"…That no flesh should glory in His presence." I Corinthians 1:29
Scripture sets before us two entities inherently opposed to one another: "the flesh" and "the Spirit." These are conflicting aspects of human behavior from a divine perspective. The flesh is human personality (the soul) dominated and motivated by man's natural desires, with "self" as its center of reference. The spirit denominates human personality motivated by the Holy Spirit, and with God as the center of reference. In sum, "the flesh" is self-centered, "the spirit" is God centered." The flesh glorifies man, the spirit glorifies God.
The natural man, dead in the realm of the spirit ("dead in trespasses and sins"), cannot glorify God. Of necessity he functions in the flesh. His activity may include religion, but his religion is, like everything else about him, "fleshly." It springs from and fosters pride and vanity and, like the noted pharisee, sounds a trumpet to impress the world with how pious he is. Nominal Christianity—Christianity as a religion rather than a dependent relationship with God and Christ—falls into the same category. It glories in self, in "works of righteousness," and aims for personal merit. Those who are Christians in name only are as much bound by "the flesh" as the rest of the unsaved.
The true believer, on the other hand, has an option. Restored to life by the Holy Spirit through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is indwelt by the Spirit of God and susceptible to His control. Informed by the word of God and surrendered to the government of the Spirit of God, he can "walk in the Spirit" and so glorify God in his body and in his spirit. It lies within his power, however, to yield to the influence of externals and allow the world, the flesh and the devil to direct his thoughts, words and deeds, grieving or quenching the Spirit and suffering the loss of reward that God would bestow on those who glorify Him.
Long before our text was written the prophet Jeremiah defined some of the categories in which the flesh glories, and warned against them. "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches…(Jer. 9:23)" Wisdom, power and wealth; these are some of the major areas in which the flesh glories. To pursue them is to run at cross purposes with God.
It is a very sad thing to see believers absorbed with that which outrages the Lord of glory. When the pursuit of wealth, power and influence, and worldly wisdom dominates a believer's life, he is on the path to spiritual poverty. He may be able to impress "the flesh" in himself or others, but he will make no favorable impression on the God who allows no flesh to glory in His presence.
God is not impressed with anything we have to offer Him. His glory is not enhanced by our vaunted wisdom; He knows everything. He is not enriched by our accumulated wealth and/or worldly goods; He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. And He is not influenced by our worldly power or prestige, for He rules over all as King of kings and Lord of lords. In short, the things that impress the natural man make no impression upon God at all.
Before the cross, all men are equally destitute, impotent, ignorant in God's estimation. Through the cross of Christ, whoever simply trusts the Savior is lifted by His grace alone to a position of honor, strength and wisdom that leaves the best the flesh has to offer as less than the small dust of a perishing world. He then is "made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (I Cor. 1:30)."
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6)." If we would glory in the presence of God, the first requisite is to recognize His wisdom, wealth and power in the cross of Christ, and be born again, born of the Spirit through faith in His finished work. Secondly, we must not glory in the things of the flesh, but in the things of the spirit (cf. Romans 8:5) and "walk" accordingly (Romans 8:4), for "they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory…(Gal. 5:24-26)." Or, as Jeremiah put it, "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, That I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord (Jer. 9:24)."
Scripture sets before us two entities inherently opposed to one another: "the flesh" and "the Spirit." These are conflicting aspects of human behavior from a divine perspective. The flesh is human personality (the soul) dominated and motivated by man's natural desires, with "self" as its center of reference. The spirit denominates human personality motivated by the Holy Spirit, and with God as the center of reference. In sum, "the flesh" is self-centered, "the spirit" is God centered." The flesh glorifies man, the spirit glorifies God.
The natural man, dead in the realm of the spirit ("dead in trespasses and sins"), cannot glorify God. Of necessity he functions in the flesh. His activity may include religion, but his religion is, like everything else about him, "fleshly." It springs from and fosters pride and vanity and, like the noted pharisee, sounds a trumpet to impress the world with how pious he is. Nominal Christianity—Christianity as a religion rather than a dependent relationship with God and Christ—falls into the same category. It glories in self, in "works of righteousness," and aims for personal merit. Those who are Christians in name only are as much bound by "the flesh" as the rest of the unsaved.
The true believer, on the other hand, has an option. Restored to life by the Holy Spirit through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is indwelt by the Spirit of God and susceptible to His control. Informed by the word of God and surrendered to the government of the Spirit of God, he can "walk in the Spirit" and so glorify God in his body and in his spirit. It lies within his power, however, to yield to the influence of externals and allow the world, the flesh and the devil to direct his thoughts, words and deeds, grieving or quenching the Spirit and suffering the loss of reward that God would bestow on those who glorify Him.
Long before our text was written the prophet Jeremiah defined some of the categories in which the flesh glories, and warned against them. "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches…(Jer. 9:23)" Wisdom, power and wealth; these are some of the major areas in which the flesh glories. To pursue them is to run at cross purposes with God.
It is a very sad thing to see believers absorbed with that which outrages the Lord of glory. When the pursuit of wealth, power and influence, and worldly wisdom dominates a believer's life, he is on the path to spiritual poverty. He may be able to impress "the flesh" in himself or others, but he will make no favorable impression on the God who allows no flesh to glory in His presence.
God is not impressed with anything we have to offer Him. His glory is not enhanced by our vaunted wisdom; He knows everything. He is not enriched by our accumulated wealth and/or worldly goods; He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. And He is not influenced by our worldly power or prestige, for He rules over all as King of kings and Lord of lords. In short, the things that impress the natural man make no impression upon God at all.
Before the cross, all men are equally destitute, impotent, ignorant in God's estimation. Through the cross of Christ, whoever simply trusts the Savior is lifted by His grace alone to a position of honor, strength and wisdom that leaves the best the flesh has to offer as less than the small dust of a perishing world. He then is "made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (I Cor. 1:30)."
"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6)." If we would glory in the presence of God, the first requisite is to recognize His wisdom, wealth and power in the cross of Christ, and be born again, born of the Spirit through faith in His finished work. Secondly, we must not glory in the things of the flesh, but in the things of the spirit (cf. Romans 8:5) and "walk" accordingly (Romans 8:4), for "they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory…(Gal. 5:24-26)." Or, as Jeremiah put it, "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, That I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord (Jer. 9:24)."
"He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
I Cor. 1:31
With HIS glory still in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
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