Welcome back! Let’s begin!
Christians are warriors! We are soldiers in the Lord’s army. We wrestle (Ephesians 6:12), fight (1 Timothy 6:12), and battle (Psalm 18:34)! You may have been like I was: a failure in this war against the flesh! If so, the good news is we can get really good at fighting it and actually overcome (1 John 2:14).
Let’s discuss our next principle of warring against the flesh. Please read the following passage, and let’s discuss it together:
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." Romans 8:12-14 NIV
Question 1. According to Romans 8:12 NIV, to what do believers have no obligation?
This passage teaches us that we have no obligation to the flesh. We are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to its cravings. We are not obligated to obey the desires of the flesh; we owe nothing to the flesh.
This passage in Romans 8 starts with believers having “no condemnation” (Romans 8:1) because of the “sin offering” (Romans 8:3 NIV) that Jesus made for us. Now, we see there is “no obligation” for us to obey our flesh because we have died with Jesus. The passage ends with there being no separation (Romans 8:39 NIV) between Jesus and us because of the gospel! One good news after another!
What does this “no obligation” truth look like in practical experience? Let’s say I am tempted to gratify my flesh with a favorite food. The thought comes powerfully to my mind, and my flesh responds with craving. In my past, I would give in, follow the dictates of my flesh, and gratify my lusts.
But now, I have been looking at the cross where I saw my old self die with Jesus. I have seen that I’ve been raised to a new life with Jesus, and so now I have no obligation to obey my flesh. My flesh can scream its head off, like a little toddler who demands a toy, but I can, in essence, shut my ears to it and disregard it. This freedom to disregard my own flesh is because "Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20) and He makes choices that I would not have made on my own.
For your part, take a moment and picture a time of temptation where your flesh was craving to be gratified. Now see yourself letting it scream, but don’t respond. Let it beg and plead with you, but ignore it. In this way, you are actively putting your flesh to death, starving it if you will, and will be happy to do so because of the love you’ve been receiving at the cross! This putting to death the deeds of the flesh is the new way you live, the new power you have by the Spirit, which is Christ in you.