The Development of the Man of Sin and the Man of God

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:14.

The things of the Spirit of God will always wage war against sin in the flesh and thus will never appeal to the natural man. On the other hand, the things of sin will always appeal to the natural man. Sin offers pleasure, while God’s Spirit offers suffering for the flesh. However, sin stores up judgment after each indulgence of the flesh, while God’s Spirit stores up power and the hope of glory after each suffering. No wonder the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God.

The Spirit of God requires a separation between soul and spirit, while sin provides a closer connection. When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Desire is the demand that sin in the flesh places on the natural man. When the mind agrees with this demand, desire conceives, and it gives birth to sin. In our conscience, God’s judgment rests over this newborn sin. The same mind that yielded to the desire now feels the judgment. However, if the person does not immediately accept this judgment in their conscience, and if they do not allow themselves to be chastened unto repentance, the judgment will seem to disappear. They will die in trespasses and sins. Sin becomes full-grown when this judgment in their conscience is rejected, and then death enters in. The natural man follows the law of sin and death. They repeat the same sin, but now without God’s judgment in their conscience. Their conscience has become ineffective regarding that sin and is unreceptive to judgment. The next time, they take another step further into sin and ungodliness. Their conscience is awakened to this new sin, and they feel condemned. If they again disregard the judgment in their conscience, they will also let their guard down when it comes to this new sin and will eventually be able to commit this sin without any judgment from their conscience. Sin is then full-grown and has brought forth death.

Some may ask, “When is sin full-grown?” Sin is full-grown when after it has been committed, a person is chastened in their conscience, and yet this does not cause them to repent from their sins. If people attempt to escape the chastisement in their consciences, death will be brought forth. In this state of death, a person becomes callous, and a kind of peace enters in—the peace of death; free from the torment of their conscience. However, if someone in this state attains peace in their conscience, that does not mean they have peace with God. Even though there is no more condemnation in their conscience, the judgment of God remains. For the conscience to be effective, there must still be something in us that has not given itself over to the committed sin. However, God’s judgment will descend upon people with a dead conscience when they stand before God on that Day and must give account to Him who will judge the living and the dead.

If sin is permitted to reign, a person will eventually cross into the law of sin and death. The peace of death enters their conscience, and they store up for themselves wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. This is how desire leads people further and further into sin and death; and gradually the image of Satan emerges in them.

The natural man, who does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, goes from being a natural man to being a “man of sin.” The culmination of this development is the Antichrist, and that is why he alone is called “the man of sin.” 2 Thess. 2:3. When the natural man is partially united with the man of sin, it is called the “old man.” The old man, however, grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and desires. Therefore, all sin in the world is a result of desire.

In contrast to this wretched condition, someone who is born of water and Spirit will go the exact opposite direction. They will also be tempted by desire, but they choose to suffer rather than to sin. As a result, a blow is struck against sin in the flesh. Sin in the flesh loses its power in this area but reappears later in a different way. Again, the person chooses to suffer, and another blow is struck against sin in the flesh. The death of Christ penetrates more deeply into his spiritual life. He is no longer tempted in areas where he was previously tempted. In those areas where desire is repeatedly denied fulfillment, sin dies. The natural man is destroyed, and the man of God emerges as desire is denied and a person suffers in the flesh. “For he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin . . . .” 1 Pet. 4:1.

Therefore, let us choose to suffer in the flesh so we can be finished with sin.