“If you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will live forever.” (Rom. 8:13 Amp)

Speaking from personal experience now...I know how easy it is for us to faithfully read our Bibles, and at the same time...just glide right over so many significant verses without taking them to heart. We can highlight them, quote them, write them out on a ‘sticky note’ and post somewhere as a reminder, and yet still not ‘get it’, and even worse...not apply it to our lives, which then creates other issues for us (James 1:22).

We can be taking part in a small group Bible study and come across certain passages like the one I began with here today (Rom. 8:13), and find ourselves nodding our heads in agreement and wanting to ‘discuss’ that verse in greater detail. We might take turns sharing what that verse means to us as we ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over how serious it sounds...before we move on to the next verse and continue the practice of studying God’s word; which of course makes us feel good about ourselves.

Do you realize how easy it can be for us to get sidetracked as we end up ‘walking in a form of godliness but denying its power...always learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth’ (2 Tim. 3:5,7)? Why, Jesus even cautioned one group that they could be quite diligent in ‘searching the scriptures...in looking for eternal life’...yet come up short if they failed to actually ‘come to Him’...so that they might have life. (John 5:39-40). That’s another passage worth some serious time contemplating if you are up for it. And the ‘self-reflective’ question to ponder there is this: ‘what does it mean to truly ‘come to Him’?

But Paul did not candy-coat that line in Romans 8:13 at all. He explicitly writes out: if you continue living according to your flesh nature...you are going to die.

I’m often inclined to read ‘surely die’, because a similar somber warning was given to Adam and Eve at the very beginning, regarding the one tree of the ‘knowledge of good and evil’ there in the garden. They were told that in the day they eat of it, they will ‘surely die’’ (Gen. 2:17). Ever wonder why we have such a hard time taking God at His word and believing He means what He says? Do you think that same ‘serpent’ that got Eve to reconsider...and then believe his lie that she would ‘surely not die’ (Gen. 3:4)...might be operating today? Paul seemed to express that concern in 2 Cor. 11:3-4.

I think we all know what he is addressing here when he speaks of this ‘flesh (nature)’. Paul gave a pretty extensive list of those ‘evident deeds of the body’ in Gal. 5:19-21. You’ll also find a decent listing of them in Romans 1:29-31; and please note there what he says about God’s ‘righteous judgment’ in regards to people who ‘practice such things’ in vs.32...'deserve'. What are such people ‘deserving of’? Funny how easy it is for lots of churches these days to kind of ‘water down’ God’s standard of righteousness...you know...to make it easier on folks so we don’t run them off. And all the while, these well-meaning churches and man-made doctrines simply lead people down other crowded paths that lead to destruction. (Matt. 7:13-14; Hosea 4:6). That’s what the problem was with those folks in Rom. 10:2-3.

Take a look at Romans 6, where Paul is addressing ‘presumed believers’, and wanting to drive home a serious point we should all sit up and take notice of: “Know this...that our old man was crucified with Him that the body of sin might be done away with so we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (6). He’s making it known that those who were ‘baptized into Christ were baptized into His death’ (3-4) when we were ‘buried with Him’. This is what water baptism signifies and I’ll come back to this later. But for all those who lightheartedly admit or agree that they are still ‘dealing with that old man/flesh’...do we not see the problem with this? Something is terribly wrong. The familiar graphic I posted once again today...if that ‘fruit’ is indicative of what kind of fruit others (and God) are seeing in you on a regular basis...we have a problem.

In Colossians 3:5...we see the command again: “Put to death your [earthly components of your earthly nature]...including sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed...etc.” When we are told to ‘put them to death’, that does not mean ‘dial it down, put them on a leash, or in a cage’. It means they are to ‘die’; and when something ‘dies’, it’s not normal to see it continue to thrive and hang around. He then explains exactly why it is imperative that we do this- because of these things...God’s wrath is coming. If this kind of ‘fruit’ is still manifesting out of your heart, you are a ‘target’ and are opening a door for the enemy to come and to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’ (Eph. 4:27; John 10:10).

And Paul does not stop there...he includes other areas that better be ‘dead’, like anger, malice, blasphemy, filthy language...lying (7-9). I am utterly convinced we’ve been blinded to this, deceived, or have fallen asleep and have no idea what his happening. We’ve been deluded to think we are ‘just fine’ under this mystical ‘canopy of grace’ and have let ‘empty words deceive us’ (Eph. 5:3-6). Take a look at Matt. 13:40-43 and Romans 1:18. Who or what is the subject and/or ‘target’ of God’s wrath? Maybe that is why Peter reminds us to be “holy in ALL our conduct...even as God is holy’ ...as we walk out our time here ‘in fear’ (1 Pet. 1:14-17).

Care to know another reason why it is so important that we ‘die’ to these things? What has to happen before any new fruit can be produced? (John 12:24 gives the answer). So, before the ‘fruit of kindness’ can spring forth, we have to ‘die to unkindness’. Same with the fruit of gentleness and meekness and patience, etc. And don’t be too quick to pat yourself on the back because you did some ‘kind’ act last week at work, even though you have demonstrated unkind actions and words to others who may even be closer to you; since Jesus reminds us in Matt. 7:17-18 that....well, maybe you should go read for yourself :- )

And that exhortation for us to examine our own hearts closely, that Paul gives in 2 Cor. 13:5? Why not start with Galatians 5:24...”those who belong to Christ...” have done what? We are also reminded who the real ‘children of God are’ in Romans 8:14- those who are ‘led by the Spirit’; and those who ‘walk in the Spirit...won’t be fulfilling the lust/desires of that flesh nature’ (Gal. 5:16). So there’s that. Friends, I cannot underscore enough...the seriousness of the times we are currently living in. You might finish up reading Eph. 5:8-21.