[Biblemat] A>The Works Of The Flesh (Kent Heaton)

[Kent Heaton]

The Works Of The Flesh

(Kent Heaton)

 

The duality of man lends itself to a battle between his fleshly side and his spiritual side. As man was formed from the dust of the ground he would bear the image of the Creator (Genesis 1:26). In the Garden of Eden, Satan challenged the flesh with the longing for the forbidden fruit and its appeal to greater wisdom (Genesis 3). Man's rebellion was the shot heard round the universe of time that plunged humanity into the abyss of sin. Through the redemption of the seed promise (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:16) in Jesus Christ man found a way to harness the unruly spirit of the flesh. Yet the battle continues.

Paul exhorted the churches of Galatia to "walk in the Spirit" so not to "fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). He describes the war between the flesh as it lusts against the Spirit and how contrary they are to one another (Galatians 5:17). The challenge for people of God is to remember they are not lead by the fleshly desires of carnality but rather the higher plane of Spirit led lives. Living in the Spirit means to walk in the Spirit as the fleshly lusts are crucified with "its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24,25). 

The New American Standard Version uses the phrase "deeds of the flesh." The works of the flesh speak to a manner of life or ones conduct or deeds. These are continual sins or habitual transgressions that prohibit one from being a part of the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). From sensual sins to transgressions against God and offenses toward man and self; Paul declares the blueprint of folly that has led the majority of humanity into moral putridity. Written across the headlines of newspapers and flaunted hour upon hour through the altar of moral decadence in television, movies and computer screens the deeds of the flesh slowly rot the spiritual mind of God's people.

>From the graves of prophets long gone echo the mantra of our modern age: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20). "You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, 'How have we wearied Him?' In that you say, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them" (Malachi 2:17). "Arise, go up against a nation which is at ease, which lives securely, declares the Lord. It has no gates or bars; they dwell alone" (Jeremiah 49:31).

The deeds of the flesh war against the spiritual heart of God's people. We must stand for holiness, truth and righteousness to withstand the flood of passions and lusts that war against the soul. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses" (2 Corinthians 10:3,4). The mighty towers of lusts must be pulled down from our lives. The works of the flesh must be crucified, killed, destroyed - removed from our lives - "so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:2).

The deeds of the flesh must be refreshed by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). Through the grace of God's love we can conquer the flesh.


Kent Heaton
207 NE Fourth Avenue
Trenton, Florida 32693
(H) 352-463-6916 (O) 3793
(C) 352-283-3889
www.trentonchurchofchrist.com
www.northfloridabiblecamp.com
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