They that are in the flesh cannot please God

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Romans 8:6-8

They that are in the flesh cannot please God, exclaims the apostle Paul in Romans chapter eight. It seems somewhat appropriate to begin the New Year with this scripture.  You may ask why? As we witness chaos and destruction in the world today, many are becoming confused as to what is really happening around us. We are witnessing outright hatred, stealing, shootings, and physical abuse. Anything done in the flesh cannot please God. Self-effort is in the flesh, and it cannot achieve holiness. Holiness is only through Jesus Christ. Every believer will struggle between two natures, the old Adamic nature and the divine nature that is through Christ Jesus. We must remember that the believer is not made holy by the law. Any kind of law puts the believer into living by the flesh instead of the Spirit. The flesh is linked to carnality which has been sold under sin. 

The apostle Paul states that the flesh is contrary to the Spirit [see Galatians 5:17]. Paul also gives us a list of the works of the flesh.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envying’s, murders, drunkenness, raveling’s, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

We should take note and remember what the works of the flesh are and that those who succumb to these actions will not inherit the kingdom of God. That is why the apostle Paul pleads that we should walk in the Spirit in order to not fall into temptations. There is a difference between those who walk in the Spirit and those who walk in the flesh. If we are walking in the Spirit, we are taking on the character of Christ. We must be spiritually minded in order to have life and peace. Jesus Christ has paid the price through His death on the cross and therefore we have redemption. Through the redemptive power of the blood, we now are raised up with Christ by His Spirit that dwells in us [see Romans 8:11]. We are to live by the Holy Spirit, and we pray for the Holy Spirit to help mortify the deeds of the flesh. We should check to see what spirit we are living in. Are we living in the flesh or Spirit?

“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:”

Romans 8:3

Sin is overstepping the boundaries of the law. The scriptures tell us that the law is our schoolmaster. The law is for the lawless and disobedient and not for the righteous man.

“The law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers.”

1st Timothy 1:9

When you live in the flesh you are not living in Faith. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin [see Romans 14:23]. Our faith is in Jesus Christ, for we confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and is the Son of God. We have not received the spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of Christ and are joint heirs with Christ [see Romans 8:17]. The Christian character is produced by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will always point to Christ. Jesus Christ is our example. It is not I, but Christ that lives in me and produces the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25

Have you crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts? This is only done through prayer. We must pray for the Holy Spirit intervention in our lives to conform us into the image of Christ. We must deny self, lusts, and affections in order to let the Spirit of Christ change us. We repent of our own ways and turn to God and follow His way. When we do this daily, we will have the fruit of the Spirit flow in our lives. Stay the course and walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Let this be your New Year’s resolution.