They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
Summary: Sorting out who Paul is referring to helps us to understand the challenge of the flesh and the hope that comes with God’s Holy Spirit.
In our last meditation we looked at two kinds of spirits. The first was the spirit of life itself that God breathed into Adam. For a time, God’s Spirit and Adam’s spirit were in complete harmony. Then, when tempted by the serpent, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and eat from the forbidden tree. When that happened they died spiritually, that is their spirits were no longer in harmony with God’s.
Even though they continued to exist physically, spiritual separation from God leads to eternal separation from God. (This is what God meant by saying “you will certainly die” [Gen 2:17].) God’s love for Adam and Eve, as well as all of us who followed, caused God to redeem us from our spiritual separation from him. Jesus became the path to redemption and opened the door to being spiritually reunited with God.
There is only one problem: The spirit of the flesh is always in conflict with God’s Spirit. Paul’s solution is simple; “[Y]ou are not to do whatever you want.”
The question that I see here is “Who are you?” When Paul writes “[Y]ou are not to do whatever you want,” he is actually referring to two different “you’s.” For the sake of clarity, let’s call these two you’s, “You 1” and “You 2.”
“You 1” is a reference to the impulses that come from the spirit of the flesh. (Paul will get into a more detailed description of this spirit in verses 19-21.) When Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, there was a cataclysmic shift in our spiritual makeup. The serpent explains when he says:
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5)
The “you” in this passage is the “You 1” that Paul is referring to. The spirit of the flesh woke up, opened its eyes, and realized that it could see. It became conscious of its “self-interest.” Suddenly, the spirit of the self became “like God, knowing good and evil.” Notice that the serpent didn’t say the spirit of the flesh would know the difference between good and evil. In fact, the truth is just the opposite. The spirit of the flesh saw good and evil and couldn’t see any difference at all. The only “good” this spirit sees is gratifying itself.
The second “you” Paul refers to (You 2) is our mind. This is our ability to step back from the spirit of the flesh (You 1) and think about possible consequences of what “You 1” wants to do. This is our rational self.
When Paul writes that we are to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,” I hear him saying “You 2,” the rational self, are to listen and obey God’s Spirit of agapé instead of gratifying the self-interest of “You 1.”
This is the curse of sin! “You 1” thinks only of itself while God’s Spirit is all about selfless agapé love. Our rational self (“You 2”) has to continually choose who it will follow.
If you are wondering, “How is it possible for us to choose to follow God?,” you are in good company! Jesus’ disciples wondered the same thing. Fortunately, Jesus had the answer:
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” (Matthew 19:26)
Application: Trust Jesus and always keep your eyes on him!
Food for Thought: What can we do to lessen our dependence on the “spirit of the flesh” and increase our reliance on God’s Spirit?
What can we do to lessen our dependence on the “spirit of the flesh” and increase our reliance on God’s Spirit?
We could die. …..
John 12:24
Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life”.
1 Corinthians 15:31
“I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily”.
2 Corinthians 4:8-12
The Apostle Paul emphasizes the need for death in us so that “the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh”.
Luke 22:42
Jesus said “no” to His own will and “yes” to His Father’s will.
Matthew 16:24
Jesus pictured a self-denial that included willing participation in the death of self.
I suppose
Ah … Brother Tim.
Concise and to the point! 🙂
Yes … spiritually! Your summation is perfect: “The death of self (interest).”
What can we do to lessen our dependence on the “spirit of the flesh” and increase our reliance on God’s Spirit?
We can pray more
N —
True! Prayer embodies so many wonderful aspects of our relationship with God. While in prayer, we move closer to God and away from self-interest.
The thought that screams out to me when I read your question is “take captive your mind.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Learn to listen to and recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Keep the Word close to your heart.
Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Chris,
That voice you hear screaming at you is making a lot of sense! 🙂
Take captive every thought, die to self, prayer – good comments.
Colossians 2: 6 – 8: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces a of this world rather than on Christ.
Luke 9: 23: Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Philippians 3: 7 – 14: But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in a Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Rich,
Thanks for your thoughts today and the great verses! I love how the Bible is so consistent throughout. Paul’s words are almost identical to the words of our Lord that you quoted:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9: 23)
What can we do to lessen our dependence on the “spirit of the flesh” and increase our reliance on God’s Spirit?
GREAT RESPONSES THIS MORNING!
Romans 12:1-2, Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Galatians 2:20, 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.
Luke 9:23-24, Romans 6:11-14, Romans 8:12-13
We die to self as we submit to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, reject sin and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is a life in a state of transformation as we daily, moment by moment reject this physical world, the powers of Satan and receive true Life by the power of God. We receive peace in God and become His servants on earth as His light shining through us attracts and provides His salvation to the lost around us. It is life of peace in the midst of the chaos of this world.
Thank you, Ron!
I love your description of the Christian life: “a life in a state of transformation”
So true!! Amen! 🙂