Download... May 23, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: ROMANS 8:6-17
1 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
There's a very practical side in living for Christ. It is so worth it, to follow this better and more profitable way!
The Pastor testified how his spiritual walk has been such a superior way for his life, although it is not a way that is popular in culture. Yet it is so valuable and the bible way of truth. It is present everyday from the Word of the Great I AM,..for every moment and situation in life. It has never veered from the fullness of light He has given and revealed today for our present conditions. It is the beauty of the gospel, that applies everyday to our every decision and move.
There is a popular depiction in comic strip form regarding the battle of good and evil. It is usually done with a depiction of an angel on one of a person's shoulder, and with a devil on the other shoulder. It seems to allude to a duel nature of a good and evil nature residing simultaneously. This depiction in substance is one of error. We can only possess one or the other nature at any point in time. Goodness from God cannot dwell with evil. Man is born to do evil since the fall of Adam, until his personal spiritual redemption. God will not weigh the good and the bad, ..and then judge. It will be based whether you still possess the sinful nature at death, or of God's righteousness.
Most of humanity in substance hates the nature of God, due to their spiritually unredeemed nature. People who would seem to like their schools, employers, justice system, etc., to be holy, actually hate when it is not sympathetic with the nature of sin. People are "biting the spiritual hand" which wishes to "feed" them. They by their rejection of holiness show their hatred for that nature. God can help us to examine our heart to see if we cling to our own ways, or if we are surrendered to God's way and sanctuary of life based in Him. You cannot "straddle" the fence. Either you love God's pure way or you hate it by your choice to sin. God wants us to "separate the wheat from the chaff. "
Love for God will cause you to want to please Him by a holy life directed by God. If you listen to God's Word by choice, it is love that propels you to make that choice. Similarly those who are free to choose, yet do not choose to hear from God from the ministry, etc., show their lack of love to worship God. It all is revealing of their spiritual condition. You don't just retreat to be alone, it is a choice to cling to God, or move away from Him. It is a clear choice. It is not legalism or compromise without making that choice not to be centered or balanced in God's perfect word of liberty of holiness.
Romans 7;21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
The carnal man hates the things of God, causing a spiritual battle. A person can be justified, yet not surrendered fully. The mind can desire to serve God, yet the nature of Adam chooses the fleshly carnality (hatred of holiness) and pulls more aggressively. How can a child of God also be carnal? We can only have one nature. God created Adam with one nature, in the image of God. Only God the creator can create the pure nature which abode in man, until Adam sinned and corrupted that nature. Prior, Adam spoke in love and unity with God,..in the beginning. By giving into the tempter, the nature of hatred and carnality towards God was born within Adam. Only Jesus, the "second Adam" can restore man to a pure heart and nature. A saint or child of God who is not yet sanctified holy, still has the carnal nature that is no better than a sinner's carnal nature. The carnal nature is enmity against God. The carnal nature is death. Therefore if the carnal nature is amongst God's people, it will cause spiritual death and division. It will eventually cause death to any that are only justified in Christ. The remedy requires a sanctification of that carnal nature.
Romans 8:1 , [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. again Romans 7: 21 It is a warfare of one nature (carnal), with the mind or heart that has been only justified in Christ, but not yet sanctified in the spirit.
Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? How different it would be to serve God (wretched), if I remain justified without getting the remedy of having a sanctification of that nature.
Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. You cannot please God with a carnal nature.
I Corinthians 3:1,2 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. Made brothers by justification (sins forgiven) yet still have the carnal nature present, as babes in Christ. This spiritual condition of infancy is still carnal (hatred of God's holy nature), not of desire (for you cannot yet overcome without that removal through the cleansing of sanctification). Wanting to do right, yet compelled to do wrong. You must have that nature cleansed from you to be enabled to no longer walk after the flesh. God teaches there is nothing of our strength that can change the carnal nature. It is only through His power, if we fully surrender to Him, our heart, mind and soul. Laying all of our self on the "altar." It is a battle of your will (sinful nature) and God's holy will that he desires to impart to you. God wants to reveal to you whatever you may be hanging on to, that will prevent you from having victory.
To fully surrender is like giving God a blank piece of paper with your signature on the bottom. Allowing God to fill in whatever He would dictate for your life. If you instead try to negotiate how God might direct you, you will not be sanctified as it must be a full surrendering. God will never fill your life (that blank paper) with anything that will hurt you. Even though you may not understand everything, He would desire you to submit to His guidance and rest in Him completely. To be holy is as to "sign" an unconditional "contract" with God. If the fleshly mind is allowed to interfere, there will be division. The fleshly will or carnal nature will dominate if still present. If you desire to have power with God, you must submit your complete mind, self, and life to God. For if you yet walk after the flesh, you are yet carnal.
I Corinthians 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? There is often some in the body of Christ that need to be sanctified to keep out divisions. All need to present themselves fully to God to be holy. Sometimes you might think that your all (family. etc.) is already on the altar, until your children grow up and are affected by the adversities of life. It will be then that, that test will reveal clearly your "place" before God. It will "weigh" or test you by all that is dear and close to your heart. That "testing" will expose to yourself whether your are fully surrendered or not. Again the carnal nature is a hatred of God and His holiness, rather than to forsake the fleshly nature. So we need to examine our life to see if our all is truly "on the altar." How do we know if the spirit of God dominates? When we walk after the spirit.
Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. He will be led by the spirit, and not by the flesh. You must be "willing" to be fully led by God, and not by your own way and understanding, (flesh). To be led by the spirit, means you are close enough to follow without being "lost."
A good example is as in a hiking trip, you must follow your leader to not be lost, you also must avoid danger spiritually, by following the examples of wisdom. If you are carrying much weight on that "hike," you will not be lost if you keep your eyes on the leader's steps. If you on the other hand, "dilly dally" along with distractions, you will lose your way. Our willingness will be demonstrated by our attitude, and our physical presence of mind that must abide close to Christ. Willing to be led. The body of Christ has the gifts of the spirit, that I need to be led in the good, and away from the nature of evil. To walk after the spirit and not the flesh (or your instincts) you must continue to walk after the spirit, which is after Jesus our shepherd. The flesh will cause your eyes to be off Christ. The gifts of Christ are manifested in His body.
I Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. If we are to follow God, we will be found where the church or body is. There is not gifts of isolation, for that is of carnality which leads to hatred or opposing of God and His nature. Division, and distractions of unity are not gifts of God. Walk after the spirit and not the flesh! God's spirit will produce holiness in your life, and will guide your daily living.
