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What Does It Mean To Be ‘In the Flesh?’ (The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification)

The true interpretation is that by flesh is meant the nature of man, as it is corrupted by the fall of Adam and propagated from him to us in that corrupt state by natural generation; and to be in the flesh is to be in a natural state, as to be in the Spirit is to be in a new state, by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us (Rom. 8:9)…The corrupt nature is called ‘flesh,’ because it is received by carnal generation; and the new nature is called spirit, because it is received by spiritual generation. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6).

-Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, Chapter 5, Kindle Loc. 977-81 (Get a free copy for Kindle HERE).

Marshall goes on to describe the properties of ‘the flesh’:

  • One thing belonging to our natural state is the guilt of sin, even of Adam’s first sin, and of the sinful depravation of our nature, and of all our own actual transgressions, and therefore we are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3) under the curse of God…
  • Another property…is an evil conscience, which denounces the wrath of God against us for sin, and inclines us to abhor Him as our enemy, rather than to love Him…or, if it is a blind conscience, it hardens us more in our sins.
  • A third property is an evil inclination, tending only to sin, which therefore is called ‘sin that dwells in us,’ and ‘the law of sin in our members,’ that powerfully subdues and captivates us to the service of sin (Rom. 7:20,23)…
  • A fourth property is subjection to the power of the devil who is the god of this world, that has blinded the minds of all that do not believe (2 Cor. 4:4), and will certainly conquerall whom he fights with on his own dunghill, that is, in a natural state.

Marshall understands ‘flesh’ (in relation to salvation) to be the sinful nature of man. The sinful nature involves the guilt and power of original sin, total depravity (inability to do what is pleasing to God in our own strength), sinful actions, a marred conscience, continual and powerful inclination to sin, and subjection to the influence and power of Satan. To the degree that these things are being subdued and weakened, we are putting the sinful nature to death.

I would add here that Marshall will go on to argue that it is through gospel means that we put sin to death. Once we have believed the gospel and trusted in Christ as the means of doing away with the guilt of sin and our marred consciences, from there we will trust in him to work in us to subdue sin’s power and sway in daily experience.

Analogies of Union with Christ (The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification)

We receive from Christ a new holy frame and nature, by which we are enabled for a holy practice, by union and fellowship with him, in like manner
-as Christ lived in our nature by the Father (John 6:57);
-as we receive original sin and death propagated to us from the first Adam (Rom. 5:12,14,16,17);
-as the natural body receives sense, motion and nourishment from the head (Col. 2:19);
-as the branch receives its sap, juice and fructifying virtue from the vine (John 15:4,5);
-as the wife brings forth fruit by virtue of her conjugal union with her husband (Rom. 7:4);
-as stones become a holy temple by being guilt on the foundation, and joined with the chief corner-stone (1 Peter 2:4-6);
-as we receive the nourishing virtue of bread by eating it, and of wine by drinking it (John 6:51,55,57),
-which last resemblance is used to seal to us our communion with Christ in the Lord’s Supper.

-Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, Chapter 3, Kindle Loc. 606-12 (Get a free copy for Kindle HERE).

The analogies are miraculous, covenantal, organic, and architectural:

  • Miraculous: hypostatic union
  • Covenantal: federal headship, marriage
  • Organic: mind/body, vine/branch, body/food
  • Architectural: cornerstone/foundation/building

All of these entail the idea of ‘indwelling.’

 

 

Four Motivations for Holiness (The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification)

In the first place, I assert that an inclination and propensity of heart to the duties of the law is necessary to frame and enable us for the immediate practice of them…

The second endowment necessary to enable us for the immediate practice of holiness…is that we be well persuaded of our reconciliation with God…

The third endowment necessary to enable us for the practice of holiness…is that we be persuaded of our future enjoyment of the everlasting heavenly happiness. This must precede our holy practice, as a cause disposing and alluring us to it…

The last endowment…is that we will be persuaded of sufficient strength both to will and perform our duty acceptably, until we come to the enjoyment of the heavenly happiness.

-Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, p. 34ff (Get a free copy for Kindle HERE).

In other words, we must have the Spirit dwelling in us (we must be born again), comprehension that we are justified (forgiven and accepted on account of Christ’s suffering and obedience), assurance of final salvation and joy in the presence of God, and awareness that we are not doing this on our own (i.e. in our own strength). Marshall calls these ‘endowments.’ This means that they are not things that we can work up. Rather, they are gifts from God given for the purpose of sanctifying us.

The Spirit, who wrote the Law, is in me, inclining me to do His will. The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, lived and died for my failures (both past and present) to do so, with the result that I am completely reconciled to the Father. He promises me that I will be with him where he is, with His Father. He promises that He will help me on my journey there. That’s motivation.

I have a new nature;
I am forgiven and accepted;
I will enjoy God for all eternity;
I have the help of the Spirit.

Now go to war with sin.

 

Why Should I Study Law and Gospel? (The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification)

Say to a strong healthy servant, ‘Go,’ and he goes; ‘Come,’ and he comes; ‘Do this,’ and he does it; but a bedridden servant must know first how he may be enabled.

-Walter Marshall, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, (1.2.1) Kindle Loc. 130-131 (Get a free copy for Kindle HERE)

The reason, Marshall says, that we must study the doctrine of sanctification is not simply that we may know what it is, but that we may know how it is done. If we desire to be sanctified, but do not know how sanctification actually works, then we have set ourselves up to fail. From the very outset, he says, we have to get one major fact straight – this is not something that we can do in our own power. We are powerless, and we must learn, and experience, the source of sanctifying power.

Too many approach the Christian life as if they can rush into obedience with two simple imperatives: ‘Just stop it’ and ‘Just do it.’ Any sane person realizes that indwelling sin makes things much more complicated than this. We have to be a ‘healthy servant’ before we can find strength to obey; and health comes from a right understanding of the gospel (including the fact that it speaks to our weakness) and a right relationship with Jesus Christ, whom the gospel declares. Knowing how to be enabled is just as important as knowing what to do.