The flesh and the Spirit diametrically oppose one another. The flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit lusts against the flesh. The flesh and the Spirit don’t go together and will never go together. 所以, a person sows in the flesh or a person sows in the Spirit and what a person reaps shall be the result in what a person has sown; the Spirit or the flesh. Because what you sow you will reap. What does the Bible say about sowing and reaping?
The works of the flesh
因为随从肉体的人，体贴肉体的事; 但那些追随圣灵的人却是圣灵的事. 因为体贴肉体的就是死; 但有灵性的思考才是生命与平安. 因为体贴肉体的思想就是与神为敌: 因为它不受上帝律法的约束, 确实两者都不能. 所以属肉体的人不能得神的喜悦 (罗马书 8:5-8)
A carnal person is carnally minded and walks after the flesh. A carnal person is led by the flesh and does the works of the flesh. These works of the flesh originate from the sinful nature of the flesh and go against the will of God. Because the flesh won’t submit to God and shall never be subject to God and His commandments. 所以, 那些, who are the 旧造 and are in the flesh can’t please God.
The works of the flesh, which originate from the evil nature are a.o:
- 通奸 (asexual relationship between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse)
- 淫乱 (淫乱, sexual uncleanness including adultery, 离婚, incest, nonmarital sexual relations, 同性恋)
- Uncleanness (身体上或道德上: -不洁, 仪式上不纯洁)
- 无节制的感情 (适当地受苦, (无节制的) 感情, 情欲)
- 邪恶的色欲 (evil/wicked desire or lust)
- 贪欲 (欺诈, 勒索:-贪婪的做法, greediness, 有占有欲)
- Anger (暴力的激情, 愤怒, 愤慨, 复仇)
- Wrath (凶猛, 愤慨)
- Malice (顽皮, 邪恶的, 邪恶)
- Blasphemy (诽谤 (尤其是对抗神), railing, 恶言恶语)
- Filthy communication (恶毒的谈话, 咒骂)
- Lying (说谎或试图用谎言欺骗, 错误地, lie)
- 好色 (充满或表现出性欲)
- Idolatry (worship of idols, 对某事物的过度依恋或奉献)
- 巫术 (使用巫术或魔法, 使用咒语和召唤灵魂, 与魔鬼或熟悉的人交流, 不可抗拒的影响或迷恋)
- Hatred (带有偏见的敌意或敌意, 反对的理由, 敌意)
- Variance (不确定的亲和力; 争吵, 争论, 辩论, 冲突)
- Emulations (嫉妒, 热切的心, 愤慨, 妒忌, 热情)
- Strife (争论的行为, 努力或争夺优势)
- 煽动事件 (分配, 煽动抵抗或叛乱合法当局, 反抗国家权威)
- Heresies (教派, belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine (尤其是基督教), 与特定宗教的官方信仰或观点不一致的信仰或观点)
- Envyings (妒忌, 想要拥有别人拥有的东西的感觉, 因他人的财产而引起的不满或怨恨的渴望)
- 谋杀案 (屠宰, 杀死, 破坏或破坏, 非常糟糕地击败对手)
- Drunkenness(中毒, 醉酒的状态)
- Revellings (rioting, a carousel, enjoying oneself in a lively and noisy way, 尤其是喝酒和跳舞的时候)
那些, who do the works of the flesh, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God
现在肉体的行为已经显露出来, 这是哪些; 通奸, 淫乱, 不洁, 淫荡, 偶像崇拜, 巫术, 仇恨, variance, 仿真, 愤怒, 冲突, seditions, 异端邪说, envyings, 谋杀, 醉态, revellings, 诸如此类: 我之前告诉过你的, 正如我过去也告诉过你的, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God (加拉太书 5:19-21)
你们岂不知不义的人不能承受神的国? 不要被欺骗: 既不是淫乱者, 也不是偶像崇拜者, 也不是奸夫, 也不娘娘腔, 也不与人类一起虐待自己, 也不盗贼, 也不贪婪, 也不是酒鬼, 也不辱骂者, 也不是勒索者, 必承受神的国 (1 哥林多前书 6:9-10).
圣经说, that those, who do the works of the flesh, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
所以, if in a church these things happen among Christians, including the leaders of the church, it proves that the church (信徒聚会) is carnal and belongs to the world (黑暗王国) and is not spiritual and doesn’t belong to God and His Kingdom.
The building and interior of the church may look beautiful and the neon lightning with dynamic light effects and the music may influence the visitors in such a manner that it creates an experience, and elevates the mood and evokes pleasant feelings and emotions, and causes goosebumps, but all these things don’t prove that the church is spiritual and that God’s Spirit is present.
相反, it only proves that the church is carnal and relies upon audiovisual technology, and is led by her senses, 情怀, 和情绪. But God is Spirit and not a feeling and an experience.
If a person goes to a concert or a club, the mood of the person shall also be elevated by the neon lighting with dynamic light effects and music. The person shall also experience goosebumps, 愉快的感觉, 和情绪. But God and His Spirit are not present.
The signs and wonders don’t prove if someone is spiritual
(Supernatural) signs and wonders can also take place in a church, but the signs and wonders don’t prove that a church is spiritual. Especially if people persevere in sin and sin is tolerated in the church.
The signs and wonders can originate from the Spirit but signs and wonders can also originate from the soul, which is controlled by the kingdom of darkness.
这里有很多人, who don’t know God and are not born again and therefore are unspiritual, but do (超自然) signs and wonders from the flesh, by means of natural technics, 方法, 仪式, and natural elements and resources and influence of evil spirits. Look at alternative healers, Eastern philosophers, occultists, and what about the sorcerers in Egypt, who could do the same signs as God, 在某种程度上 (另请阅读: 'Do you have to be born again to walk in the supernatural?’ And ‘A technical faith’)
What is the fruit of the Spirit?
因此，如今那些在基督耶稣里的人就不定罪了, 不随从肉体而行的人, 但在圣灵之后. 因为生命圣灵的律在基督耶稣里释放了我，使我脱离了罪和死的律. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, 不随从肉体而行的人, 但在圣灵之后 (罗马书 8:1-4)
但你们并不属于肉体, 但在灵里, 如果神的灵住在你里面. 若有人没有基督的灵, 他不属于他. And if Christ be in you, 身体因罪而死; 但圣灵因义就是生命. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you (罗马书 8:9-11)
那些, who have become a new creation in Christ and have the Spirit of God shall no longer be servants of the sinful nature of the flesh and serve the flesh, but they are servants of the Spirit. They have received the Spirit of God and walk after the Spirit and shall bear the fruit of Spirit, 这是:
- 爱 (Godly love and not worldly love)
- Joy
- 和平
- Longsuffering
- Gentleness
- Goodness
- 信仰 (faithful)
- Meekness
- Temperance (克己)
Ofcourse there are people, who are not born again and seem loving, 温柔, 长期受苦的, meek, faithful, 快乐, and peaceful. But the difference between those, who are carnal and those who are spiritual is, that the people, who are carnal are led by the flesh and not by the Spirit.
这意味着, that as long as the circumstances and situations go according to their will and as long as the people treat them according to their will, then everything is fine. But as soon as something changes and the circumstances and situations don’t go according to their will or as planned and the people don’t do what they want or don’t do what they expected them to do or if they experience resistance and persecution, then their behavior changes and a whole bunch of other characteristics appear.
But the fruit of the Spirit, which originate from the Spirit and the Godly nature of the new man is permanent and is not dependent upon natural circumstances, 情况, surroundings, and people. The new man bears the fruit of the Spirit at all times (另请阅读: ‘圣灵的果子')
你种下什么，就会收获什么
所以, 弟兄们, 我们是债务人, 不至于肉体, to live after the flesh. 因为如果你们顺从肉体而活, ye shall die: 但你们若靠着圣灵治死身体的恶行, 你们会活下去 (罗马书 8:12-13)
那些, who by faith and regeneration belong to Christ and have become a 新创作 are not led by the evil sinful nature, 存在于肉体中, and don’t do those things, which go against the will of God.
They don’t listen to the flesh and the lusts and desires of the flesh and don’t do the works of the flesh, since they have crucified their flesh and its lusts and desires in Christ (另请阅读: ‘Following Jesus will cost you everything‘ and ‘称为死亡的痛苦过程‘ .
If you sow in the flesh you shall reap corruption
As long as a person remains the old man and walks after the flesh, the person shall keep doing the works of the flesh and remain a slave of sin. The old man shall sow to his flesh and shall of the flesh reap corruption.
那个老人, 谁随从肉体而行, shall not please God with his works, but shall grieve God.
If you sow in the Spirit you shall reap life everlasting
因为凡是被神的灵引导的人, 他们是神的儿子. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, 阿爸, 父亲. 圣灵本身与我们的灵同作见证, 我们是神的孩子: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together (罗马书 8:14-17)
但那些, who 爱神 and have become a new creation shall keep His commandments and walk in His will after the Spirit in obedience to the Word and shall sow to the Spirit. They shall bear the fruit of the Spirit and shall reap life everlasting.
“成为地球之盐”
来源: Strong’s concordance, 牛津词典, Merriam-Webster dictionary
