Fighting the Flesh

 

1 Corinthians 9:27  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

 

How have some - even Luther at one time - interpreted this verse?   

Why did Paul Abeat@ his body?   

How would not beating his body lead to his own disqualification?   

James 1:14‑15 Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full‑grown, gives birth to death.

 

Living with sinful flesh involves a fight -

Colossians 3:5‑6 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Romans 8:12‑13 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligationCbut it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

 

When we talk about fighting the flesh, according to the above verse, what does this involve?   

 

The Fight Begins with Hearing the Law

 

1 John 3:4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

Romans 7:7-13 I would not have known what sin was except through the law. . . . when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. . .  in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me . . .  so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

 

What does the law awaken us up to?   

When we realize what really sin is, what does this do to us?   

How does it put us to death?   

 

Get Power to Fight through the Gospel

 

Romans 8:1‑4 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For 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.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

 

How does the Gospel give us power to fight?   

 

The Fight Continues Under the Law

 

1 John 1:8‑10 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Romans 7:19‑23 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to doCthis I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God=s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

 

What did John and Paul admit about themselves even as Christians?   

How did John say to deal with that sin?   

Why should we confess our sins?   

 

John 3:19‑20 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

   

 

The Fight is Fought Under Discipline

 

1 Corinthians 11:31‑32 If we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

 

This text is taken under the context of the Lord=s Supper - where some were receiving the Lord=s Supper unworthily, and as a result were becoming sick and dying. 

 

What did Paul say would stop this?   

What did he mean by this?   

So why did the Lord bring judgment on them?   

Hebrews 12:10‑11 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

 

Consider the story of Manasseh -

2 Chronicles 33:11‑13 So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.

 

The Fight Continues Through Growth in the Spirit

 

2 Peter 3:17‑18 Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

 

How does growth in knowledge help our fight against the flesh?   

How do we grow in grace and knowledge?   

Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

2 Peter 1:5‑11 Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self‑control; and to self‑control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  (Learn how to live a Abetter@ life.)

 

Romans 8:26‑27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (Prayer)

 

The Fight is Fought as We Do What God Calls us to Do

 

The example of Paul -

1 Corinthians 9:19‑22 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God=s law but am under Christ=s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

2 Corinthians 4:8‑12 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus= sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

 

What does fulfilling our duties do to us physically?   

For Paul it involved being beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked.  What does it involve for the mother, husband, child, or worker in this world? 

What does it do for us spiritually? 

What happens if we shy from the tough calls in life?   

So how would you summarize you can fight the flesh?

Why is it so important to do?