Freedom from sin and the carnal nature that produces sin

[Colonel]

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me

This is a fundamental scripture when it comes to victory over sin and the carnal nature. Notice that Paul goes as far as declaring that he himself has been crucified with Christ and lo longer lives. He doesn't talk about his old man as having been done away with, he goes as far as identifying with that old man and then declaring himself done away with.
Then he declares that Christ lives in him. That would be easy if the flesh had been done away with and he had only been his born again spirit, with or without a new, glorified body. But the flesh is still around. Paul finds that the new him, created in the likeness of Christ and according to His seed, has to operate through that flesh which means that his life has to be lived by faith in the Son of God who lives in him so that it is Christ living in him and through him and not the old man, Paul's identity by birth, who lives through the flesh, a flesh he would then be in natural sync with.

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Who he is he talking about in this verse ? The same Paul he is talking about in Gal 2:20 above, the one who has been crucified with Christ and who no longer lives. Unless he lets him live by failing to live by faith in the Son of God who purchased him. That version of Paul is carnal, sold under sin. Then he goes on to describe his nature and ways. The specifics don't relate every carnal person but they do relate Paul as a Pharisee who was attempting to follow the law of Moses.

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

There he explains it again, in verse 18. Some think that he is merely talking about his body and its inclinations or his bad thougths or something like that. He is more fundamental than that, as we can see in the conclusion to the chapter :

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Who is he talking about here ? "I myself", the same man he declares crucified with Christ and who no longer lives at all when he lives by faith in the Son of God who purchased him. What does this "I myself" naturally do, as a learned Pharisee ? He serves the law of God with his mind but the law of sin with his flesh, the carnal nature in his body. That has the power to overcome him even though he serves the law of God with his mind.

But where that old version of Paul is powerless against the law of sin, Christ living in Paul is powerful to overcome.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Notice that Paul is not telling people to serve the law of God with their minds and according to their own power, the power of "I myself". To the contrary, he is telling them to walk according to the Spirit. The same thing he declares that he is going in Gal 2:20, to let Christ live through him by faith.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

The new man is powerful to overcome the law of sin where the old man is not. The old man can attempt to serve God's law with his mind and in his own power but he will fail.

There is a price to pay for letting Christ live in and through us instead of ourselves (according to the flesh) living in and through us. That old man is more than happy to attempt to follow God's law with his mind and even according to the power of religious zeal. The fact that the law of sin overcomes him and he ends up being either a continual or reoccurring failure matters little to him as long as he gets to be in charge, as long as he gets to live - to live that kind of life. A life that is at best double minded, at worst a total joke. The worst thing that anyone can do to him is to crucify him entirely and let Christ live instead of him. He will cry for attention and especially when the going gets rough, to be let in charge. Not to immediately step out into sin, but to be in basic charge. Which will in turn produce failure, but it starts with letting him take charge. When the going gets rough then it can be tempting to fail to live by faith in the Son of God who purchased us from this world and to attempt to overcome by the carnal power that that old man wields and which is weaker than the law of sin working in the flesh. That is exactly when that old man needs to stay crucified and on the cross and for the Spirit of God to be allowed to overpower sin.

Can that be done at all times ? Yes.

There is no temptation that Jesus hasn't faced and overcome and him living in us is the power that overcomes what he has already overcome earlier. There is nothing that can overcome him as long as he is in charge.

[wheeze]

uh yeah that was what i was just saying....

[Colonel]

u did ? who was the lucky receptionist ? Ummm, I mean recipient.