Joshua 23:6-7, 12-13 (NKJV) Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, … Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations—these that remain among you—and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you, know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the Lord your God has given you.
There is a parallel between the Israelites’ possession of the Promised Land and Christians taking hold of the abundant life that God has given us. They both need action and obedience to enjoy the land and the fruit of the abundant life. The Israelites had crossed over into the Promised Land, but they needed to continue driving out the inhabitants. Similarly, we have also entered God’s kingdom and still need to deal with the flesh, or the old man, to enjoy the abundant life.
While we are saved by grace and will enjoy eternal life with God, we must rein in the flesh to experience the abundant life of love, joy, and peace. One thing we need to be unkind to in our lives is our flesh—the sum of our appetites and desires for living a life independent from God. We must crucify the flesh and prevent the old man from ruling and reigning again. Once we do that, our marriage will improve, our character will change, our words will be different, and we will have a progressively transformed life!
God is sovereign, but He has made us free moral agents, so there are issues in our lives that He expects us to handle with His truth. He has enabled us to do so because He has made us into new creations with God’s nature within us. The Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome temptation and sin. We have the right and the ability through the new man, but we must put on the new man ourselves.
God commanded His people not to worship other gods or intermarry with the inhabitants of the land but to drive out the remnants completely from the land. Failing to do so out of complacency would result in attacks from these remnants throughout their lives. These nations “shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes.” Likewise, to enjoy the abundant life, we need to address issues in our lives and the sins that easily ensnare us. The Israelites had to confront the occupants of the land, but we also need to deal with the flesh.
Sermon Series: Resolution for 2026
治死肉体
约书亚记23:6–7，12–13 所以，你们要大大壮胆，谨守遵行写在摩西律法书上的一切话，不可偏离左右。 不可与你们中间所剩下的这些国民掺杂。他们的神，你们不可提他的名，不可指着他起誓，也不可侍奉、叩拜。你们若稍微转去，与你们中间所剩下的这些国民联络，彼此结亲，互相往来， 你们要确实知道：耶和华你们的神必不再将他们从你们眼前赶出，他们却要成为你们的网罗、机槛，肋上的鞭、眼中的刺，直到你们在耶和华你们神所赐的这美地上灭亡。
以色列人得着应许之地，与基督徒领受神所赐的丰盛生命之间，有着清楚的对应与平行。两者都需要实际的行动与顺服，才能真正享受那地，以及丰盛生命的果子。以色列人已经进入应许之地，但仍需要继续赶逐那地的居民；同样，我们已经进入神的国度，却仍需要对付肉体——也就是“旧人”，才能真实经历那丰盛的生命。
虽然我们是因恩典得救，并将来要与神同享永生，但若要经历充满爱、喜乐与平安的丰盛生命，就必须约束并治死肉体。我们生命中需要“严厉对待”的一件事，就是肉体——那一切想要脱离神、独立而活的私欲与渴望的总和。我们必须将肉体钉在十字架上，不容旧人再次作王掌权。当我们这样行时，婚姻会得着更新，品格会被塑造，言语会发生改变，我们的生命也会一步步经历真实而持续的转化。
神是至高掌权的，但祂也使我们成为有道德责任与选择能力的人。因此，在我们的生命中，有一些问题是神期待我们借着祂的真理来主动面对和处理的。祂已经赐给我们能力，因为我们在基督里成为新造的人，里面有神的性情；圣灵也赐下能力，使我们可以胜过试探与罪。借着“新人”，我们已经有了权柄和能力，但“穿上新人”这件事，仍需要我们自己去实行。
神吩咐祂的百姓不可敬拜别神，也不可与那地的居民通婚，而是要将残余的势力完全从地上除尽。若因安逸而未能如此，这些残余的势力就会在他们一生中不断攻击他们——正如经文所说，这些国民“必成为你们的网罗、机槛，肋旁的鞭、眼中的刺”。同样地，若要享受丰盛的生命，我们也必须正视生命中的问题，以及那些容易缠累我们的罪。以色列人必须面对并对付那地的居民，而我们也必须认真对付自己的肉体。
讲章系列：迈向2026：立定心志，跟随主