The Flesh Sin Nature - An Ever Present Enemy
Apostle Paul gave a major warning, using Israel’s example in their wilderness journey, to magnify the inherited sinful human nature, which is common to us all. Our flesh nature continually craves, lusts, and longs for what is tangible and of this visible world. It is an ever present enemy to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul is exhorting and alerting every follower of the Messiah, to pay attention and not to repeat Israel’s fatal mistakes in our holy walk toward the Promised Land. He emphatically said, “… I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers [the children of Israel] were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Messiah [Christ]. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness” (1 Corinthians 10:1-5).
How quickly Israel forgot their holy awesome God and His mercy, through the blood of the Passover lamb, to spare them from captivity and death. Although, they saw and were redeemed by mighty signs and wonders, the sinful flesh nature of the children of Israel, rose up with great murmurings, grumblings, complaining, and cravings against Moses and the God of Israel who had delivered them. Because their carnal incessant desires and yearnings overcame them, Yahveh Almighty was greatly angered, and He gave them what their flesh craved, but He also gave them “leanness of soul” (Psalm 106:15). The same merciful God of Israel, who spared His chosen people from the plagues on Egypt, delivering them from the angel of death, was furious by their faithless discontentment and their constant cravings. The Most High God's merciful deliverance turned into righteous indignation and judgments destroying most of them in the wilderness before they could enter the Promised Land.
Paul, is admonishing us to carefully watch our self nature so that we are quick to recognize the chronic harmful sins that will grieve and anger the Holy Spirit. This sin nature must be exposed and confessed, in order to be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. He fervently gives warnings to those who will open their ears to hear and heed this merciful exhortation, “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they indeed craved them. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor are we to put Yahveh to the test, as some of them did, and were killed by the snakes. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall” (1 Corinthians 10:6-13).
Apostle Paul is stating a reality that is magnified throughout our Savior's and the apostle’s biblically recorded teachings. Paul is stressing that we are “not to make any provision for the flesh” and its sin nature (Romans 13:14). It is written, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). Paul emphasizes, “For this you know with certainty, that no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, which amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah [Christ] and God. See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:5-6). Apostle Peter, likewise emphasizes our brief stay on earth, as pilgrims in route to the Kingdom of Heaven, “Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers [to this world] to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). It is written to professing believers in Yahshua (Jesus), “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. …“Yahveh will judge His people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26,27,29-31). As Apostle Peter warned, “Judgement begins at the household of God” because “everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (1 Peter 4:17, Luke 12:48).
As Paul warned, we must be on guard and watch our flesh and have self control, or we will be disqualified as the majority of the Israelites who never made it but died in the wilderness. In their discontent and lack of faith they took lightly such a great salvation through the blood of the lamb of God that spared them from “the angel of death." Only Caleb and Joshua, of the original multitudes, went into the Promised Land, along with the offspring of those who were destroyed because they sinned against the Holy God of Israel. Our Savior Yahshua (Jesus), our Lamb and Deliverer, made this very clear many times in His ministry when He shockingly stated , “… many, I tell you, will seek to enter [the kingdom] and will not be able” (Luke 13:24) and “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness’ (Matthew 7:21-23). Apostle John emphasizes, “Sin is lawlessness.” “Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous … No one who has been born of God practices sin … anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God” (1 John 3:4). Therefore, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Messiah [Christ]” (1 Peter 1:17-19). “Therefore let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of Yahveh” (2 Corinthians 7:1).
A PRAYER OF REPENTANCE
Heavenly Father, I thank you for making me very aware of the importance of my everyday walk with You and the necessity to carefully watch my self nature in order to keep sin out of my life. I have heard apostle Paul’s warning and example of what happened to Your children of Israel in the Exodus journey. May the fear of grieving You come upon me, giving me wisdom to be spiritually awake and diligent. I ask for Your Holy Spirit’s help to not be led by my old self nature and its many obsessive cravings and preoccupations. I repent, please forgive me. I can see that this is a form of idolatry because it keeps me from loving You as the first and foremost love of my heart and life.
I understand that sin is like leaven, it grows bigger and bigger, until I can’t see You and You can’t see Your Son’s life and Spirit in and through me. Yahshua (Jesus) in my daily walk, I pray to always keep watch and keep the sin of murmuring, grumbling, and my self justified cravings out of my life. I humbly repent for taking lightly such a great salvation of Your blood poured out as the Passover Lamb to cover my sins and make me holy in Your sight. Oh, my God, I need Your continual help in working out my salvation with fear and trembling. I know You are a holy God and without holiness no one will see You or enter Your heavenly kingdom.
Yahshua (Jesus), my Lamb, I confess that I have been careless and casual regarding the necessity to keep my flesh and sin nature continually repented for, covered in Your blood, and under the control of the Holy Spirit. I repent for being self seeking, self pleasing, and self justifying. I pray for Your Holy Spirit to continually convict me and for Your Word to be as a double edged sword showing me the difference between my flesh’s desires and Your perfect will. Please forgive me for the times that I have named and claimed You as my Savior, yet I have defamed You by my thoughts, desires, words, and actions. You are convicting me to take my eyes off myself and this world, and put my focus and affection on You, my Redeemer and Your kingdom of righteousness.
Yahshua (Jesus), thank You for pouring out Your whole life, giving everything to redeem my soul. I know I have grieved You by not giving my life in total surrender in service to You for Your eternal purposes and glory. You delivered me out of this world to be holy for Your kingdom, may I never look back again. Thank You, Lamb of God, for dying for me and cleansing me of my confessed sin with Your precious blood. You surrendered all for me and I surrender all to you, In the name of Yahshua (Jesus) I humbly pray.
