Paul admits it! “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

This verse surprises me, in a way.

Not that the “flesh” (that still dwells in me and “pulls” me toward sin, selfishness, carnality) battles the Spirit! But that the Spirit retaliates! That the (divinely omnipotent) Holy Spirit, in return, battles the flesh!

Notice Paul does not say the Spirit “kills” the flesh! (Though he does teach us to “kill” or “mortify” certain sins that keep cropping up in our hearts, in our lives! See both Romans 8:13 and Colossians 3:5 for examples.)

What I’m teaching this morning … Paul does not anywhere teach the “eradication” of our old sin nature! We, while still on this earth, must fight tooth and nail against those “lower” desires! (Romans 7:14-25 gives us Paul’s personal testimony in this area, concerning this battle!)

So we have it today, in our Lesson … “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.”

Paul here “hints” that a Christian “wants” to do what is right! “So that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” The things that you know are better, “right” in God’s eyes!

But that old “flesh!”

The verb “lusted” in our Text is “epithumeo,” and actually means “to covet!” Really, “to desire” a thing intensely so! (Present tense too, ongoing action, durative action, habitual action!)

The Holy Spirit then is “jealous” towards our old rotten “flesh!” The Holy Sprit “craves,” here “lusts” after control of our lives twenty-four hours a day! And that old flesh “takes over” sometimes, even if for only a few minutes!

Wow!

Then Paul states a principle, a “given” in the Christian life! “And these (the flesh and the Holy Spirit) are contrary the one to the other!”

This verb is “antikeimai,” these two being “set against” (the verb often used for one going to bed at night and staying there for hours and hours, “in place” in that sense) each other! These two are adversarial, then! (Here it is, antikeimai,  in 1 Corinthians 16:9, for example. “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many ADVERSARIES.”)

So, what’s the solution to this dilemma?

Learning to be further “led” by the Holy Spirit! (Galatians 5:18, tomorrow’s Text!)

Learning to “crucify” the flesh, metaphorically speaking! (Galatians 5:24, we’ll be there in a few days, studying this Thought!)

Learning to “walk” in the Spirit! (Galatians 5:25)

Being “filled” with the Spirit! (Ephesians 5:18)

We want to get to the place (where the “flesh” has become so weak) that we can “do the things that we would” … things that the Holy Spirit approves!

Wow!

It is a battle!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell