Will you please turn to the letter to
the Galatians.
Qin wǒ men yī tóng fān kāi jiā
lā tài sū.
Galatians chapter five.
Jiā lā tài sū dì wǔ zhāng.
Verse twenty-four.
Dì èrshì sì jiě.
Galatians chapter five, verse twenty-four.
Jiā lā tài sū wǔ zhāng èrshì sì
jiě.
I hope as we read it, we will
notice every word in that sentence.
Wǒ pàngwǎng dāng wǒ men dú de shí
hòu, wǒ men yào liúyì zài zhì jù
huà lǐ miàn de měi yí gè zì.
But they, that are of the Christ, have
crucified the flesh with the passions and the
lusts.
Fǎn shǔ jī dū yēsū de rén, shì
yǐ jīng bǎ ròu tǐ lián ròu tǐ
de xié qíng sī yù tóng dīng zài
shí zì jià shàng le.
We will repeat it.
Wǒ men zài dú yī biàn.
But they, that are of the Christ, have
crucified the flesh with the passions and the
lusts.
Fǎn shǔ jī dū yēsū de rén, shì
yǐ jīng bǎ ròu tǐ lián ròu tǐ
de xié qíng sī yù tóng dīng zài
shí zì jià shàng le.
Let's have a word of prayer.
Nàng wǒ men zài yǒu yī diǎn dǎo
gào.
Dear Lord, we pray that Thy cross will
be before each and every one of our
eyes so vividly Zhǔ wǎ wǒ men qiú
nǐ jiāng nǐ de shí zì jià zài
zài měi yí gè rén de yǎn qián
huó huà chù lái that it may deeply
touch our hearts Hǎo jiào tā nán shēng
shēng de gǎn dòng wǒ men and draw
each one of us into that cross bìng
qié xī yíng wǒ men měi yí gè
rén jìng rù nà shí zì jià and
allow that cross to enter into our very
being Hǎo jiào nà shí zì jià jìng
rù wǒ men měi yí gè rén de
shēng shàng that Thy glory may be manifested
even in us, earthen vessels Hǎo jiào nǐ
de róng yào nán gòu chóng wǒ men
zhe wǎ qì zhōng zhāng xiǎn chù lái
we commit this time totally into Thy hands
wǒ men bǎ zhī yì duàn shí jiān
wán quán jiāotuō zài nǐ de shǒu zhōng
with man it is impossible zhǔ wǎ zài
rén shì bù néng de but with Thee
all things are possible dàn shì zài nǐ
fán shì dōu néng so we expect Thee
to do the impossible things shuǒ yǔ wǒ
men qiú nǐ zài wǒ men zhōng jiān
zuò bù kě néng de shì to plant
Thy cross into our very being jiāo nǐ
de shí zì jià zhòng zài wǒ men
shēng shàng and we give Thee all the
glory wǒ men jiāo yī qiè de róng
yào dōu guī gěi nǐ in Thy precious
name we pray fèng nǐ bǎo guì de
míng wǒ men dǎo gào Amen Yesterday
morning we fellowship on the cross and the
old man zuó tiān zǎo chén wǒ men
jiāo tōng dào shí zì jià hé jiù
rén Now this morning we would like to
continue on with the cross and the flesh
jīn tiān zǎo chén wǒ men yào jì
xù jiǎng dào shí zì jià hé ròu
tí Now brothers and sisters, first of all,
we need to recognize what is flesh dì
xióng zǐ mèi men, shǒu xiān wǒ men
yào rèn shì shén me shì ròu tí
What is the difference between the old man
and the flesh?
jiù rén hé ròu tí zhī jiān yǒu
shén me qū bié As you read the
Bible dāng wǒ men dú shèng jīn de
shí hòu you will find the word flesh
is used in many different ways wǒ men
kèi kàn jiàn ròu tí zhè ge zhì
zài xǔ duō bù tóng de fāng shì
zhōng bèi shǐ yòng Sometimes the word flesh
refers to our physical body yǒu de shì
hòu zhè zhè ròu tí zhè ge zhì
shì zhí zhé wǒ men de ròu shēng
shēng tǐ shuō de For instance, in Colossians
2.20 qǔ lì lái shuō zài gē
lóu xī shū èr zhāng èr shí jiǎn
Galatians dàng Jiālātài shū èr zhāng èr shí
jiǎn I am crucified with Christ.
No longer live I.
It is Christ who lives in me.
And now I live in the flesh by
faith of the Son of God who loves
us and gave Himself for me.
wǒ yǐ jīng yǔ jī dū tóng dīng
shí zhì jià xiàn zài huó zhè de
bù zài shì wǒ nǎi shì jī dū
zài wǒ lǐ miàn huó zhè bìng qiě
wǒ rú jīng zài ròu shēng huó zhè
shì yīn xìng shéng de ér zǐ ér
huó So the word flesh there refers to
our physical body suì zài zhè lǐ shì
yòng ròu shēng zhè ge zhì And then
you find the word flesh can mean one
substance of our body For
instance, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 50
lì rú zài gē lín duō qián shū
shí wǔ zhāng dì wǔ shí jié It
says, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom
of God zài nà lǐ shuō dào xuě
ròu zhī tí bù néng chéng shòu shéng
de guó So we find that flesh is
part of the body suì yǒu wǒ men
kàn jiàn zhè lǐ de ròu tí zhì
zhě wǒ men shēng tí de yī bù
fèn And then we also find this word
is being used as the expression of union
wǒ men yě kàn jiàn ròu tí zhè
ge zhì nè bèi yòng lái biǎo shì
yí ge lián hé For instance, in Ephesians
chapter 5 verse 21 lì rú zài yǐ
fú suǒ shú dì wǔ zhāng èr shí
èr jié zhōng shuō dào You'll find that
men and women are united into one flesh
zài zhè lǐ wǒ men kàn jiàn nán
rén hé nǚ rén jié hé chéng wé
yī tí And then you'll find this same
word flesh can refer to man, to yourself
wǒ men yě kàn jiàn ròu tí zhè
ge zhì kě yǐ zhǐ zhě rén zhì
wǒ de zhì jǐ For instance, we find
in Romans chapter 7 verse 14 lì rú
zài lǒ ma shū dì qī zhāng dì
shí sì jié lǐ miàn In me, that
is in my flesh, there is no good
tā shuō zài wǒ lǐ miàn jiù shì
zài wǒ ròu tí zhōng méi yǒu liáng
shàn And then again you'll find in the
Bible the word flesh can refer to the
unregenerated man wǒ men yě kàn jiàn ròu
tí zhè zhǐ zhè nàn méi yǒu chóng
shēng de rén Therefore you'll find sometimes in
English it is translated the natural man shuō
yǒu wǒ men kàn jiàn zài yīng yǔ
de fān yì běn lǐ miàn tā fān
zuò tiān rán de rén The natural man
refers to the unregenerated man tiān rán de
rén shì zhǐ zhè méi yǒu chóng shēng
dé jiù de rén So we find that
this word flesh is used in many different
ways shuō yǒu wǒ men kàn jiàn ròu
tí zhè zhǐ zhè nàn zài xǐ duō
bù tóng de fāng shì zhōng bèi shǐ
yòng And even in the Old Testament shēng
zhì zài jiù yuē zhōng you'll find the
English word flesh is used in various ways
wǒ men yě kàn jiàn ròu tí zhè
zhè zhǐ zài bù tóng de fāng shì
zhōng bèi shǐ yòng It may refer to
the body huò zhe zhǐ zhe shēng qǐ
shuō You remember in Genesis chapter 2 wǒ
men jì de zài chuàng shī jì dì
èr zhāng lǐ verse 21 dì èr shí
yī jié how God did a surgery on
Adam shéng zhéng yàng zài yǎ dāng shēng
shàng dòng le yí gè shǒu shù and
took out something from him chóng tā shī
lǐ miàn de ná chū yī xiē dōng
xì lǎn and then God closed his flesh
rán hòu shéng yòu bǎ tā de ròu
hé qǐ lǎn and that means that his
body is being restored nà shì yì shì
shuō tā de shēng tǐ yòu dé zhuō
de huī fù and after God led Eve
to Adam dāng shéng bǎ xià wā dài
dào yǎ dāng miàn qiǎn Adam looked at
her and said this is bone of my
bones and flesh of my flesh yǎ dāng
kàn zhe tā zhì shuō zhè shì wǒ
gǔ zhōng de gǔ ròu zhōng de ròu
In other words, it is part of the
human body huàn yán zhī zhè nǎi shì
rén shēng tǐ zhōng de yī bù fèn
and then in verse 25 rán hòu zài
èr shí wǔ jié lǐ they are united
into one flesh, unity tā men lián hé
chéng wéi yī tí, chéng wéi yī le
and then when you come to Genesis chapter
6 rán hòu wǒ men kàn jiàn zài
chuāng shì jì dì liù zhāng lǐ miàn
in verse 3 zài dì sān jié zhōng
man have sinned so much rén shì rú
chǐ de fàn le zuì that God said
my spirit will not strive anymore with man
shén jù shuō wǒ de lín bù zài
yǔ rén xiāng zhēng le because man has
become flesh yīn wèi rén biàn chéng le
ròu tǐ in other words, man's spirit was
dead huàn yán zhī rén de lín shǐ
le and it remains the soul and the
body nème liú xià lái le zhè jiù
shì hún hé shēng tǐ he doesn't have
the Holy Spirit tā jiù méi yǒu le
shèng lín le and his whole life is
governed by his soul and his body tā
zhěng gè de shēng míng shì bèi tā
de hún hé shēng tǐ lái guǎn lǐ
now dear brothers and sisters shuǒ yǐ qīng
ài de dì xiōng zǐ mèi men this
morning when we talk about this matter of
the flesh jīn nián zǎo chéng dāng wǒ
men jiǎng dào ròu tǐ zhè jiàn shì
de shí hòu we limit ourselves to one
meaning wǒ men bǎ zì jǐ xiàn zhì
zài yī gè yì yì shàng and that
is the unregenerated man nà jiù shì méi
yǒu chóng shēng de rén a man that
is motivated by his soul and body jiù
shì yī gè jǐn jǐn bèi tā de
hún hé shēng tǐ suǒ tuī dòng de
rén without the Holy Spirit ér méi yǒu
shèng lín so this is the flesh that
we will be talking about zhè shì wǒ
men yào tán lùn de nèi gè ròu
tǐ now what is the difference between the
old man and the flesh nè me jiù
rén hé ròu tǐ zhī jiān de qū
bié shì shén me ne the old man
is a corporate man jiù rén shì yī
gè tuǎn tǐ de rén in other words,
the old man is Adam and all who
are in Adam huàn yán zhī, nè jiù
rén lái shì yǎ dāng hé suǒ yǒu
zài yǎ dāng lǐ miàn de rén and
the flesh is referred more or less to
the personal individual being ér ròu tǐ tā
zhǐ de shì gè rén de gè bié
de yí gè rén when you talk about
the old man dāng wǒ men tán dào
jiù rén de shì hòu we touch the
objective truth wǒ men mō dào de nǎi
shì nà kè guān de zhēn lǐ that
is to say, in the old man every
one of us who were born of Adam
were there nà jiù yì wèi zhè shuō
zài zhè gè jiù rén lǐ miàn fán
shì chóng yǎ dāng ér shēn de dōu
zài lǐ miàn but thank God, Christ is
the last Adam dàn shì gǎn xiè shén,
jī dū nǎi shì nà mò hòu de
yǎ dāng so when he was crucified on
the cross and died shuǐ dāng tā zài
shí zhì jià shàng bèi dìng shí de
shí hòu you and I and every one
of us who believe in the Lord Jesus
we died in Him and with Him nǐ
hé wǒ jiù shì shuō yǒu xiāng xìng
yē shū jī dū de rén dōu zài
tā lǐ miàn yǔ tā yī tóng shǐ
le you do not personally experience that death
wǒ men wèi gè bié de qù jīng
lì nài gè shǐ because you were already
dead before you were born yīn wèi zài
wǒ men hái miǎn chū shēn de shì
hòu wǒ men yǐ jīng zài tā lǐ
miàn shǐ le you were dead in Christ
Jesus wǒ men zài jī dū yē shū
lǐ shǐ le because He was the last
Adam and the second man yīn wèi tā
nǎi shì nǎi mò hòu de yǎ dāng
yě shì nǎi dì èr gè rén so
this refers to the objective truth it is
something that we must believe and as we
believe and receive it we find that it
is ours but when you talk about the
flesh you will find that it is more
or less emphasizes the subjective side that
is to say something that we will experience
ourselves so in one sense the old man
and the flesh are one shuǒ yǐ zài
yīn miàn yì yì lái jiǎng jiù rén
hé ròu tǐ shì yī but in another
sense you find that these are the two
sides of one thing dàn shì lìng wèi
yīn miàn lái jiǎng tā yù shì yī
jiàn shì qíng de liǎng miàn so when
we talk about what Christ has done for
us shuǒ yǐ dāng wǒ men jiǎng dào
jī dū wèi wǒ men shǒu wán chéng
de on the cross our old man was
crucified with Him zài shí zhì jià shàng
wǒ men de jiù rén yǔ tā tóng
dìng le and remember the old man is
always in singular number in other words there
is only one old man that is Adam
and all of us are in that Adam
so when Christ was crucified shuǒ yǐ dāng
jī dū bèi dìng shǐ de shí hòu
that old man, Adamic race was terminated in
His crucifixion nèi ge jiù rén jiù shì
yǎ dāng de zhú lèi zài tā bèi
dìng shǐ de shí hòu jiù shǐ le
and therefore we can reckon that we were
dead to sin in Christ Jesus and alive
to God in Christ Jesus shuǒ yǐ wǒ
men kě yǐ zài yē shū jī dū
lǐ miàn shuàn zhì jǐ xiàng zhè zuì
shì shǐ de zài jī dū lǐ xiàng
zhè shén shì huó zhè there is nothing
more simple than this accounting méi yǒu bǐ
zhè ge gèn jiǎn dān de kuài jì
yuán zé le because you have a fact
there yīn wèi zài nèi lǐ yǒu yí
gè sì shí an eternal fact yǒu yí
gè yóng yuǎn de sì shí that has
been completed nèi yǐ jīng wán chén liào
and it never changes changes.
And you just recognize it as yours.
And it is yours.
Now thank God for that.
But then you find when you talk about
the flesh, we all are flesh.
But your flesh and my flesh are different.
Because the combinations are all different.
And we all inherit from Adam.
But then you find the combinations are so
varied.
Therefore your flesh is different from my flesh.
And yet it is flesh.
So brothers and sisters, just remember this.
When we come to this matter of the
cross and the flesh, we are moving on
into the subjective side of experience.
Brothers and sisters, after we are saved,
before we were saved, our spirit was dead
unto God.
We had no contact with God.
But thank God when we believe in the
Lord Jesus as our personal Savior.
He not only washed our sins away by
His shed blood.
Because the Bible said, without the shedding of
blood, there is no remission of sin.
No matter what you do, you may try
to accumulate your merits, but that cannot wash
your sins away.
It is through the shed blood of our
Lord Jesus that our sins were all remitted.
But God is something more than that.
Because when we believe in the Lord Jesus,
our dead spirit will quicken into new life.
Because our Lord Jesus has cleansed our conscience
and made our spirit a new spirit, a
living spirit that can communicate with its proper
environment, our God Himself.
So the moment we are saved, we will
cry out, Abba, Father.
Because that connection was made.
And the life of Christ came into our
new spirit by the Holy Spirit.
We are born again.
We receive the life of God.
Christ Himself dwells by the Spirit in our
new spirit.
Now that is what we usually call initial
salvation.
In our spirit, Christ dwells.
His life is the life of our spirit.
And that begins our spiritual life.
But even so, we find that the old
nature, the old
nature of Adam is still in us.
So far as our spirit is concerned, we
have a new life, a new spirit.
We have the Holy Spirit in us.
But so far as our soul and body
are concerned, we find that life in our
soul is still the old Adamic nature.
And that can be easily experienced.
So when you turn to the letter to
the Corinthians, yeah, in 1 Corinthians, chapter
3, verse 1, and I, brethren, have
not been able to speak to you as
to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to
babies in Christ.
When the Apostle Paul was in Corinth, he
preached nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
And many Corinthians turned to the Lord.
And Paul continued to minister to these believers.
But he said, I have not been able
to speak to you as to spiritual.
Now we will think that after we have
the new spirit, the new life, and the
Holy Spirit dwelling in us, dwelling our spirit,
we surely should be spiritual now.
But strangely you find, Paul said, I cannot
speak to you as to spiritual.
Because I can only speak to you as
fleshly, as babies in Christ.
Now, brothers and sisters, even though we do
have a new life, we have a new
spirit, and the Holy Spirit dwells in our
spirit.
But so far as our soul is concerned,
it is still being animated by that old,
endemic life.
We are not instantly becoming spiritual.
Because so far as the rest of our
being is concerned, we find that it is
still under the life of the old Adam.
It is still in an unfallen state.
And there you find our flesh, our self
is still the very life of our being.
We need to gradually grow out of the
old life, and grow in Christ
Jesus.
Then we will enter into more of the
spiritual condition.
So when we were first saved, do not
think that we are instantly spiritual now.
We are still bathed in Christ.
And because we are still bathed in Christ,
so we are still fleshly.
Now, in the Greek, this adjective has a
little variation.
For instance, in 1 Corinthians 3, verse 1,
but as to fleshly, Now,
the word flesh there, this refers to
the substance, the material of a thing.
So it is neutral.
And then when you come to verse 3,
saying that you are yet carnal, and this
word carnal is another variation of the adjective.
But that word can mean the material or
substance of a thing, or it can refer
to the moral sense, or it can be
a combination of both.
Now, for the sake of simplifying it, now
let us use it this way.
In 1 Corinthians 3, verse 1, but as
to fleshly, let us translate it to, but
as to fleshy.
In other words, it is the material then.
It does not include any moral sense in
it.
And in the Bible you find sometimes this
word is translated into natural, natural man.
For instance, you find in 1 Corinthians 2,
it says the natural man does not understand
the things of the spirit.
Yes, it is the same word.
So in other words, we can say now
it refers to a person who is a
fleshly man.
And that means he is a babe in
Christ.
Now, brothers and sisters, we all love babies,
because they are so natural.
There is no pretension.
But at the same time you find they
are terrible, because they are so self-centered.
Even at midnight, when they are hungry, they
will cry.
They do not mind who you are.
I am the most important person in the
world.
Everybody has to serve me.
Now that is being fleshy.
So when we are babes in Christ, we
are very fleshy.
Thank God we do not pretend.
Unfortunately, the more we grow, the more we
become not very true.
But as babes you find that this is
what I am.
He does not care what you think about
him.
And so it is very natural, but very
fleshy.
Now, brothers and sisters, when we first believe
in the Lord Jesus, that is what we
are in the spiritual world.
So Paul said, when I was with you,
in the very beginning of your being saved,
I treated you as babes in Christ.
I fed you with milk, because you cannot
digest hard food.
But that condition should not last too long.
We will be able to consider you because
you are babes.
But if you remain a babe too long,
then something is terribly wrong.
After so long a time, Paul said, I
still cannot give you solid food, because you
are yet carnal.
In other words, you are still fleshly.
That old Adamic nature is still dominating your
life.
You should outgrow it, that Christ may become
your life.
And this is being abnormal.
So, brothers and sisters, we will endure brothers
and sisters who are newly saved.
If they are all fleshly, in a sense,
we enjoy it.
Because they are so real.
But such situation should not last too long.
You remember, not only with the Corinthian believers,
they are all in that situation.
Even when you go to the book of
Hebrews, you find the same thing.
You find that they are still not being
spiritually exercised.
They are still remained as babes in Christ.
And they have not left the foundation, and
have not pressed on to full growth.
And that will be a tragedy.
Brothers and sisters, if you are in your
family, when a baby is first born, and
when he is in his babyhood, everybody enjoys
him.
But if after ten years, after twenty years,
he remains the same, that will be a
tragedy to the family.
Spiritually, this is the same.
So, brothers and sisters, when we are talking
about the flesh, actually we are referring to
a condition, the condition of being fleshly.
So, Paul said, you are still carnal.
The flesh is the natural man.
It should refer to the unregenerated people.
But unfortunately, we find this same term is
now being applied to Christians.
Why?
Because we act as the people of the
world.
So, that shows that we are not much
different from the people of the world.
So, this is something that should not be.
Now, what are the symptoms of being fleshly?
What are the signs of the carnal Christians?
Now, when you read the first letter to
the Corinthians, you find Apostle Paul describes to
us, giving us all the symptoms manifested by
the carnal Christians.
Remember, Paul did not refer to the people
of the world.
He referred to the carnal Christians.
Christians who are still living in the flesh.
Instead of living in the spirit.
Now, what are the symptoms?
Number one, of course, if a Christian remains
in the carnal state, he is still a
baby in Christ.
And as a baby, he cannot take solid
food.
Because he has not been exercised.
So, he has to be fed with milk.
Now, what is milk?
Milk is pre-digested food.
Your mother takes food and digests it.
And then, you suck the milk out of
your mother.
In other words, it has been already digested.
So, you can just absorb it without exercise
yourself.
So, that is one of the signs of
being in the flesh.
Now, we find nowadays, among the Christians, thank
God, there are people who really appreciate ministry.
They appreciate ministry more than the Lord's table.
Because at the Lord's table, we give to
the Lord.
What He has given us, we give back
to Him.
We remember Him.
We honor Him.
We express our appreciation to Him.
And we serve Him.
But when we listen to a message, we
receive, we receive.
And we receive what has been digested.
So, we don't need to exercise ourselves before
the Lord.
And because we never exercise ourselves, so we
find that we never grow.
We hear and hear and hear.
And nothing happens.
Because we never exercise.
So, brothers and sisters, that is the one
sign of being in the flesh.
And the second sign, you find in 1
Corinthians chapter 3, it says, and in the
third verse, Are you not carnal and walk
according to man?
In other words, our walk, our life upon
this earth is according to man.
What the people of the world do, we
do too.
Even what the people of the world think,
we too think.
What the people of the world seek after,
we also seek after.
We are no different from the people of
the world.
Even though we do have eternal life in
us.
But that eternal life has not been expressed.
Because we are still living according to the
flesh.
And then, as you read on, you find
there are divisions among God's people.
How they follow man instead of follow Christ.
I am of Paul, I am of Paul,
I am of Cephas.
And some say I am exclusively of Christ.
Paul said, is Christ divided?
Has Paul crucified for you?
Are you baptized in the name of Paul?
Christ is not divided.
So when we see divisions among God's people,
this is a sure sign that we are
walking according to the flesh.
And then you find among the Corinthians, there
were people who committed fornication to such an
extent, even the world rarely sees them.
And the whole church thinks nothing about it.
They think they are so liberal.
They are able to allow anything, everything.
There is no sense of righteousness.
Brothers and sisters, and then you find how
they love the world.
Oh, they love social.
They love to eat and to drink.
And because of that, they go to the
temple, to idol temple to do that.
Because in Corinth, this is the social time.
And it's always being in the temple.
And so they say, well, there is only
one God.
These idols are nothing.
So we can go in and enjoy ourselves.
Brothers and sisters, and then you find how
they defraud one another.
And even accuse one another before the worldly
court.
And then you find they just love themselves,
enjoy themselves, and neglecting the other brothers.
Brothers and sisters, they do not care about
the weak brothers and sisters.
They say that we have the truth.
So we can do whatever we want to.
And knowledge pops up.
But love builds up.
And then you find there is disorder among
themselves.
Even at the Lord's table, some got drunk
and some are hungry.
There was no order among them.
Even in the exercise of spiritual gifts.
It was a display of themselves.
And it is not edifying.
And there was unbelief.
They do not believe in resurrection.
How can you believe in resurrection if you
live such a life?
And they are very disobedient.
There is no authority, no order.
Now all these you find are the symptoms
of men and women of the flesh.
And then if you turn to Romans chapter
7, now Romans 7 shows us that those
who walk according to the flesh, they cannot
please God.
Because, as the Apostle Paul says, he describes
himself when he was still in that stage.
When the flesh is still dominating his life.
You find in verse 14, For we know
that the law is righteous, but I am
fleshly, I have been sold to sin.
In other words, you find sin is still
ruling over the flesh.
And then in verse 18, For I know
that in me, that is in my flesh,
good does not dwell.
For to will is there with me, but
to do right is not.
And then in Romans chapter 8, verse 5,
For they that are according to flesh mind
the things of the flesh, and they that
are according to spirit, the things of the
spirit.
For the mind of the flesh is death,
but the mind of the spirit, life and
peace.
Then in verse 7, Because the mind of
the flesh is enmity against God, for it
is not subject to the law of God.
For neither indeed can it be.
And then verse 8, And they that are
in flesh cannot please God.
Do not think that you can live according
to the flesh and please God.
Do not think that we can serve God
according to the mind of the flesh.
Because so far as God is concerned, God
has condensed flesh to death.
So, people who are walking, living according to
the flesh can never please God.
Then if you return to Galatians, Galatians chapter
5, verse 19, Now
the works of the flesh are manifest.
The flesh, when it works, it is very
clear.
You can easily recognize them, which are fornication,
uncleanness, licentiousness.
I think these three refer to the passions
of the flesh.
Because it all refers to the passion, the
physical urge of the body.
Then idolatry, sorcery.
That refers to some of the lust of
the flesh.
So you'll find in Colossians it says it's
will worship.
Because our will is darkened, is against God.
It is alienated from the life of God.
It is separated.
So you'll find that instead of worshiping God,
the true God, they worship the idols.
Instead of seeking to know God's will by
His Spirit, they go to sorcery to seek
for mediums.
So it is the degradation of the human
will.
And then hatred, strife, jealousy, anger, contentions.
And these are the emotional things.
And shows that our emotion is all being
distorted.
Disputes, schools of opinions, envyings.
And these refer to our mind.
And our mind is all darkened.
And then murders, drunkenness, revels.
And these two refer to how we are
so earthly, because we are not natural.
If it's natural, it's earthly.
And the word says that they who do
such things shall not inherit God's kingdom.
So, brothers and sisters, we find that the
flesh can be easily detected.
Because their deeds, their works, are very manifested.
And we need to ask a question.
Since we have believed in the Lord Jesus,
have we grown out of our babyhood?
Have we all measured by what we have
read?
Whether it is in 1 Corinthians, or in
Romans, or in Galatians.
Do we still walk according to the flesh?
Do we still serve according to the flesh?
Or are we now walking according to the
Spirit?
And we serve God in our spirit.
I think it would be a very practical
question.
And we have to ask ourselves.
We must go to the Lord and let
His light shine upon us.
That in His light we may see light.
That we may repent and abhor ourselves.
And then turn to the Lord to seek
for deliverance.
So the question now is, how can we
be delivered from our flesh?
This is a very personal question.
And it is a very subjective one.
It is not like the old man.
It is objective.
It is something that Christ has done for
us.
All we need to do is to reckon
it.
And believe in it.
But now we come to our personal experience.
How can we be delivered from our flesh?
And you find the way is the cross.
But it is more than the cross that
was erected on Calvary.
It is that cross that has to be
implanted into our very soul.
The objective cross has to become the subjective
cross.
The cross of Christ has to become my
cross, your cross.
Now, how do we experience it?
You notice in Galatians 5, 24.
He said, but they that are of the
Christ.
Now, first of all, we need to remember
that we are in Christ.
Now, often times, we forget it.
Experientially speaking, often times, we come out of
Christ.
When we live in the flesh, we do
not live in Christ.
So, often times, we come out of Christ.
That is from the experience point of view.
From the truth point of view, it won't
happen.
We are in Christ and is always in
Christ.
So, first of all, we need to remember
that we are of Christ.
In other words, we need to take our
new position in Christ Jesus.
Today, we are in Christ.
And in Christ, the old man was crucified.
No longer live I, it is Christ who
lives in me.
So, first of all, we have to take
that stand.
We have to take that stand in Christ
Jesus.
You know, when temptation comes, what is temptation?
Temptation is leading you out of Christ and
get you back into Adam.
So, when temptation comes, because it cannot touch
Christ, it only has the living relationship with
Adam.
Outside of Adam, he has no power.
In Christ, he is finished.
So, temptation is drawing away out of Christ.
And then we find ourselves being in Adam.
And if we are in Adam, then sin
has dominion over us.
So, first of all, we have to by
faith take our stand in Christ Jesus.
Declaring that the old Adam was crucified.
We were dead to sin in Christ Jesus.
And we are alive unto God in Christ
Jesus.
And when you take that position, when you
take that stand, then how does it work?
In Galatians chapter 5, verse 16, but I
say, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall
no way fulfill flesh lust.
Brothers and sisters, here you find the subjective
work of the Holy Spirit.
Two thousand years ago, Christ died on Calvary's
cross.
And God has already put the whole endemic
race in Christ.
So, when Christ died, the whole endemic race
was terminated.
That is an eternal truth.
You stand on that.
Then the Holy Spirit begins to work.
And He will bring that cross, the finished
work of Christ on the cross, into your
experience.
That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
He will bring us into all truth.
So, after we have taken the stand in
Christ Jesus, and we learn to walk in
the Spirit, and then you find what happens.
You find that the flesh will lust after
the Spirit, and the Spirit will lust against
the flesh.
And these things oppose one to the other
that you should not do these things which
you desire.
In other words, the fight is not done
by you or me.
If we try to fight against the flesh,
we will fail.
No matter how determined you are, let the
Holy Spirit strive against the flesh.
It is a battle between the Holy Spirit
and the flesh.
Not between you and the flesh.
Because you are the flesh.
So let the Holy Spirit work against the
flesh.
And when the Holy Spirit strives against the
flesh, you are not able to do what
your flesh wants to do.
Because the Holy Spirit will put to death
the deeds of the body.
And then, you will be delivered from the
flesh.
So, brothers and sisters, if you turn to
Romans chapter 8, there
in Romans chapter 8, verse 18, For
if you live according to flesh, you are
about to die.
But if by the Spirit you put to
death the deeds of the body, you shall
live.
Romans 8.
8, 18.
Oh, 13, not 18.
Let me use an illustration.
It is the illustration of grafting.
Suppose you have a peach tree.
And the nature of that peach tree is
very bad.
And all the peaches that are produced are
sour.
Now, how are you going to improve that
peach tree?
You use this method of grafting.
Near the root of that peach tree, you
cut off.
And then you make another session.
And you take a twig out of a
good peach tree.
That peach tree bears sweet fruit.
So you just graft this twig into the
old tree.
And then the tree began to grow.
And when it grows up, you find that
all the branches will bear sweet peaches.
Because it has taken up the new nature.
But you have to be very careful.
Because underneath that cut, branches will also come
out.
And when these branches come out, they will
bear sour peaches.
Above the incision you have sweet peaches.
Below that incision, you have the old sour
peaches.
So what the farmer will do?
He will watch.
Whenever there are branches coming underneath, below that
incision, he will cut it off.
And then you'll find the whole peach tree
will bear sweet fruit.
So that is our story.
We are the poor, bad fruit tree.
But the cross cut into our life.
And Christ is being grafted into us.
So naturally, supernaturally, naturally, you'll find that it
will bear the fruit of the Spirit.
But unfortunately, underneath that cut, you'll find branches
are still coming out.
So the Holy Spirit will do this work.
He will put the deeds of the body
unto death that you may live.
So dear brothers and sisters, they who are
of the Christ have crucified their flesh with
the passions and the lust.
This is how the Spirit of God will
work.
This is how we experience the cross in
our daily life.
So may we believe in what the Lord
Jesus has done for us.
And let us obey the Holy Spirit as
He works the cross into our daily life.
This is the way of deliverance.
Thank God.
Dear Lord, we just lay these words at
Thy feet.
If it is of Thee, use it.
If anything is not of Thee, put it
to death.
If anything is not of Thee, put it
to death.
We ask in Thy precious name.
Amen.