Are You In the Flesh?

Romans 8 ~ Are You In the Flesh or In the Spirit?  Take the test to find out.

I’d established that although the old man with its sin nature has died, he nevertheless left behind a body.  Paul identified this unredeemed flesh as the source of his sin and inability to live righteously.  Having located the source of the problem still didn’t supply the answer.  Was this to be my sad state until the trumpet sounded and I got rid of this body of flesh?

Still seeking for the solution, I began to search Romans 8 where it seemed Paul had found his answer.  Nothing was making any practical sense to me though…until I got to verse 8, which made perfect sense and explained everything. Was it any wonder that Paul and I found it so difficult to walk in a manner that was pleasing to God?  Yes, this verse explained that perfectly…..

 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  Romans 8:8

No wonder I’d been struggling so much.  Once again, it appeared to be a hopeless situation.  New on the inside but with an unredeemed flesh that could not please God brought me right back to where I began, doing my best and asking forgiveness for the rest….had it not been for another of those wonderful words that make all the difference.  This time the word was however…   It was true, the scripture had said “those who are in the flesh cannot please God”, but, thank God, it goes on to announce…..

 However, you are not in the flesh…

Oh, what glorious news!

Now I know that everything in you wants to argue with this and put conditions on it.  So did I.  But I realize something now.  What we have believed (with the help of every teaching I’ve ever heard on this subject) is that being “in the flesh” is a description of someone whose actions are sinful or ‘fleshly’.  This is not the case, and we can verify it by answering two simple, ‘yes or no’ questions as we look at more of Romans 8:9 ….

However, you are not in the flesh…but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you…

Now take this simple test.

(1) Do you acknowledge that you have been born again…that you are a Christian?  Yes  No

If you answered yes, proceed to question 2.

(If you answered no, go here and, from your heart, make today your day of salvation…then come on back to see what’s taken place!)

(2) As a born again Christian, does the Spirit of God dwell in you?    Yes  No

(If you’re new in Christ, this is an open book test so here’s the answer.  I Corinthians 3:16)

If you answered yes to both these questions, (you are born again thus the Spirit of God dwells in you), you have met the “if” requirement of Romans 8:9.  Therefore, we can rightly conclude and acknowledge that two things are true about you….

You are not in the flesh.

You are in the spirit.

You see, according to the criteria of this scripture, whether you are “in the flesh” or “in the spirit” depends on the nature of your spirit, not on the nature of your actions !

Do you get that?

YOU…. are not in the flesh.        YOU….. are in the spirit.

Another way to say it would be…

You are not who you are in the flesh.  You are who you are in the spirit.

Let this scripture help give more clarification.

 …Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.  Romans 1:3,4

Do you see that according to the flesh Jesus was the son of David, but according to the spirit He was the Son of God.  Was this talking about what Jesus did or who He was?  Was this referring to His actions or His identity?

We are talking about identity.  We must stop thinking of being “in the flesh” or “in the spirit” as something that has to do with our actions.

We need to make an unmistakable distinction between our WHO and our DO.

Why is this so important?  Because it is our “who” that changes our “do”.  And make no mistake….it is the only thing that changes it.

Don’t miss the P.S. (“post” script) here

…and My Story continues here