We know scripture never contradicts itself, so we must seek out the higher meaning of an apparent separation.
smaller perhaps you can elaborate, because I'm not seeing John talk about dual natures, or as you put it, stereo. He doesn't say, "While this is going on in the flesh, this is happening in the spirit.". In 1 John 2 he acknowledges our continued sinful flesh and encourages us with the comfort that we have Christ who covers our sins. In 1 John 3 he says anyone who does continue to sin is not of God.
Certainly, he's not saying contradictory truths, but I'm not seeing him frame these statements with dual-natures.
It's probably one of the most obvious engagements of the scriptures, but also one of the most missed.
Let's take a simple example of a fact that Jesus conveyed, here:
Mark 4:
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
IF we accept this as true and truthful, which I certainly believe it to be so, let's now look at "practical applications" of this fact:
God's Word of Truth comes to Peter's heart, here, followed by a confession of same (which I might add most or all of us experience in an almost identical way btw)
Matt. 16:
16 And Simon Peter answered and said,
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And
Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but
my Father which is in heaven.
(the above pretty well discounts that this "revealing" is "man/flesh/blood" revealed, but is in fact from God The Father, Himself.)
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
OK. We're all good so far. The above is really the basis of not only Peter's salvation, but of the revealing of Jesus to us, in our hearts, brought to us courtesy of our Heavenly Father. I doubt there would be much in the way of disagreements on this count for any of us.
NOW, what happens immediately after this discourse between Jesus and Peter? Again, the answer is obvious when we observe what Jesus said happens as a matter of fact, where the Word is sown, from Mark 4:15
Same chapter, Matt. 16:
22
Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
What you and I and every believer should observe in the above is that what Jesus said in Mark 4:15 DID in fact happen to Peter. Satan entered Peter, and literally it was Satan who was speaking from Peter's own lips/mind and body.
This should be a jolt or a wake up call to all of us.
But you see, this is the basis upon which "the church" is founded upon, because said church and it's members understands and accepts this principle of Jesus' Truth.
Now, let's take a look at another disciple who had the very same fact that happened to Peter, of Mark 4:15 happened also to him:
Luke 22:3
Then
entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
John 13:27
And after the sop
Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Shall we now look at another example? Let's take Paul's example of nearly the same thing, except in Paul's case it was, a sub messenger of Satan (same family. Yes Satan has "a family" with "children" called demons/devils, John 8:44 and many other citings and showings available from the scriptures.)
2 Corinthians 12:7
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations,
there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
Do we see the identical operating principle of Mark 4:15, here with Paul? Of course. Jesus, by Personal Revelation or revealing comes to Paul, teaches him, directly of many certain spiritual truths/principles regarding this identical matter in Romans 7, at very detailed length about "how" Mark 4:15 happened with Paul himself, and Paul is given a reminder of this fact in 2 Cor. 12:7 by the placement of a messenger of Satan in his own flesh.
Let's take another set of examples from John the Apostle.
John states that we can't even be "in truth" if we say we have no sin. 1 John 1:8
And John also concludes this, all the same as the above. That sin is in fact of the devil. 1 John 3:8
What you or any other believer should be hearing in this, if we are "enabled" to listen, is that this happens to all of us. It is not just "us" as individuals that The Word engages. The Word also engages the devil and his messengers, prompting them to enter the flesh/mind/heart to SIN.
There is therefore not a single one of us who is exempt. And if this is so. (It IS so beyond any doubt) then there is the believer, and there is the resistance of darkness, of the tempter and his family, who continue to plague us ALL.
The big but in the above is this. Those operating parties will use every attempt to block and obscure this fact in everyone. Because they are real, and it is a real operating principle.
We are to reign ABOVE these vile creatures in our own flesh/mind and heart,
but we do not reign by lying to ourselves about this internal reality.
We, as believers, as children of God in Christ, are entirely forgiven.
The tempter in our own flesh/mind heart is not forgiven and never will be.
Either at our respective deaths in the flesh, we are "released" from these bad actors in the flesh, and go on to be with God in Christ. OR, at the finale of these events on earth in this present wicked age,
our vile body shall be 'changed' by the Power of Christ to subdue all things unto Himself. Phil. 3:21
But in the meantime, we do wrestle in our own flesh/mind and body, that which is not us, as God's children. Eph. 6:11-13
So, my conclusion in this, is when I engage any believer, even any other person, even looking at my own vile flesh in the mirror, I remind myself who I am, in my present state. It's not just "me" staring back in the mirror. I carry, in my own flesh, temptations of the tempter, that I resist.
And he's a very wily enemy.
Ephesians 6:
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Will this change how anyone hears The Word, the scriptures? Uh, yeah. Very very dramatically so. It will also change how you walk amongst all mankind, even with yourself.
We seek to turn others from the same hold that we ourselves were prior held by. Acts 26:18, Eph. 2:2
So, lift up your neighbors, lift them ALL up, and resist Satan who blinds their minds, simultaneously.
God in Christ will show you these things, personally, if you accept them for yourself. But this sight can only come from our Heavenly Father.
Others will be slated to resist. Even believers.
God in Christ speaks in Stereo.
