(16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (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. (18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
The Apostle hath very blessedly shown, within the compass of those few verses, what in all the other parts of his writing, when discoursing on the same subject, he hath most completely proved; namely, that when from the Adam-nature of the fall, a child of God is regenerated, and born again; the two natures of spirit, and flesh, do manifest themselves in this man, as plainly, as any two opposite, principles in nature, such as fire and water, light and darkness, good and evil. So that, while the child of God walks in the spirit, the lusts of the flesh are kept under: and, on the other hand, the reverse will be the consequence, where restraining grace doth not keep under, the clamorous demands of the flesh.
The general idea of a partial regeneration, both of soul and body, on the new-birth of a believer, is totally done away, by what God the Holy Ghost here speaks by the Apostle. And, if men would but take Scripture simply as it is, and not bring it by partial quotations, to suit any favorite opinion they themselves have adopted, they would be led, under divine teaching, from such plain words as Paul here useth, to see the truth, that the truth might make them free.
Here are brought into one view, flesh and spirit: the old man unrenewed, and the new man created in Christ Jesus. They are here said to be in direct opposition to each other. The flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. And this to such a degree, that each finds the opposition. I pray the Reader, (and especially if conscious of his regeneration), to remark this. For while every child of God who is regenerated, knows daily, to his sorrow, that his flesh is making everlasting war against his spirit, so that he cannot do the things he would; he ought to take the comfort from what the other side of the subject as plainly, and as fully brings, that through grace, the oppositions his renewed nature makes to the wishes of the flesh, prevents many times the gratification. So that by the way, (and I mention it on this account), the child of God ought to take the comfort of it, and give God the glory, that the spirit hath its seasons of conquering also against the flesh; while he often mourns at the triumphs of the flesh over the spirit.
It is the language of Jesus himself, that what is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit, is spirit. John 3:6. There is no work wrought by the Spirit on the flesh. It is the same as it was when born, and so remains till it returns to its original dust. For it is then, sown a natural body. 1 Corinthians 15:44. Whereas, if it were renewed, or as some speak, in part renewed; that part, however small, or great, would be by so much spiritual. And how then could it become liable to corruption, and be sown at death a natural body? Moreover, the Apostle speaking of himself many a year after his conversion, that is, after his regeneration, declared, that in him, that is, in his flesh dwelled no good thing. Romans 7:18. A thing impossible to have said, if any part of his body had been regenerated. And on what ground could the Apostle talk of changing at the coming of Christ the vile body of himself, and the Lord's people, if God the Holy Ghost had, though but in part, taken away that vileness? Philippians 3:21. How much more agreeable to Scripture, to experience, and to the uniform confession of the faithful, as to the indwelling sin of the body, is it to suppose, that at regeneration, the spirit only is renewed, and the flesh remains unchanged: that while the Lord the Holy Ghost makes the spirit, which before was dead in trespasses and sins, perfectly alive in Christ, and as holy in Christ as it ever will be; the body still remains as carnal as ever, and will so remain, until after being sown in corruption at death: in the resurrection, this corruption will put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality? Reader! do not the everlasting struggles of flesh and spirit in the holiest of men, give in their united testimony, to these things?