between the New Man and the Flesh.
This video and listen to Art’s story is really challenging me to consider myself as a father to my early teen son and daughter and the words I use, and the behaviours I use with them or they see.
Eldredge’s wonderfully helpful category of The Poser was transformational for me. It helped even more when I searched Scripture for this category - and I found it: The Poser is what the New Testament calls the Flesh. Paul discusses some important things about this in Romans 6 and Romans 7.
• In Rom.6:6 Paul says “We know that our old self [or “old man” [palaios anthropos]) has been crucified.” If my old man/self was crucified with Jesus, then my old man/self is now dead. When Jesus arose out of the grave, my old man/self didn’t rise with him. My old man is still dead (Rom.6:6) and buried (Rom.6:4) - twice removed, as I like to say.
• So if my old man/self is dead, why do I sin?
• Paul answers this in Rom.7:7-20, where Paul turns his attention to the Flesh, which can be thought of as the old self’s (the old man’s) habits. Even though my old man/self is dead, all the habits and trained responses and trained thought life of the old man/self is still active - and those collective, cumulative habits are the Flesh - what Eldredge puts in more practice language as the Poser.
• The Poser/the Flesh ISN'T the real me. The False Self Eldredge mentions is the Flesh. The real me - the true me - is a new creation, is the righteousness of God in Christ, is a saint who sometimes stumbles. For the believer, the real man/self is the born-again man/self, the New Man/Self.
• NOTE WELL: I am STILL a sinner saved by grace, absolutely. What I’m pointing out here is that is not all that I am - it’s not all that any believer is:
- I as the New/Man am qualified by Father to share in the inheritance of the saints (Col.1:12);
- I as the New/Man am a new creation - a new man (2 Cor.5:17)
- I as the New/Man am the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor.5:21).
• Eldredge’s use of the term “Poser” is very helpful - it doesn't sound "theological" - and it’s so good to see how this term Poser connects with the Biblical discussion of the Flesh.
• BTW and FWIW, the internal civil war going on inside every believer ISN’T between the Old Man/Self and the New Man. The Old Man/Self is dead and buried (Rom.6:6 and 6:4). The internal civil war going on inside the believer - “Part of me wants to do X [a bad thing] but part of me doesn’t want to do X” - that civil war is between the New Man and the Flesh.
Good stuff. Thanks John
Thank you for sharing this video.
Thats Gods land there brotheren 🙏🏻
🙏
This video and listen to Art’s story is really challenging me to consider myself as a father to my early teen son and daughter and the words I use, and the behaviours I use with them or they see.
Amen 🙏🏾
All good.
The poser only picks adventures that are… safe. 🤯