Spiritual Man Part 1

Spiritual Man

By Apostle Felix

24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

Romans 7: 24, 25

This is a dilemma every born again person is caught up in. It is when you know what right to do and yet you do not get to do what is right. I think it is one of the most frustrating thing in a believer. Everyone born of God wants to live right before the Lord and the church community. But the more one tries the more one is found wanting. What could be the problem?

22  Truly, deep within my true identity, I love to do what pleases God. 

23  But I discern another power operating in my humanity, waging a war against the moral principles of my conscience and bringing me into captivity as a prisoner to the “law” of sin—this unwelcome intruder in my humanity. 

Romans 7: 22, 23

The problem is the presence of sin in man. In every believer there is the presence of sin. This does not mean that one is living in sin. There is a difference between the presence of sin and living in sin. The presence of sin is the awareness of sin in a believer and the reason why believers are tempted to sin. Whilst, living in sin is having yielded to sin and actively participating in it. When one is tempted, does not mean the individual has sinned. Temptation comes because of the presence of sin.

13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

1 Corinthians 10: 13

Temptation is not sin. However, one is tempted in areas where one is most vulnerable. It is very rare to be tempted with cigarette smoking if one has never smoked before. Therefore, the sure way of overcoming temptation to sin is to grow spiritually. A strong carnal life in the presence of sin will easily yield to sin.

14  For we know that the law is divinely inspired and comes from the spiritual realm, but I am a human being made of flesh and trafficked as a slave under sin’s authority. 

Romans 7: 14

Here apostle Paul was not trying to justify the reason why we should sin. But he was simply showing us why we easily sin. Believers that continue in sin is because they are lazy to grow in the Lord by the renewing of their minds. Though you are in the flesh, your real identity, which is the righteousness in Christ, demands that you live righteous. The problem is whom we easily obey: the carnal self or the born again spirit. This is the reason why Paul said in Romans 8: 1, that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. But he did not end there.

1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

Romans 8: 1, 2

For those who are in Christ, do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit. They are not led by their emotions or fleshly desires but by the desires of the Spirit. Living by the spirit, makes a believer free from the law of sin and death. You are a born again spirit, who has been endued with power from above and you are meant to live above sin and temptation.