Il-laħam u l-Ispirtu jopponu dijametrikament lil xulxin. Il-laħam jixtieq kontra l-Ispirtu u l-Ispirtu jixtieq kontra l-laħam. The Bible says that the flesh and the Spirit don’t go together and will never go together. A person sows in the flesh or a person sows in the Spirit. What a person reaps is the result of what a person has sown in; the Spirit or the flesh. Because as is written in Galatians 6:7, what you sow you will reap. Let’s look at what the scriptures in the Bible say about sowing and reaping.
What is a carnal person?
A carnal person is carnally minded and walks after the flesh. A carnal person is led by the flesh (sensi, sentimenti, moħħ karnali, eċċ.) and does the works of the flesh. These works of the flesh originate from the sinful nature of the flesh and oppose the will of God.
Għal dawk li huma wara l-laħam f'moħħok l-affarijiet tal-laħam; Imma dawk li huma wara l-Ispirtu l-affarijiet tal-Ispirtu. Għax li tkun moħħok carnally hi mewt; imma li tkun moħħok spiritwalment hija ħajja u paċi. Għax il-moħħ karnali huwa mibegħda kontra Alla: għax mhix suġġetta għal-liġi ta’ Alla, la tabilħaqq ma jista’ jkun. Allura dawk li huma fil-ġisem ma jistgħux jogħġbu lil Alla (Rumani 8:5-8)
The flesh won’t submit to God but rebel against God and disobey His commandments. Għalhekk, the people who are the ħolqien antik and are in the flesh can’t please God.
What are the works of the flesh according to the scriptures in the Bible?
The works of the flesh originate from the evil nature of the flesh. The works of the flesh are mentioned in several places in the Bible and are:
- Adulterju (asexual relationship between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse)
- Żina (prostituta, sexual uncleanness including adultery, divorzju, inċest, nonmarital sexual relations, omosesswalità)
- Indafa (fiżikament jew moralment: -indafa, ritwali impur)
- Affezzjoni eċċessiva (tbatija kif suppost, (inordinata) affezzjoni, Lust)
- Konkuxxenza ħażina (evil/wicked desire or lust)
- Coveousness (frodulenza, estorsjoni:-prattiċi coveous, regħba, li jkollhom ix-xenqa għall-pussess)
- Rabja (passjoni vjolenti, rabja, indignazzjoni, vendetta)
- Rabja (ferozza, indignazzjoni)
- Malizzja (imqareb, ħażen, ħażen)
- Dagħa (vilifikazzjoni (speċjalment kontra Alla), puġġaman, titkellem ħażin)
- Filthy communication (konverżazzjoni vili, saħta)
- Gideb (jgħidu mhux verità jew attentat biex tqarraq bil-falsità, falz, gidba)
- Lasciviousness (mimli jew juri xewqa sesswali)
- Idolatrija (qima tal-idoli, sekwestru jew devozzjoni mhux moderata lejn xi ħaġa)
- Sħaħar (użu tas-sorcery jew magic, użu ta' perjodi u l-invokazzjoni ta' spirti, komunikazzjoni max-xitan jew ma’ familjari, influwenza jew fascinazzjoni irresistibbli)
- Mibegħda (ostilità jew animosity preġudikata, raġuni għall-oppożizzjoni, għedewwa)
- Varjazzjoni (ta' affinità inċerta; tilwima, kontenzjoni, dibattitu, ġlied)
- Emulazzjonijiet (għira, moħħ ferventi, indignazzjoni, għira, ħeġġa)
- Ġlied (att ta’ kontenzjoni, sforz jew ġlieda għas-superjorità)
- Sedizzjonijiet (diviżjoni, tixwix tar-reżistenza għal jew insurrezzjoni kontra awtorità legali, jirribella kontra l-awtorità ta’ stat)
- Ereżiji (sect, belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine (speċjalment il-Kristjaneżmu), twemmin jew opinjoni li ma taqbilx mat-twemmin jew opinjoni uffiċjali ta’ reliġjon partikolari)
- Envyings (għira, is-sensazzjoni li trid li jkollok dak li għandu xi ħadd ieħor, Sensazzjoni ta’ xewqat skuntenti jew ta’ riżentiment imqanqal mill-possedimenti ta’ xi ħadd ieħor)
- Qtil (qatla, biex toqtol, li jħassru jew jħassru, biex jegħleb avversarju ħażin ħafna)
- Sokor(intossikazzjoni, l-istat li tkun fis-sakra)
- Revellings (irvellijiet, a carousel, enjoying oneself in a lively and noisy way, speċjalment max-xorb u ż-żfin)
Shall the people who do the works of the flesh inherit the Kingdom of God?
Nru, the people who do the works of the flesh shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. No matter what preachers say in the church, the Bible says that people who do the works of the flesh shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Issa l-għemejjel tal-laħam huma manifesti, liema huma dawn; adulterju, fornication, indafa, lasciviousness, idolatrija, sħaħar, mibegħda, varjanza, emulazzjonijiet, rabja, ġlied, sedizzjonijiet, ereżiji, għira, qtil, sokor, revellings, u bħal dawn: li jien ngħidilkom qabel, kif għedtilkom ukoll fi żmien il-passat, li dawk li jagħmlu dawn l-affarijiet ma jirtux is-Saltna ta’ Alla (Galatin 5:19-21)
Tafux li l-inġusti m’għandhomx jirtu s-Saltna ta’ Alla? Tkunx imqarrqa: la ż-żína, lanqas idolatri, lanqas adulteri, lanqas effeminati, lanqas dawk li jabbużaw minnhom infushom mal-umanità, Lanqas ħallelin, lanqas coveous, lanqas sakra, u lanqas min jiċċara, u lanqas estorsjoni, għandu jiret is-saltna ta’ Alla (1 Korintin 6:9-10).
If the people of the church (inklużi mexxejja tal-knisja) do these works it proves that the church (l-assemblea ta’ dawk li jemmnu) is carnal.
It proves that the church doesn’t belong to God and His Kingdom and is not spiritual but belongs to the world (Ir-Renju tad-Dlam) and is carnal.
The church building and interior with the dynamic neon lighting effect may look beautiful and the music may sound wonderful and influence the visitors in such a manner that it creates a certain experience, and elevate the mood and evoke pleasant feelings and emotions, and cause goosebumps, but all these things don’t prove that the church is spiritual and that God’s Spirit is present.
Għall-kuntrarju, it only proves that the church is carnal. Because the church relies upon natural resources (audiovisual technology) to create an atmosphere and to play on the senses, sentimenti, and emotions of the visitors. But God is Spirit and not a feeling and an experience.
If people go to a concert or a club, their mood shall also be elevated by the dynamic neon light effects and music. The people shall also experience goosebumps, sentimenti pjaċevoli, u emozzjonijiet. Madankollu, God and His Spirit are not present.
Do signs and wonders prove if someone is born again and spiritual?
Nru, signs and wonders don’t prove if someone is born again and spiritual. Supernatural signs and wonders can take place in a church, but they don’t prove the spirituality of the church. Especially if people live in sin and the church tolerates sin.
Signs and wonders can originate from the Spirit. But signs and wonders can also originate from the soul, which is controlled by the kingdom of darkness.
Hemm ħafna nies, who don’t know God and are not born again and therefore are unspiritual, but do (sopranaturali) sinjali u jistaqsi. They do these signs and wonders from the flesh through natural means; natural technics, metodi, ritwali, and natural elements and resources and through influence of evil spirits.
This means that you don’t have to be born again to walk in the supernatural.
Look at alternative healers, Eastern philosophers, occultists, eċċ. And don’t forget the sorcerers in Egypt, who could do the same signs as God, sa ċertu punt.
This proves that you don’t have to be born again to walk in the supernatural.
Many natural technics are adopted from witchcraft and other pagan religions and philosophies and applied in the church, whereby many churches created a mechanical faith and moved in the occult. They move into the occult thinking they are led by the Spirit of God.
The only difference between an occult church and a Spirit led church is their walk. In an occult church the works of the flesh are done and in a Spirit led church the works of righteousness are done.
The new creation walks after the Spirit and bears the fruit of the Spirit
The people who have become a new creation in Christ have the Spirit of God and are no longer servants of sin. This means that they shall no longer serve the sinful nature of the flesh and do the will, xewqat, u x-xewqat tal-laħam. Their flesh died in Christ and their spirit is raised from the dead. Therefore they are dead unto sin, but alive unto God.
Born again Christians have received the Spirit of God and walk after the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Għalhekk issa m'hemm l-ebda kundanna għal dawk li huma fi Kristu Ġesù, li ma jimxux wara l-laħam, imma wara l-Ispirtu. Għax il-liġi tal-Ispirtu tal-ħajja fi Kristu Ġesù ħelisni mil-liġi tad-dnub u tal-mewt. Għal dak li l-liġi ma setgħetx tagħmel, fis-sens li kien dgħajjef permezz tal-laħam, Alla jibgħat lil Ibnu stess f’għamla ta’ laħam midneb, u għad-dnub, ikkundannat id-dnub fil-ġisem: Biex it-tjieba tal-liġi titwettaq fina, li ma jimxux wara l-laħam, imma wara l-Ispirtu (Rumani 8:1-4)
Imma intom m’intix fil-ġisem, imma fl-Ispirtu, jekk ikun hekk li l-Ispirtu ta’ Alla jgħammar fikom. Issa jekk xi ħadd m’għandux l-Ispirtu ta’ Kristu, hu ħadd minn Tiegħu. U jekk Kristu jkun fik, il-ġisem huwa mejjet minħabba d-dnub; imma l-Ispirtu hu ħajja minħabba t-tjieba. Imma jekk l-Ispirtu ta’ Dak li qajjem lil Ġesù mill-imwiet jgħammar fikom, Dak li qajjem lil Kristu mill-imwiet għandu wkoll iħajjar il-ġisem mortali tagħkom bl-Ispirtu Tiegħu li jgħammar fikom (Rumani 8:9-11)
What is the fruit of the Spirit?
The fruit of the Spirit is mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, the fruits are:
- Imħabba (Godly love and not worldly love)
- Joy
- Paċi
- Sabar fit-tul
- Gentleness
- Goodness
- Fidi (fidila)
- MEEKNESS
- Temperance (awto-kontroll)
Ofcourse there are people, who are not born again and seem loving, ġentili, sabar fit-tul, meek, fidila, ferrieħi, and peaceful. But the difference between the people who are carnal and the people who are spiritual is, li l-poplu, who are carnal are led by the flesh and not by the Spirit.
Dan ifisser, that as long as the circumstances and situations go according to their will and as long as the people treat them according to their will, then everything is fine. But as soon as something changes and the circumstances and situations don’t go according to their will or as planned and other people don’t do what they want or don’t do what they expect them to do, or if they experience resistance and persecution, then their behavior changes and a whole bunch of other characteristics appear.
But the fruit of the Spirit, which originate from the Spirit and the Godly nature of the new man is permanent. Il-frott tal-Ispirtu is not dependent upon natural circumstances, sitwazzjonijiet, inħawi, u nies. The new man bears the fruit of the Spirit at all times.
What does it mean what you sow you will reap?
What you sow you will reap means, what you plant in the soil you will reap. If you plant in the flesh, inti taħsad il-frott tal-laħam (xogħlijiet tal-laħam) and if you plant in the Spirit you will reap the fruit of the Spirit. Let’s explain this a little more.
Għalhekk, ħuti, Aħna debituri, Mhux għall-laħam, biex tgħix wara l-laħam. Għax jekk tgħix wara l-laħam, int tmut: Imma jekk tgħaddi mill-Ispirtu mortifika l-għemejjel tal-ġisem, int tgħix (Rumani 8:12-13)
Christians who by faith and regeneration belong to Christ and have become a ħolqien ġdid are not led by the evil sinful nature, li huwa preżenti fil-laħam. They don’t do those things that oppose the will of God.
Christians listen to Jesus and jimxu warajh and don’t listen to the flesh and the lusts and desires thereof. They don’t do the works of the flesh. That’s because they have crucified their flesh and its lusts and desires in Christ.
If you sow in the flesh you shall reap corruption
As long as you remain the old man and walk after the flesh, you’ll do the works of the flesh. You shall remain a slave of sin. You shall sow to your flesh and of the flesh reap corruption.
The old man walks after the flesh and shall not please God with his works, but shall grieve God.
If you sow in the Spirit you shall reap life everlasting
But if you ħobb lil Alla and have become a new creation you’ll keep His commandments. You shall walk by faith after the Spirit in His will in obedience to the Word. You shall sow to the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit and reap life everlasting.
Għax daqskemm huma mmexxija mill-Ispirtu ta ’Alla, Huma wlied Alla. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Missier. L-Ispirtu nnifsu jagħti xhieda mal-ispirtu tagħna, li aħna wlied Alla: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together (Rumani 8:14-17)
‘Kun il-melħ tal-art’
Sors: Strong’s concordance, dizzjunarju Oxford, Merriam-Webster dictionary
