"In The Flesh" - We've Had It All Wrong!

As a boy growing up in church, I can remember a lot of talk about not wanting anyone to be in the flesh. We didn't do things because we were afraid it might be the flesh. It seemed that people were quick to "discern" someone was in the flesh if they did something in church that we didn't think was "in the Spirit". There were sermons about it. There were exhortations about staying out of the flesh. On and on and on. As I became an adult, and began looking into the scriptures for myself, I could see where we got into that frame of mind.

Can I tell you something? I've seen some flesh at church! But you know what? I've seen WAY MORE flesh away from church!! Let me show you what I'm talking about.

Gal. 5:19-21, the New American Standard Bible says it this way, "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
vs.20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
vs.21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Every one of those things are contrary to the Holy Spirit. And those are things that can be seen in everyday lives of people!

Now I would like to share those same scriptures from The Message, vs.19 "It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness;
vs.20 trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits;
vs.21 the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom."

Here is the flesh in all of it's glory!! This is the flesh I am most concerned about, not what may show up in a church service! The real show of the flesh comes out in our every day actions, thoughts, and words!!! Please don't think, "man he must be mad or something!" I'm not! Except at the accuser of the family of faith. He had us convinced, and still does to some degree, that it is more wrong to get in the flesh at church than it is to get in the flesh at home with the spouse and kids, or work with other employees, or on the ballfield with our teamates, or at the coffee shop, or at the beauty shop, at the grocery store, in the traffic, wherever we are! We watch our "P's and Q's" at church, but many times after we get away from there, we excuse, or overlook, the way we act or live our lives. The flesh that reveals itself in a church service or worship time, is not anywhere near as distructive as the showing of flesh away from that setting!

Romans 8:8 from the Amplified Bible says, "So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him."

God has given us the ability we need to not live in the flesh. But we must allow that power of the Holy Spirit to fill us full and keep us full. Christ in you, is the hope of glory. HE is so wonderful! HE is full of mercy and grace. Romans 8:37 in the Good News Bible says, "No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!"