THE OLD MAN

 

KEY VERSE: Behold, the days come, that I (the Lord God) will cut off thine (Eli’s) arm, and the arm of thy father's house (house of Israel), that there shall not be an old man in thine house. (1 Sam 2:31)

  Eli was the High Priest of Shiloh. Eli failed to reign-in his sons. For that, God could punish Eli and Israel. As High Priest, Eli was the religious “arm” of Israel. What did he do wrong? He allowed “old men” to reign in God’s House.

  “Old Man” may not be clear in that context, but Paul clarified what the “Old Man” identifier means: They are those sons of God who cannot be reigned in, or those who reject authority.  Here is what Paul wrote about the “Old Man:”

¹⁷ Ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: ¹⁹ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (Ephes 4:17-19)

  The “Old Man” refers to the ones walking as the other Gentiles walk — in vanity of mind. They take the Name of God — Jesus — vainly. For them, the death of Jesus was of no affect, and they fail to walk as Jesus walked. They fail to understand the significance of the crucifixion and are irreverent to the Name of God. They are ignorant in matters, and as such are blind to truth. Past feeling, they walk their own way — in lasciviousness, uncleanness, and greed. Those are the characteristics of the “Old Man.”

  The “New Man” has been born again (John 3:7). With that, there should have been a change. How does anyone know if they are born again? He is a new is a “New Man,” to wit: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor 5:17).

  What should have passed away? Lasciviousness, uncleanliness, and greed. Add to that lying, anger, wrath, bitterness, clamor, evil speaking, and many other worldly characteristics (Ephes 4:25-31). Examine wrath for a moment. It is uncontrolled anger that waxes and wanes because the person’s ego is infringed upon. It is holding a grudge that just will not go away and comes back to needle the person. It is a stronghold that just will not let go!

  In psychology, the “Old Man” (Latin; “Synex”) is wise and respected — a person of good-standing in the community. Eli fit the description, from Jungian Analytical Psychology, of the “Old Man.” God made clear, that the Synex, Eli, was fallible; he was the High Priest of Shiloh but could not control his sons. The Synex in psychology is a wise and honored Old Man. Eli was honored by men but not by God. Because of Eli’s lack of wisdom, the Old Man would be cut off from God’s House. In other words, wisdom was not the evidence of redemption, but change.

  Jung looked at the Old Man differently than God, as is generally the case in psychology. Jung would honor the “Old Man” for his existence. Perhaps Jung thought of himself as the “Old Man” but he was far from it!

  On the other hand, God would dishonor the Old Man for his life. Eli was inconsistent. He was charged with controlling the faithful at Shiloh but could not reign in his own sons. His authority was not deserved. (We see that today with many deacons in the Church.)

  There are three spiritual categories of man: (1) Innocence, (2) rebellious, and (3) humbled. “Adam” means “man” and Adam was created in innocence, defiled with rebellion, and in his shame, humbled by God who preserved him until he is redeemed. Adam had three different identities relative to the world: (1) an innocent “babe,” (2) the Old Man, and (3) the New Man. Sin made the innocent “babe” an Old Man. Adam was on the way to dying despite his age and the  fruit from the Wisdom Tree made him not reign in his wife to whom he hearkened. Eli is symbolic of sinful Adam, and both are the “Old Man” archetype.

  Then God put a coat of flesh on Adam to preserve him. With that protective flesh, he should have been a “New Man” as Paul described:

²² That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; ²³ And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; ²⁴ And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. ²⁵ Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. ²⁶ Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: ²⁷ Neither give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. ²⁹ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. ³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephes 4:22-30)

  Can you identify with that? Are you truly a “New Man” and a new creation? Are you truly a New Adam as Jesus is the “Second Adam” (1 Cor 15:47)? The “First Adam” sinned; the “Second Adam” did not! The Old Man is a sinner; the New Man is not! “Sinner” means living a life of sin like the First Adam did. Eli lived two lives, one good and one out of control. One of his arms could be cut off. Why? Because he could not be two men! The hand that offended him would be cut off, according to scripture.

  Likewise, double-minded Christians are like Eli with his Old Man and New Man in the same flesh:

  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (Jas 1:8), and “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (Jas 4:8)

  A Christian of “two minds” is unstable in all his ways! One of those “minds” must be cut off. The Devil endeavors to cut off the mind of the New Man, and God the mind of the Old Man. Just as with Eli, God will not tolerate two-minded men, and for Eli, losing one arm would suffice as means to cutting off the Old Man. What is a Christian to do? Do not cut off that hand but cleanse them both. Let one wash the other, according to James. Then purify your hearts.

  God threatened to cut off the arm of Eli, but instead, perhaps his heart was cleansed. Purification of the heart is circumcision of the heart (Rom 2:29). Nothing is cut off but the desire to sin!

  There are just too many “Christians” walking around with only one arm. The “fugitive” (in the TV drama series) always looked for the one-armed man, but he remains hidden to this day. We see two, but spiritually, double-minded “Christians” may end up one-armed Old Men.

  There has been no conversion, it seems, because on one side the man looks like a Synex (Old Creature) and on the other side a New Creature. One of them must go! If not, then the promise is that the “Old Man” not be allowed to remain in God’s House, according to the key verse.

  Most Christians fear that they are double-minded. Why would they fear that? Because they still sin. Sin is always a choice, and the unstable Christians often chooses wrongly. God has grace! He will not cut off the unstable man immediately but allows the Christian time to decide whose “man” he will be. If there is no change in the Way walked, before long, the Old Man must return to the “tree” that means the most to him. Will it be the Wisdom Tree belonging to the Synex or the Tree of Life under which Christians stand? The Holy Cross is my “tree” of choice as I endeavor to put away the Synex in me.

(picture credit: BBC Radio; Carl Jung)