Walkin the Spirit and You Will Not Fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh

8/10/2019 Walkin the Spirit and You Will Not Fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh

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Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh

So far we have talked about what it means to reckon ourselves dead to self and alive in

Christ. We have looked at the tension between abiding and striving, but both can only be

accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit rather than trying to accomplishing these things

through the strength of our own will. It is because we are a new creation in Christ and have been

indwelt by Gods own Holy Spirit, that we now have the power and ability to live a Christ like

life. At the very beginning of this journey I critiqued Christian Ethics and although I pointed

out why it was a superior theory of ethics, its glaring flaw was that it was so superior and perfect

that the only one who could live up to it was Christ himself. Yet, this is the great news, Christ is

actually in you if you be His, and it is actually He who is living out the Christian life in you.

This is accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit, and if we live in the Spirit, then we should

also walk in the Spirit.

Walk in the Spirit

"16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are

not under the law." (Gal 5:16-18 KJV)

Human beings are amazing creatures, and even though we have been made in the image

of God we are bound by certain limitations. One of these limitations is that we cannot do two

things at the same time. Multitasking is actually a myth, and although some people can switch

between two or more tasks more quickly and efficiently than others, we all are limited to only


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being able to do one thing at a time. Yet, this is a good thing, especially in context of the above

verse. What this means is that you cannot simultaneously be walking in the flesh and in the

Spirit, which means that if you are walking in the Spirit you will not even be able to fulfill the

lusts of the flesh.

At this point I think it will be helpful if we define exactly what the flesh is. Confusion on

this point has created great problems philosophically and theologically. It is out of this

confusion that Gnostic heresies (the belief that the flesh was evil and the spirit was good) were

born, and it is out of this confusion that many have set up a vast array of rules and taboos to keep

us from fleshly desires. The Greeks love of philosophy led them to develop a very precise

language with which to discuss the subtleties of abstract concepts and ideas. The first Greek

word I want to discuss is the wordsoma, which is translated as body in the English language and

is used to refer to our physical form. The second Greek word I want to discuss is the wordsarx,

which is usually translated as flesh. Flesh can refer to either our physical flesh, or a nonphysical

impulse or desire, such as the desire for food, sex, sleep, shelter, or whatever pertains to the self.

Both of these words can be found in Romans 8:13, "For if ye live after the flesh (sarx), ye shall

die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body (soma), ye shall live."

The problem is, in some translations of the bible the wordsarx, in certain contexts, is

translated as sin nature. For example, "18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me,

that is, in my sinful nature (sarx). For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it

out. ... 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in

my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature (sarx) a slave to the law of sin." (Rom

7:18, 25 NIV) The NIV, New International Version, has recently changed this translation, back

to the English word, flesh, as is found in the King James, and many other versions of the Bible.


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Why is this important? It is important because, sin is not a thing. Even though the word sin can

have both a noun and a verb form, sin itself is a negation, or a negative relationship to the

commands of God. Quite simply, something is righteous or good if it measures up to Gods

standard, which is perfection. Something is unrighteous or sinful if it falls short of Gods

standard or misses the mark of Gods perfection. Everything God created was good, including

man and woman. Yet because of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life,

Adam and Eve choose to give into the desires of their flesh, rather than obeying the

commandments and will of God. This is the root of all sin and disobedience, placing self, over

God.

If we make the word flesh (sarx) synonymous with sinful, or sin nature, what do we do

with other passages in the New Testament, that tell us Christ has come in the flesh (sarx)?

"14 And the Word was made flesh (sarx), and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the

glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (Jhn 1:14 KJV)

"2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the

flesh (sarx) is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh

(sarx) is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should

come; and even now already is it in the world." (1Jo 4:2-3 KJV)

"7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in

the flesh (sarx). This is a deceiver and an antichrist." (2Jo 1:7 KJV)

These passages are so important, for many of the earliest heresies (false teachings) involved the

nature of Christ. For those who believed the physical body was evil, it was inconceivable to

them that Jesus could have an actual physical form, lest he be tainted. This led to a host of false


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teachings about the nature of Christ, some claiming he was a phantom or ghost, or that the Spirit

of Christ, possessed the man Jesus, but was not tainted by the evil of human flesh. This is why

John is so clear in his epistle, that those who deny that Christ has come in the flesh are false

teachers, and antichrists.

The scriptures are quite clear, that even though Jesus came in the flesh, He had no sin.

Jesus had both a human and a divine nature, but he was not a demigod (half man, half god) like

Hercules. Jesus was fully God, and fully man. Yet in Him was found no sin.

"5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin."

(1Jo 3:5 KJV)

"15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin." (Heb 4:15 KJV)

"22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled

not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth

righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead

to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1Pe 2:22-24 KJV)

"19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their

trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we

are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's

stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that

we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2Co 5:19-21 KJV)


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Did you catch that last verse? He who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might

be made the righteousness of God in Him. This is one of the most amazing verses in the bible,

and is at the heart of the gospel. Christ accomplished in the flesh, what we could never do

through the strength of our own will. We see this tension in the book of Romans chapter 7. Paul

wants to do what is right and pleasing to God, but he finds another principle working in his flesh.

Flesh wants what flesh wants, and if it is not checked by the higher part of man, i.e. our

nous/logos (mind) then it will run rampant, and pursue natural desires in an unlawful manner.

The flesh wants what is pleasing to it, comfort, shelter, food, drink, medication, sex, and

ultimately its own way. Yet if these desires have no restraint, the desire for pleasure will lead to

hedonism (pleasure is the highest good), the desire for shelter will lead us to covet the shelter of

our neighbor, the desire for food will lead to gluttony, the desire for drink will lead to

drunkenness, the desire for medication will lead to addiction, the desire for sex will lead to all

manner of sexual immorality, and the desire for satisfying the ego will bring about envy, wrath,

anger, jealousy and malice towards all those who thwart our egocentric desires. Unfortunately

our mind is not able to keep our fleshly desires in check. We may do well for a season, but the

flesh is relentless and overtime wears away at our will until the lower aspects of our soul,

overcome the higher aspects of our mind.

Paul acknowledges that in his flesh there is no good thing, so with his flesh he serves the

law of sin which brings about death, but with his mind he serves the law of God. What a horrible

position to live in, having the desire to do that which is right in one part of our soul, yet seeing

our baser part constantly thwart our efforts.

"21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the

law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the


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law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O

wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God

through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the

flesh the law of sin." (Rom 7:21-25 KJV)

Thank God this is not where the story ends, but Paul continues in Romans 8 and shows us the

hope and deliverance that can be found in Christ.

"1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not

after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me

free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through

the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in

the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the

flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but

they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 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."

(Rom 8:1-11 KJV)


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I would like to focus a bit on verse 3 of the above passage. For what the law could not

do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,

and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: The law rather than providing us a way to be righteous

before God, actually incited the flesh all the more and showed us how sinful we actually are.

Even those without the Law of Moses, could not live up to the law in their own conscience.

(Romans 1) The law was never meant to redeem us, rather it was given to show us our desperate

need for a redeemer. Unfortunately, many who come to Christ with great joy for their

justification, then turn to the strength of their flesh to try and live out a Christ like life. Or they

then try and keep the law through the power of their own will, thinking that they must keep the

law to be pleasing to God. What foolish madness, and this is what Paul tried to convey to the

Galatians, if you have been saved by grace through faith, why then would you try to seek

perfection through the law? Romans 8:3 tells us clearly, God sent his own Son in the likeness of

sinful flesh, to condemn sin in the flesh. What the law could not do because of the weakness of

our flesh, Christ was able to fulfill, for even though He lived as a man in the flesh, He walked

continuously, by the power and Spirit of God.

This is the same power and Spirit that is available to everyone who is in Christ Jesus.

The power our flesh had over us is broken, and what our own mind, or strength of will could not

accomplish, has already been accomplished in Christ. Stop trying to live out a Christian life by

the strength of your own effort and will. Reckon yourself dead to the old man, to the power of

the flesh, abide in Christ, and walk in the Spirit. Jesus made it clear, "34 Verily, verily, I say

unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the

house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall

be free indeed." (Jhn 8:34-36 KJV)


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"20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law

[is] the knowledge of sin." (Rom 3:20 KJV)

"6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be

destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ... 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield

yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or

of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye

have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ... 20 For when ye

were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ... 23 For the wages of sin [is] death;

but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom 6:6, 16-17, 20, 23 KJV)

"2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and

death." (Rom 8:2 KJV)

How do we know we are walking in the Spirit and that we are not just justifying our fleshly

desires?

The idea of reckoning, abiding, and walking in the Spirit may sound very appealing to

you. What incredible freedom, compared to living by a set of rules let alone the law of God.

Yet, you know the heart is desperately wicked, who can know it? You may be afraid that you

will think you are walking in the Spirit, but in reality, you are only using the Spirit as a

justification for living out your own carnal desires. I cant tell you how many times people have

told me it was Gods will for them to do a certain activity, which to me was so obviously not of

God, and I freely admit that I myself am not beyond self-deception. So how can we really tell if


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our life is being lived by the power and Spirit of God, or have we simply found a new

sophisticated, and incredibly pious way to justify our own desires?

The apostle Paul himself, thought he was doing the will of God by persecuting the early

church. The battle cry of the crusades was Deus Volt (God wills it). Manifest destiny was the

justification in America, to either kill or confine the native populations so that Gods chosen

people (the Christian Americans) could rule from sea to shining sea. In the antebellum South,

God fearing men and women justified owning slaves believing that God created some people as

masters, and others as servants, and to violate this order would be a direct rebellion against God.

This later was applied to the idea that interracial marriages were against Gods plan, since God

divided the races at the tower of Babel. (What God actually divided at Babel was language, but I

have never yet, heard anyone say, that learning another language was an act of rebellion against

God). I have heard men and women justify premarital sex, or divorcing their spouses because it

was Gods will for them to be happy. Or people involved in homosexual relationships claiming,

how could it be wrong, if God made me this way? After all this work and effort, is ethics and

morality really just relative and subjective after all? If everyone has a different understanding of

what Gods will is, how can we tell what is coming from God and what is just a result of our

upbringing, enculturation, personal preference or bias, let alone our flesh trying to rise from the

dead, and affect us as though it was still our master?

Know Thyself

Fortunately, even with all of these objections, it is not as difficult as it may at first appear.

To begin with, we must know ourselves. We have to be honest, and know what is coming from

our own hearts and desires. Im not even talking about the desires of the old man, but simple


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human desires. We still desire self-preservation, comfort, pleasure, exaltation, and our own way.

Yet, once we understand what the self, the ego desires, it becomes easier to contrast this with the

desire of the Holy Spirit. Who is the final authority in your life? Is it you, or the Holy Spirit?

"24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth

alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that

hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow

me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will [my] Father

honour." (Jhn 12:24-26 KJV) We love to talk about our new life in Christ, but often we forget

that it comes at a great cost. I am not just talking about the cost Christ paid, but the cost is your

own former life. "19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which

is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price:

therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." (1Co 6:19-20 KJV)

Love and Obedience

Second and thirdly, love and obedience to God are indications that we are walking in the

Spirit. Obedience to God cannot be accomplished through the strength of our own will, for if it

could, then there would have been no need for Christ to die. Jesus tells us in John 15, If you

love me, keep my commandments. What are Jesus commandments? To love one another. If

you want a law, or rule to follow this is it, the Law of the Spirit, is the Law of Love. When Jesus

was confronted by the Sadducees and the Pharisees, a lawyer among them asked, "36 Master,

which [is] the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord

thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and

great commandment. 39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as

thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Mat 22:36-40 KJV)


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Once again to be very clear, you cannot obey either of these commandments through the strength

of your will, the old man only truly loves himself, so the love of God or of others, is only done

out of self-interest. Once we have died to the old man, and have been made alive in Christ, the

very Spirit of God in us is able to perfectly love God, and to perfectly love others. This is how

we, and others will know that we are true believers and disciples, if we love one another. Even

though I really like theprovocative title of this book, The Dead Have No Need of Ethics, it

could have just as easily been called, An Ethic of Love, or Holy Spirit Ethics. The apostle

John makes it brutally clear in his epistle that love and obedience are the great indicators of

whether or not we are in Christ.

Love

"7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God,

and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was

manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the

world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he

loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us,

we ought also to love one another." (1Jo 4:7-11 KJV)

Obedience

"4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5

And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever

abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little

children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is

righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For


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this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin,

because he is born of God." (1Jo 3:4-9 KJV)

John here hits us with a one, two, punch of love and obedience. The love part sounds so

good, warm and cozy, but then he tells us that whoever is born of God does not commit sin.

How can this be!?! In the first chapter of Johns epistle he tells us that all have sinned, which we

can easily affirm, but what is going on in chapter 3 where he is now telling us, that whoever

abides in Jesus does not sin? Now some translations render these verses as, do not continue in

sin, or make a practice of sinning,etc. But let us ask ourselves, do we just accidently sin on

occasion, or is sin crouching daily at our door? Do we still have besetting sins, or habits that

have continued to plague us, even though the old man has been put to death? Do we put

ourselves above others, even above Jesus on a daily basis? That sounds like continuing in sin to

me. This passage should lead us to some serious soul searching. If we still sin, are we really

saved, and even a Christian? Some preachers and theologians will attempt to explain this by

saying, as long as you have a physical body you are going to sin, and until we have a glorified

body in heaven, sin will always be a part of our earthly existence.

What a curious thing to say, and it reeks of gnostic heresy, making our physical bodies

the problem and culpable for our sin. Yes, our bodies are under the curse, but our physical

bodies (soma) do not cause us to sin. Jesus had a physical body, but he also had no sin. Does

your fist just randomly strike someone, or do your genitals force you to have illicit sex? Does

your mouth cause you to curse, or your hand cause you to steal? What foolish non-sense.

One of my nephews who came to live with me when he was 11, was listening to a famous

radio evangelist with me on the way to school one morning. This preachers text for the day was


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1 John chapter 3. After he read the above passage, he had to pause for a commercial break.

When he came back from the break, he was chuckling mildly to himself, and in his old timey

country voice he said, beloved, I bet that passage had you worried, but dont worry, you will

continue to go on sinning as long as you have a body. I was so startled by what I had just heard

that I almost crashed the car. Instead I immediately reached out with my right hand and began to

choke my young nephew by throttling his neck. I asked him, Whos choking you? Me or my

hand! In a gasping voice he rasped, You are uncle, at which point I released him and said, and

dont ever forget this. Our bodiescan do nothing without our consent. Even though I have a

great deal of appreciation and respect for this radio preacher, I thought that his understanding on

this topic was quite dangerous and I didnt want my nephew to let this teaching take root in his

life.

"16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that

whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But

those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false

witness, blasphemies: 20 These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen

hands defileth not a man." (Mat 15:16-20 KJV)

"1 From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your

lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot

obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because

ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know

ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend


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of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that

dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?" (Jas 4:1-5 KJV)

"17 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." (Gal 5:17 KJV)

All of the above sins are not the result of our body (soma), but come from our flesh

(sarx). "5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after

the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 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." (Rom 8:5-11 KJV)

I know I am being redundant, but I want so badly for you to understand what is

happening here. The very flesh that made it impossible for us to keep the law of God, the

likeness of which, was taken on by Jesus, and he put to death sin in the flesh. Now when we sin,

in a very real sense it is no longer us who are doing it, rather it is sin that dwells within us.

"20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."

(Rom 7:20 KJV)

Havent you experienced this phenomenon? You know you love God, and you have been

redeemed, but then you find yourself participating in the vilest acts, of lust, anger, covetousness,


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etc. Yet, then when it has passed, it is almost as if you have awakened and are back in your right

mind and wonder what that was all about. It is almost like the psychological condition called a

fugue state, in which an individual will actually take on mannerisms and a countenance of

someone else, and dont even realize they are doing it until it is over. I call it spiritual zombie

land, where our old man, who has been crucified is animated and walking around, trying to take

control of our life, even though he has already been put to death on the cross of Christ. Just like

a corpse the old man is a stinking rotting mess, and when we are back in the mind of Christ, we

cant even believe that that putrefied flesh held any appeal to us, and we are repulsed and confess

our sin. Fortunately he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness. The issue here once again comes back to identity. Who are you? If you are in

Christ, you are a new creation, if you abide in Christ, it is impossible for you to sin, if you walk

in the Spirit you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. If, however, you walk in the flesh, you are

capable of the most horrific acts imaginable. A life in the flesh brings death, but a life in the

Spirit brings life. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him:

and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." (1Jo 3:4-9 KJV) Whos seed remains in you?

The very seed of God, but I will talk more of this in the next section when I discuss theosis (the

deification of the believer).

The Fruit of the Spirit

The fourth way we can know if we are walking in the Spirit, is by the fruit that is being

produced in our lives. Jesus tells us, "33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else

make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit. ... 35 A good man

out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil


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treasure bringeth forth evil things." (Mat 12:33, 35 KJV) When we look at the fruit that is being

produced in our lives it is clear whether this fruit is coming from the flesh or from the Spirit.

The works of the flesh

"19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication,

uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,

seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I

tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not

inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal 5:19-21 KJV)

The fruit of the Spirit

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,

faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have

crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the

Spirit." (Gal 5:22-25 KJV)

"3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in

his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." (Psa 1:3 KJV)

"5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same

bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (Jhn 15:5 KJV)

"22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit

unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." (Rom 6:22 KJV)


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The Transformation of our mind

The very part of our mind that was separated from God by the fall, is now being renewed

by the power of the Holy Spirit. We actually begin to reason from a new perspective, and we

have access to the very mind of Christ. That which once seemed like foolishness to us, we see as

the power and mercy of God. We no longer are limited to a human perspective, but through

Christ we have access to a divine point of view. Our judgments and values are no longer based

on our own self-interest, or bias, but we now have access to Gods own heart and desire.

"17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles

walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from

the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness

with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and

have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former

conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in

the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in

righteousness and true holiness." (Eph 4:17-24 KJV)

2 Corinthians 2

"1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,

declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you,

save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much

trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom,

but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom


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of men, but in the power of God. 6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet

not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we

speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before

the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known

[it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor

ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for

them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit

searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man,

save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit

of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that

we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not

in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing

spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of

God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually

discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of

Christ." (1Co 2:1-16 KJV)

The carnal mind cannot understand the things of God, and it is foolishness to those who

have not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Part of how we know that we are in Christ, is that

what we once could not understand through the strength of our own reason, or through the

recollection of our personal experiences, has been made know to us by God himself. When we

were spiritually dead, we could not know the things of God because they can only be spiritually


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discerned. Once Christ quickened our spirits, and united us with His own, we no longer were left

to lean on our own understanding, but with our new life, God gave us the very mind of Christ.

The Testimony of Gods Spirit to our Spirit

The same way we can know that we are walking in the Spirit, is the same way we can

know that we are saved, and are in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit,

that we are the sons and daughters of God.

"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." (Rom 8:12-17 KJV)

"23 And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we

ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body.

... 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for

as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be

uttered." (Rom 8:23, 26 KJV)

"22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (2Co 1:22 KJV)


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"5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing [is] God, who also hath given unto us the

earnest of the Spirit." (2Co 5:5 KJV)

"13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:

in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," (Eph 1:13

KJV)

"13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit."

(1Jo 4:13 KJV)

When people ask me how I know what I believe in is true, I dont talk about, reason, or

evidence, or even quote the bible at them. I look them straight in the eye and tell them. I know

that God is real, and that Jesus His son came to reconcile me to Himself through His own

precious blood, and I know this not because of some fabulously devised tales, or iron age

mythologies, or even wishful thinking. I know this because I have Gods own Holy Spirit within

me, and His Spirit bears witness with my Spirit that I am His and He is mine. I do believe it is

possible to grieve the Holy Spirit, but I do not believe He will ever leave us or forsake us.

People who may be indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but are not walking in the, but after the flesh,

may not have the kind of assurance I am talking about. Im not saying they are not saved or have

lost their salvation, but they have lost that fellowship, which could so easily assure them of their

new identity in Christ. Yet, thank God we are his workmanship. Our new lives may involve us,

but they are not dependent on us. for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that

he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

[This section I want to develop more fully, but wanted you to see where I am headed. I plan on

giving examples of how this not only provides assurance of our salvation, but also practical


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wisdom on how we should then live. The Spirit removes fear and provides boldness, when we

walk in the Spirit and not in our own strength, we are walking in the very power of God. I also

want to provide examples of what this looks like in daily living, and in sharing the gospel, or

giving an answer to others when they ask the reason of the hope that is within us.]


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[Below I have a section, that I think is important, but I didnt quiteknow where to put it in the

book. Please let me know if you think this is worth keeping or if it should be incorporated into

previous sections of the text. I included it hear because I alluded to it earlier, and some of you

asked for me to elaborate on what I had said about Adam and Eve in regards to the fall of man]

The Knowledge of Good and Evil

Along with the universal human principle of moral failure as mentioned in Romans 1, is

another universal principle that directly relates to the study of ethics and morality. This human

universal pertains to the knowledge of Good and Evil. According to the scriptures, humans were

originally created in the image of God, yet not all of Gods knowledge or power was invested

upon human beings. A notable exception of being made in Gods image was the absence, in

Adam and Eve, of the knowledge of Good and Evil. It was this very lack of knowledge that the

serpent used to entice Eve into eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the

only fruit in the entire Garden of Eden that was forbidden to Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17 KJV

7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the

breath of life; and man became a living soul.

8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had

formed.


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9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and

good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good

and evil.

15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely

eat:

17

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that

thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

It is hard to imagine what it would be like not having the knowledge of Good and Evil. In

many ways it seems like pre-fall humans would have been very similar to animals at least in the

area of ethics and morality. Humans would have lived lives based on instincts seeking that

which brought pleasure and avoiding what brought pain. Humans would have had their senses

and could distinguish between soft and hard, bitter and sweet, warm and cool, etc. Yet these

sensations would have been taken as is without thought or introspection into their value or worth,

let alone assigning some ethical groundwork for these impulses or feelings. They would have

slept when they were tired, had sex when they were aroused, ate when they were hungry and for

all intents and purposes lived like the animals which were placed under their dominion. All of

creation was given the command to be fruitful and multiply, but Adam was given the additional

privilege of naming the animals that were brought before him, and to dress and keep the

garden in which God had placed him. Man was the only creature made in the image God.


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God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created

he them. (Gen.1:27) Man was placed as the head and steward of Gods creation, but was also

given a prohibition not to eat of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. If other aspects of

Gods created order were given divine commands we are not told about them in the scriptures,

other than perhaps the waters being given boundaries and the celestial bodies being for times and

seasons, plants being designated as food, and for living beings to reproduce and fill the earth. For

whatever purpose, God had placed a special prohibition on man, yet within the prohibition itself

was implied mans ability to choose to comply or to disobey. From the opening chapters of

Genesis, man is only given two commands, to tend the garden and procreate, and one

prohibition, to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God did not give reasons for

these commands or prohibitions, but He did give the consequences for disobedience. The

penalty for noncompliance, at least with His prohibition, would be death.

Without our current knowledge of good and evil, cause and effect, and death, its hard to

even imagine what this divine prohibition would have meant to Adam. In many ways it seems

like telling a dog that he can eat anything he finds on the floor, but not to eat off of the table.

The dog understands the difference between the floor and the table and the command to eat or

not eat, but telling the dog it will die the day it eats off of the table seems like it would be beyond

its comprehension. I understand that Adam and Eve were not dogs, but as far as we know from

scripture they had no understanding of death or even the notion of obedience or disobedience.

Animals can be trained to practice certain activities and avoid others through behavior

modification training, but Adam and Even were basically just given the rules and left to their

own inclinations. It is in this context that we have the deceiving and enticement of Eve, the

compliance of Adam, the fall of man and the curse that would extend to all of creation.


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Genesis 3 KJV

1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.

And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of

it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall

be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,

and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also

unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed

fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and

Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the

garden.

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid

myself.


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11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I

commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I

did eat.

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman

said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all

cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all

the days of thy life:

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall

bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou

shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast

eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the

ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast

thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.


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22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and

now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:

23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from

whence he was taken.

24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a

flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Genesis chapter three is one of the most tragic passages in the entire Bible. There are a

few interesting things I want to point out in the serpents dialog with Eve. The first observation

is that the serpent found Eve alone in the garden and apparently near enough to the tree of

knowledge of good and evil that she was able to see it. The serpent begins by questioning Eve

about what God had commanded and intentionally exaggerates Gods prohibition in his question

to make it sound ridiculous and unreasonable. Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of

the garden? In Eves response she also exaggerates Gods prohibition, by saying, We may eat

of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the

garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Now perhaps

Adam told her not to touch it, but at least from what we know of Gods prohibition from

scripture, the command was to not eat the fruit, not looking at it or touching it were probably

good ideas, but were additions to Gods prohibition. When we add to or take away from Gods

prohibitions or commands it can lead to all sorts of problems, which range from libertinism to

legalism. The serpents response to Eve is the firstrecorded lie in scripture. And the serpent

said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof,

then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Due to this lie

many biblical scholars have seen the serpent as being Satan himself, or as a beast of the field that


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has allowed Satan to possess and speak through it. (http://creation.com/who-was-the-serpent)

The serpent also matches the description of Satan portrayed by Jesus, Ye are of your father the

devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode

not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:

for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44) This lie is one of the greatest ever told and

makes a devilish template for all subsequent lies. Part of why this lie works so well is that it

contains a great deal of truth. Satanbegins with the lie, thou shalt not surely die, which was

even a partial truth, for the death that will occur on the day the fruit is eaten will not be physical

but spiritual. Then the serpent implies that God is trying to withhold something from them,

something that will make them gods themselves. In a sense, the devils work was done, he had

planted the seed of doubt concerning Gods intentions and Eve took it from there. And when

the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to

be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her

husband with her; and he did eat. Eve sets the pattern that will distinguish the way of the world

to come. 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. (I John 2:16)

Satans lie led to the fall and death of the human race. How true that he is a murderer and

liar from the beginning. Yet, not all of what he told Eve was a lie, for with the eating of the

forbidden fruit, she and Adam had acquired the knowledge of something that God had withheld

from them. Humans now knew for the first time the meaning of good and evil, and its immediate

existential effect on them was fear and shame. Adam and Eve would also soon learn about cause

and effect and the cost of disobedience. When God confronted Adam and asked him if he had

eaten of the tree that was prohibited to him, Adam responds by blaming Eve and in a subtle way
http://creation.com/who-was-the-serpenthttp://creation.com/who-was-the-serpenthttp://creation.com/who-was-the-serpenthttp://creation.com/who-was-the-serpent


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even blaming God Himself. The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the

tree, and I did eat. Then Eve blames the serpent, and the serpent is left with no one to blame.

The first curse goes to the serpent, the second curse to Eve and the third curse to Adam and by

default all of creation. Disobedience to God has ushered sin into the world and with sin comes

death. Adam and Eve do not physically die that day, but the race of Adam died in the moment of

disobedience and we were spiritually cut off from God, until the new Adam would come and

bring reconciliation.

Romans 5:12-21

12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed

upon all men, for that all have sinned:

13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the

similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead,

much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath

abounded unto many.

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to

condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of

grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)


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18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by

the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall

many be made righteous.

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did

much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto

eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

11 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205&version=KJV)

I Corinthians 15:45-50

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a

quickening spirit.

46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that

which is spiritual.

47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also

that are heavenly.

49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth

corruption inherit incorruption.


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Adam and Eve were not just the biological progenitors of the human race, but Adam was

also the ontological head. What I mean by this is that Adam contained all of humanity within

himself, including at one point Eve. Between Adam and Eve, the human race was generated, but

not just biologically, our nonphysical human natures were also contained within Adam and

would be affected by the choices he made and in the case of good and evil, the knowledge he

acquired. All humans have an innate idea of good and evil and from a Biblical world view, the

reason for this knowledge is because the head of the human race took, what had been prohibited

to him.

The knowledge of Good and Evil has been one of the greatest curses humanity has ever

had to endure. Adam and Eve now had the categories of Good and Evil in their consciousness,

but now everything was subject to evaluation and moral judgment. No more lounging naked in

the pools of Eden without shame, no more doing what was prompted by ones instincts without

looking for motive and consequence. No more innocence and taking things at face value.

Humankind now had godlike knowledge of Good and Evil, but humanity did not have the

knowledge of God to be able to use it properly. Now every human would be a moral compass

unto themselves and would have an internal template of good and evil. This template would be

used to evaluate all other claims to truth, goodness and morality even those dictated by God

Himself.

From the day Adam and Eve took that which was not meant for them, humanity has been

at conflict with God, each other, and our own selves. We have the knowledge of good and evil,

but we see it from our own point of view. All our ethical theories and moral judgments are based

on our own perspective of what we think is just; feel is fair and consider reasonable and livable.


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The history of mankind is one of conflict from Cain and Able to the present day. Im right from

my side and youre right from yours. In past times certain people or groups have been able to

impose their idea of ethics and morality on the bulk of humanity. Religious systems have

claimed divine revelation to impose certain rules and rituals on the populous. Great Philosophers

have used their intellect to look for universal truth or logical systems of reason to formulate

ethical systems that dont rely on divine intervention. Parents have used guilt and shame to try

and curb unwanted behavior. Dictators have used fear, intimidation and might to impose moral

dictates; relativists have claimed everyone has their own truth and moral autonomy. Without

divine knowledge and wisdom, having the knowledge of good and evil becomes subjective and

relative to time, culture and place. Everyone in the end does that which is right in their own eyes

and moral anarchy is the logical outcome of having the knowledge of good and evil, but only the

limited data of your own existence by which to make correct judgments.

The reason Gods moral judgments are just and true are because not only does He have a

perfect nature, but He also knows all things. Because of Gods omniscience, He always has all

the data necessary to make the correct moral evaluation. Because of His power He has the

authority to establish ethical standards and the ability to enforce them. Because of Gods nature

He always has proper intention and motivation. The Good, the True and the Beautiful are all

synonyms and aspects of the Divine Nature. God actually sets the standard of Good and Evil and

is beyond all distinction and division in His Holy Simplicity.

When humans try and make value judgments we always fail. We are finite beings and

have limited understanding on the cause and purpose of things. We are biased by our personal

perspective and self-interest. We have flawed characters and limited understanding. We do not

have the insight to know of others intentions or the power to enforce our judgments. We do not


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have the knowledge or wisdom to determine ethical systems or the ability to live them out even

if we did. All our ethical systems and moral judgments will be tainted and skewed based on our

own frailties and limited understanding. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned

everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

The first mention of the Word good in the bible is in Genesis 1:4,And God saw the

light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. This was the beginning of

the creation account, and God declares was good aftereach act of creation. And God saw

everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning

were the sixth day. (Gen. 1:31) God is the very author of the Good and the sole designator as to

what Good actually means. It is a standard of perfection that God has set and only God can

accomplish. All other types of goodness fall short of Gods standard, and are therefore by

definition, not Good. Good in English can have a wide array of meanings and it is the same for

the Hebrew word for good which is towb. We talk about having a good day, or it was a good

show, good times, or a good conversation. These are all proper uses of the word good, but the

usage being discussed here is absolute good, i.e. perfection. This perfection belongs to One

being alone as attested by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. one came and said unto him, Good

Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why

callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life,

keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:16+17)

At this point you may be thinking, If God created all things, then isnt He also

responsible for creating evil? And Im not just talking about personal subjective evil, like I have

a tooth ache, or that was an evil thing to say, Im talking about absolute metaphysical evil.


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James 1:13-17

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with

evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth

death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of

lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Evil is not a thing, and neither is good. This is what is called the reification of good and evil,

turning them into objects. Good and evil in this sense are adjectives or adverbs not nouns, they

describe how things line up with divine judgment and evaluation. All the works of Gods hands

are good. Yet, as soon as God labels something as good, He also now allows for the potentiality

of evil. By creating a standard of perfection, there is now the possibility of that which does not

measure up to Gods Holy standard. Saint Augustine saw evil as that which was a negation or

that which was lacking, like a hole or a shadow. [Cite this] He was not denying that evil didnt

exist, but that it was not a thing. You may be thinking, but dont the scriptures themselves

teach that God brings forth evil? Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and

good? (Lamentations 3:38) I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create

evil: I the Lord do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7) Both of these passages do talk about God

bringing evil to pass, but this is not a moral evil, or the creation of something evil. Rather these


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passages talk about God bringing evil, i.e. calamity and destruction on those who have strayed

from His path.

Why Did God Place the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden if He Knew

Humans Would Eat of it?

I try to avoid speculative theology, but perhaps what we have observed regarding the

nature of good and evil may give us some idea as to why God would have placed the access to

such knowledge within the reach of man, but then prohibited man from reaching out and

acquiring it. Mankind in its ignorance and innocence thought that it could acquire the knowledge

of God on its own terms and through its own will. Mankind took through disobedience that

which one day, God would freely offer through His own Son and Spirit. God allowed humans to

exercise their free will and in doing so made them culpable for their own choices and acts of

disobedience. Mankind had tried to elevate itself to godhood through its own decisions and

choices even at the expense of disobeying the Creator Himself. This disobedience robbed

mankind of its innocence and made it morally culpable. Humans were created a little lower than

the angels, but now instead of the knowledge of good and evil elevating us beyond the heavenly

host, our moral failings would debase us below the realm of the beasts. God in His wisdom and

foreknowledge was not surprised or taken aback from the foolishness of man; rather He had

already provided a way of redemption and reconciliation before the foundation of the world.

Gods glory would be magnified through mans disobedience and the almighty would be exalted

through mans fall.

In many ways it seems like humans without the knowledge of good and evil would have

been much more like pets than autonomous moral free agents. You can teach a pet tricks and

obedience through punishment and rewards, they may even show loyalty or affection, but in the


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end they are still pets, some well-behaved and some not. With the acquisition of the knowledge

of good and evil, humans are no longer content with punishments and rewards. We have lost the

innocence and childhood of our race. Yes it is true that humans are full of self will, rebellion and

all manner of disobedience, but we also ponder, question, judge and evaluate. We look for

underlying motivations and seek first principles and causes. We evaluate and judge, others and

ourselves. We create and destroy, love and hate, show justice and mercy, cruelty and

compassion, we are jealous and competitive; we are truly made in the image of God. We are so

much like God, in fact, that we have chosen are own values, standards, judgments and will, over

that of the Almighty Himself. We have gone far beyond a simple act of disobedience, we have

now made ourselves gods in our own eyes, some have gone as far as to deny any other God

altogether and would prefer to invoke time and chance for our existence rather than being the

creatures of a Creator.

The knowledge of good and evil did make us much more like God than we were before,

and I would postulate that God fully knew that we would disobey Him and claim this knowledge

for ourselves. God also knew the outcome of this choice and the horrific consequences it would

bring on the human race, creation and even upon Himself. Yet, God in His wisdom and

sovereignty allowed this human passion play to unfold. God created humans in innocence and

perfection, humans chose to disobey God and take that which was not meet for them. The result

was a loss of innocence, relationship and life, both physical and spiritual. Man in his fallen state

was still in the image of God, but now armed with the knowledge of good and evil, and a radical

free will, his thoughts and imaginings would bring about such wickedness and violence, that God

would eventually wipe clean the creation itself, with the exception of those who were preserved

in the ark.


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Mans initial act of rebellion would be the seedbed of all manner of evil in the world,

both in the natural world and in the souls of man. Physical as well as spiritual sickness would

abound, selfishness and pride, would replace submission and obedience, and man would seek his

own betterment and perfection through his own efforts, rather than submit to the authority of the

One who made him. God communicated His Holy standards through the Law and the Prophets,

yet the prophets were despised and the law was neglected or perverted. Gods revealed standards

were beyond the attainment of mortal men, and His expectations were crushing and unlivable.

Man rebelled again, and set up his own standards of right and wrong, the good, better and best,

pitting his own knowledge of good and evil against those of the One who created the very

concept of good and evil to begin with.

How often have you heard people accuse God of moral failure, and judge the almighty

because of the state of the world? How could a loving God send people to hell? If God exists,

and evil exists, then God must be all good, but not all powerful, or all powerful, but not all good.

If God is loving, merciful and compassionate, why do the innocent suffer? Why are there birth

defects and debilitating diseases? Why do people kill and commit all manner of atrocities in

Gods name? Why did God allow slavery and the subjugation of women? Why does God

command genocide and the slaughter of children in the Bible? Why do the wicked prosper and

the righteous suffer? All of these are examples of man using his knowledge of good and evil to

judge God based off of human understanding. From a human perspective and our limited base of

knowledge, these are fair complaints and accusations. Yet, this is exactly the problem! We are

making moral judgments in regards to good and evil based on human understanding. It is

precisely, because we do not have the mind or knowledge of God, that our judgments will fall

short, and come to the wrong conclusions.


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There is a whole branch of philosophy/theology called theodicy. It is the exercise of

providing a defense for the ways of God. It is an interesting study, and answers have been

provided for all the above accusations and more. Yet whether one is attacking God or defending

Him, it is still being done through human understanding, reason and experience. The theodicist

is just as much relying on his own understanding of good and evil as the accuser. God rarely

gives reasons for His actions, and in the few recorded instances of God responding to charges of

inequity, He doesnt explain why His actions are good or evil, but rather He proclaims who He

is. The greatest example of God responding to accusations of injustice and unfairness can be

found towards the end of the book of Job. Job was a righteous man who feared God. As the

story goes, one day God was boasting to Satan about His servant Job. Satan quickly retorted that

anyone would be a good and faithful servant if they were protected and blessed the way Job was.

According to the Biblical account, God removed His protection from Job, save for his life, and

allowed Satan to bring all manner of calamity upon him. After Job had lost all his family, except

for his wife, and his great possessions, wealth and health, he is first comforted, and then accused

by his closest friends. Based on human reason and understanding, Jobs friends surmised that

Job must have committed some secret sin, for they were under the presupposition that the

righteous prosper and the wicked suffer. Since Job was suffering, he obviously was wicked. Job

based on his personal experience, knew he wasnt wicked, and had no hidden sins, but could not

explain why Gods blessing had been removed and his life was one of abject desolation. Job

argued with his friends, but his real complaint was against God. Based on Jobs knowledge of

good and evil, what had happened to him was unjust and unfair. Job wanted an audience with

God where he could voice his complaints. It is in this context that God appears to confront Job.


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The encounter of God with Job is recorded in the 38ththrough 42ndchapters of the book of Job

and I would encourage you to read it in its entirety, but I will give you the highlights.

Job 38:1-5 KJV

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

God goes on to ask Job a series of questions Job could not possibly know the answer to. This

series of questions continues all the way to Job chapter 40.

Job 40:1-8 KJV

Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,

2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer

it.

3 Then Job answered the Lord, and said,

4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

6 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.


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8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

Job admits his mistake when realizes that his judgments are vial and have no merit when

compared to the judgments, power and authority of God. God, however, is not finished, and

pronounces the whole issue with precision and clarity. Will you condemn me, so you can be

righteous? This is the entire history of human morality and railings against the creator, from

Eden until now. We the creature, want to accuse the creator, based on our understanding of good

and evil, so that God will be condemned and we will be justified. God at this point is not

satisfied with Jobs contrition and gives him another two chapters of questions that Job cant

answer, and demonstrations of His power, which help Job truly understand his place in relation

to the creator of the universe.

Job 42:1-6 KJV

Then Job answered the Lord, and said,

2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood

not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Job acknowledges his ignorance, and declares Gods righteousness, based on the

character, nature and power of God. Job abases himself and exalts the Creator, repenting in dust

and ashes. At this point God restores Job, along with his wealth, health and new children, but as


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far as we know, God never gives Job a reason for the trials and suffering that came his way. God

did not tell Job I was trying to prove a point to Satan, or Im going to use your life as an object

lesson to teach others about my greatness or glory, or Im doing this to show that sometimes the

righteous suffer, but God is still in control. God didnt tell Job any of these things, rather He

basically said, Im God and youre not.

After looking at this account of Job, you may be thinking to yourself, this is the most

horrific, immoral story I have ever heard. Because of Gods ego and boasting, Job ends up

suffering and being tormented. When Job wants to know why all this is happening to him, God

berates and belittles him instead of giving him comfort. The lessons of this story seem to be

more along the lines of do not be over righteous or God might bet on you, or that God is a

cosmic tyrant that does what He wants when He wants, and do not dare question His intentions,

method or authority. Once again, from a human perspective, these are completely valid

conclusions to the story of Job, but once again, this is precisely the problem. We, like Job, are

using our internal moral compass and template of good and evil, to judge the One who is beyond

good and evil. [explain this?] The whole point of the book of Job is that God is God and we are

not. We cannot even begin to think that our limited knowledge and wisdom can allow us to

judge a Being whose knowledge and wisdom is infinite, absolute, and perfect. Until we come to

the place of realization like Job, of who we are and who God is, like Job, we will try and justify

ourselves by condemning the almighty.

Let me give you one more example of why our judgment of good and evil is lacking

before we move on to other topics. This example I first saw while reading Voltaire, but it can

also be found in many folk tales and stories from the Middle East.

The Hermit


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From the French of Voltaire.

IN the reign of King Moabdar there lived at Babylon a young man named Zadig. He was

handsome, rich and naturally good-hearted; and at the moment when this story opens, he was

travelling on foot to see the world, and to learn philosophy and wisdom. But, hitherto, he had

encountered so much misery, and endured so many terrible disasters, that he had become

tempted to rebel against the will of Heaven, and to believe that the Providence which rules the

world neglects the good and lets the evil prosper. In this unhappy spirit he was one day walking

on the banks of the Euphrates, when he chanced to meet a venerable hermit, whose snowy beard

descended to his girdle, and who carried in his hand a scroll which he was reading with attention.

Zadig stopped, and made him a low bow. The hermit returned the salutation with an air so

kindly, and so noble, that Zadig felt a curiosity to speak to him. He inquired what scroll was that

which he was reading.

It is the Book of Destiny, replied the hermit; would you like to read it?

He handed it to Zadig; but the latter, though he knew 86 a dozen languages, could not understand

a word of it. His curiosity increased.

You appear to be in trouble, said the kindly hermit.

Alas! said Zadig, I have cause to be so.

If you will allow me, said the hermit, I will accompany you. Perhaps I may be useful to you. I

am sometimes able to console the sorrowful.

Zadig felt a deep respect for the appearance, the white beard, and the mysterious scroll of the old

hermit, and perceived that his conversation was that of a superior mind. The old man spoke of


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destiny, of justice, of morality, of 87 the chief good of life, of human frailty, of virtue, and of

vice, with so much power and eloquence, that Zadig felt himself attracted by a kind of charm,

and besought the hermit not to leave him until they should return to Babylon.

I ask you the same favour, said the hermit. Promise 88 me that, whatever I may do, you will

keep me company for several days.

Zadig gave the promise; and they set forth together.

That night the travellers arrived at a grand mansion. The hermit begged for food and lodging for

himself and his companion. The porter, who might have been mistaken for a prince, ushered

them in with a contemptuous air of welcome. The chief servant showed them the magnificent

apartments; and they were then admitted to the bottom of the table, where the master of the

mansion did not condescend to cast a glance at them. They were however, served with delicacies

in profusion, and after dinner washed their hands in a golden basin set with emeralds and rubies.

They were then conducted for the night into a beautiful apartment: and the next morning, before

they left the castle, a servant brought them each a piece of gold.

The master of the house, said Zadig, as they went their way, appears to be a generous man,

although a trifle haughty. He practises a noble hospitality. As he spoke, he perceived that a kind

of large pouch which the hermit carried appeared singularly distended; within it was the golden

basin, set with precious stones, which the old man had purloined. Zadig was amazed; but he said

nothing.

At noon the hermit stopped before a little house, in which lived a wealthy miser, and once more

asked for hospitality. An old valet in a shabby coat received them very rudely, showed them into

the stable, and set before them a few rotten olives, some mouldy bread, and beer which had


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turned sour. The hermit ate and drank with as much content as he had shown the night before;

then, 89 addressing the old valet, who had kept his eye upon them to make sure that they stole

nothing, he gave him the two gold pieces which they had received that morning, and thanked him

for his kind attention. Be so good, he added, as to let me see your master.

The astonished valet showed them in.

Most mighty signor, said the hermit, I can only render you my humble thanks for the noble

manner in which you have received us. I beseech you to accept this golden basin as a token of

my gratitude.

The miser almost fell backwards with amazement. The hermit, without waiting for him to

recover, set off with speed with his companion.

Holy Father, said Zadig, what does all this mean? You seem to me to resemble other men in

nothing. You steal a golden basin set with jewels from a Signor who 90 receives you with

magnificence, and you give it to a curmudgeon who treats you with indignity.

My son, replied the hermit, this mighty lord, who only welcomes travellers through vanity,

and to display his riches, will henceforth grow wiser, while the miser will be taught to practise

hospitality. Be amazed at nothing, and follow me.

Zadig knew not whether he was dealing with the most foolish or the wisest of all men. But the

hermit spoke with such ascendency that Zadig, who besides was fettered by his promise, had no

choice except to follow him.

That night they came to an agreeable house, of simple aspect, and showing signs neither of

prodigality nor avarice. The owner was a philosopher, who had left the world, and who studied


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peacefully the rules of virtue and of wisdom, and who yet was happy and contented. He had built

this calm retreat to please himself, and he received the strangers in it wi

Walkin the Spirit and You Will Not Fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh

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