In This Issue

• OUR STRUGGLE: FLESH VS. SPIRIT

• THE STATE OF OUR NATION

• MORE INFORMATION...

OUR STRUGGLE: FLESH VS. SPIRIT

Galatians 5:13-26: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” 

In this passage, and in the lengthier parallel passage in Romans 7:15 through most of chapter 8, Paul contrasts what he calls “flesh” and “spirit.” Each of these two words can have very different meanings in different contexts. The most literal meaning of the word “flesh” is perhaps “meat,” but that is certainly not its meaning in our context. The most common use of the word “spirit” is probably to describe what we call “the human spirit” – the element in man that thinks, reasons, knows, loves; the element that supplies life to what would otherwise be a lifeless body, James 2:26, The second most common use of the word “spirit” is probably to describe the Holy Spirit. Another common use of the word, but perhaps less frequently understood, is to use the word “spirit” to describe an attitude or disposition. Rarer but not uncommon are uses of the word “spirit” to describe demons, angels, etc. There are a few other uses of the word as well, so it behooves the Bible student to go slowly and watch the context carefully in seeking to determine how these words are used. Also, it is wise to remember that the translators had the same difficulties that we do in sorting out such matters, and occasionally they may have been influenced more by their personal theology than by other considerations. For instance, the translators of the N.I.V. frequently translated the word “flesh” (Gr. SARX) by the English phrase “sinful nature.” I believe they allowed their Calvinistic theology to influence that rendering. The translators of the New King James Bible, from which we quote, frequently capitalized the word “Spirit” showing that they viewed it as referring to the Holy Spirit. I believe the context more likely indicates that the word was being used in the sense of an attitude, disposition, or mind-set. Though I do not deny that the Holy Spirit is under consideration at all in Galatians 5 and Romans 8, I believe the major emphasis of both passages is a contrast of what Paul calls “the flesh” and “the spirit.”

He is not contrasting human flesh with Holy Spirit – nor even human flesh with human spirit. He is contrasting two different dispositions, attitudes, mind-sets. He is contrasting carnal-mindedness with spiritual-mindedness – a struggle that each of us has to deal with on a regular basis. I believe this sort of use was made of these words by Jesus when He warned His apostles, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." He knew they desired to remain faithful, but He also knew that the next few hours would hold for them temptations, fears, and frustrations that would severely test them.

THE CHRISTIAN IS FREE

The Christian has been called to liberty, Gal. 5:13-18. He is free. Not free to sin, but free to rise above sin. In context, the freedom Paul discusses for the Galatian Christians is especially freedom from the Law of Moses. Most of them were Gentiles. They had never been under Moses’ law – but false teachers had come in among them and were seeking to bind that law upon them.

Note that Paul describes a struggle that goes on continually between our lower and our higher inclinations. There is within each of us a desire to be a better person that we are – yet at the same time there are desires and pressures that, if given in to, will make us a worse person than we are. Paul speaks of these inclinations as “the flesh” and “the spirit.”

His letter to the Roman Christians makes several similar statements. Rom 7:15, 19, 22-25; 8:1-6, “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do... For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice… For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 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... There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” 

Certainly, the mature Christian has made much progress in overcoming the inclinations of the flesh, but we are never entirely free from such temptations. Even Paul himself found it necessary to buffet his body daily lest he become disqualified, 1 Cor. 9:27.

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH

In Gal. 5:19-21, Paul identifies certain things which he calls “works of the flesh.” We would do well to note that, though these include sins of a sexual nature, they are not at all limited to such sins. The “flesh” is not our body; it simply involves our lower or weaker inclinations. Works of the flesh do indeed include the sexual sins of adultery, fornication, uncleanness (impurity), and licentiousness. But the “works of the flesh” also includes sins of false religion such as idolatry and sorcery – making “God” as we want Him to be and seeking after powers and knowledge that God has not seen fit to grant to us.

The “works of the flesh” also include sins of malice: hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, and murders. All of these things are evidence of carnal-mindedness. Simon Peter wrote: “We have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles [heathen, crj] – when we walked in licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries” (1 Pet. 4:3).

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Having identified the results of carnal-mindedness, Paul turns his attention to what will be manifested in our lives if we adhere to the urges of our higher inclinations -- if we practice spiritual-mindedness. Note I am well aware that the influence of the Holy Spirit through the written word is involved in our becoming spiritually minded. But the Holy Spirit is not the main subject of this passage. Our becoming spiritually minded as opposed to being carnal-minded is the real contrast.

How do we know if we are spiritually minded Christians? How can we tell if we are overcoming the temptations of the carnal mind? As Jesus said, “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:20). “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-25).

-Clarence R. Johnson

THE STATE OF OUR NATION

[Editor’s Note: The following poem was sent to us by Whit Sasser of Appleton, Wisconsin. It was written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama. Judge Moore was recently sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama.] 

America the Beautiful, Or so you used to be.

Land of the Pilgrims' pride; I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters, abortion on demand,

Oh, sweet land of liberty; your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine,

Choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain.

From sea to shining sea, our nation turns away

From the teaching of God's love and a need to always pray.

We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown.

When earth is but His footstool, and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core,

Appointing Godless Judges who throw reason out the door,

Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb,

But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry, that our land's a moral slum?

How much longer will He wait before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God, from Whom we cannot hide?

What then is left for us to do, but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children, will humbly turn and pray;

Seek His holy face and mend our evil way:

Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins,

He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within.

But, America the Beautiful, if you don't - then you will see,

A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from Thee.

-(Judge) Roy Moore

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