What does the Bible say?
about the two natures present in the believer?
We read in I Corinthians 15:45-48 of two men called Adam. The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam (Christ) a quickening spirit. Just as the first Adam had children by natural birth, the last Adam had children by the new birth. John 3:17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. The way of the new birth is simply believing the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Read I Cor. 15:22.
What does the individual experience when he is born again? There are two natures or spirits in him that battle each other. Romans 7:19 tells of that battle – “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” There is the presence of two “I’s” battling, which causes the individual to cry out in desperation. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh.) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom. 7:18,24.
Every believer in Jesus Christ experiences this inconsistency (Gal. 5:17). It baffles many believers. Even the Apostle Paul had this battle, for this is his testimony in Romans 7. Only Jesus had no battle with evil, for he had no sin nature. The rest of us have two creations – Adam’s spirit and Christ’s spirit. What can we do? What is our hope? We can find victory just as Paul did – through Christ.
Apostle Paul expounds on it practically in Romans chapter 8. Walk in the Spirit, get anointed with the Holy Spirit and feed the new man on the Word of God. John 6:63 – Read the Bible, it is food for the new life, and heed what the Holy Spirit speaks to you concerning it. Also fellowship with others who believe God’s Word strengthens us. The victory comes by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4).
The victory can be ours, it is in our grasp, because God is greater than the world. Christ is greater than the old Adamic nature in us, and the Holy Spirit having been received within our new heart, is greater than Satan (the tempter). God blesses the new man within us as we believe and go on to full growth in Christ.
Read these scripture of the powerless old creation – I Cor. 2:14; 15:50 and Gal. 6:8. Then read of the new life we have in Christ – Jn. 1:12-13; 3:5-6; I Jn. 5:1. The old and New Creation side by side in the believer – II Cor. 4:7; Eph. 4:22-24. A conflict is experienced – Mt. 26:41; Rom. 7:15,17; Gal. 4:29. But we can have the victory through Christ – Jn. 6:63; Rom. 8:10; II Cor. 5:17; Gal. 5:16. Praise the Lord!
E. J. D.
