In Galatians 5:17-26 there comes before us one of the most important teachings to be found in all God's Word. This is the teaching concerning the believer's two natures and the soul. Let us consider this teaching under four headings:

First we recognize the distinction which this scripture makes between the two natures and the soul. We have this distinction in verses 16-17:

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

Here we have three entities — "the Spirit," "the flesh," and "ye."

The flesh is the carnal nature, resident in every son of Adam. The flesh is called elsewhere in the Word of God, "the old man" (Eph. 4:22), and "sin" (Rom. 6:6, 11-14), as distinguished from "sins," which are the deeds of the soul under the control of this carnal nature. The origin of this sinful nature is clearly seen in Romans 5:12: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." The old nature was begotten in Adam by the fall, and by him was transmitted to the whole race through natural generation. It is because of the presence of this sinful nature in all men that our Lord Jesus Christ said to unregenerate men, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do" (John 8:44).

The wickedness — the incurable wickedness — of this sinful nature is seen in such scriptures as the following:

The carnal mind (mind of the flesh) is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Rom. 8:7). The old man . . . . waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit (Eph. 4:22, R.V.).

This carnal nature is resident in every man, believer or unbeliever. His presence and activity in human hearts is the real reason for the violence, bloodshed, and unbridled lust which is in the world today. And his presence and activity, even in the hearts of believers, is the reason that so many Christians fall into sin and live defeated lives.

The Spirit, on the other hand, is the new nature which is begotten in the believer by the miracle of the new birth. Of this we are told in II Pet. 1:4, where we read that, "Unto us are given exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature."

This new nature is as unchangeably righteous as the old nature is incurably corrupt. It is of this new nature in the believer that the scripture speaks, when it says, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (I John 3:9). This new nature is called in other scriptures, "the new man" (Eph. 4:24), and "Christ in you" (Col. 1:27). The new nature is God's own nature, imparted exclusively to those who trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

The "ye" in this scripture refers to the souls of those addressed. It is the soul which is the seat of the mentality, the will, the judgment, the emotions, the senses, and the impulses. The soul is the man himself.

So we see that in the believer in our Lord Jesus Christ, along with the soul, reside two natures — the flesh and the Spirit. This brings us to the second thought — that the two natures are in constant conflict. Verse 16 reads, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these two are contrary, one to the other." This statement — that there is conflict between the two^is so clear as to need no explanation.

We will do well, however, to consider what this conflict is all about. In the battle between the two natures there is a clash of wills — the will of the evil one, of whom the flesh is a representative, and the will of our Lord, as represented by His Spirit in the new nature. Thus in the believer there is being fought in miniature the conflict of the ages — the conflict between the Seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent — Christ vs. antichrist.

The objective for which these two natures are warring is the control of the soul of the believer. If the old man can control, that soul will do the will of the adversary. But if the new man can control, that soul will do the will of God. And the realm in which this battle is fought is the realm of the mind. The old man strives with the new for the control of our thoughts, for, as the scriptures plainly point out, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7). It is for this reason that the scriptures appeal to us to "put off the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts," and to "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Between these two admonitions are sandwiched these significant words:

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4:22-24. See also Rom. 12:2, noting the words, "transformed by the renewing of your minds").

The soul can do nothing of itself, apart from the control of the one nature or of the other. This is the meaning of the words, "Ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17). But the soul can and must decide which nature shall control. This decision is one which cannot be made once for all, but must be renewed every waking moment.

And this leads to the third thing which we wish to consider — how may we gain the victory over the flesh?

The recipe for victory is very simple. It is stated in verse 16: "This I say, then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Is that all? — one may ask. Yes, friend, that is all. Just consciously, moment by moment, let the Spirit control your thoughts and your affections, and the victory is yours! And if, in an unguarded moment, you find that you have let the flesh gain control, quietly turn to the Lord, confess the sinful thoughts with which that wicked nature has flooded your mind. Rejoice in the assurance of His forgiveness, and claim once again the victory which He is so able and willing to give.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).

You see, friend, it is not up to you to keep yourself from falling — it is up to your blessed Lord, as you yield to Him and trust Him for the victory.

He is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24).

It is not up to you to overcome Satan and his cohorts in your own feeble strength — instead God's Word admonishes us, "Be not overcome of the evil one, but overcome the evil one in the good one" (So reads the Greek of Rom. 12:21).

But what happens as we yield to the one or to the other of these two natures? What is the fruitage of our yielding?

The scripture plainly shows that if we yield to the flesh, the works of the flesh will manifest themselves in our lives:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, 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 (Gal. 5: 19-21).

In blessed contrast to this horrid list the scripture just as plainly points out the delightful fruit which the Spirit brings forth in our lives as we yield to his control:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law (Gal. 5:22-23).

That victory is sure to all who will enter into their blood-bought spiritual heritage by yielding themselves whole-heartedly to their Lord and to the leading of His Spirit is the clear, ringing assurance of verse 24: "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." And it is upon this assurance that the admonition of verses 25-26 is based:

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit, let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.