This morning was an amazing time of self-evaluation comparing our old man / our fleshly nature that is unredeemable, and our new man that is created in Christ Jesus. Our old man still has a rebellious nature at enmity with God, with all the cravings of the flesh, and our new man is spiritually alive, desiring only to please our Father! 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and the companion verses from Galatians 5:16-26 and Colossians 3:1-10 give us several lists of the actions of our old nature, and, by default, the world controlled by the devil – the prince of the power of the air – Ephesians 2:1-3.
Paul states that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God. There are 10 actions and attitudes of the unrighteous in 1 Corinthians 6. 10 is the number of the Gentiles! These actions are common in the Gentile world!
There are 18 works of the flesh (6 + 6 + 6) that our old man constantly wants to manifest as it battles our new man, listed in Galatians 5:16-26, along with the 9 manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit.
9 is the number of fruit bearing – so interesting how these all correspond.
In Colossians 3:1-11, Paul lists 5 actions of the flesh that we are to put to death, or mortify. The number 5 is the number of death, and fits so well with these 5 deadly, sinful actions that are within us. He then lists 6 more sinful actions that we are commanded to put away from us, as born again believers. 6 being the number of man, only man is truly guilty of these actions in God’s creation.
Just as in Galatians 5 and the 9 manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit, in Colossians 3:12-17, Paul lists 7 attitudes that we, as sons of God, are to put on and the 8th is charity / unconditional love. It is the bond of maturity, or the glue that holds these 7 attitudes together, like the binding of a book. Following the command to put on the 7 + 1 attitudes, we are instructed to let or allow the peace of God to rule in our hearts and let the word of Christ dwell in us richly! This is awesome stuff to ponder!
We will finish our walk through these potential land mines of scripture next week!