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Flesh versus Spirit
Flesh versus Spirit
Paul presents two different lifestyles. One that is governed by the flesh, and the other by the spirit (or Spirit). To live for my spirit requires following the revelation from THE Spirit (the Holy Spirit).
What is a life governed by the flesh, what does it look like, what does it produce in my life? Flesh – physical, temporary, transitory aspect of life. Such a life produces the works of the flesh. Read again (and again) Gal. 5:19-21! What do we see in this world? What is it that fills the news, the movies, the books, our neighbors’ lives? Such is not the lifestyle taught by Jesus. Or as Paul would say: you have NOT so learned Christ (Eph. 4:20).
In contrast, living for our spirit and by The Spirit (the revelation given by the Holy Spirit as revealed and preserved in our New Testament writings) provides for a whole different life. This life is centered on the eternal, the forever aspect of existence.
One can not walk according to the flesh and at the same time be walking by the Spirit. One can not walk according to the flesh and be pleasing unto God. Again, we need to simply examine the fruit of our lives to determine which lifestyle dominates us. Is yours a life filled with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”?
Each one of us is on a journey of transitioning our lives from the flesh to the spirit, of crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires and filling our lives with the fruits of the Spirit. We need to constantly and continually perfecting a life of holiness and godliness.
Other great instruction and insight on these two lifestyles and their fruit can be found in Romans 8 where Paul again contrasts walking according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. James 3: gives us the inspired contrast between the ‘wisdom’ of the flesh and the ‘wisdom that from above’. Then, in Matt. 5-7, the sermon on the Mount by Jesus, we are directed into the foundations of such spiritual living.
As long as we live in this world we struggle with the pull of these two lifestyles. While we will never completely rid ourselves of the flesh, we are to be improving, growing, changing. Compare to last year, how are you doing with this? Examine, correct, change, practice, and then examine again!
Hugh DeLong
