THE NATURAL AND THE SPIRITUAL MAN.

Reading: “For the flesh (the old man) lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit (the new man) against the flesh; and these are conflicting to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” Galatians 5:17.

There is the natural man, and there is a spiritual man.

The natural man is incomplete with a dead spirit. But when he/she is “born again” and receives the Spirit of God his spiritual life is awakening.

But does the Holy Spirit have all of him? For he/she still has a fleshly nature and it battles with the spiritual nature.

So our TWO natures are very different from one another, and are in a war. TWO natures beat within ONE life. 

One is cursed.

And one is blessed. 

One I love.

And one I hate. 

Paul says it this way: “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” Romans 7:18. Simply we want to do good, but evil drags us down.

Within these TWO natures, the one I feed will dominate my life! Our flesh over shadows our soul, as the spirit over shadows our soul, so within us it is a battle ground.

Sometimes a new Christian experiences great joy and blessing in God, but soon realizes the fleshly feelings are not dead, and is led to believe that he/she was never converted, and becomes disheartened and discouraged, soon they will drift away from Christ and finally give way to the old ways.

Listen, our hope is in Christ Jesus! Jesus said to Nicodemus “You must be born again” John 3:5. Then Jesus gave the reason why we need to be born again. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” John 3:6.

If we don’t die to the flesh, we will die to God! It is that simple.

A.   THE NATURAL MAN.

Hear what the bible says about the Natural Man or Women:

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” 1 Corinthians 2:14.

“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” Romans 7:18.

“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 8:7-8.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” Jeremiah 17:9.

But we have this hope in Christ through the “new birth” “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” Ephesians 2:1.

B.    THE SPIRITUAL MAN.

The “New Birth” imparts a “New Nature.” This nature is “Spiritual.” “That which is born of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) is Spirit” John 3:6. This new spiritual nature cannot sin, but the natural nature of our old life, unless it dies, will drag us down into our old life of sin. “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed (Christ’s Life) remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” 1 John 3:9.

When the “New Man” is born in the heart of the believer the “Old Man” does not die. He is still there and very much alive. For now there are TWO natures living in the same dwelling, completely opposed, and fighting for the possession of the same body. Paul says it like this: “For the flesh (the old man) lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit (the new man) against the flesh; and these are conflicting to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” Galatians 5:17.

It may not be until we have been “Born Again” that we awake to a knowledge of the depravity of our own heart and realize the power of sin had over us. No wonder we must die to the flesh.

I see the old life and the new life this way. Our old life is like a rose plant, which grows with all of its thorns, but our new life is like the rose that grows among the thorns. Even within this moral flesh, God can dwell. But I must be born again.

C.   WINNING THE BATTLE OVER THE OLD NATURE.

Well I have just written this best-selling book titled “10 simple steps to perfection in Christ Jesus.” Rubbish, it is like reading a diet book. Unless we act on the words written within its pages, nothing will change. I have not written a book, why? Because God has already written it, He has given us “His Word” the Bible.

The simple way to overcome the flesh is to read the Word of God and act on its truth. The simple plan is to stave the desires of the flesh “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts” Romans 13:14. And to feed on the milk of the Word. “As new-born babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby” 1 Peter 2:2.

         

A.   The “Natural Man” brings forth the fruit of the flesh: “Idolatry (hero worship), witchcraft, hatred, arguments, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, rebellions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, wild partying, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” Galatians 5:20-21.

B.    The “Spiritual Man” brings forth the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” Galatians 5:22-23.

If we walk in the Spirit, we will show forth the fruit of the spirit.

Conclusion:

          “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

          God has given us His Holy Spirit to awaken our spirit within.