282 The Spiritual Man
passively. Satan wants to turn man into an automaton. Oh, how we
should guard against whatever is extreme and guard against
misunderstanding in spiritual doctrine. We need not fear being
radical in obeying the Lord, that is for sure; nor do we need to guard
against being extreme in denying the works of the flesh. But most
vigilant must we be that we not be led to any extremes through
misconception.
We said most emphatically earlier that we ought to seek God’s
work, for vain are those things which belong to man and spring from
him. We have said that no spiritual value is possible except from
what is done by the Holy Spirit through our inner man and that we
should therefore wait with our spirit for revelation from God. Yes,
this that we have affirmed is quite true. And blessed is he who is
willing to follow this truth. Nonetheless, herein lies one of the
gravest perils of all—that of going to the extreme through
misunderstanding. Countless believers mistake this truth that we
have enunciated as the call to inertia. They conceive the idea that
their mind should be emptied for the Holy Spirit to think for them,
that their emotion should be suppressed in order for Him to put His
affection in them, and that their will should make no decision so that
He can decide for them. They mistakenly assume they should accept
without question whatever comes to them. Their spirit should not
cooperate actively with the Holy Spirit but should wait passively for
His moving. And then if there be any movement, it automatically is
assumed to be from Him.
This constitutes a very serious misjudgment. It is a fact that God
wants to destroy every work of our flesh, but He never desires to
destroy our personality. He takes no pleasure in transforming us into
automata; rather does He delight in having us cooperate with Him.
God does not wish us to be a people void of thoughts, feelings, and
decisions: He yearns for us to think what He thinks, feel what He
feels, desire what He desires. The Holy Spirit never supplants us in
thinking, feeling, and desiring; we ourselves must think, feel and