Let’s see then, battle against the world, battle against the wiles and temptations of the devil, and battle against your own flesh, your old sinful nature. Does that about sum it up?
This world of course, at the present time, belongs to Satan, so, in part at least, we could intertwine his temptations with its offerings, and our old man, our old sinful nature’s desires nearly everything that our adversary today controls, everything he offers, so it would seem as if our greatest, most persuasive enemy would be ourselves. Does that seem logical to you?
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16)
So then, if we could but control those desires, those lusts, if we could control our thoughts, and thereby our reactions to them, we would win this battle, does that also seem logical?
But there is a problem. We can’t.
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal. 5:17)
Sounds like a losing battle to me, one there is no way that we can win. We do not have it in us, we have no real power within ourselves to defeat the enemy within us, so, should we just accept the fact that we are going to fail at times? That we will acquiesce to that part of us that will remain with us until the moment we are glorified? Knowing that the Lord forgives when we confess our sins, that He understands, even expects those occasional downfalls?
Since we can do all things through Christ, since we are commanded to be Holy, yet we cannot do all things in this regard through Him, and we are definitely not Holy, what are we to do, how are we to approach this daily battle? What are we to say on our day of accounting? “I tried my best?”
We can do nothing of ourselves because there is no good in our flesh, and when we do try, all our works are as filthy rags.
Why do I write these letters? Why do you read and study your Bible? Why do you speak to others about His saving grace, lift up the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to those that will listen, encourage the weaker brothers and sisters in Christ? Why do you attempt to continue to do any of those things and more while at the same time remaining in the battle against this evil world, against the temptations and attacks of our adversary, against your own desires of the flesh?
What is your answer?
Is it because of the rewards you hope to receive, if so, can you name them? Is it because if you do not continue in this battle, you will go to hell? If you believe your works will save you, you’re going to hell anyway.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
Love for the Lord Jesus Christ is expressed in actions because of the emotions, the desires of the heart, they cannot be separated. The rewards are secondary, to hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” is to invite the possibility of pride by those who desire to hear those words.
To serve in love, and only because of love for Him who first loved us is the only way to enter into this battle, any other way will avail you nothing. Even the eternal promises must be placed after love, if love does not come first, if it is not the motivating factor, if love for the Lord Jesus Christ is not the driving force, then nothing you do will matter.
The victory is assured, remain in the battle.
