To Bake or not to Bake?

One of the greatest ‘mysteries’ of the Christian life is knowing the difference between walking in the Spirit and living according to the flesh. Watchman Nee, who wrote the devotional book I’m currently using, said being a Christian was like having two dogs fighting inside you. I hesitate to use a dog as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit, but have to agree with the reality of the struggle. Part of me wants to be in control, make things happen, have my own way. That is my flesh.

But the Holy Spirit lives in me too, and His way is always the opposite of mine. That makes this struggle between flesh and Spirit not merely one of conscience. My conscience makes me aware of right and wrong, but both sides of that argument can still be self-centered and focused on what I want.

Illustration: a new neighbor moves in across the street. My conscience tells me I should welcome them, maybe make a pie, impress them with friendliness. My lazy side argues that I’m too busy to make pie, they might be on a diet anyway, and another neighbor might have already done that. However, if the Holy Spirit gets into this, He would tell me something that I didn’t even think of, maybe to call in and offer them lunch every day until they get their boxes unpacked. My flesh might argue with that; it’s too big a sacrifice or I’m too busy.

My flesh resists the Spirit’s commands, but it also can twist the motivation for obeying them. At first, I might think that is a big sacrifice of time, but God says to do it, so I proceed. But then I get thinking about it, how to impress them with my cooking skills, or some other self-centered thing, and put me, myself, and I back into this act of service.

When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he was concerned that they were listening to “Judaizers” who insisted that salvation required circumcision. Their idea was that you cannot be a Jew without this, and if a person becomes a Christian, they must also identify themselves with God’s people in the same symbolic way. The problem with circumcision is just that; it didn’t mean anything anymore. This ritual lost its significance as a symbol of the need for a clean heart because Christ did away with the need for any symbols and meaningless rituals. His people are actually cleansed from sin and must not rely on circumcision or any other ‘work of the flesh.’

He told these Christians to “beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

In ordinary English, he is saying to watch out for anyone who tells you that you need to please God by your own efforts, whether it is by a Jewish ritual or anything else. The true people of God have had sin literal cut out of their lives by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the cleansing power of His blood. We worship God through the Holy Spirit, not by rituals. We rejoice in Jesus Christ because He is our salvation, and we do not trust anything that we do in our own human strength or power.

The mystery is that I could take that pie to the neighbor and think that no one would know for sure why I did it. I could work at hiding selfish motives, even to the point where I didn’t recognize them myself, but as in all mysteries, something would not add up. The pie would be the wrong thing, my timing would be off, they have allergies to pumpkin, or something in my attitude would give me away as being a show-off.

But when the Holy Spirit asks me to do something, it is never off. Years ago, a new family came to our church. The Spirit told me to take them some rhubarb. That is a very odd request. My flesh might have argued, How many people even like rhubarb, never mind have time to do anything with it right after a move? But I did it. The woman told me later that she loved her new home, but the first thing she missed about their former place was her rhubarb plant. The day I showed up with some, she was homesick and really wanted to make a rhubarb pie.

Walking with the Holy Spirit, learning to worship God in the Spirit, letting Him direct my life—all are every day challenges. Learning to discern what is Spirit and what is flesh is also a challenge. Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . . and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Without the Word of God, the Spirit/flesh mystery would be completely unsolvable, but with it, and the help of the Holy Spirit, He makes this mystery known. Today, I’m rejoicing that God gave me both His Spirit and His Word. I can count on Him to give direction for every detail of my life—even including if and when to use my cookbook!