The "Glorified" Flesh vs the Spirit

I enjoy hearing revelations by others and was inspired by one of my friend's email. (thanks G!)

Some people may struggle continually in their walk with God. They always seem to stumble and fall, however. Often times they start with a burst, but then end up burning out and feeling hopeless and defeated. This is because so many Christians are trying to "fix" the flesh. They are trying to improve it by abstaining from evil things, make commitments, attend church regularly, be accountable, and so forth.. but those are just works and attempts done in the flesh. Unfortunately, that is a guaranteed failure.

Nothing in the flesh can please God. The Bible tells us that in Romans 8:8. A Christian can do many wonderful works in the flesh, profess godliness (you can be "Godly" and not have God), never miss a church service, and be to what the world thinks: "an excellent Christian" or a "very godly person!" But unfortunately, for the majority of them, they will face Christ and say that they have done so many wonderful things in His name, but He will turn to them and say, "depart from me, I never knew you"

^"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matt 7:21-23

Those people that were rejected by Christ did many wonderful things in His name.. but that doesn't mean they were IN Him. How many of us claim His name, but are not IN Him? Unfortunately, too many. They weren't doing the will of the Father in heaven although they thought they were by doing those works. What is the will of the Father? It is for us to receive the one whom He has sent. (John 6:40).The will of the Father is not for those in the flesh to earn points with Him by their dead works, but to die in the flesh and live again in the Spirit through His Son Jesus Christ.

Those who did those many wonderful works were called workers of iniquity. That is because they were still in the flesh! The flesh = iniquity. If you are in the flesh, you are in iniquity, period.

God only recognizes those in the Spirit as His. He will not accept the flesh. Just like Hagar and Ishmael had to be cast out (flesh cast out), so that Sarah and Isaac would remain and be heirs (Spirit can only remain and inherit the promise), God will cast out those in the flesh in spite of all their wonderful works, and only those in the Spirit will remain. (read Galatians 4).

My friend G also wrote that God only accepts one offering, what is pleasing to Him and rejects all other. Cain offered what he thought was sufficient, but God rejected his offering. Abraham offered his son, but God stopped Him and provided him with a ram tangled in the bushes for an offering. God doesn't want our offerings, or what we may think is sufficient to please Him. He only demands one offering- His Son.

We can try to "fix" our flesh, and wrap it in a pretty package for God, but He does not want it. It will be rejected. Just like how Cain prepared a basket of fruit that he worked hard to grow.. he was giving God what He thought was good, and was proud of. God wants what He demands. What can we do? Nothing. Only God can draw us to His Son, whose blood and Spirit transforms us after His image, and from that point on.. we are a new person in Him.

What is it to be born again? It is not a repented, fixed, glorified flesh. It is dead flesh. We must die to the flesh, die to the lineage of the first Adam, and be born again in the Spirit, but it is not by ourselves, but BY the Spirit. We have to be born into this new generation where Christ is the second Adam, and the first in this Spiritual lineage.  You are no longer this person that you were in the flesh, but have become a part of this Spiritual lineage, as a heir and a son of God. The Bible says that this must happen for us to enter the kingdom of heaven, and there is no other way.

When He looks at us, let Him see His Son in us, not our own "glorified" flesh. We need the blood of the spotless lamb without blemish over our doorpost and the angel of death will pass over us. Jesus is that passover lamb.

So.. there is absolutely nothing YOU can do to please God or to offer what you think is sufficient for God. It is not hopeless although it may sound like it.. but trust in God, realize you have failed, and will forever fail no matter how hard you try, but trust in the victory of His Son. It is not by our lives that we are saved, but by HIS alone. Know the truth and it will set you free. Humble yourself before God's sovereignty and in His Son's completed work. He will do the rest.

The End of the Law

Here are some key verses about the law and how it has ended through Christ. Many Christians are still bound by the law, and have not embraced the liberty in Christ. The law will only bring condemnation, and it is only through Christ and what He has done for you, that you may be saved.

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt 5:18

The law couldn't pass away until everything was fulfilled. And it has been. 

It was all fulfilled by Christ Jesus.

"In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." Hebrews 8:13

Christ established a new, Spiritual covenant with us. The covenant which was the law is now passed away. It is old, expired and outdated. We have the new covenant now which is to walk in the Spirit, not by the law of the letter.

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Romans 10:4

Christ is the fulfillment of the law. He is the completed and perfected work of the law. Now that we live in Him, and He lives in us, we also receive the fulfillment thereof.

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Galatians 4:4,5

This was His purpose. Christ was under the law, walked in it perfectly, fulfilled all things, and now in Him, we are redeemed from the law.

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" Gal 3:3

And it is His completed work. Let us rest in His completed work and not stay in bondage! Christ has paid the price and set you free!

"The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Luke 16:16

This is interesting. The law was to bring forth a need for a Saviour. The prophets all testified of a Saviour. This occurred all the way up until John. John's purpose was to announce the Messiah before the world, and then God allowed him to be killed. I believe this could possibly be because his purpose as a prophet was over, because it was now the time of Christ.

Remember the story when Peter and John saw a vision of Jesus transfigured before Elijah and Moses? This was also symbolic for Christ standing before the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah). Peter wanted to honor all three equally by building three tabernacles for them. God's voice came out of heaven and rebuked Peter by saying "this is my Son, hear HIM!" Christ was not to be made equal with the law and the prophets. It was now His time.

Many people that I have shared this with become offended and say that we need the law as a moral guideline. They say that without the law, people would go on a sinning frenzy. The new covenant that Christ established is Spiritual. He gave us His Spirit to guide us, to instruct us, and to teach us. If we are truly saved, and if His Spirit is truly within us, then our fruits will become evident. We will not go on a sinning frenzy because He lives in us. God directly works in us and forms us in His image. Our steps no longer become our own, but His because we have truly been born again in the Spirit. 

If a Christian decides to keep the law, and let their works become their righteousness, then they will be condemned by God. In the Bible, it says that no flesh will be justified by the law and the law has concluded ALL guilty (Rom 3:19,20, 28, Gal 2:16, Gal 3:11, Gal 5:4). It is not by works that we are saved, but it is by faith. The law is carnal, and those who do not have faith, and are unable to trust Christ alone for their salvation will try to earn their own way into heaven. God requires your faith in His Son, and what He has done for you. This is also the only way.

The Evidence of Our Faith

It is important to understand the true source of works. There is a fine line between works that stem from faith, and works for self gain. Firstly, we want to show that works alone cannot save us.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8,9

Yet it proceeds onto the next verse saying,

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

When we are in Christ Jesus, we are ordained and sent unto good works so that we may serve him. It is not of ourselves! If we do works on our own, thinking we are to earn points, or move up some sort of ladder of merit, then it is empty works! It is vanity!

But because Jesus Christ lives and dwells within us, we have a change of heart and lifestyle. We will find a renewed sense within us to want to help others, to take chances, to spread the Gospel. Our works become evidences that He lives within us, and that we have faith.

Read James 2:14-26,

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

We read in James that faith alone profits nothing. Faith alone without any evidence of it by our works is dead. Many Christians believe in God, but so do the devils! What sets us apart from devils? It is our faith in action. It is our lifestyle. It is our fruit! The devils believe in God and know He is real, yet they live wickedly. There are Christians out there who believe in God, and their works and lifestyles are wicked!

We see the examples in the passage listed above that Abraham and Rahab had none to profit themselves from these works! Abraham was about to lose his favorite son, and how could that be a self gain? Rahab became a traitor to her own country when she decided to help hide the spies in her home. Works are to be selfless, not selfish!

Works that are for our own gain, our own recognition, our own merit and glory are vain and worthless! Yet, works that come from our heart of faith, are good works that are well pleasing unto God! It is good fruit sown on good ground in the true heart of a believer.  Let us not be Pharisees who do works after their own glory!

When God looks at your life, will He see good fruit? Will He see the fruits of the Spirit? Will He see love, compassion, long suffering, patience, peace, joy, charity? Or will He see selfishness, pride, greed, lusts, gluttony, anger, jealousy, vanity? (read Galatians 5:19-23)

Believing in God isn't the only thing that can get you home.

Paul encourages us to examine ourselves, to test ourselves and to find whether we are in the faith, or whether we are reprobate.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" 2 Corinthians 13:5

We will see many Christians come and go, but who are the ones that are truly saved and living in Christ? Paul says that we shall know them by their fruits.

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matthew 7: 16-20

"Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit." Matthew 12:33

Let us examine ourselves. Do we bear good fruit? Read Matthew 13, the parable of the sower.

God is the sower that sows His Word like seeds all over,

The Wayside Believer: This believer did not understand the Word of God, and the enemy removes the Word from their heart.

The Stony Believer: This believer receives the Word with joy and lasts a short time. When times of persecution and tribulation comes, this believer is immediately offended and leaves.

The Thorny Believer: This believer receives the Word, but then is entangled in the world. The thorns of the world choke the Word out of this believer with it's lusts, riches and pleasures.

The Good Ground Believer: This believer receives the Word and understands it. This believer bears fruit, and then it increases many times over! This is the believer that God seeks, whom bears good fruits and God sends an increase. God's Word is manifest in their lives because the faith they received grew into trees that bore good fruits. Their faith is manifest by their fruits.

Let us always examine ourselves and let our hearts be like the good ground that receives His Word. Let our faith grow and bear many fruits in God's field. Let our works be manifest through our faith and show that Jesus Christ lives within us indeed!When the Son of Man appears from the sky with His Angels, let us rejoice knowing this,

"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matthew 16:27

For our works testify of the faith we have in Him.

We Are No Longer Cursed

We see Christians nowadays that go down two different paths. Some choose to live by grace while others choose to live by the law. Many are deceived and taught that they must provide God with their own works and righteousness after salvation. Yet, what is grace and the purpose for why Jesus Christ came down to die for us? This is a very important subject because it has the ability to change our whole lives once we fully realize the full aspect of what the cross achieved for us.

We must first realize that there is nothing that we can bring to the table. We cannot create or compose something even halfway decent to give back to God on our own. Even at our very best, we still put Him on the cross. He still had to die for those whom we consider to be the very best Christians or the most righteous and "good" people we know.

All our righteousness still put Him on the cross!

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" Isaiah 64:6

The Bible calls our righteousness filthy rags. Those are the filthy rags that those with leprosy had to wipe off the pus from their boils with! Our righteousness is filthy in the eyes of God.

Is there any exception for anybody on this Earth? Nope!

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10

and every man has failed to meet the exceptionally high quota of God which is perfection.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

So we have concluded that we are not righteous and we all are sinners. Is that bad news? Actually, not really because if we were good enough, we wouldn't need Jesus at all. That's the thing! How many of us actually think that we can produce our own righteousness and become "good enough" for God? Actually, a lot of us still do.. but the danger is that in this belief, there is no need for Jesus and what He did for us on the cross.

The Bible says that if we follow the law and try to produce our own righteousness by following the law, then we are fallen from grace! That's a terrifying thought!

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Galatians 5:4

Grace is the gift of God. Grace is what God's own son did for us on the cross. Grace is knowing that we will never be good enough for God, and accepting this free gift. If we reject grace, then we reject the price that Jesus Christ paid for us on the cross. If we choose righteousness by the law, then Christ is dead for nothing!

"I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:21

A lot of us subconsciously worry about being good after we are saved. We try to be good enough and feel like we owe God something. Should we feel that way? No, because there is no debt we need to pay. We don't owe anybody anything! The debt has ALREADY been paid! Why are we working as if we're paying off a debt?

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:4,5

We are no longer under the old covenant where we had to observe the law to become righteous in the eyes of God. Jesus came to fulfill all 613 of the old Torah laws because the law was a curse and it brought death.

The law was given to us because of the sin that was brought on to the world and now we are redeemed! Adam disobeyed God and sinned against Him, then sin and death reigned in the world. The world was cursed with law and sin until God sent His Son to redeem us. This was the promise that the old testament saints waited for thousands of years.

"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." Galatians 3:19

(Note: Jesus Christ is the mediator, 1 Tim 2:5)

God gave the Gentiles free righteousness without law and works through His Son. Israel had the law and their works to give an account for their righteousness but we have something far greater. We have the Son and our faith is our righteousness. If we seek God through the deeds of the law and not of faith, we shall stumble and fall. We will fail.

"What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone." Romans 9:30-32

We are justified by our faith and not by the law or of works. Isn't that amazing? Faith is what justifies us!

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Romans 3:28

 We know that it was our faith in Jesus Christ that saved us. It was our salvation! Why do we turn back and return to the law and works? Faith is what got us in, and faith is what brings us home.

"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? " Galatians 3:3

 Here is a warning. I have been to many churches personally that teach grace, but they also teach us to follow certain laws in the Old Testament. The law is one and whole. There are 613 laws in the OT that is called the Torah. Those 613 laws are commandments from God in the old covenant. If we choose to keep and observe a few, even just a select few, we are bound by the law. And when we are bound by the law, we are to keep every single one of them!

Who can live up to 613 laws of righteousness? If we miss one, we have failed ALL!

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. " James 2:10

 The law is a curse and it brings death! There will be those who will tell you the law is good, but the Bible says it is a curse and all who follow the curse shall die! No man shall be justified by the law in the sight of God! No one can stand before God and present their works by the law and make it through!

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.


And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Galatians 3:10-13

The law was created to bring us unto Jesus Christ. It gave us a need for a Saviour and God's purpose was fulfilled in His Son. Now that He has come and now that we have faith, we are no longer under the law. The law was only made to bring us HERE to be in Christ with faith.

"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Galatians 3:24, 25

We are so blessed to be in this point of time where we have the gift of grace that is made into effect by grace that was given to us by the shedding of the blood of Jesus. Yet, it is grievous to see that there are those who choose to still be under the law even to this day! There are even those who claim to have grace but still keep some rules of the law.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8

The reason why this is so urgent is that if we have been deceived to follow the law, then we shall be judged the law. God honors our decision and our choices if we choose to follow the law. We shall be judged before the throne of God by every deed we do and by all our works! And in Revelation, no man makes it out of the Great White Throne alive. Those who have the law have the wrath of God upon them.

We need the blood of the spotless lamb for death to pass over us. We need to fully receive the blood and accept grace. In accepting grace, we are accepting the free gift of God. Jesus takes our place, and the Father will look at us and see His Son's righteousness in us! He will NOT see our own righteousness, but His Son's Righteousness!

Our righteousness are filthy rags and we will surely die! We need the righteousness of Jesus Christ upon us! What is so beautiful about this is that Jesus walked on Earth and He completed every single law perfectly! He was flawless and righteous! He was perfect! That is what the Father will see in us! We have literally traded places! Jesus paid the price of our righteousness by dying for us and he became a curse for us. He had the wrath of God upon Him on the cross! And we can take His place and become the heir to the kingdom of God! We become the adopted sons of God!

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. " Galatians 4:4,5

We must choose faith. We must choose grace. We must realize that under the law and works, we shall be condemned and we shall die! I know that this has been an exhaustive study and this is only a few scriptures from the New Testament. I encourage those who are thirsty for more information about law and grace to read Romans and Galatians. Paul writes in depth and passion about grace and teaches it to the new believers.

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Romans 10:4

Jesus Christ = end of the law. It is complete.



Do you believe?