Born To Endure

[NetChaplain]

That which we most dread—weakness and failure—are the very means by which our Father turns us from self-reliance to full dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

“Walking in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, He leads up our hearts to where we are in the Lord Jesus. The new man finds delight in Him, and nowhere else. The Spirit is the living link between us and the Son in glory. He causes us to gaze upon Him, and we become changed into the same image, from glory to glory. This is true Christianity—the heart drawn off things here and lovingly occupied with the One who is our Christian life.”

“As the believer grows, and his path becomes more involved, he is taught more about the Holy Spirit’s ministry, for he needs this doctrine increasingly for his comfort and rest in trial. His faith is not so strong and unwavering as he imagined; the ardor of his love soon vanishes; the power of sin, which at first he fancied was utterly broken, makes itself felt again, prayer becomes languid and joy seems to have taken flight.

“In other words, the Father leads him into the valley, and lest he should make an idol of his faith, and a well-spring of a cistern, he is taught something of himself. Who does not know of this second stage of the Christian life, at first so painful, so humiliating, and filling the soul with perplexity? It is thus that we learn that the Spirit who has renewed our spirit must also sustain our new life; that we depend entirely on divine grace and strength, not merely to bring us to the Lord Jesus, but to keep us abiding in Him where He is.”

Who does not know of this second stage of the Christian life, at first so painful, so humiliating, and filling the soul with perplexity? It is thus that we learn that the Spirit who has renewed our spirit must also sustain our new life; that we depend entirely on divine grace and strength, not merely to bring us to the Lord Jesus, but to keep us abiding in Him where He is.”

-A M

 

[Boanerges]

Amen. People often run away from the things that will make them stronger. Jesus said to embrace the cross- the flesh reels in horror at the thought but the spirit rejoices.

 

[NetChaplain]

Amen. People often run away from the things that will make them stronger. Jesus said to embrace the cross- the flesh reels in horror at the thought but the spirit rejoices.

Hi B - Amen! Whenever I see the word "flesh" I realize it's not referring to the body (but occasionally does) but our "old man" (sin nature), which is not expected to be "subjected to the will of God" (Rom 8:7). This is what Jesus meant by "hating his own life" (Like 14:26)--the first or original nature--"the old man"--our old self, as opposed to loving the "new man" or new self, new nature.

Scripture addresses our natures, old and new, because the quality of the individual is (along with the Holy Spirit in the believer) within the nature of the individual. Our new human nature, which the Holy Spirit works through (Eph 3:16), determines the generality of our desires, thoughts and actions. Jesus' human nature is imparted to the believer at rebirth ("new man"-- Col 3:10) and now our dominating nature--through the working of the Spirit (Gal 5:17; Rom 8:13) is our new human nature, just as Jesus now has a human nature (with His new human body--Luke 24:39; John 20:27), which is "divine" (2 Pet 1:4).

God's blessings to your Family and God be blessed!

 

[james1523]

Hi B - Amen! Whenever I see the word "flesh" I realize it's not referring to the body (but occasionally does) but our "old man" (sin nature), which is not expected to be "subjected to the will of God" (Rom 8:7). This is what Jesus meant by "hating his own life" (Like 14:26)--the first or original nature--"the old man"--our old self, as opposed to loving the "new man" or new self, new nature.

The self is the soul of man (mind, emotions, will).
Old Man = untransformed soul.
New Man = a living soul transformed by the life which the the Spirit of life gives.

 

[DHC]

Noticed that the word 'flesh' was mentioned in an earlier post.

A very important word in the New Testament, it is mentioned around 135 times in the noun form alone!

Below is an excellent treatment of the meaning of the word 'flesh' in the New Testament.

Flesh has come to mean not just the antithesis or correlative of spirit or soul, but rather to include the whole of man, all that he is by human generation and heredity.
This is a very common usage and one that must be grasped if the subject is ever to be understood. Here the contrast is not between components of human nature,
but between humanity and deity, or the divine Spirit or life given from above. So Jesus was of the seed of David according to his human nature and heredity (Rom. 1:3),
Abraham is our forefather according to our human heredity (Rom. 4:1), flesh gives birth to flesh (John 3:6), and in natural human heredity there is nothing good to give
victory and life (Rom. 7:18). Flesh, so considered, is beset by all the limitations and weaknesses that belong to man. It is also composed of all the potential of human nature
for good or evil. In and of itself, it is neither good nor bad. It is simply full of the potential values that go with humanity whether it be a sinless and holy nature as of the incarnate Christ,
or whether it be a fallen humanity or a redeemed person. It is not the moral quality of the character that is here envisioned. It is rather the humanity of the person-the natural life in its totality,
physical and psychical.


THE NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPTION OF FLESH
by WILBER T. DAYTON, Th. D.
(Chairman Division of Biblical Literature, Asbury Theological Seminary)

 

[james1523]

Noticed that the word 'flesh' was mentioned in an earlier post.

A very important word in the New Testament, it is mentioned around 135 times in the noun form alone!

Below is an excellent treatment of the meaning of the word 'flesh' in the New Testament.

Flesh has come to mean not just the antithesis or correlative of spirit or soul, but rather to include the whole of man, all that he is by human generation and heredity.
This is a very common usage and one that must be grasped if the subject is ever to be understood. Here the contrast is not between components of human nature,
but between humanity and deity, or the divine Spirit or life given from above. So Jesus was of the seed of David according to his human nature and heredity (Rom. 1:3),
Abraham is our forefather according to our human heredity (Rom. 4:1), flesh gives birth to flesh (John 3:6), and in natural human heredity there is nothing good to give
victory and life (Rom. 7:18). Flesh, so considered, is beset by all the limitations and weaknesses that belong to man. It is also composed of all the potential of human nature
for good or evil. In and of itself, it is neither good nor bad. It is simply full of the potential values that go with humanity whether it be a sinless and holy nature as of the incarnate Christ,
or whether it be a fallen humanity or a redeemed person. It is not the moral quality of the character that is here envisioned. It is rather the humanity of the person-the natural life in its totality,
physical and psychical.


THE NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPTION OF FLESH
by WILBER T. DAYTON, Th. D.
(Chairman Division of Biblical Literature, Asbury Theological Seminary)

Yes this is good to realise that flesh is not just the 'bad' or sinful part of us but also the good part of us. God does not want our goodness either.

Rom 8:8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

It is not only the sinners that are not pleasing God but also the very good and upright persons who live out of their natural goodness.

 

[spirit1st]

The Old Man is our Old Spirit .
The New man is our new Spirit.

After we are reborn, Born -again , Born of God, Made a New creature. We still have those old evil thoughts in our flesh mind. that needs replaced[ Renewed ]
Our flesh mind has so much junk in it. It records all we see and hear and feel.

That why we do not trust in our feelings or sight or thoughts. But in GOD living Words as 100% truth.

It hard for us who have been taught from babies to live by feelings and sight . Now we must live by Faith. Faith in God living word .
Not easy to change .

 

[Eric E Stahl]

That which we most dread—weakness and failure—are the very means by which our Father turns us from self-reliance to full dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

“Walking in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, He leads up our hearts to where we are in the Lord Jesus. The new man finds delight in Him, and nowhere else. The Spirit is the living link between us and the Son in glory. He causes us to gaze upon Him, and we become changed into the same image, from glory to glory. This is true Christianity—the heart drawn off things here and lovingly occupied with the One who is our Christian life.”

“As the believer grows, and his path becomes more involved, he is taught more about the Holy Spirit’s ministry, for he needs this doctrine increasingly for his comfort and rest in trial. His faith is not so strong and unwavering as he imagined; the ardor of his love soon vanishes; the power of sin, which at first he fancied was utterly broken, makes itself felt again, prayer becomes languid and joy seems to have taken flight.

“In other words, the Father leads him into the valley, and lest he should make an idol of his faith, and a well-spring of a cistern, he is taught something of himself. Who does not know of this second stage of the Christian life, at first so painful, so humiliating, and filling the soul with perplexity? It is thus that we learn that the Spirit who has renewed our spirit must also sustain our new life; that we depend entirely on divine grace and strength, not merely to bring us to the Lord Jesus, but to keep us abiding in Him where He is.”

Who does not know of this second stage of the Christian life, at first so painful, so humiliating, and filling the soul with perplexity? It is thus that we learn that the Spirit who has renewed our spirit must also sustain our new life; that we depend entirely on divine grace and strength, not merely to bring us to the Lord Jesus, but to keep us abiding in Him where He is.”

-A M

James 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

As Job pleased God when he endured his testing , we can bring glory to God by our proper response to testing and trials.

 

[Boanerges]

The flesh can masquerade as the good, the bad, and/or the ugly but it is always at odds with God's Spirit. It was that day, the day when Adam decided to make his own choice and eat that forbidden fruit (instead of following the Lord, or, being led of God) that he tasted the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. All man's choices that are not spirit led are flesh- what is born of the flesh is flesh, what is born of the Spirit is spirit; any work of man's flesh not led and empowered of the spirit is at best a filthy rag.

 

[NetChaplain]

As Job pleased God when he endured his testing , we can bring glory to God by our proper response to testing and trials.

Hi Eric - Amen to your comment and appreciate the reply. In whatever degree, what we do "glorifies" (Matt 5:16) God and the greater the "hardness" we "endure" (2 Tim 2:3), the greater the magnification. God's blessings to your Family!