All You Have To Do Is Act Naturally .. But By Which Nature Will That Be?

My Utmost For His Highest

Where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal…? —1 Corinthians 3:3

{CHAMBERS} “The natural man, or unbeliever, knows nothing about carnality. The desires of the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against the flesh, which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the awareness of it. But Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). In other words, carnality will disappear. Are you quarrelsome and easily upset over small things? […] Is there a truth in the Bible that instantly awakens a spirit of malice or resentment in you? If so, that is proof that you are still carnal. […] If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it.”

{ELGIN}  I can’t think of anyone who wants to embrace their failings in their new life in Christ.  We all struggle with sin but don’t want to think about it much and certainly don’t want to talk about it.  Although some like to talk about the sins of others.  But I will leave that to another devotion.  Before I was born again, sin was not really a problem because it was part of my nature. Once my heart was changed .. once I was reborn by the Spirit of God, that is when the conflict began.  I can remember my dad telling me that once you become a Christian that is when the trouble begins.  He was referring to the fact of having two natures – that are opposed to each other – both vying for control over my heart and will.  Our failing is in believing that somehow we can fix it ourselves .. to not sin through shear will power --- or won’t power may be more correct. I, on my own, am no more capable of making myself acceptable to God and resist sin now than I was before I was born again.  It is the Spirit of God and the Word that helps me live rightly.  My part is to be willing to submit to both.