... were by NATURE the children of wrath... (Eph. 2:3)
... ye might be partakers of the divine NATURE... (2 Pet. 1:4)
Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines nature as being, "The essence, essential qualities or attributes of a thing, which constitute what it is."
The word of God teaches that every believer has two natures. It is important that believers learn about this doctrine as soon as possible lest they become confused, discouraged, and defeated. Upon salvation the believer immediately enjoys the “newness of life” that is in Christ. With a heart full of gratitude for salvation and the price that Christ paid for that salvation the new believer desires to live as pure and right as possible. However, it does not take very long for him to realize that the fleshly desires are not gone and that he is still tempted to commit the same sins he lived in before salvation. Without an understanding of what the Bible teaches concerning the two natures the new believer will lose the joy of salvation thinking that he cannot live the Christian life and will more than likely even doubt that he was ever saved.
I. The Concept Explained
When you first hear about the believer’s two natures it certainly sounds strange. How can one person have two natures? In John 3 the Lord Jesus teaches that a man must have two births to see and enter the kingdom of God. Though he was talking to a “ruler of the Jews” during the time that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, there is spiritual truth in this passage that applies to us today. Though the kingdom of heaven is not at hand during this age, the believer is spiritually “translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son” (Col. 1:13) upon salvation.
A. Every man is born of the flesh – The flesh refers to human nature or what we are by physical birth. The first man, Adam, was created in the image of God and enjoyed fellowship with Him. However, Adam sinned against God and died spiritually (Eph. 2:1) being separated from the Spirit of God. All that are born into this world are the seed of Adam and are in the image of Adam (Gen. 5:3). Kind begets kind and the flesh can only bring forth flesh. Other names in the Bible for the flesh are: natural man (I Cor. 2:14), old man (Rom. 6:6), outward man (II Cor. 4:16), carnal mind (Rom. 8:7), and sin (Rom. 7:17). In the Bible there is a distinction between “sin” which is the root and “sins” which are the fruit. The nature of “the flesh” is SIN. No matter how hard a man may try to be religious and good (like Nicodemus), “that which is born of the flesh is flesh”.
Consider what the word of God says about the flesh:
1. It profiteth NOTHING (Jn. 6:63)
2. In it dwelleth NO GOOD THING (Rom. 7:18)
3. It is ENMITY against God and CANNOT please God (Rom. 8:7-8)
4. It CANNOT know the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:14)
5. It is CORRUPT according to the deceitful lusts (Eph. 4:22)
B. To be saved a man must be born of the Spirit – To be born of the Spirit means that the Holy Spirit has indwelt you and has thereby made you a partaker of the divine nature (II Pet. 1:4). To be born of the flesh is generation and to be born of the Spirit is “regeneration” (Titus 3:5). The regenerated believer has been “renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10). The believer is IN CHRIST and Christ is in the believer (Col. 1:27). Other names for the new nature are: new man (Eph. 4:24), inward man (II Cor. 4:16), and the spiritual mind (Rom. 8:6). The nature of the flesh is SIN but the nature of the Spirit is HOLINESS (Eph. 4:24).
C. Both natures exist within the believer – The apostle Paul testified “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18a). Notice that he specified “in my flesh” because in Christ there are good things in us (Phile. 6). The flesh cannot be changed and made good in the sight of God. When a sinner gets saved the flesh does not get saved. Nowhere in the Bible is it taught that the believer can “eradicate” the sin nature. The flesh will be with us until death or we are changed in the rapture.
The old nature and the new nature are opposite in origin, character (consider the contrast between the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit” as listed in Gal. 5:19-23), and destiny.
II. The Conflict Experienced
The existence of two natures within the same person which are of absolute opposite origin, character, and destiny obviously causes a conflict (Gal. 5:17). The flesh desires for you to sin and the Spirit desires for you to be holy. This is a conflict every true believer experiences but it is one that too many do not understand and therefore they do not enjoy the victory that is ours when we learn to walk in the Spirit. One of the blessings of this conflict is the assurance it provides that we are “born of the Spirit” for one that is not born of the Spirit knows nothing of a conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. Another blessing of this conflict is that it teaches us by experience that our flesh is totally depraved and therefore we must depend totally on God for victory. This conflict is no excuse to walk in defeat as a believer because we can “walk in the Spirit” and thereby NOT “fulfill the lust of the flesh”.
I. The Concept Explained
When you first hear about the believer’s two natures it certainly sounds strange. How can one person have two natures? In John 3 the Lord Jesus teaches that a man must have two births to see and enter the kingdom of God. Though he was talking to a “ruler of the Jews” during the time that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, there is spiritual truth in this passage that applies to us today. Though the kingdom of heaven is not at hand during this age, the believer is spiritually “translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son” (Col. 1:13) upon salvation.
A. Every man is born of the flesh – The flesh refers to human nature or what we are by physical birth. The first man, Adam, was created in the image of God and enjoyed fellowship with Him. However, Adam sinned against God and died spiritually (Eph. 2:1) being separated from the Spirit of God. All that are born into this world are the seed of Adam and are in the image of Adam (Gen. 5:3). Kind begets kind and the flesh can only bring forth flesh. Other names in the Bible for the flesh are: natural man (I Cor. 2:14), old man (Rom. 6:6), outward man (II Cor. 4:16), carnal mind (Rom. 8:7), and sin (Rom. 7:17). In the Bible there is a distinction between “sin” which is the root and “sins” which are the fruit. The nature of “the flesh” is SIN. No matter how hard a man may try to be religious and good (like Nicodemus), “that which is born of the flesh is flesh”.
Consider what the word of God says about the flesh:
1. It profiteth NOTHING (Jn. 6:63)
2. In it dwelleth NO GOOD THING (Rom. 7:18)
3. It is ENMITY against God and CANNOT please God (Rom. 8:7-8)
4. It CANNOT know the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:14)
5. It is CORRUPT according to the deceitful lusts (Eph. 4:22)
B. To be saved a man must be born of the Spirit – To be born of the Spirit means that the Holy Spirit has indwelt you and has thereby made you a partaker of the divine nature (II Pet. 1:4). To be born of the flesh is generation and to be born of the Spirit is “regeneration” (Titus 3:5). The regenerated believer has been “renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10). The believer is IN CHRIST and Christ is in the believer (Col. 1:27). Other names for the new nature are: new man (Eph. 4:24), inward man (II Cor. 4:16), and the spiritual mind (Rom. 8:6). The nature of the flesh is SIN but the nature of the Spirit is HOLINESS (Eph. 4:24).
C. Both natures exist within the believer – The apostle Paul testified “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18a). Notice that he specified “in my flesh” because in Christ there are good things in us (Phile. 6). The flesh cannot be changed and made good in the sight of God. When a sinner gets saved the flesh does not get saved. Nowhere in the Bible is it taught that the believer can “eradicate” the sin nature. The flesh will be with us until death or we are changed in the rapture.
The old nature and the new nature are opposite in origin, character (consider the contrast between the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit” as listed in Gal. 5:19-23), and destiny.
II. The Conflict Experienced
The existence of two natures within the same person which are of absolute opposite origin, character, and destiny obviously causes a conflict (Gal. 5:17). The flesh desires for you to sin and the Spirit desires for you to be holy. This is a conflict every true believer experiences but it is one that too many do not understand and therefore they do not enjoy the victory that is ours when we learn to walk in the Spirit. One of the blessings of this conflict is the assurance it provides that we are “born of the Spirit” for one that is not born of the Spirit knows nothing of a conflict between the flesh and the Spirit. Another blessing of this conflict is that it teaches us by experience that our flesh is totally depraved and therefore we must depend totally on God for victory. This conflict is no excuse to walk in defeat as a believer because we can “walk in the Spirit” and thereby NOT “fulfill the lust of the flesh”.
III. The Conquest Enjoyed
What a wonderful day it was when I learned from the scripture that it is not my responsibility to defeat the flesh because Christ has already conquered it for me (Rom. 6)! As to our standing (unchangeable position), we are complete in Christ the moment of salvation (Col. 2:10). But as to our state (changeable condition), we have have a responsibility to walk by faith in the victory Christ has given us.
Romans 6 teaches us HOW to enjoy the victory we have in Christ. Please take the time to carefully read through this great chapter. This chapter can be outlined according to 3 key words:
A. KNOW (vs.1-10) – that our old man is crucified with Christ
B. RECKON (v.11) – that we are dead to sin and alive unto God
C. YIELD (vs.12-23) – our members as instruments of righteousness
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (Rom. 6:17)
1. Doctrine - Know (Spirit)
2. Heart - Reckon (Soul)
3. Obeyed - Yield (Body)
We cannot live the Christian life in the energy in the flesh anymore than we could be saved by it. We must stop striving to make our flesh like Christ (which is impossible) and let Christ live His life through us.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20).
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (Col. 2:6)
No comments:
Post a Comment