The Freedom from the Flesh
(Freedom from flesh seems like an
IMPOSSIBILITY - When enemy is locked up in prison - feel free - yet could
escape / parole. Same way with
flesh. Today focus on POSITIVE - how our
flesh has been severely hampered - locked up.)
Romans 6 is a prime spot to
look in regards to our new found freedom as Christians -
Read 1-4, 6-7. What does Paul say happened to our Aold self@ as Christians?
How did this happen?
What effect was it to have on the Romans and us?
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no
longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Colossians 2:10‑12 and you have been given fullness in
Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also
circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision
done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been
buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power
of God, who raised him from the dead.
What exactly is the Asinful nature@?
Open up to Galatians 3:23-4:7. In what way is our flesh also freed?
The example of Onesimus -
Philemon 10‑16 I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,
who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but
now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending himCwho is
my very heartCback
to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place
in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do
anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and
not forced. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was
that you might have him back for goodC no longer as a slave, but
better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer
to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
How would Onesimus= freedom change his actions?
Consider also the change in the Corinthians -
1 Corinthians 6:9‑11 Do you not know that the wicked
will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually
immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual
offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers
will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you
were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Romans 8:3‑4 What the law was powerless to do in that
it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful
man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in
us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Read Romans 6:11-14. Not only were we put to death, but what else does Paul stress?
With this new life, what does he tell us to do?
This concept is drawn out further in the Scriptures -
Acts 2:38‑39 Peter replied, ARepent
and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The
promise is for you and your children and for all who are far offCfor
all whom the Lord our God will call.@
1 Corinthians 6:19‑20 Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your
body.
2 Corinthians 1:21‑22 Now it is God who makes both us
and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us,
and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Look at Romans 8:9-17. What common advantage do we find that we have according to these verses?
How does he assure us of the power of the Holy Spirit?
How does attitude come to play in the freedom from the flesh?
Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will
not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Read 15-18. What is our new master?
How is it different than the law master?
What had changed in the Romans?
Basically, you will either be a slave
of SIN or a slave of RIGHTEOUSNESS - there is no middle point.
Romans 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God=s law;
Romans 8:6 The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and
peace;
1 John 3:9‑10 No one who is born of God will continue
to sin, because God=s seed remains in him; he cannot
go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the
children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not
do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his
brother.
Galatians 5:22‑25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self‑control.
Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the
Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Titus 2:11‑14 For the grace of God that brings
salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ANo@ to
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self‑controlled, upright
and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hopeCthe
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself
for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that
are his very own, eager to do what is good.
In the Galatians passage - what responsibility does he put on us?
With this advantage - Paul often addressed his congregations
with confidence -
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has
gone, the new has come!
Romans 15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you
yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to
instruct one another.
1 Corinthians 1:4‑9 I always thank God for you because
of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in
every wayCin all
your speaking and in all your knowledgeC because our testimony about
Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as
you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you
strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our
Lord, is faithful.
2 Thessalonians 1:3‑4 We ought always to thank God for
you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and
the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among
God=s
churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and
trials you are enduring.
Why does Paul have such
confidence in his fellow Christians?
1 Corinthians 7:22‑23 For he who was a slave when he
was called by the Lord is the Lord=s freedman; similarly, he who
was a free man when he was called is Christ=s
slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
1 Peter 2:16 Live as free men,
but do not use your freedom as a cover‑up for evil; live as servants of
God.
A converted Christian also has the promises of God which
effects his attitude towards life -
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what
is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond
what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so
that you can stand up under it.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,
but a spirit of power, of love and of self‑discipline.
1 Thessalonians 5:23‑24 May God himself, the God of
peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body
be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you
is faithful and he will do it.
1 Corinthians 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the
Spirit is given for the common good.
2 Corinthians 3:17‑18 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled
faces all reflect the Lord=s glory, are being transformed
into his likeness with ever‑increasing glory, which comes from the Lord,
who is the Spirit.
What kind of promises does God give us as Christians?
With these promises, how does a Christian experience different kinds of Afreedom@?
With these promises, it gives us confidence then to move forward
in the faith -
Colossians 3:15‑17 Let the peace of Christ rule in
your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be
thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish
one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or
deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through him.
Ephesians 6:10‑12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and
in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your
stand against the devil=s schemes. For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear
friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and
spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Corinthians 9:8‑11 And God is able to make all grace
abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,
you will abound in every good work. As it is written: AHe has
scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.@ Now
he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and
increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every
occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
How can we move forward and grow in faith?
Does this mean that we can become perfect?
Hebrews 10:32‑35 Remember those earlier days after you
had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the
face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and
persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so
treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the
confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better
and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be
richly rewarded.
The Hebrews 10 passage above and chapter 11 examples show us that . . .
We can also help others in freeing them from their own
flesh -
Ephesians 3:16‑19 I pray that out of his glorious riches
he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know
this love that surpasses knowledgeCthat you may be filled to the
measure of all the fullness of God.
Colossians 1:9‑12 For this reason, since the day we heard
about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with
the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And
we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may
please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious
might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving
thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the
saints in the kingdom of light.
What did Paul do to help the people grow in faith and find freedom from the flesh?
Ephesians 4:11-15 It was he who gave some to be . . pastors
and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of
Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure
of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and
forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by
the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead,
speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the
Head, that is, Christ.
Hebrews 10:19‑25 Let us consider how we may spur one
another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as
some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one anotherCand
all the more as you see the Day approaching.
What are some other helps in our struggle against the flesh?
Any questions?