BY Argie Simonis
Today I will talk about the spiritual and the carnal man. In the previous message "The mystery of godliness" I have already given the definition of the body, the soul and the spirit in the previous message. According to God's word, our flesh is our soul and our body:
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:" 2Cor. 10:3
In his letter for the Romans, Paul writes:
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you." Rom. 8:11
Paul's description here is very beautiful and informative. In other words, Paul is telling us that the carnal man is the one who walks according to his feelings and natural urges, while the spiritual man is the one who walks according to God's guidance. So carnality is not limited only to the people of the world. It also applies to Christians. If this seems strange to you, take a look around and explain to me why many Christians do not experience the promises of God in their lives, and why their testimony is worse than that of the people of the world.
Now that the foundation of carnality and spirituality has been laid, let us examine with the mind of Christ some passages in which there seem to be contradictions, but as I have said before, the word of God never contradicts itself:
"Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1John 3:9
"We know that whoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not." 1John 5:18
Now compare John's own words in the same letter:
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 1John 1:8-10
So, we cannot sin and at the same time we are condemned to sin? Of course not! What is John trying to tell us here?
Let's take a closer look at what he says:
"We know that whoever is born of God sins not..."
Which part of us have been born-again by the Spirit of God and has become a brand new creation (2Cor. 5:17)? Our spirit of course. It is the dwelling place of the Spirit of God (1Cor. 3:16) and His Spirit has become one with ours as I said in the previous message (1Cor. 6:17).
So what John realy means here is that it is our spirit that cannot sin because it has become one with the Spirit of God. It is our flesh that sins, that is why John says that:
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
Do you see this? The devil has only access to our flesh, which is our body and our soul. Are you wondering what's going on with your spirit? Here is the answer:
"... in whom (Christ) also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," Εph. 1:13
The word seal in Scripture has two meanings:
- The seal as property:
An owner seals his property with his seal to mark it as his own. If he later comes to claim it and his rights to this property are disputed, his seal is sufficient as proof and puts an end to such a dispute. Us been sealed with the Spirit of God is the sign that we belong to God. We are His property that He acquired very dearly.
"Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took on them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.
And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded." Acts 19:13-16
What do you think? Were these sons of Sceva sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise? Of course not. Evil spirits knew Jesus who had conquered hell:
"I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Rev. 1:18
and
"He spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Col. 2:15
Evil spirits also knew Paul, who very likely had cast out some of them. But they did not know these seven men. In the spirit world we are nothing until we are known and feared in hell. And this only happens when we come to Christ and He seals us with His Spirit.
- Sealing also has the meaning of safety and protection.
An example is when we seal fruit in jars airtight to protect and preserve them.
So when the Spirit of God seals us, an impenetrable barrier is formed that keeps sin out and preserves the purity of our born-again spirit. When a Christian sins, it happens is his flesh. Our born-again spirit is an impenetrable fortress and cannot sin:
"Whoever is born of God does not commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1John 3:9
The same word "seal" is mentioned in other verses:
"Who (God) has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." 2Cor. 1:22
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption." Εph. 4:30
Let's now go to a more practical part, which is very important to understand. At what level does the devil have access over a person? In what areas can he gain control and cause problems?
As I showed you before, when the Spirit of God comes and dwells in us, our spirit is completely protected and cannot be touched by sin or temptation. But our flesh, that is, our soul and our body, are vulnerable to the attacks of the wicked one. Paul writes to us:
"Neither give place to the devil." Εph. 4:27
Paul does not give this command to the people of the world, but to Christians.
If it were solely up to the devil to control and to destroy us, you can be sure that there would not be a single human being left alive on the face of the earth! The devil's field of action is the one we give him, either knowingly or unknowingly. And this, because just as God has established the natural laws, so He has also established the spiritual ones.
If you ignore the law of gravity and jump off the roof of your house, you will either be seriously injured or killed, and it will not be God's fault.
The same is true of spiritual laws. You reap what you sow. For example, if you live in sin and ignore God's warnings, you will also suffer the consequences:
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23
The consequences of sin are both physical and spiritual. You will harm your health from abuses (alcohol, drugs, etc.), your finances (gambling, waste, debauchery), your marriage (fornication, adultery, pornography), your relationships with your family and friends (gossip, criticism, betrayal) and you will be so hurt emotionaly that you will become a living dead.
Many people in the world live like this today, and unfortunately that includes Christians. I can understand it for people who live without Christ. But what makes even God's children so vulnerable that they yield to temptation and fall into sin?
Paul writes to us:
"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
If then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law that it is good.
Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me." Rom. 7:15-17
"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." Rom. 7:21-25
Paul here is not trying to tell us that he is schizophrenic or a split personality. What he tells us is that he wanted to serve the law of God, but his flesh was unable to do so. How then can we overcome this? Paul himself gives us the answer in Romans 8, which I mentioned at the beginning. Throughout the 8th chapter he explains how to overcome the flesh and walk according to the Spirit.
Let's look at something else that I partially commented on in my previous message:
"Why, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:12-13
At 2/3 we are in the process of perfection. When we defy God's spiritual laws, then we give place to the devil and he and his demons, come and thresh in our lives. Their strategy is the same and they use three main entrance doors. There are also other doors (genealogy, inheritance, curses and others, which I will deal with in future messages:
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1John 2:16
Many things can fit into these three categories. In Genesis chapter 3 for example, Adam and Eve were very clearly tempted with the desire of the flesh (hunger), the desire of the eyes (the tree was pleasing to the eyes) and the pride of life (a tree that was desired to make someone wise).
Temptation is not sin, but it leads to sin. Jesus experienced all three of these temptations, but did not yield to them (Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13).
In Hebrews we read:
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15
Jesus may not have been tempted by drugs, but he was tempted in these three areas which are the root of all temptations.
There are also cases where the child of God experiences sin and its effects (sickness, poverty, divorce, depression, unhappiness, failure and many others) because of direct demonic influence upon him. I do not mean to give any value to the devil, but it is very important to know our enemy and how he works so that we can resist and protect ourselves:
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1Pet. 5:8
It may be that the devil is a defeated foe who, like a toothless lion, cannot chew but only swallow. But he remains dangerous and devours those who cannot resist him. But God's word gives us the solution:
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7
In the coming messages, I will expose the methods and tactics of satan, explain how he gains access to our lives and how we can deal with him.
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