“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if
by the Spirit you put to death the
deeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
This verse
scares me. It highlights the radical difference between the life lived in the flesh
and the life lived by the Spirit. One ends in death, and the other in life. One
leads to eternal separation from God, and the other leads to eternal life with
the Father in heaven.
So why does
this verse scare me? I love Jesus Christ, I have placed my faith in him, and
Jesus is Lord of my life. But, I still battle with my sinful nature. My heart of
stone has been changed by Jesus Christ, yet I still struggle with sin. The Holy
Spirit lives in me, yet I stumble.
This verse
also encourages me. We all have a sinful nature, but we do not need
to live by it. A heart that has been truly transformed by Jesus will live by
the Spirit and put to death the deeds of the flesh. Although we will battle our
flesh here on earth, a genuine Christian can anticipate a day when there is no
more sin, no more sadness, and no more trials. We will experience the beautiful
presence of God forever.
Be warned by
this verse. Do not live according to the flesh.
Be encouraged by this verse.
Live by the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the flesh, and anticipated
eternal life with our Heavenly Father.
No comments :
Post a Comment