| Fruit of the Flesh |
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As we look around we continually see the contrast of good and evil. Light and darkness. Black and white. The same is seen through the Bible. We see God and Satan. Holy and unholy. Fruit of the Spirit and fruit of the flesh. In the writing "Fruit of the Spirit", we find the evidence of a true believer in Christ. In this writing we will find the evidence of the flesh, the unbeliever.
When we look at the fruit that the Spirit brings we see holy living. We see both the characteristics that reveal the Trinity and the expectation of God for the believer. However, when we look at the fruit of the flesh we see everything that represents the world and sin. We see the complete opposite of who God is. What does the word say about the flesh? First, we find Paul himself admitting, “(that in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing…” (Romans 7:18). This is Paul, the man that wrote most of the New Testament acknowledging that there is no good thing in his flesh. Second, we find in Romans 8:8,
Notice that it does not say that the flesh may not please God but rather cannot please God. The flesh can never fulfill the requirement (standard) that God has set for us which is perfection (Matthew 5:48). Third, we are told through Romans 8:13,
You see once again the Spirit is to life as the flesh is to death. Spirit, eternal life. Flesh, eternal death. This is not just a comment made here in the book of Romans but we also find this being mentioned in the book of Galatians. The book of Galatians contains both the evidence of a believer (Galatians 5:22,23) and of a non believer.
In these few verses we get a glimpse of the things that are unpleasing to the Lord, the works of the flesh and the outcome of those that do these things. As we take time to look at and define these adjectives, begin to ponder whether or not these descriptive words describe you, your life, or the way that you conduct yourself. For this is the way of the flesh: |