What is self?
The self is an individual person as the object of his or her own reflective consciousness. The self is always on his or her own interest.
Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who lives as the spirit tell them to, have their minds controlled by what the spirit wants.
To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the spirit results in life and peace.
And so people become enemies of God when they are controlled by their nature; for they do not obey God’s law, and infact, they cannot obey it.
"Those who obey their human nature cannot please God."
Self can be known as, “the flesh”, “the human nature”, “the sinful nature”, “the lower nature” or “the carnal man” depending on your understanding of the word flesh.
The human nature is the art and the way of human being.
Self is a lifestyle and in Romans Chapter six, it is called the old man or sin. Self is life, he grows, manipulates, invents and reproduces. It is a principle of life.
Self can manifest in a negative or positive ways. The sinful nature and when he seen not sinful.
THE SINFUL SELF
According to First Peter Chapter One, verse eighteen, self is described as!
- The worthless manner of life you receive from your ancestors (1 Peter 1:18 GNB)
- The empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers (NIV)
- The impossible road to heaven (LB)
The fleshly way of life is different from Christ way of life. The work of the flesh is dangerous, even though it may be small.
If the flesh is not dealt with, it works will grow without struggling but you need to cultivate the fruits of the spirit.
In Galatians chapter five, verse 19-21 the works of the flesh are enumerated though not all.
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious, sexual immorality, impurity and debuchery, idolatory and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions and envy, drunkness, orgies, and the likes.
I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (NIV)
It is natural for every human being to have the human nature that is the old man in him so whatever you do of not do is not acquired but inherent.
Mr. Flesh can be dormant and pretend not to be there but if an opportunity comes and anything triggers it, it will manifest by any of its works.
SELF, WHEN SEEMINLY NOT SINFUL
Self is the I in any natural man that refuses to submit himself to anybody even God. He keeps God at his arm’s length denying Him the rightful position in his life.
“It does not submit to God’s law. Romans 8:7
Self is the enemy within which is the greatest enemy that can deprive us from being used by God.
Self has to be uprooted by you now otherwise it will be too late when he uproots you from the kingdom of God.
The characteristics of self-life are too numerous to mention but the few are:
• Self loves to be noticed
• Self loves to succeed
• Self is very defensive
• Self insist on his way
• Self is proud
• Self likes to protect himself and his own interest.
• Self will not allow you to be corrected in life.
• Self can do anything just to take the glory at the end of it.
Interestingly, God who created even the flesh had also set up modules through which the flesh will be judged at the end of our pilgrim here on earth. I like us to know that if God will judge the flesh, we must fight to exempt ourselves from being ruled by the flesh.
God never intended that the flesh should rule over us but rather that we rule over the flesh.
GOD’S JUDGEMENT ON THE HUMAN NATURE
Self-life is the opposite of the kingdom life. Life in the flesh opposes God’s will. No matter how the works of the flesh is polished to look good, attractive and acceptable, the simple truth is that flesh is flesh and flesh begets flesh.
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which born of the spirit is spirit. John 3:3, 6
The carnal mind or self-life will always lead to death. There is no peace, no joy, but temporary happiness with no satisfaction. For anyone controlled by the human nature. The judgment of God on living the self-life is death.
Also the judgment of God on the flesh is destruction. God does not pamper flesh so if you build your life on the flesh, you will come to destruction even so with any congregation that is built on the principles of the flesh. There is no mixed up with God either you are not or cold or you will be spilled out of God’s mouth. Flesh much be evacuated for the spirit to take over.
HUMAN NATURE VERSUS THE SPIRITUAL
In first Corinthians chapter fifteen, verses forty five – fifty, the picture of the superiority of the flesh to the spiritual is explained.
“And so it is written, that first man, Adam was made a living soul that last Adam was made a quickening spirit. However, that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
The first man is of the earth, earthly, the second man is of the Lord from heaven. As the earthly, such are they also that are earthly; and as the heavenly, and as in heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
And as we have borne the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 1 Cor. 15:45-50 (KJV)
The flesh is the elders when it comes to spiritual experience because it has been in operation since your birth. The minus and plus of the world system is all the efforts of the flesh of self must die.
“And he said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me”
For the fact that you are born again, the flesh is the elder to your spiritual experience.
The work of the flesh is to persecute and kill your spiritual life.
For us to make it spiritually and grow the @Steemchurch community, the flesh must be uprooted totally from us.
I see the @Steemchurch as a spiritual community with the passion of Christ, sharing love and making everybody's life a concern to her and if it must continue like this, then the flesh must be put to dead.