It is very possible for us to be saved and going to heaven, yet be very fleshly as we walk this earth. It’s imperative for us all to tame the flesh & walk in the Spirit. As I’m reading Galatians this morning, I’m humbled at the Word of God. Galatians is dealing with the issue of believers feeling as though they are justified through the law. As believers of Christ we must know that we are not made perfect, nor are we righteous, because of our ability to keep the law.
The Lord is certainly growing me in the knowledge of His grace and I’m in awe as I understand the depth to it. Grace is grace and we must add nothing to it.
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
– Galatians 2:21
If we are stuck trying to obey the law then we are slaves to the law and Christ is dead in vain. Growing in the grace of God requires us to grow in understanding the power and necessity of the cross.
Now, though we are righteous by the blood of Christ and by his blood alone, we can’t use our freedom from the law to do as we please. If we’re not careful then we’ll use our freedom to do as we please and then our lives will look no different than unbelievers.
Honestly, we can’t trust ourselves to do what is good. We must tame the flesh.
“And Jesus said unto him, ‘Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”
– Mark 10:18
We can’t trust ourselves to do what is good. We’re not good.
Our flesh will mislead us and deceive us. Our flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). The only way to ensure that we are desiring and doing the will of God is to submit ourselves to Him and His Word. As we submit ourselves to Him and His Word (with no agenda of our own) then we are able to test and approve what is that good and pleasing will of God. God’s Word is able to tame the flesh.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
– Romans 12:2
Until we submit ourselves completely to Him, we will fall short. Until we tame our flesh, our flesh will dominate all that we do. How easy it is to be saved, yet be still oh so fleshly.
We must spend time in the Word so the Lord can speak to us and grow us out of our fleshly ways. There are some things that only the Lord can reveal to us about ourselves and our fleshly ways.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
– Galatians 5:19-21
We must be intentional, even as believers in Christ, to tame the flesh & walk in the Spirit. It’s a constant battle. We must take each thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (II Corinthians 10:5).
“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
– Galatians 5:13-14
Let’s use our liberty in Christ to love & to serve, not to fulfill our own fleshly desires.
Read 3 Dangers of a Critical Attitude
