What does "born according to the flesh" mean in our spiritual lives today? Setting the Scene in Galatians 4:23 “His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.” (Galatians 4:23) Paul recalls Genesis 16–21: • Hagar’s son Ishmael = natural conception, human initiative • Sarah’s son Isaac = miraculous conception, God’s initiative The contrast frames two ways of life—one rooted in mere human effort, the other in God’s supernatural promise. What “Born According to the Flesh” Meant Then • A birth produced by ordinary biology alone • A solution driven by impatience and self-reliance (Abram and Sarai “helping” God) • A lineage symbolizing life under slavery (Galatians 4:24–25) Translating the Phrase into Our Lives Today “Born according to the flesh” describes any spiritual approach that … • Leans on human performance to gain God’s favor • Measures worth by pedigree, rule-keeping, or personal achievement • Tries to accomplish God’s work with worldly methods or willpower • Settles for what is possible without divine intervention Related verses: —John 3:6 “Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.” —Romans 8:7 “The mind of the flesh is hostile to God.” —Galatians 3:3 “After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?” Signs We Might Be Living “According to the Flesh” • Prayerlessness—replacing dependence with planning • Anxiety—carrying burdens God never asked us to bear • Legalism—equating righteousness with rule-keeping • Pride or despair—swinging between “I did it” and “I can’t do it” • Comparison—finding identity in how we stack up against others The Freedom of Being “Born Through the Promise” • Identity received, not achieved (John 1:12-13) • Power supplied by the Spirit, not by self-effort (Romans 8:11) • Assurance grounded in God’s faithfulness, not our consistency (1 Thessalonians 5:24) • Inheritance enjoyed as children, not employees (Romans 8:15-17) Moving from Flesh-Driven to Promise-Driven Living • Acknowledge the limits of human effort—Philippians 3:4-8 • Trust the finished work of Christ—Galatians 2:20 • Walk habitually by the Spirit—Galatians 5:16 • Cultivate thankful dependence—Colossians 2:6-7 • Keep returning to the Word that births and sustains faith—Romans 10:17 Conclusion “Born according to the flesh” warns against substituting human strength for divine grace. In daily life, it invites us to trade the restless striving of Ishmael for the restful confidence of Isaac—to live as children who rely on the promise, not as workers scrambling to earn it. |
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