Walk in the Spirit . . .

 

 

READ 2 Corinthians 9-13

One confusing thing about Christians is that sometimes we act as if we are not. To the watching world, this is hypocrisy and our confession of faith is dismissed as mere pretense. For Christians, we know the war that goes on between the old nature (flesh) and the new (governed by the Spirit of God). Walking in the Spirit is real, not pretense, and the desires of the flesh are real too. Our struggle with sin is unknown to others who do not have that inner conflict:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

The NT is filled with descriptions of the differences. Some fleshy stuff is obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these as listed in Galatians 5, but a few are less so because even ‘good’ people can give in to them. Today’s reading hints at these . . .

The Spirit-filled person will give cheerfully, trusting God to supply any insufficiency or personal lack because of willing generosity. The flesh gives reluctantly or under pressure or in order to profit in some way. This may look the same on the surface but God knows the heart.

The Spirit motivates His people to care about others whose lives are being controlled by sin, but not to deal with it for reasons of embarrassment, fear, or shame or any other personal motivation, only to glorify God and help those caught by sin to escape that problem:

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:4–6)

The spiritual person can speak openly about their failures and successes, and how they rely on the Lord for all that they are able to do, while the fleshy person boasts about their own achievements, even comparing themselves with others less able to do those things. (2 Corinthians 10)

The spiritual person will be imitated, but any false teachers will be doing what they do in their own power. They might be skilled in speaking and persuasion, but they will put on airs, or take advantage of others, making slaves of them, even be unkind to them (2 Corinthians 11:16ff). On the other hand, those who live by the Spirit will feel too weak for that, realizing they cannot play the same game and pretend being good without Christ.

Paul told of all that he had been through at the hands of those who did not believe in Jesus. He admitted his weakness yet also told the reason for putting up with it; he had deep anxiety for the well-being of other Christians. A fleshy person boasts not of their weaknesses but of their strengths but this Christian man knew where true power came from.

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)

The spiritual person gives their time and energy to benefit others, saying things like, “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?” (2 Corinthians 12:15) Whereas fleshiness is more concerned that others love him or her and do what they can to gain favor, even to be a burden or take advantage of others by deceit. The flesh is not concerned about the spiritual well-being of others, or their eternal destiny. They will not warn people about sin or talk about Jesus. They are more concerned about popularity and their reputation than about the call of God on their lives.

There is more, but I see enough to convict me of the times I slide into ‘me running my own life’ instead of ‘Jesus fill me and be in charge’ wanting more of Him and less of me. Lord, this is not so I will look better to others, but so my relationship with You deepens and You are honored as You deserve to be honored.