THE INNER MOTIONS OF SANCTIFICATION

By Gary Ray Branscome

The Bible describes the change which takes place in a man when he comes to faith in Christ as a transformation. And, the words, “He has given you life, who were dead in trespasses and sins,” describe that transformation as a change from spiritual death to new life in Christ (Ephesians 2:1). At the same time, the Bible does not give us any details about that change. However we are told that, “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new,” (2Corinthians 5:17). And, those words describe a transformation that goes far beyond receiving life. What is being described is a new nature. And, the words, “Put on the new nature, which after the image of God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” // “Put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge after the image of the One who created him,” tell us that the new nature restores us to the image of God (Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10). [An image lost through the fall, Jer. 17:9, John 8:44, Matt. 15:19.]

The words, “I inwardly delight in the law of God: But I see another law at work in my members, warring against the law of my mind,” tell us that our new nature assents to the will of God, but still struggles against the old nature (Romans 7:22-23). However, the struggle that we endure should never cause us to “lose heart; on the contrary, even though our outward man dies, our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2Corinthians 4:16). And, that renewal should lead you to “put off everything having to do with your former way of life, the old nature which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:22-23). “Regard yourselves as dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:11).

The words, “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and they are opposed to each other: so that you cannot do the things that you would,” tell us that the struggle with our old nature can be very intense (Galatians 5:17). And, because of the deceitfulness of sin, men who are struggling with the flesh can easily puff themselves up in their own minds, telling themselves that the effort they make to resist sin is what makes them righteous. However, what they fail to see is that if they were really righteous they would not have to make an effort to resist sin, it would come naturally. What they are resisting is the wickedness of their own heart; a heart that the Bible describes as, “Deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Christians who are undergoing an intense struggle with the flesh should never assume that they are struggling because they have fallen from grace. It is the lost who have no struggle; the lost just give into the flesh, or water down the law and excuse transgressing it (Luke 11:46). And, they are condemned by the words, “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). And, because only those who trust in Christ have the Holy Spirit, only those who trust in Christ can “put to death the deeds of the body” “by the Spirit”.

Because the Apostle Paul had to struggle with the flesh, and was describing his struggle when he said, “I inwardly delight in the law of God: But I see another law at work in my members, warring against the law of my mind,” no one should ever think that they are lost because they have to struggle (Romans 7:22-23). On the other hand, if you assume that your struggle with the flesh makes you righteous it can greatly intensify that struggle, because the Holy Spirit will not help you to deceive yourself. The Holy Spirit wants you to say with Paul “I know that nothing good dwells in me,” while admitting your sin and trusting in Christ [rather than your own efforts] for righteousness (Romans 7:18). As it is written, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes” (Romans 10:4).

Even though we receive a new nature when we come to faith in Christ, the old nature is still present. And, the words, “The dead shall be raised incorruptible,” tell us that our old corruptible nature will continue in us until the resurrection (1Corinthians 15:52). Moreover, because that old nature is present in us, we endure the same sinful desires and passions as the lost; and in that regard are no better than them. The words, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” tell us that we should not be surprised if our old nature tempts us to do horrible things (Jeremiah 17:9). What sets us apart from the world is the fact that we struggle against sinful thoughts and desires. And, the following passages describe that struggle. “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). “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Galatians 5:24). “Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). “I buffet my body, and bring it under my control: lest there be any way that I, after having preached to others, might be rejected” (1Corinthians 9:27). “If your hand or your foot offends you, cut it off, and throw it away: it is better for you to enter into life crippled or maimed, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. And if your eye offends you, pluck it out, and throw it away: it is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell fire” (Matthew 18:8-9). “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

In our struggle with the flesh we need to remember the promise “God who is faithful, will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear; but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way of escape, giving you the ability to bear it” (1Corinthians 10:13). And, when we are tempted we should meet each temptation with the Word of God and prayer. Moreover, in praying for strength against the flesh, do not forget to ask God to forgive your wrong thoughts and get them out of your mind.

The words, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” // “Watch and pray, that you do not enter into temptation,” tell us that it is God’s will for us to pray to escape temptation (Matthew 6:13 and 26:41). At the same time, the words, “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” tell us that the Word of God is a weapon that we can use in fighting temptation (Ephesians 6:17).