THE DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF THE FLESH

Introduction:

Destructive: this means tending to destroy; causing destruction or much damage; tending to overthrow, disprove, or discredit.

Nature: this means the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing :  essence, disposition, temperament.

When man broke fellowship with God, the judgement of God rested on all mankind: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:12).  Today all the world walks in the image and likeness of Satan, because they all have this cursed nature. Everyone loves their selfish nature until the sight of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ is seen and repentance proceeds.  The flesh nature and the nature of Satan are the same, hence, they are in total agreement.  When our heart loved this flesh nature, our motives were the same as Satan’s, such as: selfishness and self-love.

The deeds or fruit of the flesh represent the character and nature of Satan. Because this nature is rooted deeply in the hearts of all mankind, their only motive will be to satisfy the desires of their flesh and live for themselves. This is why the Spirit of God leads us to put to death the deeds of the rebellious flesh which shall serve as the bulk part of our discussion today. (Rom. 8:13, 14; Gal. 5:16,24).

The moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and then moves forward to receive the Holy Spirit, that person is instantly and literally translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's light by God's Holy Spirit of truth. The Apostle Paul describes this process as the "mystery" revealed, which is "Christ in you" the hope of glory.

God rescued us from the power and bondage of the world, the flesh, the devil, and supernaturally empowered us with the light of His truth, love, and Holy Spirit. God draws humanity from enmity towards Him to an illumination of truth that leads to salvation in Christ by the cross, preaching of His Word, and the conviction of His Holy Spirit. The world represents people, religions, governments, or worldly systems that oppose Christ.

1.      The Spiritual Man and the "Flesh"

1Jo 2:16          “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”.

What is meant by the flesh? In this context, the flesh is the fallen, natural, carnal state in which we are born, or our sinful nature that seeks to satisfy its own lusts and expresses itself in our thoughts and actions in a way that opposes the spiritual nature and life of God.

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”.

When we walk according to our fleshly lusts we are walking according to the law of sin from which we have been liberated in Christ as become saints.

The inclination to sin is present in our flesh and we continue more or less to struggle in some of these areas. The flesh spoken of here is not about experiencing the good things that God has given to us for our enjoyment. When we walk according to God's truth we bear the fruit of God's Spirit (love, peace, joy, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance; against such there is no law, Gal. 5:23.

If we sow according to the flesh we will reap dead works, but the fruit of the Spirit gives life to the soul. Abiding in the realm of the flesh renders us powerless against our spiritual enemies, the devil and his kingdom.  At this juncture, we are on his territory and not God's.

2.      Overcoming Our Own Fleshly Nature.

Gal 5:17          “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would”.

Gal 6:8            “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”.

The life of God that is given to every believer is made manifest in our hearts and lives when we walk in the Spirit.  But if we live according to the lusts of the flesh we continue to reap corruption.

Gal 5:19-21     “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies. envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, . . ."

The battleground between the flesh and the Spirit is between the life of the Spirit and the fruit of the flesh which is spiritual death, therefore our spiritual warfare also takes place in the realm of the flesh to be overcome by the power of God's Holy Spirit on a daily basis. This is also a battle between love and hate; truth and lies.

To be more than a conqueror in Christ over the powers of darkness, those who have accepted Christ as their Savior, must first understand that they are saved by grace and not by works. When we receive God’s Holy Spirit we are given spiritual life, a new nature. We can never redeem ourselves or make ourselves good enough to be saved. This is a life giving gift from God and God alone, and is freely given to those who ask Christ to save them. Salvation is a one time act.

Eph 6:12         “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”.

 Reflection:  Is it any wonder why Scripture says, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, 2Ti 3:12.  We are in conflict with sinful flesh, the world systems, and the god of this world, the devil.  But, God is more powerful than all of these.

1Jo 4:4            “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world”.

2Co 4:17         “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;”

2Co 4:18         “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”.