Men of the church are just as human as the rest of us.
You are absolutely correct, those men were indeed human just like the rest of us. As long as we walk this earth that human side will be part of each and every one of us. The Bible refers to that as the “natural man.”
1 Cor 2:14,
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
It is plain as day that the natural man can never understand the things of God.
Another name mentioned in the Bible is the “old man” who is said to be corrupted due to deceitful lusts.
Eph 4:22,
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
We are told to put it off. Never are we told to make it better by good works. Corrupt is corrupt. Not much there to work with. In fact Jesus had an interesting thing to say about this old man which he referred to as “flesh.”
John 6:63,
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.
The flesh, the natural, the old man profiteth nothing. Romans talks about it also.
Rom 7:18a,
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:
No good thing means no good thing. There is nothing in the flesh to work with to become righteous before God.
Rom 8:8,
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
The flesh cannot please God. There is no getting around this simple truth. No amount of prayer, tithing, going to church, or anything else will ever change the flesh. And yet, I’m sorry to say that is by and large exactly what Christians are told to do every Sunday morning from pulpits across the world.
How many Christians are aware of the “new man?” I’m sorry to say, not many because they've not been taught.
Eph 4:24,
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Ephesians 4:22 told us to put off the old man and this verse says we are to put on the new man. The new man is righteous. In fact he is as righteous as God himself.
Rom 3:22,
Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
It doesn’t say the righteousness of God goes to those who “perfect” the flesh. No. It goes to those that do one thing; believe. Specifically to those who confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believe the God rose him from the dead.
Rom 10:9-10,
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
At that point something miraculous happens. God puts his seed within that individual, which makes that person a son or daughter of God. It’s the just like having one’s earthly father’s seed makes that person a son or daughter of that father. Pretty much the same thing with one major difference.
1Pet 1:23,
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
The seed of one’s earthly father is corruptible. That is why our flesh eventually goes to the grave. That seed corrupts. But the seed one gets from God at the time of their new birth is incorruptible. A person is born again, not by good works, but by the word of God which lives forever. In other words a born again individual has eternal life and that is God’s workmanship, not the individual’s good works. Outside of the new birth there is only flesh which has no good thing in it. There is no point in trying to somehow make it better. God didn’t. Instead he created a whole new creation within the born again believer.
2 Cor 5:17,
Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
This new creature is not an “improved” old creature. That would never work since there is no good thing in the flesh (John 6:63) to begin with. Instead the new creation is exactly what it sounds like, a new (never existed before) creature. Talk about a, “brand new you!”
But does that mean a son or daughter of God no longer has flesh? Not as long as they are walking this earth. And what does that flesh do? It sins and there is no way anybody can prevent that. Good intention, resolutions, promises are all useless. They don’t work because the flesh is useless. But sadly this is what Christians are told to do every Sunday morning.
What should Christians do with the seed of God within? Simply learn about it. The epistles of Paul proclaim what a born again Christian has within. Suffice it to say that is is beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. The Old Testament, including the Gospels, are by and large silent on the matter. There are hints, but the fullness of the new birth was not made known til God made it known to Paul.
Eph 3:4-5,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
The “now” in verse 5 refers to this present age of grace. Prior to this age of grace it was not possible to be born again. It was not available until Christ died, rose from the dead, and ascended to the Father.
So what does one get at the new birth? The first two chapters of Ephesians is a goldmine that covers much of what we get. Following is a list of the promises God made to all born again believers in those first 2 chapters:
- Grace (twice)
- Peace (thrice)
- Blessed with all spiritual blessings
- He chose us
- Made us holy
- Without Blame
- Predestined to sonship
- Accepted
- Lovely
- Redemption
- Remission of sins
- Abounded to us in all wisdom (twice)
- Prudence
- Made known the mystery of his will
- Sealed with holy spirit
- We have an inheritance
- Revelation in the knowledge of him
- Undertanding enlightened
- Filled with his fullness
- Quickened
- Saved (twice)
- Raised us up w/Christ
- Seated in the heavens
- Kindness towards us
- Created in Christ Jesus
- Made close to him
- Made all believers one
- Reconciled
- Access to him
- Members of household
- Built together for habitation of God
It’s a rare gathering of Christians where these things are considered. Instead many pastors tell their flock they must behave this way and not that way. In other words, working with that old dead flesh which never works. That is why many believers never really have a sense of peace because each and every believer knows that their flesh falls far short. No matter how hard they try, they just keep on sinning.
In chapter 7 of Romans you can see Paul wrestling with his flesh. He freely admits that the things he doesn’t want to do he ends up doing and that the things he wants to do, he doesn’t. Now if Paul had that dilemma, then I think it safe to say all Christians do. So how did Paul deal with it? Did he double down on his resolutions to not commit sin? Nope! The last verse in this seventh chapter is the clue.
Rom 7:25,
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.
The way to serve the law of God with the mind is called “renewing the mind” which basically involves learning more each day about the new creation God puts within the born again believer. It will become quite natural to act in this world more and more like that new creation. As one renews their mind to God’s word they naturally become more like that word, even in their flesh. We will fall short from time to time, but it is nonetheless the best, indeed the only way to become a better Christian.
You have Christ within you.
Col 1:27,
To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
That Christ in them is what every Christian should look at, not their flesh and whether or not they do this or that and don’t do this and that. It’s not a question of doing anything. Jesus did it all for us so we don’t have to. He is the reason we are sanctified. It’s got nothing whatsoever to do with good works.
To summarize, forget about the flesh and learn the fullness of what what it means to have Christ dwelling in your heart. That’s it!