The following is an excerpt from the chapter on sanctification from Dug Down Deep. In it I attempt to answer questions like "If we're new, why do we so often act old? If we're changed by faith in Christ, why do so many parts of our lives still need renovation? Why do we still face temptation? Why do we still sin?" As I talk about our ongoing struggle against sin, I share a few cartoons to help make my point. (The cartoons are also included in the book).
Until the final day, until we're changed and freed forever from our struggle against sin, we have to deal with the ongoing presence and influence of sin--what theologians call indwelling or remaining sin. Indwelling sin describes the fact that even as Christians we can still be enticed and tempted by our old desires, what the Bible often refers to as "the flesh." Galatians 5:17 says, "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would."
Romans 13:14 says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." Once when I was working on a sermon on Romans 13:14, I started doodling on my notepad (a habit that helps me think but that sometimes annoys other people when I'm supposed to be paying attention in a meeting). Anyway, I drew some cartoons to try to illustrate the Christian's relationship to the flesh. My kids liked the pictures, so the following is my first-grade-friendly explanation of "the flesh." (Feel free to color.)
1. This is you. Or us. We're humans made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27). Ladies, sorry you have to identify with a little guy. And I'm not sure why he doesn't have on a shirt. That's just how I drew him.
2. This is the flesh. He's kind of Jabba the Hutt meets WWF wrestler. The flesh represents the sinful, corrupted desires of our heart. It's not a reference to our bodies--our bodies are created by God and are good. And though my cartoon can't do this justice, the flesh isn't something outside of us or just a part of us. It's who we are apart from Christ. The flesh represents our sinful cravings to live for ourselves and disobey God's laws and commands (Romans 7:18).
3. Before Jesus saves us, this is how all of us relate to the flesh. The Bible says that we are slaves to our sinful desires (John 8:34; 2 Peter 2:19). Our flesh is boss. It tells us what to do (Proverbs 5:22). Even the good things we do are stained by sin and selfishness.
4. This is what happens when we trust in Jesus. Because Jesus died on the cross and conquered sin and rose again, we are freed from the power or dominion of sin (Galatians 2:20). It no longer dominates us (Romans 6:22). It's no longer our boss. See how the chain is broken? And we get clothes, which is really great.
5. But our flesh doesn't disappear. It no longer reigns, but it's still a reality (Galatians 5:16-17). It still hangs around to entice us. After we're Christians, we're no longer slaves to sin, but the flesh can still tempt us. We can choose to give in to temptation and indulge the flesh. Jesus broke the power of sin, but until heaven we still live with the presence and influence of sinful desires. Don't think it's a stalemate. The Holy Spirit indwells believers and empowers us to say no to the flesh. He is at work in us, transforming us to be like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18).
6. That's why the Bible is full of encouragement to fight our fleshly desires. We can't live at peace with the flesh. We have to attack it and deny it and kill it (Romans 8:13; 13:12). In hindsight, I guess drawing a "sword of the Spirit" would have been a bit more biblical. Oh well. This is the "stick" of the Spirit.
7. The problem is that too often Christians make friends with their flesh. In fact they feed their flesh. That's what "making provision" means (Romans 13:14). We feed our flesh when we do things that encourage or foster our old sinful desires. This is choosing to live like who we used to be. Giving in to temptation, dwelling on sinful thoughts, spending time with people and in places that celebrate sin are like giving our flesh three well-rounded meals a day with snacks and dessert. We might think that since we've been freed by the Cross, it's okay to indulge the flesh, but that's not true (Galatians 5:13, 24). And there's a real problem. When we feed the flesh...
8. Our flesh can grow! And before we know it, the flesh is bigger and stronger than we are and starts to push us around (Romans 6:12). This is why even genuine Christians, who are no longer wearing the chains of sin, can feel like their flesh is bullying them (Galatians 6:7-8). That's why Paul tells us in Romans 13 that we need to...
9. Starve our flesh! This is what we want our flesh to look like. We want the flesh gaunt and feeble (2 Corinthians 7:1). We should never expect it to be completely gone until Jesus returns and forever frees us from the presence of sin. Even a weak, wimpy flesh can try to trip us up (1 Corinthians 10:12-14). But when we starve the flesh, it's easier to resist temptation and walk in obedience.
Again, one problem with my cartoons is that they could give the impression that the flesh is an outside force attacking us. But it is called indwelling sin because it's in us. It resides in our hearts.
The reality of remaining sin should cause us to walk humbly, to live dependently on God, and to seek the help of other Christians. The truth is, we can be deceived. Our motives are not perfectly innocent. We need the power of the Spirit and the Word of God to search us.
Excerpted from Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris © Copyright 2010 Multnomah Books.
More on the book: Read Chapter One • Table of Contents • Book Summary • Buy Online
16 Comments
I absolutely love this! Are your illustrations in the book, or are those just here on the blog?
Wow! Thanks for the terrific illustrations! What a way to start the morning. :-)
And I echo the previous comment - are those cartoons in the book?!
Yes, all of the cartoons are included in the book. Thanks for stopping by. God bless.
Joshua
Nice pictures. I really appreciate the words of wisdom in this book excerpt. Many thanks for sharing.
Love this! Especially the picture of the starving flesh. :)
haha that was a great way at looking at it and explaining it.
I think you can create a little scrap book with your drawings. children would love them. just a little coach to help you out with some details. lol!
anyway about the topic: clear! it's within us and to win over it is to fight our old selves. to contradict with the flesh and oh well victory is sure!
I love your drawing style. Is there a reason the little guy started out without a shirt and halfway trough the story got one?
Thank you so much for posting this online! I've used it numerous times when trying to explain to various people what indwelling sin means for the believer. Praise God for all the stuff He gave you to say in Dug Down Deep!!!
awesome mad drawing skills haha
Soli Deo Gloria!
Yes, the temptation of the flesh is everso prevalent in each day we are given especially when God puts us in the dark. He is not upset with us when He does so as He switches the light on every once and awhile to whisper to us thru the Holy Spirit that He has not forsaken us and to have patience as He does His work. Not our work, which is the work of the flesh, but His.
Temperance and Meekness are the two qualities I have learned throughout our painful days in the dark are our best weapon we have free will to hold against the flesh. I wrote about this in one of Annabelle's Caringbridge journal updates when we received word Kurt was going to lose his teaching job in Nashville, TN due to cutbacks.
Do not give up! Do not give into the weakness of the flesh. Kurt and I come close everyday to give into the flesh due to our wandering minds from Him, but we quickly relocate where we ought to be in Him and His work thanks to the Holy Spirit, who on somedays reminds us of the nice lady on our GPS.
Let me tell ya, she has become quite handy as we find our way to and fro on the one way no left turn/right turn streets of Charleston that we navigate day in and day out dropping resumes here and there as a family whole (all 5 of us) in our only vehicle, Kurt's truck. We even gave her a name. Her name is Charlie. Yes, cheesy, I know!
Alright, I went off topic. Sorry I tend to do that in my Montana cowgirl ways. My mind is filled with possibilities bigger than my blessed home of Montana and its Big Sky somedays!! Back on subject.
We do not have control of our path. We must begin each day in Him, walk step by step with Him throughout the day no matter the obstacles amongst us, and at the end of the day, He is our last thought. Kurt and I have tried to do different as the flesh tempts you when you are at your weakest point. And we have been there. Yes, we have watched everything be torn away from us, but I am not going to go into detail as I might scare you off. We are the boogie woogie monsters of bad luck as some have said. HA!
No, our rollercoaster down in the valley has been delightful as it has humbled us pass our wildest imagination. My Lawd, we can be packed in a truck together like sardines all day, and still laugh with each other after we find our own corners to breathe of course. Mine is in the back of the closet behind my dresses. Shhhh!!! Don't tell my husband nor my little lambs times 3!!
Let me see if I can find it the journal update I wrote on temperance and meekness because I want to share it with you. Hold on....
Before you read my journal posting. I probably should introduce myself. I am so sorry. I can be terribly rude sometimes.
My name is Sarah, and my amazing husband, Kurt, and I have been married for 9 years. We have been blessed by God to take care of His 3 precious children, Elsie, Annabelle, and Tucker. I love them all so much!! They make each of my days in front of me sweeter than the smell of a honeysuckle flower hanging from its vine!!
I wrote of Annabelle's Caringbridge website in my last posting. Probably should have introduced her too. Sorry.
Annabelle was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, Stage III, Intermediate risk, Amplified n-myc at the innocent age of 2 years old in June 2006. She has undergone 8 cycles of chemotherapy as well as an 18 hour surgery to remove over half of her tumor located behind her right kidney. Through her amazing team of doctors, the precious Blood of Jesus, and the Great Physician's miraculous Hands she has been successfully winning her battle against cancer. The tumor is still within her, but is dying. Soli Deo Gloria!!! She will be a SURVIVOR in 2 years after her 8th birthday!! Hooray!! To God Alone Be The Glory!!!
Alright. I am so sorry my posting is like a jelly belly of 5 different flavors. I am just so excited my family has found a church community such as JICC!!
Here it is the journal entry, that is:
February 25, 2010 (Spring Hill, TN)
We are absolutely in the dark about where and what state the Lord is going to have our family move to in the next 3 months or so. Kurt received his letter of 'retirement' last Wednesday from Williamson County Schools. His last day of teaching will be May 24, 2010, which is 2 days after Annabelle's 6th birthday.
We have sent out over 50 applications to all over the United States, and continue to spend each day keeping our eyes open for new job postings. We will not give up!
Kurt will find a new teaching job, and it will be somewhere absolutely fantastic for our children as well as Kurt and I! We are so blessed to have so many people trying to pull strings for us in other states. Most of which are people Kurt and I don't even know because they are a friend of a friend of a friend!! ;O)
I do have some awesome news I want to share with you!! Remember the $2,000 in medical bills that I wrote about recently that we have left to pay? I was worried about Kurt's insurance after he was forced to resign. Especially with Annabelle's Oncology appointment approaching on June 16th.
Well, our children's pediatrician, who we owe just over $1,000 to, called last Monday to tell us that he was going to write it off. Our mouths just dropped!!! I just looked at Kurt and said, "WOW! Can he do that?"
Kurt smiled and said, "Yep, he just did!"
( Note: The children's pediatrician, who called Kurt and I, is the one to this day I am everso thankful for as he truly is a God send. He is the pediatrician who wanted to make sure Annabelle's kidneys were working properly in May 2006 after her 5 fever(febrile) seizures she had in a row due to a urinary tract infection on May 18, 2006 (just before her 2nd birthday), which was due to E. Coli. Thus he ordered an ultrasound to be done at VCH.
It was during that ultrasound of Annabelle's kidneys on June 1, 2006 that the neuroblastoma tumor was discovered. Her kidneys were functioning just fine the doctors then told me, but there is a 'grapefruit size' mass behind them. Thank God for our amazing pediatrician! Thank God!! )
So, yes, in the darkness we are currently in, that phone call from our pediatrician was as if God was reminding us He is still here in all our chaos of the unknown.
God seemingly flickered on His desk light briefly to say to us, "See I am still here, another miracle I have provided you with to prove it so. Now would you just sit still in the quiet of this darkness and let Me do My Work? My precious children, I will never forsake you. Now shhh! I am going to turn the light off now, but know I am here busy at work for My CheeriOs. And, oh, one more thing. Sarah, Annabelle's next appointment coming up in June. She is going to be okay. I already took care of that before her first breathe of life. And, Elsie, she is going to be okay too. I have already set apart her new friends she will soon be making. They are all a lot of fun!
Good Night, CheeriOs! And remember, meekness and temperance are fruits of the Holy Spirit. Eat only from the influence of the Holy Spirit. I Love All Of You, My Dear and Precious CheeriOs. Now get some rest because what I have in store for all 5 of you is going to 'knock your socks right off'!! Oh, you are going to love it!! And as always it is all going to happen in My perfect timing, of course!"
God's promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine. ~David Nicholas
Dear God, thank you! When our world is seemingly falling apart at the seams, You remind us that we have everything we want/need in front of us, and that is our 3 beautiful children as well as the love Kurt and I have for each other.
We are holding onto each other thru the tears, laughter, pain, laughter, grumpy times, laughter, a few more tears, and more laughter just as we have always done throughout the miracle of the valley all 5 of us are personal witnesses to.
Thank You, God, the CheeriOs have each other!! And, thank You, God, for the bountiful love and prayers of so many of Your children, who are Annabelle's most amazing and everso faithful prayer warriors.
Darkness cannot put out the Light. It can only make God brighter. ~ Author Unknown
He has not forsaken us! We will never give up!
Sarah (Annabelle's Mommy)
Just realized I posted all my comments on the wrong site. Whoops! Perhaps a mustard seed was planted?!! So sorry!! Much Grace Upon You, Sarah
Thanks for this post. It really helped me to see things clearer. The cartoons really help.
Thanks!
Hayley
bollocks!
Come, O come thou captive of sin
Thy King reigns on high in great Power.
Thou hast slain the great dragon
that prowled within,
But thou facest another this hour.
'Be strong and courageous,'
this is thy command,
in faith harken unto His voice,
In victory today thou surely wilt stand,
If now thou wilt make the right choice!
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