Treasure in Clay

Nov 3 2000
My sister and I were walking the other morning, and she told me about a boy in the second grade who was using the computer at school, and while on the internet, got to a site that exposed him to images that defiled his innocence.
It would be easy to think either that the incident was no big deal, and that the child will get over it, or that the child will be scarred for life, never able to overcome the exposure.  But because the family is Christian, there is another way.
First, if this child is born of God, then he has within him the new nature.  Look into 1st John.  The new nature is pure.  It is undefiled.  It cannot sin.  Sin cannot touch the new nature.  God keeps him from the evil one.
Second, the child carries this new nature in “an earthen vessel.”  His flesh carries this treasure.  The flesh is still vulnerable to sin--look into Romans 7 and 1st John 1.  Bad things happen to us while we are on the earth.  We are assailed on every side!  Look into 2nd Corinthians 4.  Our grace is this:  We can choose to identify with the new nature, which is undefiled, instead of the old nature, which continues to corrupt.  Even though we are constantly delivered over to death, indestructible life is also manifested in us.
This boy’s soul has been exposed to sin.  He simple needs to know that the new nature within him has not been touched by that defilement.  He has not lost his innocence in Christ, he is kept in the Spirit.  HIs flesh now needs the cleansing ministry of the blood of Christ--the blood that washes away sin.  Add to this the washing of the water of the word to renew his mind so he has something to replace that imagery, overcoming evil with good.  Tearing down strongholds, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Those who love this child can show him that useful confession brings things to light.  Forgiveness breaks the association.  The blood of Christ heals the wound.  The sacrament of communion assures acceptance.  The word restores the mind.  The Spirit leads to life.  Love covers a multitude of sins.  Therefore we can be encouraged.  Jesus has overcome the world!  We are in the world--we live in these vulnerable bodies.  But we are not of the world; we have in us the new nature, which Satan cannot touch, and that new nature is unencumbered.  Isn’t that what our walk is about?