Jesus said in John 4:24 (Amplified), "God is a Spirit (a Spiritual being), and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (reality)."
Genesis 1:26 (Amplified) tells us, "God said, Let Us (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) make mankind in Our Image; after Our Likeness."
The First Adam was created a spirit being, in God's Own Image, according to Genesis 2:7 (Amplified), which says, "The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the Breath or Spirit of Life; and man became a living being."
God's Original Intent included creating man, first of all, a spirit being. We were to be led and learn how to live in God's family, from our Spiritual Father. God formed a natural body for His son Adam and created a soul or way of making contact with this earth, so Adam could function in this natural earth. Adam could be in contact with the natural by his senses, while his spirit was to direct, give wisdom to and rule over his flesh, because it was in constant contact with God.
Jesus was made flesh by the Word, but He walked by His contact with God, by His Spirit, according to John 5:30 (Amplified) where He said, "I am able to do nothing from Myself (independently, of My Own accord)-but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders. Even as I hear, I judge, I decide as I am bidden to decide, as the Voice comes to Me, so I give a decision, and My judgment is right, just, and Righteous, because I do not seek or consult My Own will. I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself (My Own aim, My Own Purpose), but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me."
Jesus had a natural body and soul, that were in contact with the natural world, but He was led only by His Spirit. Jesus' natural Body got tired, hungry, and required sleep, but He followed His Spirit for instructions. Jesus never consulted His body or senses, instead of His Spirit. When we were born-again, we were filled with the Spirit of God and now have a spirit in His Own Image and Likeness, again.
We mostly continue to consult our senses or carnal nature, instead of our spirit. Before being born-again, we were unfamiliar with Spiritual things, so we fall back into the things of the world. Most of the understanding we have of God's Word, comes from the sense knowledge and carnal nature of our earthly man. When tempted in the Garden of Eden, Adam listened to his carnal mind, instead of the Spirit of God. Adam witnessed the change that happened to Eve, when she surrendered to her soulish voice, and tried to redeem here on his own, without consulting God.
Many in today's Church consult our own senses or carnal minded way of life, thinking we can overcome by ourselves, like Adam did. 1Peter 2:2 (Amplified) says, "Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, and earnestly desire), the pure unadulterated Spiritual milk (the Word) THAT BY IT you may be nurtured and row unto completed salvation." We can only be led by the Spirit and know the Father's will, when we know God's Word. Romans 8:14 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God," or "mature sons of God."
We read in 1Peter 2:2 that, "The Word will make us to be nurtured and grow into completed salvation." Romans 8:14 says that, "We become mature sons of God, by His Spirit and His Word." We remain babies in Christ Jesus, when we don't know God's Word or hear His Spirit. Paul writes a lot about the carnal nature and the Spiritual nature, in Romans 8. He tells us that, "The carnal mind is our trusting more in what we know, rather than trusting God's Holy Spirit. We're familiar with what we know, so we continue trusting in our own ways, rather than learning His ways.
Most of our Christian walk continues to be dictated by our flesh or senses. We spend tons of time trying to control our fleshly desires, by the dictates and rules of religion. We should control our fleshly desires, but we shouldn't forsake hearing what the Spirit of God is telling us. We don't want our walk with God to be by our own efforts only, but we want to be led by His Spirit. We should abstain from the sins of the flesh, but we still need to learn and listen to His Spirit, so we can mature into what He intended us to be.
When reading about the temptation of Jesus in Luke 4:1-13, we notice that every time satan approached Him with temptation, Jesus always answered by the Spirit or Word of God. Jesus never consulted His natural mind or knowledge, but He listened to the Word that was directing Him. Satan offered Jesus what He came to possess, but the price tag didn't include Jesus' being led by the Holy Spirit. Whenever the enemy comes, the thing he offers comes with a price tag that only leads to our being in more bondage to him.
We see the glaring difference between the mind of the flesh and the mind of the Spirit, in Romans 8:5 (Amplified) which says, "For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires, set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things that gratify the Holy Spirit." It's left up to the individual, whether or not, to set his/her mind on the things of the Lord.
Paul writes in 2Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified), "And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continue to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the Glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very Own Image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of Glory to another: for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit." It' futile to try increasing in the Lord, without being led by God's Spirit and His Word. Our carnal exercises are lost in futility and failure in God's eyes. The people under the Law, could never be satisfactory to God, because their efforts were by the flesh and their own works. When we try walking by our own efforts and works, it's dismissing faith and Grace and the works Jesus did for us.
Baby Christians are of course saved, but haven't grown into the mature sons of God by His Word and His Spirit yet. We still regulate our lives by doctrines of the flesh, instead of the Revelation of God's Word and Spirit. A baby born in America, is a citizen of this country. Those who have grown up in America have learned to walk in her citizenship, have become good citizens and blessings to others in the nation.
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