By The Spirit, Killing Sin

Scripture Texts: Romans 8:12-15

We are in this greatest chapter of the greatest book talking about our being sanctified by the Holy Spirit and the contrast between the flesh and the Spirit, between being a slave and a son.

Sometimes Paul refers to the flesh to mean our human bodies.  And sometimes Paul refers to the flesh to mean that seat of remaining sin.  Having a fleshly, material, physical body is fine, that’s what God has given us.  But we have fallen physical bodies in which sin continues to dwell and will continue to dwell until we are fully redeemed and glorified in heaven.

Think of a huge weed patch, untouched, uncultivated.  That is our old man.  Then God comes and plows the weed patch under and makes it into a garden.  Now it is new, now it is a garden and no longer a weed patch.  That is one kind of death, the death of our old man.