The spiritual self

How should we act as Christians? How do we keep our thoughts and desires from taking over? These are questions that have been going through the mind of man for many years. Most of the time we know what is right and wrong, but we fall prey to the flesh. O how do we change? We adopt the fruits of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22, 23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law

The spiritual person also has a body, soul and spirit. But this individual has been remarkably transformed from the natural person he was before spiritual birth. At conversion, his spirit became united with God's Spirit. The spiritual life which resulted from this union is characterized by forgiveness of sin, acceptance in God's family, and the realization of personal worth.

The soul of the spiritual person also reflects a change produced by spiritual birth. He can now receive his calling from the Spirit, not just from the person. His mind is being renewed and transformed. His emotions are governed by peace and joy instead of turmoil. It's our responsibility to choose not to walk according to the flesh, but to walk according to the Spirit. As the spiritual person chooses his choice to live in the Spirit, his life bears the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23).

As a spiritual person, your body is the living temple of God. We should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice of worship and service to Him. The flesh, conditioned to live apart from God under the old self, is still present in the spiritual person. But he responsibly subdues the flesh and its sinful nature daily as he considers himself dead to sin.

"That all looks and sounds great," you may say. "But I'm a Christian and I still have some problems. I know I'm spiritually alive, but sometimes my mind gets stuck on the wrong kinds of thoughts. Sometimes I give in to the desires of the flesh. Sometimes I think to much about the desires of the flesh instead of crucifying them."

The description of the spiritual person is the ideal. It's the model of maturity that we are all growing towards. God has made every way for you to experience personally the description of the spiritual person in His Word (2 Peter 1:3). You will grow as a spiritual person and glorify God in your body as you learn to subdue the flesh and be filled by the spirit.

Praying for all of us to resist the flesh
Pastor Mike

A Letter from a College Student

The parents of a Univ. of Virginia student who just headed back from holiday received this letter:
Dear Mom and Dad:

University life is so wonderful! Classes this session are interesting, my classmates are the best!

But after spending all my cash on Christmas presents, I am in a little need for some spending money for books and such. But don't want to send the wrong signals home.

Love
Your son

After deliberating a while, this was the draft of their appropriate response:

Dear Son:

NOt much to NOtice here on the NOrth side of town since you left for school. NObody doing NOthing NOble.

Enjoyed having you home for Thanksgiving in NOvember and Christmas. NOthing is the same since you left.

Loved your NOte; write aNOther one when you have time.

Have to go NOw.

Mom & Dad