The Battle between flesh and spirit (1)

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. (Galatians 4:22-23)

Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son." [Genesis 21:10] Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. (Galatians 4:28-31)

Another way to say it is that one of Abraham's sons was born of the flesh while the other was born of the Spirit. When Sarah took matters into her own hands and gave Hagar to Abraham, they produced a son in the natural way, the biological union of egg and sperm.

But when Sarah was 90 and Abraham 100, Isaac was born. By all accounts it was a miracle, a supernatural event. Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." (Genesis 21:6-7)

The Allegory
This makes a great model of the believer's life. First we're born in the natural way, born of the flesh, the biological union of egg and sperm. Later we're born again, in a supernatural way, born of the spirit.

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." (John 3:5-6) Being born of water refers to the fact that in our mother's womb, we matured in a sack of amniotic fluid, or water. As the birth process began, our "water broke" and we were soon delivered, born of the flesh. Later, when we asked the Lord to forgive us and received Him as our Savior, we were born again, born of the Spirit. The Lord said that just one birth won't do. It takes both to enter into the Kingdom.

Paul also spoke of the result of our first birth as the flesh. Our flesh is like Ishmael, older, bigger, stronger. He's self-directed and self-centered, used to being the only one, used to calling the shots. He's experienced and independent, and acts on his own initiative. In assessing a situation, he says, "Self, what's best for me?" Our spirit starts out like Isaac, younger, smaller, weaker. He's God directed and God centered. He's a newcomer, inexperienced and dependent. He consults with the Spirit of God. In assessing a situation, he says, "Lord, what's best for you?"

The flesh doesn't like the spirit, he thinks he's weak and taunts him. He tries to assert his control over him, to push him aside, to silence his voice.

This is the challenge we're faced with when we're born again. Which one do we put in charge? Students of architecture learn that the weakness of any structure will present itself under stress. And so it is with us. As long as we go about our routine lives and don't try anything out of the ordinary they get along OK. But whenever an unusual situation confronts us there's stress, and the flesh immediately goes into attack mode to prevent the spirit from exerting any control. This could be anything from deciding how to respond when we've been put upon or rejected all the way up to deciding whether to give our earthly life in service to the Lord out of gratitude for receiving eternal life because of Him.

Ishmael wasn't interested in God's plan for Abraham's offspring. He was the first born and resented the intrusion of this newcomer in his family, usurping his rights. Similarly, our flesh isn't interested in God's plan for our life, only in the fulfillment of selfish desires.

We might think that Sarah was being her usual dominant self when she demanded that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away. After all, the whole thing had been her idea. And Abraham felt terrible about it because Ishmael was his son. But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." (Genesis 21:12)

Paul told us to make the same decision. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." (Galatians 5:16-17)

GRACE THRU FAITH from article "Isaac and Ishmael, An Allegory" by Jack Kelley © 2007. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).