Quote:
Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord
I believe that we can be conquerors, MTD. One day at a time. Do you agree that the flesh still has not been perfected? Jesus is the ONLY perfect human, both flesh and spirit. The Spirit of Christ can reign in us, but the flesh will constantly be resisting.
So, to understand this, the Spirit of Christ seeks to perfect us, but the flesh is constantly resisting. Paul compared our spiritual walk to a battle, and it is. Paul told us to fight the good fight of faith. It is a fight every day to allow the spirit of Christ to reign in our lives.
But, the mind of Christ can reign, we don't have to allow sin to reign, but we must be aware that it is a constant battle we will fight until the day we die, or we are transformed into the incorruptible body Paul speaks of.
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Yes Jesus said we must deny ourselves daily.
Luke 9:23-24
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
No way is it all a done deal EXCEPT by faith. There certainly is a battle between the flesh and the spirit. And yet the Lord Jesus never in any statement says anything to make us think we cannot do his will!
Even Paul the writer of the famous flesh vs spirit passages sandwiched that information in between Romans chapter six and eight which are filled with teaching about the overcoming life!
To the Galatians he sums o the three chapters (
Romans 6-8) like this:
Gal. 5:16-24
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
He concludes this teaching with an almost unheard of truth in verse 24.
They that are Christs
HAVE crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts!
So in no way does the Apostle leave saints with the impression the war between the flesh and spirit cannot be won. Rather verse 24 actually questions the salvation of of anyone who has is allowing lifes affections and lusts to rule them.
This is why we must also make war on todays false doctrine that men cannot overcome sin. If we give the message that sin is normal to a Christian it may be all their flesh needs to hear to come down off the cross, give in to temptation and allow sin to overcome them.
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