Experiencing God in our flesh.

The body craves things that comfort it. We spend most of our lives taking our queues from what our natural body desires. If we experience God or happiness it is usually as a result of something that happens carnally in our senses. There have been people who have experienced something of a cleansing that transcends fleshy existence and have experienced God, not as a carnal thing, but as transformative experience in the human body. The bible says that those who live in the flesh cannot please God, but we exist in a body, and we cannot escape our flesh, but the church talks about theosis or divinization, where some people have had a greater experience of God that transforms the flesh.

We are not God, but we can experience God. While we can never become a god, the bible says that we are partakers of the divine nature, which means that when we accept Christ we are given the Holy Spirit and partake in the life of salvation. Our appetites change and we are helped to transform our desires to resist sin, and to take part in the process of becoming more like Christ in our character, which is called sanctification. We renew our minds through the word of God, and experience the comfort that comes from the word of God.

Our flesh is not changed, but should be submitted to holiness, not perfectly but gradually in progressive steps. When we fall, we repent and ask for forgiveness. We already possess the life of Christ, and it is lived out in faith, in community and in communion with the Holy Spirit who assists us in resisting sin, and resisting the devil. What I become in the Christian walk is consequential on my knowledge of scripture and my obedience to that. Practical knowledge must be applied in order for me to really see the transforming power of the gospel.

Because we are already in Christ, we work out of our position, not to necessarily attain it. Change can be gradual and every step in conformity with the word of God, and the help of the Holy Spirit helps us to progressively make changes, that lead us closer to God, and closer to His holiness.

Whenever we behave in a way that is in moral conformity to the word of God, and to the character of Christ, we strengthen our souls and come closer to our position in Christ in actuality. When we gradually follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in this way, our faith becomes more evident, and we have more confidence in our salvation. Progressively we continue, despite our setbacks, to be controlled and lead by the Holy Spirit and comforted by our efforts despite our lack of perfection. Romans 8:14 “Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children.” This is Mike.

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