Living in the Flesh

Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedition's, heresies, Envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in the past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

To start off, I'll answer the question people ask when they read these two verses: What is the flesh? The flesh is in essence the carnal nature of man that is tempted. What is the carnal nature of man? Carnal means temporal, worldly, merely human, not spiritual. We all are living in the flesh when we are born and as we grow up until we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is God's spirit coming into us, changing and dwelling in us. (Acts 2:38). The Bible talks about living in the flesh can result in dying, not a literal death but a spiritual death. Living in the flesh can cause you to turn away from God and the things of God. Living in the flesh can cause temptations to occur and if you aren't careful you will give into those temptations. The temptations could be something as small as lying or as big as fornication or adultery. 
Hatred is a big fleshly manner that a lot of people struggle with, including me. There was a time where someone said some rather rude comments about me on a social media site, and what was said was rather alarming and preposterous. At first I didn't really know how to react, all I could say was "Wow, you've got to be kidding me." But after a while, I started to meditate on what was said and tried to decipher why this individual thought it was appropriate to say such hateful things. Not only was this person filled with anger and hatred towards me, but I became full of anger and hatred toward that person. We are all human, we all become angry at certain things, and we even say "I hate this" or "I loath this person". After a while I brushed off the things that were said and I moved on with my life. But there is still a small part of me that is still "hating" what this person did and said. I don't always remember that the Bible teaches against holding anger against someone and hatred being of the flesh. It is important that we are always cautious about what we say and even think about certain things. Not only can we become full of anger that it overwhelms us and it takes over our live and changes how we think, but it can turn into hatred. Hatred is of the flesh, and whatever you do that is of the flesh, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. Of course, if you repent and ask God to forgive you of hating this thing or this person, and you are sincere about it, he will forgive you and it will no longer be an issue. But if you don't realize that you need to be careful and always live our life in a good and acceptable manner to God, then you won't have to worry about not inheriting the kingdom of God.

Idolatry is something that a lot of people think was just for the Old Testament when the people of Israel decided to make another god, which was a golden calf. You can read this in Exodus chapter 32. It is rather amusing to say the least, because when Moses has gone up unto the mountain of Sinai with the two tablets for the ten commandments. The people tell Aaron that Moses has been gone for a while and they don't know what's happened to him, so make them gods who will lead them. When Moses confronts Aaron and asks him how could the people do this, he said in verse 22-24 "Don't be angry sir, you know that these people are evil.They said to me 'We know not what's happened to this Moses who brought us out of Egypt. make gods for us. They will lead us.' So I told them to take off any gold they were wearing. They gave it to me, I threw it in the fire, and out came a calf!" I think it's rather humorous that Aaron was pretty much blaming the whole issue on the people and the only thing he did was throw the gold in the fire and the calf just appeared there. What this story can teach us is that God is a jealous God. He doesn't want us to live half for him and half for something or someone else. Whatever you put all of your time into is an idol. Whatever you love with everything in you is an idol. If you make no time for anything else other than this one thing, it's an idol. Technology can be an idol. Clothing can be an idol. Even a boyfriend or girlfriend can be an idol. If you spend all of your time with your girl/boyfriend and you give God no time, that person is an idol. You shouldn't be so consumed in your life that you forget the basic disciplines of being holy and righteous and living for God. My parents have always told me to put God as a top priority and whatever will follow God will take care of.

Matthew 6:33 "But, first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you." (God's Word Translation)

Holiness In Your Apparel

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "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? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

1 Timothy 2:9 " In a like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." 

Holiness isn't just something we can be in our attitude and walk with God, but it's something that we can be in how we dress. Being Apostolic, I get asked so many questions about why I wear skirts all the time and why my hair is long and uncut. I will touch on those questions in a later post, but I'm going to talk about being modest in women's apparel. Modesty in its definition means having or showing regards for the decencies of behavior, speech, dress etc., decency. 

1 Timothy 2:9 says that women should adorn themselves with modest apparel. I didn't make that up, it came right from the Bible. You'd think the concept of modesty is a foreign speculation to the women of the 21st century. We look around and everywhere we look we see women and even young girls giving their bodies up for the attention of men. Ladies, we shouldn't be worrying about what men of this world think about us. All they really want is sexual things, and to use us for their own selfish ways. When ladies dress in a way that shows off their legs and chest, it's not pleasing to God. 1 Corinthians 16:20 says that we were bought with a price, and because of that we must glorify God with our body AND in our spirit. It's not enough to look the part. Ladies could wear skirts down to their ankles and their sleeves to their finger tips and turtlenecks, but that doesn't matter if our spirit isn't in the mindset to please God. Our price was him dying on the cross for our sins, we need to take hold of what God has done for us and learn that we can't disrespect him by the things we wear. 

We need to be shamefaced of what we wear. Shamefaced is basically being ashamed. No one wants to be ashamed. I don't like it when I feel ashamed of what I've done knowing it was displeasing to my parents or to God. If we know with scriptural backup that being modest is pleasing to God and anything that shows off our body in inappropriate ways is displeasing to God, we should be ashamed of it. Being ashamed isn't always a bad thing. It can help us know when we are doing something wrong that goes against God's word. 

I have this amazing New Living Translation Study Bible, I use it when I need clarification on verses. 

I read 1 Timothy 2:9-10 (NLT) "And I want women not to draw attention in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good they do." 

Wearing appropriate clothing is self explanatory. But it also talks about not drawing attention to yourself with expensive clothes and decorating your hair. I'm going to admit that I love to shop and I love to spend money on clothes and I want to look nice and presentable wherever I go. I also love doing my hair fancy for church and other special occasions. I don't think God wants us to give up looking nice and smelling good. We just need to do it in moderation, being humble and not being vain about what we wear and how we look. That's when it will become an issue and it could make you corrupt in your ways. 

We need to make sure we are humble and strive to be like him each day, and be holy because God is holy. 

Ephesians 16:18 "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." 

Corrupt Intentions

John 17:14 "I have given then thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."
John 17:18 "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world."
Being in the world but not of the world is a phrase that can be hard to grasp. How can someone be in the world but not of the world? Simple. When you think of "wordily" things, what do you think of? Maybe drinking, foul language, fornication, and even smaller things like not keeping promises, lying, or not having a good attitude.
You can tell a lot about a person just by how they talk and act. 1 Peter 1:15 says "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." It's very hypocritical if someone claims to be holy and live a holy life style if they curse and gossip. Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Proverbs 11:13 "A talebearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter."
Corrupt means having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain; to degrade with unsound principles or moral values. Titus 3:2 says "To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, [but] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men." When we loose our temper we need to have control over our words. We shouldn't lash out against people causing controversy or disputes, that's simply against what the Bible teaches.
I know several people who take their anger or hatred out on other people. They let little comments ruin their mood and in result they say rude and hateful things about others, stepping out of line. "Speak no evil of no man."
I'm sure evil can be taken several different ways in this verse. Evil is morally wrong or bad, saying something bad about another person, intending to hurt or not, is against the Bible. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin the grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein?" Romans 6:1-2 It's not hard to say kind things to people. When I was growing up in elementary school and even throughout middle school, my assistant principle would say "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." That is definitely a saying we can apply to our life. Gossip or talking bad about people falls under the category of corrupt speech. Although it's not absolutely terrible, it still goes against the Bible.
James 1:23 "For is any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass."
Proverbs 12:19 "The lip of truth shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but a moment."
Proverbs 12:22 "Lying lips are abomination to the LORD; but they that deal truly are his delight."
No one likes a lying tongue. We've all been in a position where someone was lying and you knew for a fact that that person was lying. Doesn't it just get your blood boiling when someone is lying to your face? Being holy and Christlike is a part of taking up God's characteristics. When God manifested himself in the flesh [Jesus] he created a perfect being who did not lie. 1 Peter 2:22 "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." Lying to some people is something we do everyday. If you're not careful, it an be telling someone a story and adding in "extra" details that did not really happen, is lying. Stretching the truth is lying. Lying is lying, no matter how big or how small.
James 1:24 "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."

The Basic Disciplines

Being holy is something everyone can accomplish. It's not rocket science, there's no secret mathematical formula you have to do to become holy. It's not a means of being perfect in how you look or dress, but a means of perfecting the basic disciplines where you want to go into a deeper relationship with God and seek after him daily and commit your life to him.
I'm taking a Personal Christian Development class at Indiana Bible College and this class has helped me have a better understanding of what I need to do to be more Christlike. Much of what I'll be talking about today I have learned from this class.
Personal Devotions is a basic discipline everyone should be familiar with. What are devotions? A devotion is when you set time aside for God, this is when you can speak to God through prayer and when God can speak to you through his word. People may say that personal devotions aren't necessary for holiness. On the contrary, is eating right and exercise essential for good health? Yes. Easily put, personal devotions is the good food and exercise for our spiritual health, just as you would exercise and eat right to maintain a healthy body; devotions will benefit you. How? You will get spiritual growth and formation, you will get encouragement and understanding when you need it and you will receive communication and correction. Devotions will also manifest a priority that is set in your life, a relationship that will be maintained and a willingness to hear from God. When you do a personal devotion you are giving God the time he deserves, in that he will speak to you and your relationship will grow because your communication is opened up. You set up a certain time everyday and make it a top priority to talk to God. From these two you'll develop a willingness to hear from God and you'll be in tune with the voice of God, being aware and able to acknowledge when he speaks to you.


Donald S. Whitney says in his book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (I highly recommend this book) that Bible reading, praying, silence and solitude go hand in hand with devotions. "Prayer means to pray with God till you are like him. If we really pray, we will become more like God, or else we will quit praying" E.M. Bounds. Whitney puts disciplines out plain and simple. "Disciplines without direction is drudgery." He gives the example of a boy who is learning to play guitar. He isn't motivated until he hears a great guitarist. But even then, if he doesn't put that new found passion into practice it's worth nothing. Disciplines are the same way. If you do them but do not have the right intentions you will not get anywhere in your walk with God and you'll wonder why nothing is happening or why your prayers aren't being answered or why you can't hear God speaking to you. It's because your eternal intentions aren't right and therefore you won't see any change. Maybe doing devotions is just a way for you to get your prayer wish list to God, "Well God I've been reading my Bible and doing a devotion daily, why aren't you answering my prayers?" You should do devotions to better yourself and to grow in your relationship with God. Only then will your prayers be answered and your problems will dissipate. John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

The Basics

Nowadays you don't hear much about being holy. Many people might not even know what being holy is; what the fundamentals to being holy are. What does holy mean? Dictionary.com gives this definition: 'Specially recognized as or declares sacred by religious use or authority, consecrated.' In substance, being holy is when we, as Christians, are chaste, and Godlike. Holiness and Christlikeness go hand in hand. Being Christlike means to take on the characteristics of Christ, obtaining compassion and mercy for others and showing and giving love to people. This won't just occur overnight, although that would be marvelous, it takes discipline to obtain holiness. 1 Timothy 4:7 (King James Version) "But refuse profane and old wives, fables and exercise thyself rather unto Godliness." Verse 8 continues to say "For bodily exercise profiteth little: but Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." Being holy isn't something that you can grasp in a short amount of time. It takes commitment, dedication and determination. Holiness isn't only about being like Christ but it's about breaking bad habits ad forming disciplines that will help you know more about Christ and how to live and show the people around you how living a holy life can work wonders. I found this quote from Dictionary.com, "How happy is the one whom God reproves, therefore do not despise the discipline of the almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal." Unfortunately the author is unknown.

Synonyms for discipline are; practice, preparation, orderliness, obedience and subordination. Some people think of discipline as a punishment kids receive from eating cookies before dinner, or picking their nose and wiping it on their sister. In those cases, yes discipline is to show authority and obedience, but in the case of holiness, disciplines are to make you stronger as an individual and more confident. Basic disciplines we all, myself included, should practice are daily devotions, Bible reading and prayer. Not only can and will those three disciplines help personally but they will help spiritually because the more spiritually in tune we are the more we are able to see how holiness can saturate our lives and change us.

Holiness and separation that are two key components Apostolic's live by. Dictionary.com put separation as, to keep apart or divide, as by an interviewing barrier or space. I'm not talking about always being inside of a glass box where you can see people but can't interact with anyone, but being separate simply means not being conformed by the things or ways of the world. Another way of putting it; living in the world but not being apart of the world. Simply put, if someone cuts you off and you become angry; most people would flip out, bang the steering wheel and cuss, but having a separate mindset from the world can change how we act. Living a holy life can help prevent things like that from happening and we will have control of our anger and how we react to certain situations.

 2 Corinthians 6:17 says "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you." 

Romans 12:2  "Don't be conformed by this world, be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern that is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."