Romans 7:14-25 “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. (15) For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. (16) If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. (17) But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. (19) For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. (20) Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. (21) I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. (22) For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (25) I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
In the above passage of scripture, the apostle Paul describes his experience as a baby Christian. As a new-born believer, he wanted to do that which was pleasing to God, but found himself doing the exact opposite, and he couldn’t understand why. The Lord then revealed to Paul, that even though his spirit was born again, and he now delighted in the law of God according to his inward man, the body that he lived in was still sinful in nature. And because he was still spiritually weak, his sinful flesh was still dominating the way he behaved. And so, instead of walking in love, Paul still found himself losing his temper for example. In his frustration, he cried out to God to deliver him from his body of sin and death. The Lord then revealed to Paul, that it is through faith in the transforming power of Christ in us, that enables us grow spiritually and thus overcome sin in the flesh, by walking more and more in the spirit (Romans 8:1). And so, baby believers struggle to overcome sin in the flesh, because their flesh still dominates them.
Galatians 5:16-23 “I say then: Walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (19) Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, (20) idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, (21) envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (22) But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
The apostle Paul, in the above passage of scripture, explains the two options available to the believer in which they can walk. They can either walk in the spirit, or they can walk in the flesh. He shows us in this passage, that the spirit of the believer and the flesh of the believer, are completely against each other. He then goes on to describe the nature of the flesh, by listing the various works of the flesh. He contrasts this, by listing the nine fruits of the spirit. But I want you to notice, that he lists the nature of our born-again spirits, as fruit. Fruit does not produce overnight, for it takes time and nurturing for fruit to be produced. And so, it is only once our spirits start to develop and mature, that the fruit of our spirits will start to be made manifest in our lives. And therefore, all new born believers initially continue to display the nature of the flesh, while their spirits are growing stronger.
1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”
In the above passage of scripture, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Peter, confirms the same truth to us, that He revealed through the apostle Paul, i.e. that our flesh lusts against our spirits. In this passage, the translators have used the word soul instead of spirit. But nevertheless, the same word translated soul can also be translated spirit. But the point remains clear, that the spirit and flesh of the born-again believer, are contrary to each other. And as long as the spirit of the new born believer remains weak, their flesh will dominate their behaviour, i.e. they will continue to display the same carnal nature that this world walks in.
Michael E.B. Maher
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