“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 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.” (Gal. 5:16-17)
In these passages from Galatians, Paul plainly declares that if we (Christians) walk in the affections and desires of the flesh we are not treading the path that the spirit of God is illuminating. Therefore, we are not following the guidelines of Christ, but instead choosing the pleasure of sin for its season.
Throughout the Holy Bible, Christ proclaims that “God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thes. 4:7); “holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14). We are continually reminded that God is holy, true, and pure; we (fleshly man), however, are corrupt, evil continually, and rebellious against the commands of the Almighty Creator (Jesus Christ, the righteous). With many infallible words, Jesus Christ instructed us to walk in the way of holiness (Matt. 5:48) before God and man. Christ spoke in a parable that “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16).
As a teenage Christian I have met so many youths (and adults) that believe that nothing we do, after we are saved, matters to God; “If you do commit sin” one Christian told me, “ you merely have less of a reward in heaven.” This ideology has sent more so-called Christians to hell then almost any other. This is nothing more then the Adamic (Adam like), sinful, nature of man trying to glory in the presence of God. Still, God demands “That no flesh should glory in his presence” (I Cor. 1:29).
We, as Christians, CANNOT WILLINGLY CONTINUE IN SIN AND REMAIN IN A SAVED CONDITION. For we have been baptized into the death of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:4), who, when he gave up the ghost, slew the lust and desires of the fleshly will of man (Eph. 2:16). Yet we are also raised in the likeness of His resurrection (Rom. 6:5), becoming then dead to the fleshly will of sin we are made alive unto God through the resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:6). Wherefore we know that “they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).
Therefore “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” We cannot follow the will of sin and say we are in the will of God. God’s will is that of holiness and righteousness, sin cannot bare these garments of God; “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that YE PRESENT YOUR BODIES a LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). “Therefore . . . LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM ALL FILTHINESS OF THE FLESH AND SPIRIT, PERFECTING HOLINESS in the fear of God” (II Cor. 7:1). |
