“But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no man” – 1 Corinthians 2: 14 – 15 (KJV).
Every person is marred from birth by a selfish inclination to pursue his own desires and pleasures, even if it causes pain and suffering for others. However, Christ, for our sake, suffered from and was humiliated by the power of sin in His death (Romans 5: 21; Isaiah 53: 4 – 12), but triumphed over it in His resurrection. Likewise, those who are united with Christ in His death are freed from the power of the flesh to walk in newness of life (Romans 6: 2, 4- 5, 10 – 11).
To live “after the flesh” (“flesh” is the sinful element of human nature) is to desire, take pleasure in, be accepted with, and gratify the corrupt desires of sinful human nature. Such living includes not only fornication, adultery, hatred, selfish ambition, outburst of anger etc (Galatians 5: 19- 21), but also obscenity, indecent dressing, pornographic addiction, drug addiction, mental and emotional pleasure from sex scenes in plays, movies and books. Whereas, to live “after the Spirit” is to seek and submit to the Holy Spirit’s direction and enablement, and to concentrate one’s attention to the things of God. It is to live consciously at all times in the presence of God, trusting Him to give us the help and grace we need to accomplish His will in and through us. It is impossible to follow the flesh and the Spirit at the same time (Romans 8: 7 -8; Galatians 5: 17- 18).
What then are the major characteristics associated with those who live according to the flesh (The Natural man) and those who live according to the Spirit (The Spiritual man)?
THE NATURAL MAN THE SPIRITUAL MAN
- Rejects God’s salvation programme Accepts Christ as Lord and Saviour
and so becomes an enemy of God and so receives power to become
(Romans 8: 7; James 4: 4) a child of God (Jhn 1: 12; Rom. 8:14)
- Does not receive the things of the Is indwelt by the Holy Spirit who leads
Spirit of God; for they are foolishness him/her to think, speak, and act
to him/her (I Cor. 2: 14) according to God’s word (I Cor 2: 12-13
- Does not resist his sinful desires Has crucified the flesh (Galatians 5: 24)
and so lives according to the flesh dies daily to sin and lives a new life in
(Romans 8: 13) obedience to God. (Luke 9: 23; 2 Cor. 5: 17)
- Expects spiritual and eternal death Has hope of eternal life (John 3: 16;
and in complete separation from God Rom. 8: 13b) and in daily communion
(John 3: 18; Romans 8: 13a) with God (Rom. 8: 10-11, 15-16)
- Is inhabited by demons which are Is the temple of God and the Holy
the powers behind the love/cravings Spirit and cannot be indwelt by a
for worldly possessions, honour, and demon (John 14: 23; I Cor. 6: 19;
position (I John 2: 15-16, I Cor 10: 20) 10: 20-21)
6 Is in the world and of the world; he Is in the world but not of the world (Jh
does the bidding of his Father 15: 19; 17: 11, 16), and in constant
the devil (John 8: 23, 44) conflict/warfare against all that would
limit the work of God in his life
(Romans 6: 11-19; Eph. 6: 12)
- Manifest the works of the flesh Bears the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5: 22-
(Gal. 5: 19-21) 23)
- Struggles fruitlessly to obey God Finds it very early to obey God and His
and His Word (Rom. 7: 15-20) Word (Rom. 8: 1-2)
- Hardly trusts in God and therefore Puts his entire trust in God and there-
does not have a culture of prayer fore prays earnestly
- He is very arrogant and self- He is very humble and selfless
conceited (James 4: 6b) (Philippians 2: 5-11)
In summary, the natural man (1 Cor. 2: 14) identifies the unregenerated or fleshly person, i.e., one governed by mere natural instincts (2 Pet. 2: 12). This kind of person does not have the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8: 9), is under the dominion of Satan (Acts 26: 18), and is enslaved to the body and its passions (Eph. 2: 3). He belongs to the world, is in sympathy with it (James 4:4), and rejects the righteous ways of the Spirit (1 Cor. 2: 14). The natural person is not able to understand God and His ways, but instead relies on human reasoning or emotions.
The spiritual man (1 Cor. 2: 15; 3:1) identifies the regenerated person, i.e., one who has the Holy Spirit. This person is spiritually minded, thinks the thoughts of God (1 Cor. 2: 11- 13), and lives by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8: 4 – 17; Gal. 5: 16 – 26). Such an individual believes in Jesus Christ, endeavours to follow the leading of the indwelling Spirit, and resists sensual desires and the dominion of sin (Roman 8: 13 – 14). Christians must continually decide whether to surrender to the inclinations of sinful human nature or to the demands of the divine nature of which we partake (Gal. 5: 16, 18; 2 Peter 1: 4). A Christian can pass from spiritual life back into spiritual death. Thus, the life of God that he received at new birth (John 3: 3 – 6) can be extinguished in the soul of that Christian who refuses to put to death, by the Spirit, the sinful deeds of the body.
Beloved, the choice is yours to make…, whether to be spiritually minded/driven or continue as a carnal minded Christian. Just as the Scripture says in Deuteronomy 30: 19, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses…. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live.”
Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon