Walk by the Spirit, not the Flesh

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Walk by the Spirit, not the Flesh
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• What Guides Your Life, the Flesh
  or the Spirit?
• Romans 84 do not walk according to the flesh,
  but according to the Spirit.

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For the Christian,
the flesh is crucified!

• Gal 524 (NASB) Now those who belong to Christ
  Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions
  and desires.

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There are different uses of the word flesh in
Scripture

• Human ancestry (e.g. Rom. 13).
• Referring to a person (1 Cor. 129, KJV).
• Physical human flesh (Mat. 1617).
• Desires of the flesh which are contrary to Gods
  will (Gal. 524).

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For the Christian,
the flesh is crucified!

• Outside of Christ, we are primarily concerned
  with fulfilling the desires of the flesh (Eph
  23).
• Yet once in Christ, we have made the decision to
  repent or die to sin - to crucify the old man
  of sin or body of sin (Rom. 66).
• The commitment of the Christian is to destroy all
  appetites and passions of the flesh that are in
  conflict with Gods will (Gal. 524 Rom. 1314).

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• The mark of spiritual maturity is when we are no
  longer of the flesh, but
  spiritual (1 Cor. 31-3).

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1 Corinthians 31-3 (NASB)

• 31 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as
  to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to
  babes in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not
  solid food for you were not yet able to receive
  it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for
  you are still fleshly. For since there is
  jealousy and strife among you, are you not
  fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

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• For the Christian, the flesh no longer calls
  the shots, the Holy
  Spirit does.

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Romans 812-14 (NASB)

• 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation,
  not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh
  13 for if you are living according to the
  flesh, you must die but if by the Spirit you are
  putting to death the deeds of the body, you will
  live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit
  of God, these are sons of God.

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The Flesh Alone cannot be our Guide in Life.

• The flesh is neutral to sin.
• Our bodies of flesh are not inherently sinful
  (Ps. 13913-14).
• Our bodies remain neutral and are not
  instruments of sin or righteousness until we
  decide what to do with our bodies (Rom. 612-13).

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The Flesh Alone cannot be our Guide in Life.

• The flesh is neutral to sin.
• Yet, the flesh is subject or susceptible to sin.

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The flesh is weak and vulnerable to sin.

• Matt 2641 (NASB) "Keep watching and praying,
  that you may not enter into temptation the
  spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

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• The body Jesus had was a body of flesh like ours
  (Heb. 214, 17 Phil. 27), a body of flesh that
  was also subject to sin (Rom. 83).

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Mistranslated

• Romans 83 (KJV) For what the law could not do,
  in that it was weak through the flesh, God
  sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
  flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.
  
  Sinful flesh? - Full of sin and inherently
  so!?!

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Sinful from HAMARTOLOS means pre-eminently
sinful especially wicked (Thayer)

• Example - Luke 247 (NASB) the Son of Man
  must be delivered into the hands of sinful
  (hamartolos) men, and be crucified, and the third
  day rise again.
• This word is not found in Romans 83!

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Romans 83 (KJV)

• For what the law could not do, in that it was
  weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son
  in the likeness of sinful (hamartia sin) flesh,
  and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

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Accurately translated

• Romans 83 (Darby Bible) For what
  the law could not do, in that it was weak through
  the flesh, God, having sent his own Son, in
  likeness of flesh of sin (i.e. flesh subject to
  sin ML), and for sin, has condemned sin in the
  flesh.

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Why is this important?

• The body of flesh Jesus had was not inherently
  full of sinful desires (sinful),
  but simply subject to sin!

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• How could Jesus, being the Son of God be tempted,
  since God cannot be tempted by evil
  (James 113)?
• He had a body of flesh which was subject to sin.

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• Jesus was temped to sin because He was in the
  flesh He wastempted in all things as we are,
  yet without sin (Heb. 415).

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• Temptation, therefore, is something which is
  common to man something we all experience (1
  Cor. 1013) because we are in the flesh.

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The Flesh Alone cannot be our Guide in Life.

• The flesh is neutral to sin.
• Yet, the flesh is subject or susceptible to sin.
• The flesh cannot be trusted.

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Jeremiah 175 (NASB)

• Thus says the LORD,"Cursed is the man who trusts
  in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and
  whose heart turns away from the LORD.

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The flesh is weak,
an unreliable guide, and limited.

• Matthew 2641 (NASB) "Keep
  watching and praying, that you may not enter into
  temptation the spirit is willing, but the flesh
  is weak."

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2 Corinthians 103-4 (NASB)

• 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
  according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our
  warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely
  powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

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The Flesh Alone cannot be our Guide in Life.

• The flesh is neutral to sin.
• Yet, the flesh is subject or susceptible to sin.
• The flesh cannot be trusted.
• Without divine guidance, the flesh will be used
  for evil.

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The flesh is not in and of itself the source of
good

• Romans 718 (NASB)
  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that
  is, in my flesh for the wishing is present in
  me, but the doing of the good is not.

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Without divine restraint, our flesh will be used
for evil.

• Romans 88 (NASB) and those who are in the flesh
  cannot please God.

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The Christian Must Decide to Walk
according to the Spirit, not
the Flesh.

• To walk according to the Spirit is to allow the
  Spirits word to guide you.
• To walk by the Spirit (Gal. 525) is not about
  following our feelings or emotions that deceive
  us (Prov. 1412 Jer. 1023).

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• To walk by the Spirit is to follow the directions
  of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the Scriptures
  (2 Tim. 316-17).
• Clearly, the instrument the Spirit uses in His
  work is the word of God

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• WORK
• InstructsTeachesConvictsGives new
  birthRevivesGuidesSanctifiesSavesWashesComfo
  rtsWitnessesPerfects loveFillsCallsBuilds up
  Makes free

• THE WORD
• 2 Tim. 316-17John 645Titus 19Jas 118 1
  Pet 123Psalms 119502 Tim. 316-172Thes213/Jn
  1717
• James 121Eph. 5261 Thes. 418John 5391
  John 25Col. 3162Thes214/Eph113
• Acts 2032John 832ETC.

HOLY SPIRIT Neh. 930 John 1426John
168John 35John 663John 16131Cor
611/Rom15161 Cor. 6111 Cor. 611Acts
931Rom. 816Rom. 55Eph. 518Rev. 2217Eph.
3162 Cor. 317
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• The work the Spirit accomplishes in us will
  depend on whether or not we follow His lead as
  revealed in Scripture.

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Gal 518 (NASB) If you are led by the Spirit,
you are not under Law

• Psalms 14310 (NASB) Teach me to do Thy will,
  for Thou art my God Let Thy good Spirit lead me
  on level ground.
• Psalms 255 (NASB) Lead me in Thy truth and
  teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation
  For Thee I wait all the day.

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The Christian Must Decide to Walk
according to the Spirit, not
the Flesh.

• To walk according to the Spirit is to allow the
  Spirits word to guide you.
• To walk according to the Spirit instead of the
  flesh is an everyday battle.

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Galatians 516-17 (NASB)

• 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will
  not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the
  flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the
  Spirit against the flesh for these are in
  opposition to one another, so that you may not do
  the things that you please.

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• We must fight against the desire of the flesh,
  lest it dominate our lives and cost us our
  eternal salvation
  (Gal. 519-21).

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Galatians 519-21 (NKJV)

• 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which
  are adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
  lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
  contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath,
  selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21
  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.

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• Everyday, we are to strive to bear the fruit of
  the Holy Spirit, to be spiritual, not carnal
  (Gal. 522-23).

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Galatians 522-23 (NKJV)

• 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
  peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
  faithfulness, 23
  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is
  no law.

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The Christian Must Decide to Walk
according to the Spirit, not
the Flesh.

• To walk according to the Spirit is to allow the
  Spirits word to guide you.
• To walk according to the Spirit instead of the
  flesh is an everyday battle.
• To walk by the Spirit, not the flesh is a battle
  of the mind.

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• Many works of the flesh take place in the heart
  or mind and do not require the body
  (e.g. hatred, jealousy, envy)
  (Gal 519-2 cf. Mark 720-23).

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• The battle against the flesh
  is won first of all
  within our minds.
  We choose whether we follow
  the lead of the flesh
  or the Spirit.

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• Every thought we think must be captured so that
  it will obey Christ instead of the devil or
  fleshly desires (2 Cor. 103-5).

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2 Corinthians 105 (NASB)

• We are destroying speculations and every lofty
  thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and
  we are taking every thought captive to the
  obedience of Christ.

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• It is impossible to please God and go to heaven
  with a mind set on the flesh
  we must set our minds upon the
  Spirit (Rom. 86-8).

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Romans 86-8 (NASB)

• 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but
  the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7
  because the mind set on the flesh is hostile
  toward God for it does not subject itself to the
  law of God, for it is not even able to do so 8
  and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

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• To Maintain Your Fellowship with God, Walk by the
  Spirit Each Day.