Chapter 12: Embodiment In Action
When writing a chapter about how to live out the truth you proclaim, it can be tempting to simply say, “do it” and wash your hands of further explanation. After all, if we are communicating truth to people with the intention of seeing them live it out, should it not be implied that all we need to do is apply the principles ourselves? In a sense, the answer to this question is yes, but if you have ever attempted to walk in obedience to God, you know this is easier said than done. Saying one thing and doing another is a universal human tendency, and many of us have already chosen to throw in the towel, choosing to hide instead of heal.
Rather than insulting your intelligence and telling you to just “do it,” my goal is to help you come out of hiding. Your inability to live out the truth you proclaim is not an indictment on your potential, but it is a symptom of the trap that was set in Genesis 3. While the precise expression of sin varies from person to person, the pattern is universal, and our goal in this chapter is to lay the groundwork for breaking the cycle. Building on the foundation laid throughout this book and reinforced in Chapters 11 and 12, we will take a closer look at two cycles that will help us understand our sinful habits and finally live out the truth we passionately proclaim.
Cycle #1: The Trap Of The Tree
Have you ever wondered why you often do the things you do not want to do, while not doing the things you do want to do? The Apostle Paul can resonate with this feeling. He writes:
“For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:14-15 ESV).
Paul makes it clear that sin is the root of the madness—the driving force that causes him to live in a way that does not align with his values. The word “sin” means “to miss the mark,” and as we have discussed at length, sin began in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. By now, we should have a well-developed understanding of what took place on that fateful day, so rather than re-reading the story, we will examine the cycle that was set in motion and how it keeps us trapped in patterns we so desperately long to break. For illustrative purposes, we will use addiction to harmful habits as an example to help us better understand each component of the cycle.
1) Believe A Lie: The fall of Adam and Eve began with the serpent asserting that eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would not lead to death, which could not be further from the truth. In Chapter 10, we took an immersive look at the three primary lies the enemy loves to tell, centered around feelings, value, and strength. While the specifics change over time, the principle remains constant: compromise begins when lies are believed. For an addict, the lie believed may sound something like, “I am strong enough to handle this,” “This really is not a big deal,” or “I can stop whenever I want.”
2) Commit The Sin: Once the lie dropped from Eve’s head to her heart, she ate from the tree, in direct opposition to God’s will. Once an addict believes a lie, it is only a matter of time before they act out, doing the very thing they have continually told themselves they would stop doing.
3) Feel The Shame: After they sinned, Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened to their nakedness, inviting shame into the world. Often, shame and guilt are lumped together as one emotion, but there is a key difference. Guilt says, “I did wrong,” but shame says, “I am wrong.” Guilt for our sin is necessary for transformation because it helps us see our need for change. However, shame keeps us trapped by latching onto our core identity, making us believe we are unable to walk in purity. For the addict, returning to the vice will almost always result in a deep sense of shame, further reinforcing the destructive cycle.
4) Strive For Change: When their eyes were opened to their condition, Adam and Eve sought to clothe themselves with fig leaves, finding a temporary solution for their problem. For those who struggle with a recurring pattern of sin, it is highly likely that they have tried to quit, perhaps experiencing some temporary relief, but their efforts are never long-lasting.
5) Search For Comfort: Tired and ashamed, Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden, living the remainder of their days trying to regain the comfort and solace they had before they sinned. Eventually, addicts become tired of the striving and straining for change and resort to finding temporary sources of comfort, which inevitably leaves them susceptible to hearing and believing lies, thus initiating a repetition of the same maddening cycle.
Cycle #2: The Truth Of The Tree
We can try with all our might to free ourselves from the trap of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but we will soon discover that we are powerless to do so. The only way to break free from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is to replace it with The Tree of Life. When we truly understand the significance of Jesus’ victory during His earthly journey and His sacrifice on the cross, we can finally walk in freedom.
“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:10-14 ESV).
If you are tired of living under the curse of the law—striving and straining to walk in obedience to God—I have good news for you: There is a better way, and it begins with understanding the significance of the cross, the Tree of Life upon which Jesus was crucified.
1) Know The Truth: In Chapter 10, we observed that Jesus entered the wilderness fully armed with truth, as evidenced by His ongoing recitation of Scripture in the face of the enemy’s temptation. In order to declare the truth, Jesus had to first know the truth. Of course, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), so He naturally had an advantage in this regard. As discussed in other parts of this book, we must be careful when drawing direct comparisons between our lives and the life of Jesus because, after all, He is God, and we are not. However, we are called to follow His example, so we should pursue an understanding of truth. If we return to the example of the addict, the first step toward their freedom is to develop a deep knowledge of the truth, as explained in detail in our discussion of eternal confession in Chapter 2. Once they understand the “big picture” of truth contained within the Gospel message, they must understand how that truth aligns with the lies they believe. For instance, rather than believing lies like “I am strong enough to handle this,” “This really isn’t a big deal,” or “I can stop whenever I want,” they can remind themselves that they are not strong enough, sin is a big deal, and they are unable to save themselves.
2) Confess The Desire: Knowing the truth does not mean we ignore the temptation. Instead, we should acknowledge the reality of the temptation and speak truth to it. Jesus did not ignore the fact that He was hungry after fasting for 40 days; the key thing to understand, though, is that His feeling was not the most important factor to Him—God’s Word was. For the addict, it is never helpful to pretend they do not have a problem. Instead, they should surround themselves with wise counsel, admit their problem, and continue to be honest about the incredible pull of sin.
3) See His Sacrifice: Jesus did not have to give in to the temptation of the enemy in the wilderness because He understood the enormity of the sacrifice He would make on the cross three years later. Those who continually return to the same polluted wells of sin do themselves no favors by wallowing in shame and pity. Instead, their eyes must be removed from themselves and set on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the source of our freedom. We are given a glimpse of this beautiful promise when God replaces Adam and Eve’s fig leaves with the skin of a sacrificed animal. As Christians, we are clothed in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ!
4) Admit Your Inability: Jesus never made any mistakes, so we cannot see how He would have navigated failure, but we are given a powerful promise in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church:
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV).
The addict is never stronger than when he or she admits being powerless against sin. When we let go of our feeble attempts, we are able to embrace His ultimate victory.
5) Receive His Peace: After all, habitual sin is birthed out of a need for comfort. We sin because we are attempting to medicate the pain that began in Eden. However, when we truly understand the fact that the cross is the fulfillment of the Tree of Life, where Jesus gave His life for us so we can experience eternal life in Him, His Holy Spirit floods us with peace that is beyond comprehension. Now that we finally have the peace we desperately sought in our sin, we no longer need to live in the trap of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Conclusion: Freedom Is Yours
Living out the truth you proclaim is not about striving harder to do better. It is about recognizing the trap set in motion from the beginning and understanding that our own efforts are never enough to break free. Instead, true freedom is found in embracing the truth of the Tree of Life—Jesus’ victory on the cross. By acknowledging our inability and receiving His peace, we can finally step out of the endless cycle of striving and shame. The cross, once a symbol of death, has become our Tree of Life, offering us the power to walk in true obedience and freedom. As you continue your journey, remember that victory is not found in your own strength but in the finished work of Christ.
