Happy New year coming up popeye!
I think the confusion comes with the terminology used.
For one thing....if the "old man" is not dead....then Christ has not died because we ( ie..our old man ) died with Him on the cross.
We become new creations in Christ with a "new man" created in righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:24
We still have the flesh which is the left over after the "old man" died. This is where I believe the confusion comes in with people. It is unfortunate that the NIV bible had translated "flesh" as the "sinful nature" which has for years thrown people off. I believe in their new edition of the bible they have fixed this mis-translation.
The term "flesh" is used 3 different ways in the NT.
1) the carnal ways of thinking and actions left over from the prior manner of living from the old man - this is where renewing our minds comes in
2) it is used when talking about self-effort
3) and sometimes it just means the "fleshly-meat - the body" itself
In this "flesh" there is the "power of sin".....these two are in cahoots together. Flesh and the power of sin in working together know what "works" with you in the past. The power of sin knows your history and what works with you. Whatever areas in the past that you have struggled with is what the "sin in your flesh" will be bringing to you in your mind.
The power of sin says you are guilty and worthless but the Holy Spirit in your new man says you are the righteousness of God in Christ, you are loved..etc. You are in Christ now.
The flesh is ways to think and act that "were" the manner of living we are and were used to left over from the old man. ( Eph 4:22 - in reference to your former manner of living )
Romans 7:17-18 (NASB)
[SUP]
17 [/SUP] So now,
no longer am I (
the new man ) the one doing it,
but sin which dwells in me ( in my body which has the flesh with the power of sin in it ).
[SUP]
18 [/SUP] For
I know that nothing good dwells in me ( my body which has the flesh in it ), that is, i
n my flesh; for the willing is present in me (
in my new man ), but the doing of the good
is not.
Romans 7:20-23 (NASB)
[SUP]
20 [/SUP] But if I am doing the very thing I
( new man ) do not want, I (
new man ) am no longer the one doing it, but
sin which dwells in me ( in the flesh ).
[SUP]
21 [/SUP] I find then the principle that evil is present in me (
new man ), the one who wants to do good.
[SUP]
22 [/SUP] For I joyfully
concur with the law of God in the inner man, ( new man ),
[SUP]
23 [/SUP] but I s
ee a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and ma
king me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.
italics = my wordsThen Romans chapter 8 comes in and shows us how to walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh to put to death the deeds of the body ( flesh in the body ). Rom 8:13
We are not fighting a civil war within ourselves ( the flesh and the power of sin do not belong to our new nature which in Christ. ). Jesus said " A house divided will not stand."
As long as we are on this earth and in this body we will have to contend with the world, the flesh and the devil. The good news is that our Lord Jesus Christ has defeated all 3 of them!
As we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus....we manifest outwardly in our behavior who we already are in our new man in Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NASB)
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17 [/SUP] Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty.
[SUP]
18 [/SUP] But we all, with unveiled face,
beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
This word "transformed" is the same word used for when Jesus was on the mount and was "transformed" in front of James, Peter and John. Jesus was manifesting His true self when speaking to Moses and Elijah. He already had within Him this glory that was revealed on the mount.
Glad you confirmed this.
I have never in almost 40 years of walking with the Lord encountered a believer that actually denied the carnal nature exists.
That transition happens in heaven or,for those raptured,on the way to heaven. (glorified bodies)