“Walk Not After The Flesh!”

WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH

OPENING COMMENT by Robert 

The character is given from their walk, not from any particular act, but from their course and way. And the great question is, what is the principle of the walk, the flesh or the Spirit, the old or the new nature, corruption or grace? Which of these do we mind? for which of these do we make provision, by which of these are we governed, which of these do we take part with?

Let not our life be after the wills and motions of the flesh. Two motives he mentions here:

1. We are not debtors to the flesh, neither by relation, gratitude, nor any other bond or obligation. We owe no suit nor service to our carnal desires; we are indeed bound to clothe and feed, and take care of the body, as a servant to the soul in the service of God, but no further.

We are not debtors to it; the flesh never did us so much kindness as to oblige us to serve it. It is implied that we are debtors to Christ and to the Spirit: there we owe our all, all we have and all we can do, by a thousand bonds and obligations. 

Being delivered from so great a death by so great a ransom, we are deeply indebted to our deliverer. See 1 Corinthians 6:19,20.

2. Consider the consequences, what will be at the end of the way. Here are life and death, blessing and cursing, set before us. If you live after the flesh, you shall die, that is, die eternally.

It is the pleasing, and serving, and gratifying, of the flesh, that are the ruin of souls that is the second death. Dying indeed is the soul’s dying: the death of the saints is but asleep.

But, on the other hand, You shall live, live and be happy to eternity that is the true life: If you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, subdue and keep under all fleshly lusts and affections, deny yourselves in the pleasing and humouring of the body, and this through the Spirit we cannot do it without the Spirit working it in us, and the Spirit will not do it without our doing our endeavour. 

So that in a word, we are put upon this dilemma, either to displease the body or destroy the soul. 

1. The Spirit of adoption is another privilege belonging to those that are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:14-16 1. All that are Christ’s are taken into the relation of Children to God, Romans 8:14. Observe, (1) Their property: They are led by the Spirit of God, as a scholar in his learning is led by his tutor, as a traveller in his journey is led by his guide, as a soldier in his engagements is led by his captain not driven as beasts, but led as rational creatures, drawn with the cords of a man and the bands of love. It is the undoubted character of all true believers that they are led by the Spirit of God. Having submitted themselves in believing to his guidance, they do in their obedience follow that guidance and are sweetly led into all truth and all duty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please remember these articles are the work of a humble servant of Yeshua doing His bidding as a Watchmen sounding the Trumpet to warn of impending danger within the Assembly. May our Father abundantly bless each one of you with wisdom and discernment to go forward as His “Modern Day Disciples.”

Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee, Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Yeshua is everlasting strength. (Isaiah 26:3-4)

Robert