Section 5
such a degree that it has become part of our very constitution. Only the most skillful Surgeon— the Lord Jesus Himself—is able to remove the tumor hidden within us.
In Philippians 3:1-16 Paul deals with this tumor; he operates on our soul, especially on our thinking. When he was Saul of Tarsus, Paul had a large tumor in his soul. This tumor influenced Paul's thoughts about the Jewish religion, law, circumcision, and tradition. But one day the Lord Jesus, the greatest Surgeon, operated on Paul, and a huge tumor was removed from his mind. However, with most of us, this surgery has not yet taken place. The tumor is still in our soul.
For a number of years I was bothered within by a question for which I was not able to find an answer. Why do Christians who truly love the Lord and seek Him earnestly go on year after year without growing in life? Even though they read the Bible faithfully, they do not see any thing. Now I have at least part of the answer. The lack of growth in life and shortage of revelation in reading the Word are caused by a tumor in their psychological stomach.
In Philippians 3:15 Paul says, "Let us there fore, as many as are full-grown, have this mind." If we would have "this mind," we must have a