Galatians 5:16-26 (NIV) 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
The life of the flesh is a life out of control. The life of the flesh is also a life of self-will because we attempt to gain control over our life by the determination of will-power, and will-power always follows a “do it by myself” policy. Will-power does not conquer the life of the flesh. If it could, it would have a long time ago. We need outside help, yet that is the very thing that the life of the flesh resists.
The life of the flesh does not want, will not trust, and cannot tolerate outside management that might say no to our desires and to our determination. And yet, the desires of the flesh prevent you from doing what you want.
A life in the spirit is a life under the control of God’s spirit. And Paul tells us what this kind of life costs us. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. To crucify the flesh is the daily turning over of our life to God. It is an abandoning of life into the hands of God. To crucify the flesh is a willingness to yield to God’s hand in a situation, to accept and set limits on self as we are so led. To crucify the flesh is to ask for help, despite the resistance we feel. It is to pray for the knowledge of God’s will and the power to carry it out, to be made aware when we are wrong, and to admit it to ourselves and to another human being.
We pay the cost. We crucify the flesh because we have discovered a God whose Son was crucified for us. His death is a message written in blood that we need more than a little help from God. His death is a power that destroys any resentment we might have about having a manager in life. Jesus died for us and we learn to die daily to the flesh that we might accept His rule.
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope October 12, 1997
copyright Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles
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