THE CHRISTIAN'S

DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE

John Edmund Haggai

PART 2

The Teaching of Scripture

 

           The teaching of Scripture is crystal clear regarding the two natures. So, first, let's study:

I. The definitions and derivations of these two natures: the Christian's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

A. The basic truths regarding the Christian's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde embrace the Biblical teaching that:

(1) There is a nature of flesh.

Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature [this nature of the flesh] the children of wrath, just as the others (Ephesians 2:3).

(2) There is a nature of Spirit.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6).

B. The Scriptures define the nature of flesh.

1. It is called the "old man." (Ephesians 4:22, Romans 6:6)

2. It is called the "natural man." (1 Corinthians 2:14)

3. It is enmity against God . . . both anti-God and anti-Christ. (Romans 8:7)

(This points up the folly of an unbeliever's profession to be a moral man. No flesh nature is moral. No man dominated by the flesh and possessed by the flesh is moral. He may conform to the standards of society, but he is still anti-God and anti-Christ until he has received the new nature and is walking victoriously in it.)

4. There is nothing of merit in this nature.

But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law, sin was dead (Romans 7:8).

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). [And the conclusion is that God, only, has plumbed its depth.]

For out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matthew 15:19).

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3). [This does not condemn the law as weak in itself; the law was holy and good. It condemns the flesh as weak, as having no strength to conform to the demands of the law for righteousness.]

5. It is called the "natural man."

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14)

6. This flesh nature defies rehabilitation. It is incorrigible and cannot be improved.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be (Romans 8:7).

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil (Jeremiah 13:23).

Neither culture nor education nor society nor religion can perfect it.

7. God has placed the "flesh nature" under the sentence of death.

And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:13).

In Adam all die (1 Corinthians 15:22a).

By nature [this nature of flesh] the children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3b).

1. Define the nature of flesh.

2. Explain why this nature cannot produce spiritual victory.