Doctrine of Soul Trees of Life and Evil

Thoughts of the soul are like the tip of an iceberg, ninety percent of which is hidden.  Thoughts are built on assumptions and presumptions or sins, which are hidden beneath the surface.   These hidden elements of thought harden the heart and constrain the soul.  They bog down the Christian and rob even the doctrinal believer of the power of the Spiritual life.  Since they are susceptible to Satanic influence, they neutralize the Tree of Life in the believer and replace it with a Tree of Evil.
Introduction
Trees of Life and Evil
Sins of the Tree of Evil
Assumptions
Finding the Hidden Thing
A Grace Approach to Living with the Tree of Evil
Dealing with Problems of the Tree of Evil

Introduction

1.  The thinking of the soul is analogous to a tree.
2.  There are two types of trees:  the Tree of Life and the Tree of Evil.
     a.  The Tree of Life symbolizes God's work of Eternal Life, Divine Good, and the fruit of the Spirit.
     b.  The Tree of Evil symbolizes Satan's work of evil, sin, and death.
3.  The parts of a tree symbolize the architecture of thinking.Tree of Thinking
          Air above – spirit realm of God or Satan
     Leaves – thoughts on the cerebral cortex.
     Fruit – production.
     Branches – categories of thought.
     Trunk – the strength of the individual personality.
     Roots – foundation.
          Earth beneath - death
 

4.  Levels of thought:Levels of Thinking
     Out of control high – Arrogance, Legalism.
     Suppositions.
     Under control - rational thinking.
     Assumptions.
     Out of control low – Worry/Fear, Lawlessness.
 
 
 

Trees of Life and EvilTree of Life

1.  Good/Evil Trees – Matt 7:18-19; 12:33; 13:25-40; Luk 3:9; 6:43
Son of Light     a.  The Tree of Life, or Good tree, is analogous to the Edification Complex of the Soul (Prov 3:18; 11:30).
     b.  The Tree of Evil is analogous to the Old Sin Nature.
     c.  The Tree of Life is in the Light of God, and the Tree of Evil is in the darkness of the Cosmic System.
     d.  The Tree of Life is under the power of the Spirit of God, and the Tree of Evil is under the power of Satan and his Cosmic System (Prov 13:12-14; 15:4).
2.  Tree of EvilTree of Evil
     a.  Roots of Sin - Deut 29:18; Judg 5:14; Job 5:3; 8:17; 18:16; Isa 5:24; 14:29; Jer 12:2; Matt 13:6, 21; Rom 11:16-18; 1 Tim 6:10; Heb 12:15
     b.  Death/Life – Matt 10:39; 16:25; Jn 12:25; Rom 6:4-5
Roots of Death – Job 18:16; Prov 2:22; 28:14; 29:1; Eccl 3:2; Matt 15:13; Jn 15:6; Jude 12
     c.  Roots of Hardness of the Heart – Matt 19:8; Mark 10:5; 2 Cor 3:14; Eph 4:18-19; Heb 3:8, 13
3.  Tree of Life
     a.  Transformation – Rebound, New Life; Ezek 36:26; Rom 8:2; 12:2-3; 13:14; 2 Co 5:17; 6:17; Eph 4:20-32; Phil 3:7; Col 3:10; 1 Jn 2:15
     b.  Roots of Life - Job 29:19; Prov 12:3, 12; Jer 17:8; Eph 3:17; Col 2:7
     c.  Roots of Christ – Prov 10:25; Matt 7:24; Luk 6:48; 1 Cor 3:11; Eph 3:17; Col 2:7

Sins of the Tree of Evil

1.  Sin is an act of the volition.
     a.  A person chooses to sin after being tempted or desiring to do so (Jas 1:15).
     b.  A person may be locked in to a sin pattern by Hardness of the Heart.
     c.  Regardless of why sins were committed, they must be confessed (Rebound) in order to regain the Filling of the Holy Spirit and resume the Spiritual life.Satanic Influence
 

2.  The major categories of sin are the big five sins of Pride, Jealousy, Self-Righteousness, Bitterness, and Worry.
 

3.  Sin, whether from the roots or leaves of the tree, opens a vacuum in the soul which sucks in the Cosmic System and opens access for Satan and his demons (Eph 4:17-18, 26-27).Cosmic System Influence
4.  Arrogance Complex
    Pride (Prov 16:18; 21:24; 29:23),
    Conceit (Col 2:18)
    Arrogance (Rom 12:3, uJperfronevw (huperphroneo); Jas 3:14; 4:6) (fusiovw, (phusioo) puffed up, 1 Cor 4:6, 18; 5:2; 8:1; 13:4)
    Presumption (Ex 21:14; Deut 1:43; 17:12-13; 18:20, 22; Esth 7:5; Psa 19:13; Acts 2:15; Rom 15:18; 1 Cor 8:2)
    Pretension (Acts 5:36; 8:9; Jas 4:16; 1 Jn 2:16)
    Delusion (2 Thess 2:11; Heb 3:13)
    Unbelief (Hos 4:6; Acts 19:9; Heb 3:12, 19; Jude 5)
5.  Jealousy (Prov 6:34; SOS 8:6; 1 Cor 3:3; Jas 3:14, 16)
6.  Bitterness (Prov 5:4; Rom 3:14; Eph 4:31; Heb 12:15)
7.  Worry/Fear (Prov 10:24; Isa 41:10; Matt 6:25; 10:28, 31; Mk 6:49-50; Phil 4:6-7; 1 Pet 5:7; 1 Jn 4:18)
8.  Self Righteousness –
    Snob (Psa 5:9; 12:2-3; Prov 2:16; 7:5, 21; 28:23; Isa 65:3, 5; Ezek 12:24; Luk 18:9, 11-12; Rom 16:18; Jas 2:1-4, 9; Jude 16)
    S/R Façade may be coupled with Jealousy – S/R – Bitter split (Psa 28:3; 55:21; Prov 29:5)
    Showy (Matt 6:1, 5, 16; 23:5; Luk 20:47; 2 Thess 2:4), picky (Matt 23:23-25; Luk 11:39)
    Hypocrisy (Psa 62:4; Matt 23:13-30; Luk 12:1; 20:20-21)
    Self-justification (Job 32:2; Matt 26:25; Luk 10:29; 16:15)
    Self-absorption (Luk 20:46; 2 Tim 3:2)
    Legalism (Rom 9:31-32; 10:2-3; Phil 3:9)
    Bombastic (Prov 7:11; 9:13; 2 Pet 2:18; Jude 16)
9.  Love of Money (Matt 13:22; Luk 16:14; 1 Tim 3:3; 6:10)

Assumptions

1.  Assumptions are suppositions, claims, or ideas that are accepted without proof.  They are the underpinnings of thought that are taken for granted.  They may be true or false, valid or invalid.  Bad assumptions can lead to foolish blunders, while good assumptions can lead to great achievements.
2.  Assumptions may be Good or Evil.  Consequently, they may be linked to God or to Satan and his Cosmic System.
3.  Assumptions may produce Hardness of the Heart and hinder the Spiritual life.
4.  The Assumption Complex includes assumptions, secrets, conjecture, mysteries, covert meaning,  and the meaning at the bottom of a thing.
5.  Assumptions (Mk 6:49; Luk 2:44; Acts 7:25; 13:25; 14:19; 16:13, 27; 21:29; 23:9; 27:13; 1 Cor 3:18; 8:2; Gal 6:3; 1 Tim 6:5)
    Definitions:
      (uJpolambavnw, (hupolambano) Acts 2:15, Luk 7:43)
      (poievw, (poieo) Matt 12:33a)
      (uJponoevw, (huponoeo) Dan 7:25, intend; Acts 13:25, regard as; Acts 25:18, suspect; Acts 27:27, assume)
      (uJpovnoia, (huponoia) Dan 5:6; 1 Ti 6:4)
      uJpovnoia, (huponoia) = "secret opinion"; what one thinks inwardly, especially "conjecture," "unfounded opinion," "imagination," "illusion," (TDNT); the real meaning which lies at the bottom of a thing, covert meaning (such as is conveyed by myths and allegories), by insinuation, (GES)
 1 Tim 6:4, "evil suspicions", Greek uJpovnoiai ponhraiv, (huponoiai ponerai) means "evil intrigues  and common insinuations" which are personal attacks on opponents in disputes to discredit them "in every possible way and to magnify themselves." (TDNT)
    Assumptions:

    Covert (Acts 6:11; 16:37; Gal 2:4; 2 Pet 2:1)– Hidden (Deut 22:1, 4; Psa 27:5; 31:20; 64:2; Isa 45:3; Mk 4:22; Rom 16:25)
    Secret (Ex 7:11; Deut 13:6; 29:29; Josh 2:1; Ruth 3:7; Job 11:6; 31:27; Psa 44:21; 64:5; 90:8; 101:5; Prov 20:19; Isa 28:17; Ezek 28:3; Matt 6:4, 6, 18; Jn 7:4, 10; 11:28; 18:20; Rom 2:16; 1 Cor 14:25; Phil 4:12)
    Private (Prov 11:13; 25:9; Eph 5:12)
    Confidential (Psa 25:14; Am 3:7)
    Covered, disguised (Gen 24:65; 38:14-15)
    Insidious (kubeiva (kubeia) Eph 4:14) – Insidious threats to riches:  moths, tarnish, corrosion, thieves (Matt 6:19; Luk 12:33; Jas 5:2-3).  The moths were insidious threats because they were hard to spot (TDNT).
    Concealed (2 Ki 4:27; Job 28:21; Luk 11:44; surreptitious, Jude 4).
    Mystery (Job 12:22; Dan 2:18-19, 27-30, 47; 4:9; Matt 13:11; Lk 8:10; Rom 11:25; Rom 16:25; 1 Cor 2:7–10; Eph 3:3–5, 9; Col 1:26-27; 2 Thess 2:7; 1 Tim 3:16; Rev 10:7; 17:5, 7)
    Depth of wisdom (Job 11:7; Eccl 7:24; Rom 11:33).

Finding the Hidden Things

Uncover (Jer 49:10; Isa 45:3; Ezek 16:57; 21:24; 23:18, 29; Hos 2:10; 7:1; Am 9:3)
Break, divide, differentiate, cut (Psa 2:9; Dan 2:40; Hos 1:5; Mic 2:13; Nah 1:13; Zech 11:10, 14; Luk 5:6; Jn 21:11; Rev 2:27)
Combine, categorize, add, multiply, integrate (Gen 2:2, 3; 3:16; Ex 7:3; 20:11; Eccl 7:27; Isa 30:1; 40:23; Ezek 16:25; Acts 2:47; 5:14; 1 Cor 6:16; Eph 4:12-13, 16; Jas 4:6; Jude 2)
Comparison (Matt 10:29, 31; Jn 15:12-13)
Dig up (Prov 16:27)
Finding, Discovering (Ex 2:4; Num 32:23; Deut 4:29; Judg 14:12; 16:9; Ezra 4:15, 19; Job 11:7; 34:11; Psa 21:8; 44:20-21; Prov 1:28; 3:13; 6:32-33; 8:17, 35; 18:22; 24:14; 28:23; 31:10; Eccl 7:24-27; 8:17; SOS 3:1-2; Jer 2:26; 5:1; 6:16; 29:13; Dan 6:4-5; Am 8:12; Matt 7:7-8, 14; 10:39; 11:29; 13:46; 16:25; Mk 14:55; Jn 10:9; Rom 7:21; 1 Cor 4:19; 1 Thess 3:5; Heb 4:16; Jude 16)
Discerning (Gen 41:33, 39; Psa 19:12; Prov 7:7; 10:13; 14:7; Eccl 9:11; Hos 14:9; Matt 16:3; Heb 5:14)
Fire Testing, Refining (Prov 17:3; Isa 48:10; Jer 6:29; 9:7; Zech 12:6; 13:9; Mal 3:2-3; 1 Cor 3:13; 1 Pet 1:7; Rev 3:18)
Metaphors, similes, symbolism (Matt 13:3-52; 26:39; Luk 22:20; Jn 15:1, 5)
Overturn (Job 9:5; 28:9; Matt 21:12)
Pulling up (Isa 33:20; 38:12)
Search (Deut 4:29; Prov 2:4; Jer 17:10; Rom 8:27; Rev 2:23)
Shining Light (Jer 23:24; Jn 1:5; 2 Cor 4:6)
     Enlighten (Ezra 9:8; Job 33:30; Psa 13:3; 19:8; Jn 1:9; Heb 10:32)
     Expose (Psa 90:8; Lam 4:22; Isa 47:3; Jer 13:22; Ezek 16:37; Hos 2:3; Hab 2:16; Jn 3:20; Eph 5:11, 13)
     Reveal (Gen 35:7; Deut 29:29; 1 Sam 3:7, 21; 14:8, 11; 1 Chron 17:25; Job 12:22; 38:17; Psa 19:2; 98:2; Isa 40:5; 53:1; Dan 2:19-47; Matt 10:26; Luk 10:21-22; 17:30; Jn 12:38; Rom 1:17-18; 8:18-19; 16:25; 1 Cor 3:13; 2 Cor 12:7; Eph 3:3-5; Col 3:4; 1 Pet 1:7, 13; Rev 3:18)
Spiritual Sight (Rom 8:24; 1 Cor 2:14-15; 4:18; 2 Cor 5:7; Heb 11:1)
Threshing (Psa 126:6; Prov 20:26; Isa 21:10; Dan 2:35; Mic 4:12-13; Matt 3:12; Luk 3:17)
Undermine (Psa 82:5; Ezek 13:14; 30:4; Micah 1:6)
Uproot (Deut 29:28; 1 Ki 14:15; 2 Chron 7:20; Job 19:10; Ps 52:5; Prov 2:22; Eccl 3:2; Jer 12:14-17; Ezek 17:9; Dan 7:9; Matt 15:13; Jude 12)
Washout (Job 22:16; Luk 6:49)
God knows the hidden (Psa 19:12; 90:8; Pr 5:21; Eccl 12:14)

A Grace Approach to Living with the Tree of Evil

1.  The Tree of Evil is part of the soul.
     a.  It cannot be removed in this life.
     b.  It will be left behind at death or the Rapture.
     c.  It will be burned up at the Evaluation Throne of Christ (Rom 2:16; 1 Cor 3:13-15; 4:5).
2.  The Tree of Life is the Grace alternative to the Tree of Evil.
     a.  God supports the Tree of Life.
     b.  Satan supports the Tree of Evil.
3.  Both trees coexist in the soul of the believer (Rom 7:25; Gal 5:17).
     a.  The Tree of Life is tied to the new Spiritual life (Rom 8:2).
     b.  The Tree of Evil is tied to spiritual death (Rom 7:19-24).
4.  The Tree of Life grows through executing the Spiritual life, and the Tree of Evil grows through executing the desires of the flesh (OSN).
5.  The Tree of Life is blessing, and the Tree of Evil is cursing.
6.  The purpose of the new Spiritual life, as symbolized by the Tree of Life, is to Love God and the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt 22:37; Eph 3:17, 19) and execute God's command (Jn 14:23-24; 2 Tim 2:21; 3:17; Heb 13:21); the purpose is not to whitewash the Tree of Evil.
7.  However, the Tree of Evil hinders the new Spiritual life and thwarts God's Plan for the believer (2 Cor 5:2, 4).
8.  Therefore, it is necessary to deal with problems of the Tree of Evil and problems in the Cosmic System.  In the Arrogance skills and H/H, the believer is blind to his problems.  The Holy Spirit must direct the believer in these cases (Rom 8:26).

Dealing with Problems of the Tree of Evil

1.  Rebound and deploy the PSD's.
2.  Resist the devil (1 Pet 5:9; Jas 4:7).
3.  Prayer – put the problem in God's hands (Phil 4:6-7).
4.  God knows the hidden (Psa 19:12; 44:21; 90:8; Eccl 12:14; Jer 16:17 23:24; Heb 4:12-13; 1 Jn 3:18-22) and all man's failures (Psa 10:11 50:21 139:1-4; Job 34:21; Eze 8:12).
5.  God searches the heart (Ps 7:9; 26:2; 139:1; Jer 11:20; 17:10; Luke 16:15; Rom 8:27; Rev 2:23).
6.  God will help us in Grace (Heb 4:16).
7.  The Holy Spirit will lead us (Rom 8:26).
8.  The Lord Jesus Christ will intercede for us (Rom 8:34).

References

1.  Larry Wood.  Scar Tissue of the Soul.
2.  Larry Wood.  Sin:  The Universal Threat with Deadly Consequences

Released September 6, 2012 - Revised Oct. 1, 2012

Author: Larry Wood

 

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