Chapter Four

The new part of us will always wrestle with the old parts of us, but the Gospel gives us the motivation and the power to “mortify” or “put to death” the desires of the flesh.

In other words, God has given us the power to live out our new identity and gradually become more like Christ so that we can be set apart from those around us who don’t know Jesus yet. 

Being a “living sacrifice” is a relentless, lifelong battle. 

“Beloved, remember you don’t belong in this world. You are resident aliens living in exile, so resist those desires of the flesh that wage war against your soul.” 1 Peter 2:11

There is a war raging, whether we realize it or not, a war for our souls. 

If we do not realize that we are at war, then we will be defeated as live as prisoners of war; prisoners of the lie; prisoners of the lusts of the flesh. 

Christians are called to live in the world but not be of the world. 

James 4:4 tells us, “You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

We all want to be “friends of the world.” 

No one wants to be hated by the world.

No one wants to be mistreated by the world. 

The tragic truth is that we often choose friendship with the world over friendship with God. 

Paul says in Galatians 5:16-25, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Notice he says, “they are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Paul clearly describes the friction between the body and the soul; between the temporary and the eternal, and this friction is primarily manifested in our sexuality. 

Throughout Scripture, we see that humans are especially susceptible to sexual sin, and we are no exception. 

As far as I can tell, there is only one sin in the Bible that we are told to “flee” from, and it’s found in 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee from sexual immorality” or “Run away from sexual immorality [in any form, whether thought or behaviour, whether visual or written].”

He doesn’t say to engage in sexual sin in battle; he says run from it. 

The verb “flee” is an imperative/command and is written in such a way that communicates ongoing action. 

We should run from the places and the people that encourage sexual sin and run towards the places and the people that encourage a sacred sexuality. 

All of us tend to do the opposite, seeking out the places and surrounding ourselves with people that affirm and support how we want to live.

A big part of winning this battle is intentionally putting ourselves in places and around people who help us grow in godliness. 

Where do you spend most of your time?

Who do you spend most of your time with? 

Do these places and people strengthen or weaken your faith in Christ?

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