Friday, July 15, 2011

" the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other" Gal 5:17


"This battle of the flesh against the Spirit, all the saints have had and felt. He who searches his own conscience, if he is not a hypocrite, shall well perceive that to be true in himself. All the faithful confess that their flesh and the Spirit are so contrary the one to the other that they are not able to perform that which they would do. Therefore, the flesh hinders us so that we cannot keep the commandments of God, nor love our neighbors as ourselves, much less can we love God with all our heart. Therefore, it is impossible for us to become righteous by the works of the law. Indeed, there is a good will in us, and so must there be (for it is the Spirit himself who resists the flesh), which would gladly do good, fulfill the law, love God and his neighbor, and such like, but the flesh obeys not this good will, but resists it; and yet God imputes not to us this sin, for He is merciful to those that believe, for Christ's sake."-Martin Luther

4 comments:

Chris said...

I rejoice so often with the realizing that I am not fighting my flesh anymore...since, "anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

And that since I am "not fighting against flesh-and-blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places....(Eph. 6:12)

donsands said...

I Agree Chris that a regenerated child of the Lord is new in his heart. Yet There's is a battle for most of the Christians I know, and have read about and studied, such as Martin Luther.

And I don't want to get into a throwing verses at each other thing. So, thanks for the word, and may the Lord bless you so you never sin, and I pray the same for me.
But I thank God for His righteousness which is a robe upon me by His grace, and all my hundreds of thousands of sins have been laid upon the Holy Lamb of God!
I thank and praise Him for my forgiveness, and for His Spirit who works in me to will and to do. Amen.

Chris said...

There is no doubt that there is a battle with Christians, I am one who will admit that there is a battle. Absolutely.

What I find that many (Luther included) struggle with, is realizing against whom the battle is being waged. We are not battling against are flesh. The old man is dead - once and for all. I am a New Creation in Christ. The battle that I fight is against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world...

I was one who would talk about battling my flesh and my old nature - but have since come to realize that my struggle is not against the old man...and it is quite liberating to realize that I do have a cure, an antidote, a chance for victory.

I would be honored if you would read my post "Stop Blaming Your Old Man" from October. Let me know what you think. :)

Grace and Peace to you today Don!

donsands said...

Hey Chris, thanks for the invite. You and I will most likely disagree on this subject until we go home to be with our Savior.

The word flesh Paul uses is a word that he identifies himself with, and his continued nature to sin, though he is forgiven and righteous in the precious blood of Christ.
Paul says about himself near his death, "I AM the chief of sinners."
And that's how I feel as well. Though I know all my sin was taken by Christ upon Himself as the Holy Lamb of God.