THE NORMAL CHRISTIAN LIFE

The Natural Man: Natural, the Greek psuchikos, means of the senses and is unrenewed man in communion with the world, the nature we are born with. The Greek sarx/sarkikos, translated carnal or fleshly, is the propensity to indulge and satisfy our Natural Man with the sinful appetites and desires of this fallen world, to live according to the flesh -- what John called the Lust of the Eyes, Lust of the Flesh, and the Pride of Life. Desire for the world’s material things, physical appetites, pride, prestige, independence, power..., these are the tentacles of carnality that draw us to the world. The Natural Man loves to be in control and is naturally carnal, naturally lives life in concert with the desires of his flesh. The Natural Man’s real name is Self.

The Spiritual Man: Spiritual, the Greek pneumatikos, means pertaining to or proceeding from the Holy Spirit, persons who are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, enjoying the influences, graces, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Pneumatikos is renewed man in communion with God, clothed in the nature Christ died to provide for us. Spiritual Man is the product of one’s new birth into God’s Kingdom through a willful heartfelt confession in the atoning work of Jesus and repentance for sin. The Spiritual Man is the implanted nature of Christ... the Christ-Life, which will be made manifest by the Holy Spirit in the new believer’s life.  This, in essence, is what makes one a “New Creation” upon their confession of faith: Their enslavement to sin is broken – they now have the freedom of choosing whom they will serve. And, the Holy Spirit takes up habitation in their physical body allowing the nature of our Savior to be downloaded into their heart. As they willfully submit to the Lordship of Christ Self is nailed to the cross, bit by bit, replaced by the nature of Christ.  The maturing of our Spirit Man, what Jesus called our “perfection” is a lifelong process.

Self will want to maintain control and will resist the emergence of Christ’s nature, setting the stage for a lifelong battle between Self and the Christ-Life. Self must die or his carnal nature will bleed over into the Christ-Life producing “Carnal Christians”. Self will not go quickly or quietly... it won’t be a quick death.   “I am crucified with Christ … I die daily.” The daily moment by moment choices we make determine which nature is emerging and in control. This is the process of being conformed... molded, into the image… nature, of God’s Son, sharing inwardly His nature. This is progressive transformation, the normal Christian life.

I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

I DIE DAILY

PROGRESSIVE TRANSFORMATION

(1 Jn. 2:16; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor. 15:31; Matt. 5:48)