Flesh vs. Spirit

Last Sunday my family and I had the pleasure of hearing the testimony of a courageous man of God. His testimony was specifically focused on his duty as a Marine and the 3 tours he served in Iraq. Throughout his descriptions of the outer war he was involved in, he also often touched on the inner war of flesh vs. spirit that he was involved in concurrently. This inspired me to do a study on the flesh vs. spirit.

                                             Body of Death

The Apostle Paul talks about flesh vs. spirit. In Romans 6, Paul explains how we are positioned in Christ and dead to sin. But in the end of Romans 7, he admits that the old nature is still present along with the new nature “waging war”. I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of death? Romans 7:23-24. Body of death was an actual disturbing Roman method of torture/execution. (The Romans were well known for their creative yet disturbing methods of execution.)  If someone murdered someone, the murdered body would be shackled hand and foot to the murderers' body, and for the rest of their short life they would be forced to drag a dead, decaying body with them until it eventually killed them as well. Unfortunately, we all still have a body of death attached to us, even after we are saved; it's along for the ride. Our old nature is a dead decaying body; no good can come from it. Unfortunately, often well-meaning Christians think they can whip that dead, decaying body into shape. Our independent and self-sufficient minds think there must be some good left in this stinky, decaying, dead body and we attempt to give it CPR and beat it into submission. However, since the time we believed, we were identified and united with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Therefore, our old nature died back at the Cross and as Christ was resurrected a new life, His life was formed in us. Just like initial salvation (position) sanctification (condition) cannot be bought; to suggest this is to neglect to acknowledge the full adequacy of Christ’s death.

                         Independence/Self sufficiency

Independence and self-sufficiency are the ultimate hindrances to the Christian life. It is deeply and naturally rooted into our being. I have had conversations about God with non-believers. Most are receptive to a god, a distant creator who from afar looks on as we go about are lives independently. They might even be okay with you mentioning Jesus…a good teacher, a mentor, or a good example on how to live. But don't dare mention Jesus Christ… "them fighting words"…and boxing gloves are being put on. The entire idea of Jesus Christ implies dependence, inadequacy or insufficiency which is a major blow to the ego, and it is totally contrary to our Adamic, fleshly nature. 

Esau was the first born, the chosen one. He was a tough, independent man's man. Jacob was a weak momma's boy. Esau had no time for a birthright that would leave him dependent and not self-sufficient. God cannot work with a man like that, so he had to use Jacob.  "God's means of delivering us from sin is not by making us stronger and stronger, but by making us weaker and weaker." - Watchman Nee. We began to have victory when we acknowledge the facts (position) and view ourselves as God views us (In Christ). "For God's way of deliverance is altogether different from man's way. Man's way is to try to suppress sin by seeking to overcome it; God's way is to REMOVE the sinner." - Watchman Nee.  My old man was crucified with Christ. Romans 6.6. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2.20  “Why does so much sincere consecration amount to nothing? Most well-meaning Christians seek to consecrate to God that which He has totally and forever rejected. Not yet understanding their position of sanctification as new creations in Christ, they consecrate self to God in the hope that the Old Man will become spiritual and thus useable in His service." - Miles Stanford.

                                  Fellowship of the Cross

Where do we go from here? Jesus tells us If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me Luke 9:23. This requires a daily recognition of the facts, the fact of our union with Christ’s death. It requires depending, consenting and siding with God when He tells us In me dwelleth no good thing Romans 7:18 and consider self/flesh as only fit for crucifixion. Even so consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11. Choose to reckon and affirm what is already a reality.

“Precious Saviour! I confess that I have too little understood this. They Suretyship was more to me that Thy example. I rejoiced much that Thou hadst borne the Cross for me, but too little that I like Thee and with Thee might also bear the Cross. The atonement of the Cross was more precious to me than the fellowship of the Cross; the hope in thy redemption more precious than the personal fellowship with Thyself.” – Andrew Murray