Way of life in the Spirit (part three)

Differentiating the life in the Spirit from that of the flesh

 There is definitely a huge disparity between the life which is in accordance to the Spirit and the one which is in accordance to the flesh, despite the fact that the physical human body is the mechanism and catalyst by which both lifestyles attain their objectives, as alluded to by the apostle Paul who admonished us  saying ; “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.’ I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members (of the body) as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members (of the body) as slaves of righteousness for holiness” (Romans 6:13, 19).

The crux of the matter is, one is either a slave of sin or a slave of righteousness, for we have been again admonished saying: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” Now, the source of sin is in the flesh as alluded to by the apostle Paul who wrote: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do: I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.’

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Romans 6:16; 7:15:20).

The huge disparity that exists between the life which is in accordance to the Spirit and the one which is in accordance to the flesh is the motivating and stimulating factor/s. For example:

a.       Life in the Spirit

The motivating and stimulating factor that propels the life which is in accordance to the Spirit is the word of God, which according to Jesus Christ; “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” The apostle in addressing this subject said, “For I delight in the law of God according to 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 will deliver me from this body of 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. (John 6:26, Romans 7:22-25).

b.      Life in the flesh

On the other hand, the stimulating and motivating factor that propels the life which is in accordance to the flesh is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which stems from what we see, what we hear, what we smell, what we taste and what we feel, known as our five senses. But we see clearly that there is one law that operates in the mind and another law that operates in the flesh.

Therefore, to live the life which is in accordance to the Spirit, a huge transformation has to first take place in the mind as we have been duly admonished saying; “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit: For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spirituallyminded is life and peace.”

The main reason why the mind transformation is so vitally important it is; “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 7:7-8).

Now consider this carefully, if the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be, what then is the nature of the spiritual mind? Obviously, the nature of the spiritual mind is one that is in harmony with God. In subjection to the law of God and will ever be in subjection to it. Therefore, one can conclude that, the life which is in accordance to the Spirit is being governed and regulated by the law of God, whereas, the life which is in accordance to the flesh is stimulated by the law of sin and death.
To be continued