The Ongoing Battle with the Flesh

 

The Spirit vs. the Flesh

(Pastor Terry Reese; Valley GBC, 10/14/22)

Intro. In Gal. 5:13-26, Paul speaks of the ongoing contest between the Spirit and the Flesh, contrasting their respective fruit. He also addresses this matter at length in Rom. 7:14-25, detailing his own personal struggles in this regard.

 

The Flesh defined. With reference to the spiritual side of man, the Flesh is that self-centered aspect of our spiritual nature that is disposed towards sin and which stands in opposition to God (Rom. 7:18; 1 Cor. 3:3; 2 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 5:16-26; Col. 2:18). For the believer, the Flesh constitutes the last vestiges of the “old man”—i.e., the sin principle that remains within us, or the sin nature—which stands in opposition to the new man, who both loves and desires to serve God. The Flesh thus causes us to do those very things that we hate within our new and regenerated hearts (Rom. 7:15, 19). This battle against the old man will continue in the Christian’s life until our death & glorification, when we will finally and ultimately be liberated from the influence of the sin nature.

 

Errors regarding the Flesh & Personal Sanctification. Certain schools of Christendom (e.g., the Holiness Movement) believe that entire sanctification and perfection is possible in this present life. Such advocates affirm that the old nature—following a post-conversion “second blessing” event—can be finally and decisively defeated, giving the believer a total, lasting victory over sin. But this is a false and unreal understanding of personal sanctification. Paul, as a mature believer, testifies that the struggle with the Flesh was, for him, a present and intense ongoing reality (Rom. 7:14-25).

 

Wherein lies the victory? Sanctification and victory over sin is not a single “event” or some sort of “quick fix” experience. Rather, it is an ongoing process of discipleship that continues throughout this present life. The old man is progressively put to death on a daily basis as we starve his desires and submit to the Spirit’s control in our lives (Eph. 5:18), allowing Him to renew our minds (Rom. 12:2) through God’s chosen agent of cleansing & sanctification—namely, the Word (Eph. 5:26).