Voddie Baucham: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
Voddie Baucham: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil
Good Evening and Greetings from Texas
Good evening, everyone! I bring you warm greetings from the great state of Texas. It is truly an honor and a privilege to stand before you tonight.
As I mentioned earlier, I did not grow up in the church, nor did my theological training come from a Reformed perspective. In fact, I was asked just today how I came to embrace Reformed theology and biblical truth from this perspective.
The truth is, my journey was not shaped by Reformed professors or Calvinistic influences in the churches I attended. Instead, my understanding developed through studying Scripture and engaging with the writings of great theologians from the past. As I read, I noticed a consistent pattern—those whose teachings left the deepest impact on me shared a common theological perspective.
Then, I discovered that these ideas weren’t just confined to past theologians. There were also contemporary voices, such as R.C. Sproul, whose teachings deeply influenced me. Listening to Renewing Your Mind was like a refreshing drink of water in a time when I had no access to Reformed churches or theological training. Some of you know exactly what I mean.
Tonight, I stand before you both humbled and grateful. I am honored to share this platform with esteemed men of faith and to engage in this discussion. My topic this evening is “The World, the Flesh, and the Devil”, which I will explore through the opening verses of Ephesians 2. Here, we see these three forces at work in shaping human lives.
A Thought-Provoking Encounter in Israel
Recently, while leading a group in Israel, I met an Israeli guide—not our assigned guide, who was a believer, but a secular Jew with New Age beliefs. As we talked, he realized that I had some knowledge of Judaism and the Old Testament.
At one point, he said, “There’s something I just can’t understand—this whole Trinity thing.”
For the next fifteen minutes, we discussed the doctrine of the Trinity. At the end of our conversation, he shook his head, smiled, and thanked me. He explained that although he had interacted with many Christians before, the most common response he received when asking about the Trinity was, “You just have to believe it.”
Unfortunately, many believers struggle to grasp or articulate the doctrine of the Trinity. As a result, we often fail to think in Trinitarian terms, leading to an imbalanced understanding of our faith. Some emphasize one person of the Trinity over the others, neglecting the interconnected nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This imbalance affects our spiritual depth and comprehension of God’s oneness and divine unity.
Misconceptions About the World, the Flesh, and the Devil
Similarly, just as we sometimes misunderstand the Trinity, we also tend to have a lopsided view of the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
Some believers see the world as the greatest threat and believe that complete separation is the only solution. This leads to an “Amish mentality,” where people avoid modern conveniences, thinking that by rejecting worldly things, they will remain pure. However, we must remember that everything we use today—whether a car or a horse-drawn buggy—was once considered “of the world.”
Others focus solely on the Devil, attributing every struggle and temptation to him. This is what I call “Flip Wilson theology”—the idea that “The Devil made me do it.” But in reality, our spiritual struggles stem from all three influences: the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
As we explore this topic tonight, my hope is that we gain a deeper, biblically grounded understanding of how these forces interact and how we, as believers, can stand firm in our faith.
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