RENEWED IN HIS IMAGE
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Romans 6:12. No one wants to admit they have specific lusts (any sinful desire). We don't freely talk about such things. Our own bad habits embarrass us, and if reproved, we're often upset and sometimes very angry. This kind of reaction is due to the sinful nature.
Preachers and teachers of the Scriptures find it hard to speak of specific sins in the pulpit, and when they do, it's the human tendency to apply any references to sin to our neighbor instead of ourselves. This is probably why some people are so free at criticizing others, instead of searching their own hearts and admitting their own shortcomings, and making efforts to overcome.
The Bible deals with temptation and sin without holding back for fear of offending. The Lord wants us to search the Scriptures and our own hearts, to know how and why we're tempted and what to do about it. We are given a goal, and ways to reach that goal.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. . .That the righteousness of the law be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1, 4.
To walk after the flesh is to let our fleshly desires control us. God gave us reasoning powers in the front part of our brains. This is where the Holy Spirit works. The higher powers of our minds must rule over us. The fleshly lusts (appetites and passions) are perverted because of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam. Yet, it's not our sinful natures which make us guilty. Nor are we guilty because we are tempted, but condemnation comes when we cherish the temptations Satan tries to implant in our minds.
The Spirit of God helps in the battle we must daily fight over selfish desires. "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkeness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." Romans 13:13, 14. How do we make "provision for the flesh"? By going where temptation is, by cherishing evil thoughts, by insisting on our own way.
Temptation is a powerful enemy. It can sneak up on us like a thief. It can strike us down before we know what hit us. How can we deal with it successfully? The Bible tells us, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as in common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13.
"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1. The spirit this text speaks of is the spirit of our own minds--our motives, attitudes, and emotions are involved. God, in other places, promises to give us a new spirit, to free us of perverted or selfish thoughts and motives. Our Lord will be thorough in His work of cleansing. "This say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16. This is the Holy Spirit working with our spirits.
"They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Galatians 5:24, 25. Paul says, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live." Galatians 2:20. We live because Christ dwells in us through the Holy Spirit. Thus, the fruit of the Spirit will appear in our lives.
Will we still be tempted? Yes. Satan isn't ready to give us up until Christ's second coming. We're in a war, but we must always use the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) to fight that war. Our faith in God will shield us from Satan's darts (see Ephesians 6:10-18).
We struggle with selfishness every day, and we need to surrender to God and die to self each day (and even each hour). It's vital "that ye put off concerning the former conversation (and conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24.
To be renewed by the Spirit is a process that takes time. We will face temptations daily, but we may also be renewed daily and gain victories daily, as we submit to God. He wants to restore us into His holy image, and He will, as we cooperate.
Temptation must be squarely faced. To dally with it is to play with fire. We need to deal with it whether we want to or not, yet God assures us, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil; neither tempteth He any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringtheth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:12-15.
When we learn to hate sin, and realize how much it drags us down into the depths of misery and death, temptation will lose its power over us. Satan may cause us a certain amount of pain and suffering, but he can't destroy our connection with our Saviour against our wills.
"As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (and conduct); because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:14-16. It's possible to backslide into our former sins, but as we determine to fill our minds with His word and our lives with His way, we shall conquer.
In the matter of obedience, God gives us the easy part. We only need to choose His way. We make it hard for ourselves when we lean on our own meager strength and fail to acknowledge our total dependence on Him for life itself. We mortals are so foolish. How can we suppose we know more than our Creator what will give us lasting happiness? Temptations are so powerful because they offer us instant gratification. Our senses rule over us. The Bible speaks of sin being a love for idols. We love to indulge appetite, passions, pride, and all manner of selfish desires. Our carnal natures enslave us when we let them.
But when we belong to Christ, we'll consider ourselves strangers in this world, and anything it may offer us which tends to pull us away from our Saviour. The reason Satan can so easily deceive us is because we too often want to be deceived. It's easier to sin that way. "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." 1 Peter 2:11.
We who must deal with our sinful natures, are offered the divine nature to give us all the help we need. "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter 1:4.
Those who fail to make it often blame the Lord. "We can't help it," they say, "we're too weak." Yes, we are terribly weak in our human flesh, but the problem lies in our failure to trust in the Lord's divine power to save us from our sins. We should be thankful for His forgiving love, but His love does more than forgive us. It restores or remakes us. We need to trust God's love more than we do, then we can be victorious over every temptation. Doesn't the God who created our complex bodies and minds have enough power and wisdom to re-create us into His image?