The Conflict Within

 

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love 

the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, 

the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 

is not of the Father, but is of the world.  

1 John 2:15-16

      It’s necessary that we know and live in the fruit of the spirit.  We wrestle every day against the sinful influences of this world.  The world bombards us every day in every way we can possibly think to get us to conform or return to the standards of the world.  But God doesn’t want us to:  

      . . . copy the behavior and customs of this world, He wants us to be transformed into a new person by changing the way we think.  Romans 12:2
 
Our senses and our emotions are literally influenced – if not assaulted – in ways that trigger us to operate in our flesh rather than demonstrate the fruit of the spirit.  The world continuously offers us a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.
 
Our sinful flesh or self-nature doesn’t have the capacity in and of itself to combat these influences thus our spirit has to fight against the works of the flesh. 
If left to ourself, we’ll lose every time.  We do well to remember that we don’t have the power in and of ourself to deliver ourself – It is only through God’s word and His spirit . . .   If we be real with ourself, there are some things that our self-nature, our flesh, wants to do; that’s when I look to my life scriptures and I don’t have to look far – keep it simple, Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments [John 4:15].  Because I love Him, I can’t let my flesh manage me!  

     When we submit our self – our whole self to God – just know there’s a constant spiritual battle going on in the life of the believer. Remember, the works of the flesh are trying to destroy the fruit – the work – of the Holy Spirit:  

      For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  Galatians 5:17  

      But God, in His infinite grace and mercy, gifted us His precious spirit.  He leveled the playing ground so we can be successful in Him.  The works of the flesh are sinful qualities instigated by Satan which contrast the fruit of the Spirit.

      

      uUNCLEANNESS

      Uncleanness is the opposite of being clean. In this passage on the works of the flesh, the word "uncleanness" means being spiritually or morally unclean, moral corruption, especially lust, sexual impurity, and evil thoughts/actions that contrasts holiness and affects one's character and spirit. God would not have His people to be spiritually unclean:

      But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.  Ephesians 5:2
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.  1 Thess. 4:7

      It’s our responsibility to mortify uncleanness and discipline ourself to live a holy life:

      Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5

      Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.  2 Corinthians 7:1

     That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 1 Thessalonians 4:4

      The bible lets us know if we don’t mortify uncleanness then we’ll yield to it.  Apostle Paul said, “At one time you gave yourselves over to the power of sin. You kept on sinning all the more. Now [that you’ve given] yourselves over to being right with God. Set yourself apart for God-like living and to do His work.”  Romans 6:19

      If someone continues to yield to uncleanness they’ll eventually give themselves over to it:  They don’t care anymore about what is right or wrong. They have turned themselves over to the sinful ways of the world and are always wanting to do every kind of sinful act they can think of. Ephesians 4:19

      If believers continue to live in spiritual uncleanness [sin], God will give them over to it:

      Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts . . .  Romans 1:24
 

     When a man is given over by God to something, his conscience ceases to function and he is totally controlled by it. He will perish in his sin unless he repents:
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness...these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption . . .     2 Peter 2:10, 12

     Look at what happens when you connect the dots on the verses regarding uncleanness; a pattern emerges. We have the power to either mortify or yield to sin. If we mortify uncleanness, it will lead to holiness in our life. If we yield to it, we’ll eventually give ourself over to it. Finally, God will give that one over to it and they will perish in their own corruption:  But, if we mortify uncleanness:

     Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  Colossians 3:5, 

            ü    it leads to holiness

       For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.  1 Thessalonians 4:7     

      On the other hand, if you yield to uncleanness, it leads to

      I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.  Romans 6:19

        ü  which results in

     Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.  Ephesians 4:19 

             ü  God giving them over to it

     Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  Romans 1:24

             ü which ends in utterly perishing in their own corruption: 

      But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. . . But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 2 Peter 2:10, 12

      God wants us clean [holy], not unclean!  

u LASCIVIOUSNESS

      Lasciviousness is the sin of lust, sinful emotions, and lewdness, it is unbridled lust, debauchery, its shamelessness, and is a flagrant, unashamed disregard for moral restraint or public decency. Uncleanness and lasciviousness are very similar.  Uncleanness is the hidden impurity – that’s where transforming the mind comes into pay - whereas lasciviousness is the public, unbridled indulgence in that impurity and it is filthy and shameless in its conduct. 

     So, uncleanness refers to moral filthiness, impurity in thoughts or actions, and general immorality, while lasciviousness refers to a total lack of restraint, shamelessness, and a grand display of moral boundaries.  We say that person has no shame.  Shamefulness is giving offense to moral sensibilities and damaging to reputation. Lasciviousness is one of the characteristics by which you can see this ungodly behavior.  Jude lets us know of this when he wrote how:
. . . there were some ungodly people who wormed their way into our churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives.

      For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 4

      In times past, before the blood, we may have been lascivious. As a believer, we are no longer to continue this behavior:

      That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:   1 Peter 4:2-3
 

     The Bible teaches that if someone continues to be lascivious, they will eventually give over to it without conscience:

     Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work uncleanness with greediness. Ephesians 4:19

     God desires that we live in and display His image.  And, it is a command of God that we live holy and clean lives characteristic of the fruit of the spirit - allowing our lights to shine so that others will come out of the darkness and into God's marvelous light.

      Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16

      uMURDER

      To murder is to take the life of another with willful malice and forethought.
This murder is not the same as self-defense or an accidental killing. This murder is not the same as imposing the death penalty on a person who has killed someone. This murder is what is described by God in Numbers 35:16-21. One of the first commandments given by God was "Thou shalt not kill".  This isn’t just an Old Testament pronouncement, when a man came to Jesus wanting to know what he could do to obtain eternal life, Jesus said:

      . . . Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Matthew 19:18

      God’s children should not be guilty of murder:
 

      But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 1 Peter 4:15

      The New Testament expands the meaning of murder to include hatred. If you hate other believers it is like being a murderer:

      Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

      Jesus taught of the intent behind the 10 commandments that it’s not just the physical act of murder.  Our thoughts of murder are the same as the physical act.  It’s a heart thing.  Our hearts are to be pure.  When King David prayed for a clean heart and [Psalms 51:10] and a right spirit – it wasn’t just because he slept with Bathsheba, he also had a man, her husband, murdered.  Had he had a clean [pure] heart, there wouldn’t have been a breach for iniquity to enter in.  

     The three works of the flesh I mentioned today requires us to do a heart check. 

     Make sure that your thoughts are clean and your heart is pure.

   

      Sermonette