Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

conflicts and wars, and harmony and holiness will soon be in evidence. 315 Of
course, in all this there must be the full recognition that such multifaceted
solution can only be achieved through the love of Christ and the strength of
the Holy Spirit as its twofold source, and through mighty prayer and preaching
as its twofold means.
Within the wider context of Scripture, these wars and conflicts should be
characterized as works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21). Scripture indicates that, as
long as the Christian is in this world, he will not be able to get rid of this
“flesh” (also denoted as “indwelling sin,” Rom. 7:17; “the body of death,”
Rom. 7:24; or “the law of sin and death,” Rom. 8:2), which is operative in
every aspect of one’s life (Rom. 7:23). Only death can finally and effectively
remove them. However, Scripture emphasizes with equal force that there is
no possible justification for this “flesh” to explode into actual sins. Even
though the flesh lusts to break forth into sinful activities, it can and it must be
controlled and contained by the Spirit of God. The lust of the flesh may never
be fulfilled (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:16).
It must, further, be noted that the flesh, or indwelling sin, is more than a
mere potential. It is a sinister power of awesome character. In the present
context it comes once again into view, as is indicated by the term “lust.” The
latter makes war both in and against the soul (Gal. 5:17; 1 Pet. 2:11). It is a
built-in explosive which the Christian, just as much as the non-Christian, carries
with him until the moment of his death. It is the comfort of Scriptures to
know that the presence of this flesh cannot condemn the Christian as long as,
or more precisely, inasmuch as he does not walk according to the flesh, but
according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:1).
One commentator aptly writes, “Sometimes we tend to think that peace
is the natural state of man, and that strife is the unnatural element which disturbs
it. (Regrettably) quite the reverse is true. Strife is characteristic of human
life, and where lasting peace exists in a community, it is the mark of a
great work of God’s grace” (Mitton, 146). Wars and battles are like weeds.
They grow everywhere. Peace is like a garden with beautiful flowers. Such
garden does not just happen by accident. It must be carefully cultivated and
constantly weeded!
315 Note the difference between controlling, eradicating, obliterating and eliminating. Since
the “flesh,” is and remains part and parcel of the Christian’s “baggage,” it can “only” be controlled
and contained. However, the outcroppings of the flesh can and must be destroyed!
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