V. THE TWO NATURES.
Often it happens that the young believer becomes distressed in spirit as he realizes the continued existence of sin in him, which at times will assert itself by thought, word and action, much to his sorrow. Such an one does not see fully that while he is "born again," and has thus received a new nature, yet the old nature is not remedied, removed, or eradicated, but two distinct natures exist in him as opposite as day and night, good and evil, in their desires and operations, and can be no more assimilated than oil and water.
A lack of apprehension of all this may, and often does, lead into what is called a " backslidden " state, causing distress of soul, sorrow to God's people, and dishonor to Him.
I. The natural man, 1:e., a person in his unconverted state, having only one nature, and that received from Adam by natural, fleshly descent.
"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" (i Cor. 2:14).
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God " (Rom. 8:7, 8).
This God states to be the condition of every person naturally, no matter how cultured, refined, talented, amiable, or liberal, they"cannot please God."
See also Psa. 51:5; Mark 7:21-23; Eph. 4:22; John 6:63; i Cor. 1:18; Heb. 11:6; John. 3:6.
2. The spiritual man, 1:e., a person such as above, but who has been born again; thus receiving a new nature from God in addition to the old Adamic nature, in all its unchangeableness ; just as bad in the believer as in the unbeliever.
"As many as received Him, to them gave He power (right or privilege) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12, 13).
"Whereby are given unto us, exceeding great and precious promises; that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature" (2 Pet. 2:4).
" Which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness " (Eph. 4:24).
See also John 3:3; Gal. 3:26; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3, 4; i John 3:9).
Thus these two extremes of nature, Adamic and of God, existing in the same person-a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ-there must be, and is constant conflict, as each asserts itself.
3. The fruits of each nature, and the conflict. '' For the flesh (Adamic nature) lusteth against the spirit (the divine nature), and the spirit against the flesh:and these are contrary the one to the other:so that ye cannot (or may not) do the things that ye would " (Gal. 5:17).
" Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these:adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like" (Gal. 5:19-21).
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22, 23).
"But as then he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so is it now" (Gal. 4:29). See also Rom. 7:14-24.
It is very profitable and helpful to study carefully the conflict between the two in this last chapter.
4. Victory. With these two conflicting powers, one displeasing and the other pleasing to God, it is evident that as either one has control or sway, the life of the believer must be in approval or disapproval to God; so the apostle writes in 2 Cor. 5:9, that he endeavored to be "acceptable to Him," not accepted of Him in the sense of salvation which was "in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6), and is therefore unvarying, but as to his life and service.
With the new birth God gives a mighty " Helper " in the Holy Ghost, who dwells in the believer imparting energy and overcoming power, so that the secret of victory is to "walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh " (Gal 5:16).
It is to see the place and manner in which God has dealt with the "old man" and then to reckon or count ourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus.
" Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth, for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. . . . Mortify (put practically to death) therefore your members," etc. (Col. 3:2, 3, 5.)
How God deals with the old man ?
"Knowing this that our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
" Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof" (Rom. 6:6, 9, 11, 12).
"I am crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20).
"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh . . . but if we through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body we shall live" (Rom. 8:12, 13).
So it is to realize our identification, in God's sight, with Christ,-that we have died, been buried, risen, seated in the heavenlies in Him, and that such is the end of the "old man" before Him, judged at the cross ; and thus walking, or living in the Spirit, is making practical here in our lives this exalted position in the energy of the Holy Spirit who bears witness through the word of God to these facts:-
"Ye are dead …ye then be risen with Christ " (Col. 3:3, i).
"Hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 2:6).
But while truly believing all this, the believer at times may yield to the flesh, and, alas, sin is the result. What then is to be done ?
God is His wonderful salvation has made provision for this.
" My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (i John 2:i).
Our blessed Lord did not exhaust His interest in His believing people on the cross, but His advocacy
now avails for those of them who may be overcome by sin. But does not the believer have something to do ? Ah, yes, the saint who has thus fallen into sin, by which his communion is interrupted, must be led to "see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God" (Jer. 2:19), and that it is no light matter to yield to that which his Father hates and which brings not only trouble to himself, but dishonor to our Lord, and will be led by the Holy Spirit in deep humiliation of soul to true self-judgment (i Cor. 11:31, 32), and to make confession of his sin.
But let it be clearly understood that this is not to be done in a mere formal manner;. it must be real heart work of sorrow, for sin is as hateful to our God in His children, as it is in the unbeliever, and surely it is not the normal condition of children of God to practice or allow sin any rule in their lives, but on the contrary it should be an exception.
The apostle Paul writes, "sin shall not have dominion over you" (Rom. 6:14).
Peter "went out and wept bitterly" (Matt. 26:75), and
John calls attention to the Advocacy of Christ. (i John 2:i).
David says, '' Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee" (Psa. 119:n).
This latter, then, is the great preventive, as in the power of the Holy Ghost it takes practical effect in our lives, and as the word points to our Lord, the sure remedy is to be continually occupied with our Lord Jesus Christ. B. W. J.