Walk in the spirit vs walking in the flesh?

[holydude999]

tell me m

flesh

spirit

[GreenLanternI0I]

If you walk in desires of flesh it will bring you to misery and death. If you walk in a spirit, it will set you free and your whole life would become meaningful. Flesh only wants to sin, A LOT and if you let your flesh to control you, your short ending is inevitable. If you allow spirit to take control of your life, you will get freed from so many useless mental, emotional and physical problems.

[slatyb]

How does one "walk in a spirit" ?

[GreenLanternI0I]

@slatyb By first realizing that Hell and Heaven is as real as your keyboard that you are using. Two, read the KJV Bible. You have to understand Bible earned a very bad rap for the past 50+ years, because of all the people who claimed to be a so called Christians and yet living their lives worse than Satan himself. Sentence ""I'm a Christian"" means not just nothing, but less than nothing and a joke in 2023 and beyond. What you personally have to understand, is that Bible is not just a historical book, but it is also a book full of instructions, on how to keep your marriage and build a Strong family, how to stay healthy, how to be a leader both within your family and community and that of course first and for most having God and his son Jesus in the center of Everything. I know that I probably sound like one of those Bible thumpers, but you know what, as a former hardcore atheist/scientologist who was mocking and laughing at Christians and yelling demolish those ""useless"" Churches, so apartment builds could be build. I was so horrifically wrong. Realize that death is inevitable and you WILL be facing God regardless of your believe and the only way out from hell and this corrupt and evil world is by not just accepting Jesus, because I'm sure you heard that phrase 1000's of times, but understanding, actually and sincerely understanding why this Jesus guy went through a nightmarish torture and bled on a cross for us.

[slatyb]

Hell and Heaven certainly are not as real as my keyboard. "Read the KJV Bible" I did. So what? To most of the world the Bible is just old myths. I'm always amazed at Christians who quote the Bible to non-believers as if it were evidence of it's own truth. Believe whatever works for you, but accept that there's no evidence supporting your beliefs. You believe the Bible? What about the Quran? The Book of Mormon? Scientology? Seriously? When will you realize that Ceiling Cat is the true creator?

[syncheart]

Christians want to walk in the spirit. But it is hard because it is easier to walk in the flesh.

[Orangekiss]

As Kennedy said - "We don't do it because it is easy. We do it because it is hard."

[syncheart]

@Orangekiss Right, in Christianity the flesh is considered to be the old nature, and the spirit is the new nature.

[Orangekiss]

I think you would benefit more with the spirit vs. the flesh. But that's just my opinion and I know a lot will say the opposite.

[Billlewis]

Yes, ma'am, I just started following you and I'd like to invite you to follow me as well, if that's alright. Thank you very much.

[Staximus]

Worrying about god and what happens to you after you die is not living in the present.

[Orangekiss]

True, but the present is just a blink of the eye compared to eternity.

[Staximus]

@Orangekiss you have no control over what happens to you after you die so worrying about it is a waste of time and energy.

[Orangekiss]

That is why you take care of business BEFORE you die. After that it is too late.

[slatyb]

What does that mean?

[dynamicyandere]

It’s Christian lingo.

By walking in the flesh they mean conducting one’s life in a way that’s considered sinful.

By walking in the spirit they mean conducting one’s life in a way that’s considered holy.

Unfortunately, there are few Christians that you can look at and truly say, “That’s a holy man/woman.”

When Jesus says, “…small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:14)

That includes Christians too, since it’s difficult to find sincere Christians.

[dynamicyandere]

If we take a step back though, this concept can be applied in a practical way, whether or not your Christian.

Instant-Gratification/Impulsivity

VS

Delayed-Gratification/Discipline

You and I both know that delayed gratification and discipline leads to a better life than a life controlled by instant gratification and impulsivity.

It’s just that Christians center those acts of delayed gratification and discipline around teachings from their Holy Book, The Bible.

[slatyb]

@dynamicyandere So we can live the life we have, or we can waste it worrying about a mythical afterlife.

[dynamicyandere]

@slatyb That’s one way of looking at it.

Some people try to conduct their lives a certain way soley for the afterlife.

Whereas some people want to adopt virtues for their own sake — with or without an afterlife, which I believe is more noble.

But yeah, those who want to ‘walk in the spirit’ are giving up control so that they live their lives in a way that their religion (in this case, Christianity) prescribes.

Or as the Christians put it, “Dying to oneself.”

Depending on one’s worldview, it can be seen as a waste, an investment, a cultural practice, a new way of life, or just irrelevant.

[dynamicyandere]

@slatyb As a former Christian, I’m wary of organized religion and the propagation of dogma. Although I believe there is value in virtue, I also believe that one should exercise critical thinking before adopting beliefs or behaviors into their life, so that they can live their life with intention, and walk a path of internal authenticity rather than external obligation imposed on them by an authoritarian religious community.

If one is to seek the truth, it should be done in a way where they evaluate every bit of it — so they know WHY they believe what they believe.

For example, I don’t subscribe to the writings of Paul ‘The Apostle’ because I believe that he propagated many of his own ideas as God’s truth — ideas that are counter to what Jesus and his disciples actually practiced. Yet, in Christianity, the writings of Paul are unquestioned and his dogma is taught as objective truth rather than personal anecdotes.

I still believe that there is more to this world than the physical. But, if one is to explore it, they should do so with a critical mind.

[slatyb]

@dynamicyandere You can believe that, but that's faith. There's no evidence that there is.

[dynamicyandere]

@slatyb I agree that it takes faith. At the end of the day, nobody can prove that they aren’t a brain in a vat or in a computer simulation. The truth of reality is something that everyone needs to gamble on to some extent. Though, some worldviews and philosophies have a stronger case than others.

[slatyb]

@dynamicyandere that's true, were trapped in our own heads. But there's no evidence that we put consciousness survives after death, and strong evidence that it does not.

[slatyb]

Christian Lingo -- so, in other words, when you start digging, you find that it means whatever the speaker wants it to mean. Usually it means that other people should behave to please the speaker.

[dynamicyandere]

I wouldn’t say it necessarily means that other people should behave to please the speaker. That would depend on now the question or statement is phrased. But, the speaker would want to be understood regardless. But, one would only understand what they are saying anyway if they are already part (or formerly part) of their community.

And, yes, as with any newly coined term or phrase, it means whatever the speaker wants it to mean — or at least, it means what the originator of the term wants it to mean. In this case, Paul the ‘Apostle’ from 60 AD.

Like if someone went to a foreign country and said, “Are you green?” They may get confused. But in the United States, around the right crowd, ‘green’ simply means eco-friendly.

[slatyb]

@dynamicyandere Giving up contol? To whom? If your answer is "God", then my next question is "How does God control anyone?"