13 DAYS TO PENTECOST

13 DAYS TO PENTECOST

TEXT:  ROMANS 8:1-4

¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

KEY TEXT: Romans 8:4 “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.”

REFLECTION:  Most people walk after the flesh. Ruled by animal passions they live to gratify the appetites of their bodies. For them whatever feels good is good. Their fleshly appetites drive them to all forms of sexual immorality, corrosive vices, destructive habits, and a malignant self-centeredness that we call pride.  For them morality is subjective.

Others, admittedly only a few, walk after the Spirit.  Their animal passions are crucified and constrained by the Spirit of holiness.  The Holy Spirit rules their will. They walk after the Spirit. The Spirit restrains them from immorality. The Spirit progressively purifies them until a moment comes when they are pure. (1 John 3:3). For them, morality is objective.  

The blessings of walking after the Spirit are many: 

1.     We walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)  Old things pass away and all things are new.

2.     There is victory over the insatiable desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

3.     There is no condemnation. (Romans 8:1) Because we walk in the Spirit and honor both the letter and the spirit of God’s will, we no longer labor under a load of guilt and condemnation.

4.     There is life and peace. (Romans 8:6).

5.     The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us. (Romans 8:4)

It is noteworthy that the Apostle does not say that God’s people “try” to walk not after the flesh. He says unequivocably, they “walk not after the flesh,” but “after the Spirit.” 

Neither does the Apostle allow that a man may be perpetually vacillating between “walking after the Spirit,” and “walking after the flesh.”  Some excuse carnal outbursts saying “Oh I was just walking in the flesh.”  It is true that fleshly desires bring forth fleshly fruit, but they who are after the Spirit do not walk after the flesh.  (Romans 8:4).

Lastly, the Apostle finds men either walking after the flesh or walking after the Spirit.  They cannot do both at the same time. The carnal nature tries to preserve its rebellious self by suggesting that we can have it both ways—fleshly and spiritual. But because the carnal mind is enmity (or the enemy) of God it refuses to be subject to the will of God. It is rebellious by nature.

The Holy Spirit will not, and cannot reside in hearts that rebel against God’s authority. Yet wherever and whenever hungry hearts unconditionally surrender to the authority of God’s Spirit He will come and reign.  The battle for authority now ended, the child of God testifies, “To be spiritually minded is life and peace!”

PRAYER: Our Father in Heaven, We thank you for loving us as just as we are, and that you love us too much to leave us as we are. We long to be spiritually minded.  We pray that our flesh would be crucified—nailed to the cross.  We pray that thy Holy Spirit would rule and reign in our hearts.  May we not only do your will, but love to do your will we pray.  “Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me.  Melt us. Mold us. Fill us. Use us.  Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on men.”