"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."* Galatians 5:17
Satan has a two-pronged attack on the soul of man. His first objective is to keep the sinner from trusting in Christ as his personal Savior. Failing that, he will strive relentlessly to hinder the professing Christian from achieving victory over sin. As long as he can keep us in a compromising position with respect to sin, he can render our testimony relatively ineffective for Christ. Thus there emerges the conflict described here, between "the flesh" and "the Spirit."
The "flesh" speaks of the soul under the influence of our bodily appetites, sometimes elaborated as "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life [cf I John 2:16]." This is particularized in the context of our verse for today in what is not an exhaustive, but significant list. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness (impurity of mind), lasciviousness (indecency, immodesty), idolatry, witchcraft (occultism), hatred, variance (quarreling), emulations (jealousy), wrath (ill temper), strife (selfish ambition, rivalry), seditions (division, dissension), heresies (party spirit), envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings (orgies, carousings, etc.)and such like [v. 19-21]." (It sounds like the evening news on TV, doesn't it?) It is imperative, if we are to derive the proper impact from the teaching here, to note that no distinction is made between adultery and fornication, e.g., and quarreling, party spirit, hatred and strife, e.g. The word of God does not give us the luxury of classifying some sins as "venial," and others as "mortal;" all are manifestations of our old sin nature.
The "Spirit," of course, refers here to the soul under the control of the Holy Spirit, Who indwells every born again believer, but whose government depends upon our conscious surrender to His leadership in our lives. His influences are described not as works, but as "fruit," described in v.22, and standing in stark contrast to the works of the flesh. The virtues described are not accomplished by us, but by Him through us as we yield to Him. It is this divine logic that prompted Paul's exhortation in Romans 6, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God [Rom. 6:12-13; Cf. vs. 12-23]."
What is also of paramount significance is the statement, "these are contrary the one to the other." There is no middle ground. The flesh and the Spirit stand in contrast to one another, and the divine intention is that we finish with the one and diligently pursue the other—by faith. The assumption here is that, as believers, we will to do the will of God. We "cannot do the things that [we] would," but He can do them through us, if we will let Him.
In a fine message heard recently, the preacher rightly said, we must be ruthless in dealing with sin. The problem with most of us is that we want to compromise with sin. We may not commit adultery, but we want an exemption for our own "weaknesses," such as resentment, bitterness, a contentious spirit, etc. It won't work. Wherever we compromise the principles of scripture, there we give ground to the enemy and recycle Adam's transgression. Rather, "If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit. [v.25]," because "… if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, ye shall live [Rom. 8:13]."
This emphasis is prolific in scripture; e.g., "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof [Rom. 13:14]." And, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world… etc. [Titus 2:11,12ff]." 8 "Who can understand his errors? cleanse Thou me from secret faults. Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." Psalm 19:12, 13
Yours for HIS glory,
"Pastor" Frasier
Satan has a two-pronged attack on the soul of man. His first objective is to keep the sinner from trusting in Christ as his personal Savior. Failing that, he will strive relentlessly to hinder the professing Christian from achieving victory over sin. As long as he can keep us in a compromising position with respect to sin, he can render our testimony relatively ineffective for Christ. Thus there emerges the conflict described here, between "the flesh" and "the Spirit."
The "flesh" speaks of the soul under the influence of our bodily appetites, sometimes elaborated as "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life [cf I John 2:16]." This is particularized in the context of our verse for today in what is not an exhaustive, but significant list. "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness (impurity of mind), lasciviousness (indecency, immodesty), idolatry, witchcraft (occultism), hatred, variance (quarreling), emulations (jealousy), wrath (ill temper), strife (selfish ambition, rivalry), seditions (division, dissension), heresies (party spirit), envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings (orgies, carousings, etc.)and such like [v. 19-21]." (It sounds like the evening news on TV, doesn't it?) It is imperative, if we are to derive the proper impact from the teaching here, to note that no distinction is made between adultery and fornication, e.g., and quarreling, party spirit, hatred and strife, e.g. The word of God does not give us the luxury of classifying some sins as "venial," and others as "mortal;" all are manifestations of our old sin nature.
The "Spirit," of course, refers here to the soul under the control of the Holy Spirit, Who indwells every born again believer, but whose government depends upon our conscious surrender to His leadership in our lives. His influences are described not as works, but as "fruit," described in v.22, and standing in stark contrast to the works of the flesh. The virtues described are not accomplished by us, but by Him through us as we yield to Him. It is this divine logic that prompted Paul's exhortation in Romans 6, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God [Rom. 6:12-13; Cf. vs. 12-23]."
What is also of paramount significance is the statement, "these are contrary the one to the other." There is no middle ground. The flesh and the Spirit stand in contrast to one another, and the divine intention is that we finish with the one and diligently pursue the other—by faith. The assumption here is that, as believers, we will to do the will of God. We "cannot do the things that [we] would," but He can do them through us, if we will let Him.
In a fine message heard recently, the preacher rightly said, we must be ruthless in dealing with sin. The problem with most of us is that we want to compromise with sin. We may not commit adultery, but we want an exemption for our own "weaknesses," such as resentment, bitterness, a contentious spirit, etc. It won't work. Wherever we compromise the principles of scripture, there we give ground to the enemy and recycle Adam's transgression. Rather, "If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit. [v.25]," because "… if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, ye shall live [Rom. 8:13]."
This emphasis is prolific in scripture; e.g., "Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof [Rom. 13:14]." And, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world… etc. [Titus 2:11,12ff]." 8 "Who can understand his errors? cleanse Thou me from secret faults. Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." Psalm 19:12, 13
Yours for HIS glory,
"Pastor" Frasier
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