The Flesh or The Spirit?

[Christsfreeservant]

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:16-21 ESV)​

Our God is a triune God – Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. When we believe in Jesus Christ with God-given faith, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and we are raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. So we are to no longer live as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. Sin is to no longer be what we obey, for if we obey sin, it leads to death, but if obedience is what we obey, it leads to righteousness, and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

When we believe in Jesus Christ with this kind of faith, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us, who is God within us. And he is given to us by God to counsel, instruct, teach, encourage, counsel, guide, convict, and to comfort us in our walks of faith in Jesus Christ. So, we need to have our minds and ears and hearts open to hearing from him as we read God’s word each day. And then we can walk by the Spirit, obeying our Lord’s commands (New Covenant), and living holy and righteous lives in the power of God.

So, if we are listening to the Spirit and to the word of God, and if we are walking in our Lord’s commands in living holy and godly lives, then we are not going to be those who are also walking (in conduct, in practice) by the flesh in sinful practices. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for they are opposed to each other. So, we are not going to be able to walk by the Spirit if we are deliberately and habitually yielding to the desires of our sinful flesh.

Now, I have found that sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality seem to top all these lists of sins in the New Testament, and I do believe that sexual immorality and impurity of many kinds are what are mostly permeating the church in America today, and perhaps in other countries, too. Statistics are very high in numbers (up to 75%) for Christian men regularly engaged in viewing sexually explicit materials, and this includes many pastors, too (up to 35% or greater). Women are not excluded here, but their numbers are much lower. But still, these numbers are astounding and saddening, too.

And these numbers don’t even include all the other forms of sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality, including the number of people who are living in adultery against their spouses and/or who are sexually abusing those who are underage, etc.

So, what we, as the body of Christ, need to get here is that we cannot just make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and then live however we want and then think that God is going to welcome us into his heaven. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21-23). So please take this seriously. For those who make a practice of sin will not inherit the kingdom of God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

The Flesh or The Spirit
Video Talk

March 19, 2023

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Broken Cord

An Original Work / August 29, 2018

Your bond is broken with your Lord and Savior
And your testimony is separate from Him.
Your words not matching your actions today.
Repent of your sin and bow down and pray.
Live what you testify in truth always.

Purity’s lacking in your life and witness,
For you profess one thing, but other you do.
Not moral, spiritual. Still of the flesh.
Not living in truth to what you confess.
Lying about it puts you in a mess.

Living a lie is your practice, ‘tis true of you.
Masquerade righteousness – none of it true.
Your heart is not given to your Lord God.
Because of how you live, you are a fraud.
Turn from your sin and give your life to God.