The Two Natures of the Believer

The Christian has a dual nature. This is revealed here by Paul.

Romans 7

14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

The doctrine of the believer's two natures is a very important doctrine for the believer to grasp. If a Christian does not understand this, then he will at some point reach the place of being unsure of his salvation. Understanding this doctrine is also important to living right. Once this doctrine is applied and understood, it will be easier to live a Christian life.

I wish to draw you attention to four points concerning the believer's two natures.

I. The Christian has been born twice.

This is the origin of the believer's two natures.

John 3

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

The Christian therefore, has a flesh nature and a spiritual nature. The spiritual man is born of God at his salvation. The fleshly part comes from his human birth. The Christian is a Jekyll and Hyde persona. There are two natures existing in one person. A Christian has a natural man and a spiritual man. A Christian has two personalities, two wills, two allegiances, and two minds.

This is the source of the conflict that Paul describes. There were two 'I's' in Paul that were competing for dominance.

II. The Natural or Carnal Man

This is that part of the believer that we are born with from our parents.

Several attributes of the Natural Man:

1. Born of Adam

Gen. 5:3

And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness

Romans 5

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The Natural Man is by nature a child of disobedience and wrath.

Ephesians 2

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

2. Cannot Keep the Law of God

Rom. 8

3 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:

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

James 2

10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

This is why a man cannot save himself by the works of the law. The flesh is too weak to live up to the Law's requirements.

3. His mind is at enmity with God

Rom. 8:7

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

His understanding is darkened. Eph. 4:18

18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

The natural man cannot understand the things of the spirit. I Cor. 2:11,14

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

This is why the Bible is hard to understand. It is spiritual in nature and we are still in our carnal flesh. Therefore an unsaved man cannot understand it, and a Christian can misinterpret it because he is still in the flesh. A person's spiritual condition is a factor on how well he understands the Book.

4. He is born to die

Rom.6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is a body of death. Rom. 7:24

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

5. His works

Gal. 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

These works will predominate in a man controlled by the carnal nature.

III. The Spiritual Man

1. The spiritual man is born of God. John 3:6

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

2. The spiritual man is sinless. I John 5:18

18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

That spiritual nature of the believer does not sin. A Christian may commit sins because he is in the flesh as yet, but the spiritual nature within him that is born of God does not partake of this sin. It is the Christians fleshly nature that sins. A Christian can commit any sin an unsaved man can commit because the Christian still has his sinful flesh. But, the new nature within him does not. A Christian in his flesh can commit murder. But, he is not a murderer, because the new man inside him that is born of God is sinless. Hence a Christian can commit sins in the flesh and face judgement of God, loss of reward, ect., but in the eyes of God he is sinless. He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob. (Even though Jacob in the flesh is quite sinful.)

The spiritual man delights in the law of God. Rom. 7:22

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

3. The spiritual man's works.

Gal. 5:22,23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

IV. The War

Paul found a conflict between the spiritual and carnal man raging within him.

16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The Natural man sins and the Spiritual man hates it.

Gal.5:17

17 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.

Though he is saved, the Christian can be controlled by the carnal nature.

I Cor. 3:3

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

If you do not control the flesh nature it will control you.

How do we win the war against the flesh?

First we must realize that the flesh is already a dead enemy.

Rom.8:10-12

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 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.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Realizing it is dead, we must mortify it and treat it as dead. We must crucify it.

Gal.5:24

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

We are crucified with Christ when we are saved. But yet, there is a daily crucifixion which must take place for us to walk in the spirit.

We must not feed the flesh and make provision for it. If we do not, then it will grow stronger and will take control.

Romans 13:14

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

We must deny self if we are to walk victoriously.

Matt. 16:24

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

We must be led of the spirit to be victorious.

Gal. 5:16

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

A Christian can commit any kind of Sin without being led of the Spirit. The key is to follow the leadership of God's Spirit in our lives. That means laying aside all, and making Jesus King of every aspect of our lives.