If I have faith, but all I see in me is the flesh am I really saved? I see too much flesh, not spirit.

This is a question I got in one of my Facebook groups. And I am so glad I got this question.

The Bible teaches us growing in Christ means more looking like Galatians 5:22-23 and less looking like Galatians 5:19-21. Galatians 5:19-21 says, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

A believer in Jesus, as he or she grows in Him by the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit and the sanctifying work of the Word of God (the Bible) gradually moves away from more flesh to more spiritual fruit by every day leaning/ walking by the Holy Spirit. This is really what is meant by Spiritual growth or progress.  The divine agent of your transformation is the indwelling Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16-17 gives the secret of this transformation. It says there, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want.”

A believer who accepted Jesus as his or her savior also has two mechanisms inside them. They are flesh and Spirit. The only difference is prior to the acceptance of Christ as their savior by believing in Jesus as their savior who died, buried, and rose again for all of their sins, there was only one mechanism and that was flesh. Now there are two- flesh and the Indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, who was given to all believers in Jesus who trusted in Him as their savior, as a seal/pledge/security or deposit guaranteeing their future inheritance until the day of redemption for the praise of God’s glory. Galatians 5 says there is a going war between the two desires-fleshly desires and the desire of the Holy Spirit to grow in the Lord and live an obedient life to the Lord Jesus. Who we would yield to would determine the spiritual progress. The more we lean on the Holy Spirit to bring forth spiritual fruit, the more fruitful we become. It says there,  “walk by the Spirit”. When we walk we lean on one foot and move forward the other feet to make the next step. The same concept of the moment by moment, action by action, word by word leaning on the Holy Spirit is the meaning here. The choice is ours. God gave His Holy Spirit inside a believer and He is the divine helper who facilitates spiritual progress as we lean on Him on every occasion. The second agent of our spiritual growth is the Bible-the word of God. The more we study and meditate on the word of God, the more and faster our spiritual growth becomes.

When I read your question, I understand that you confessed you have faith in the Lord Jesus, didn’t you? The reason why you are aware of more flesh is a fact that the Holy Spirit and the word of God are working inside you. The reason for your question proved to me that you are saved. An unsaved person isn’t really concerned about flesh actions. But you are different by the way I understand your question. If you accepted Jesus as your savior by asking forgiveness of your sins you are saved. This is the beginning point of your spiritual journey-believing Jesus is your savior and God sent Him for your salvation and that Jesus died, buried, and rose again for your sake to save you and grant you eternal life. This is what is called the good news or the Gospel. The salvation or declared righteousness (right standing before God) is the result of your faith in Jesus Christ as the Bible says in Romans 3:22, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” Listen-“right standing by faith in Jesus to all who believe.” Now justification and sanctification are two different aspects. You may not feel justified to God cause you are more aware of flesh. But the truth of the word of God stands and must override your feelings. Truth always overrides feelings. Now since you are a believer in Christ, of course, it takes time to grow in the Lord.

Spiritual growth does not happen overnight or that soon as you think. However, leaning on the Lord and the Holy Spirit on every occasion and learning the Bible, will expedite your growth and help you to produce Christian fruit as described vs 22-23 of Galatians 5. It is a process with the divine capacity available to believers to mortify flesh actions and allow the Holy Spirit to control our behaviors. It is our decision to yield to Holy Spirit every time. It must be a believer’s decision not to yield to the flesh. I understand it is much easier to say than daily practice. The more we yield to the Holy Spirit and the word of God, the less fleshly we would look. Moreover, in difficult times, the Holy Spirit comes for our help as He is called the helper, if we truly seek His help and stand yielded to Him.

Also understand, all true believers experience this tug of war between flesh and the desires of the Holy Spirit because their desires are truly contrary as Galatians passage teaches us. We struggle in this process of what is called sanctification-becoming more like Jesus Christ bearing the fruits.

Romans 8:29 says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” So Almighty and all-powerful God who predestined you is at work inside you. That is a comforting thought. Phillippians 2:13 says, “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him”. Philippians 1:6 gives this assurance and promise. It says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” God who began the good work within you, as a believer in Jesus, will get it finally and successfully finished on the day when Christ Jesus comes to take you home.