SINFUL FLESH by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC
Introduction: Many of y’all were here last night for our first night of “West of Pecos.” We had more people here on the first night of a play than ever before. It was quite amazing! If you know people who weren’t here, get them here tonight. We also have a showing tomorrow morning at 10am. Our goal is to help us reclaim that American spirit, the spirit of the cowboy – hard work, risk-taking, being outdoors, working with animals, honest living (most of the time), self-sacrifice, a sense of right and wrong, willingness to fight for justice, common sense (we can use a lot of that in our nation), and, most of all, independence and freedom. In the show, you see people living for their own sinful desires. The Bible calls that “desires of the flesh.” This is a major theme of the Book of Romans. Jesus came to free us from our SINFUL FLESH, the title of our message.
Romans 7:18 (page #1740) “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.”
Context: In the past few weeks, we learned about original sin, how sin got into this world. Paul wanted both the Gentile background and Jewish background believers in Rome to understand that everyone was under the condemnation of sin and death. The only way we can get out of sin and death is by switching families – we must make a transfer from the family of Adam to the family of Christ. By taking the punishment of sin upon himself and uniting himself to death, Jesus freed us from the bonds of sin and death. Now, we are forgiven for our sins, and death no longer has power over us. We may still have to die the first death, but we will not die the second death.
We also learned that even though sin has been defeated, it’s not that easy to get rid of it in this life because sin is much more than just wrongdoing. It is a power that entered the world when Adam sinned and tries to enslave humanity. It even uses the law to deceive and kill. But, when Jesus died, in a sense, we also died with him. Master Sin comes around but we the slaves have already died and are no good to him. Romans 6:11 “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Instead,Romans 6:13 “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
Application: Do you truly understand all this? Do you understand why Jesus had to come and rescue us? Are you saved?
For those who are wondering what all this has to do with end-times prophecy, we are studying Romans because it not only lays down the foundation for the series, it also helps us understand why God is pouring out his wrath in Book of Revelation. He is ultimately destroying the powers of SIN, DEATH, and one more power that has invaded our world FLESH. In today’s message, we’re going to see how it can only be countered by the Holy Spirit.
To start with, the word for FLESH in Greek is “sarx.” It is found in various forms about 147 times in the New Testament and Paul uses it 91 times in his letters, with 26 times just in Romans. That’s a lot! Of course, the idea behind it is the Old Testament, but the meaning is complex (See Timothy Gombis). Here we are only focused on Romans:
1. Human Existence
Romans 1 (page #1732) 1 “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
There is the Human Nature, and there is the Divine Nature. Here is it morally neutral.
Romans 2:28 “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.”
Romans 9:3 “For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.”
Elsewhere, in 2 Corinthians 12:7 “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me…”
By the way, Paul uses another word “soma” for body, which can mean both earthly existence and heavenly, “sarx” is only earthly. So, ultimately, it is not a positive word.
2. Limited Human Existence
Romans 3:20 (page #1736) “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight…”
Romans 8:3 (page # 1741) “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh…”
The idea here is about human limitation. It has a negative aspect in it, but it is not all negative.
3. Negative Human Existence
Romans 7:5 (page #1740) “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.”
Romans 8:3 (page # 1741) “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin…”
Elsewhere, in 1 Corinthians 3:3 “for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?”
4. Cosmic Power
Romans 8 (page #1741) 3 “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.” 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you…12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
Galatians 5 19 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
The counter to the flesh is the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5 16 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Romans 8 (page 1741) 13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
The battle is not between the old nature and the new nature. It is between the old nature and the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT. Faith frees the Holy Spirit to work. Romans 8 mentions the Holy Spirit more than any other chapter in the whole Bible. He is referred to 19 times in this chapter.
Invitation: Are you still trying to live according to the Flesh or are you submitted to the Holy Spirit? Are you saved?