Posted by Searcher
on 7/8/2009, 9:27 am, in reply to "Walking in newness of life"
75.104.128.56
Ray,
You are right that we should walk in the Spirit rather than the workings or feelings of the flesh, but we are never completely free of the flesh.
The flesh cannot be changed, That which is born of the flesh is flesh. (John 3:6) We are flesh and remain flesh. The flesh cannot be changed or improved. All the works of the flesh, no matter how "refined" or "sophisticated", are still far off from God.
The flesh can be very religious and "appear" good before men. The flesh can follow rites and ceremonies and make long prayers and sing songs and observe holy days, etc., but all these things "perish with the using" . (Col 2:20-23)
The old man or heart cannot be changed. It is with us until we die. Nothing but death can be the end of all that is of the flesh. Adam and all his descendants must die. Everything having to do with the flesh ends in corruption and death.
The good news is that, although we are now in the flesh, when we believe, we are given the new man or spirit of Christ. The new man or "spirit" does not refer to the whole man. Although we now walk in the nature of the Holy Spirit, we are still housed in bodies of sin. 1John 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
1John 3:23,24
And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His commandment dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.
Searcher
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