Indwelling corruption is the most powerful of all causes of backsliding. In regeneration God grants His people spiritual life by uniting them to Christ. This life is predisposed toward growth—and indeed it does grow. You would be able to observe this if you would compare your current condition with your condition when you were first changed. As it is true in the natural realm that the one person becomes taller and stronger than another, so it likewise occurs in the spiritual realm. In the natural realm a person will grow until he reaches full maturity, and then his growth ceases. However, in the spiritual realm perfection is reserved for eternity. Here one longs and strives for it, but in this life he does not attain it. In the natural realm one person will mature in a healthy manner, increase in strength, and retain his strength as it increases. Another person will, however, be hindered in his growth by many trials; and by way of illness or other occurrences he may lose his strength. A man may even become as weak as a child. Such is also the case in the spiritual realm. The one is as a plant which matures in its youth. He is as a shining light which arises until it shines forth at full noon. He goes from strength to strength, and flourishes like the palm tree and a cedar in Lebanon. Another person, however, encounters many things that impede him, and he loses his strength. Indwelling corruption, which at times gains much strength, is among the causes of a decrease in strength. It is this we now wish to discuss.
It Torments and Grieves Believers
That indwelling corruption greatly torments and grieves believers is evident from:
(1) The complaints of the saints: “O Lord, why hast Thou made us to err from Thy ways, and hardened our heart from Thy fear?” (Isa 63:17); “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. O wretched man that I am!” (Rom 7:23-24).
(2) Such texts in which believers confess the power of indwelling corruption: “Iniquities prevail against me” (Ps 65:3).
(3) Such texts in which saints pray to be kept from this. “Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me” (Ps 19:13).
(4) Related warnings. “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30); “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:13).
It Does Not Have Dominion over Believers
Since regeneration is imperfect, the old man always remains present in the regenerate person. The old man retains its nature, ignorance, will, affections, and delight in sin—all this under the pretense of being honest, prudent, and delightful. In reality, however, the old man abhors that which is good, considering it to be aggravating, disadvantageous, distasteful, and impossible. It is thus that the warfare between the flesh and the spirit is engendered. “For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal 5:17). In this battle, at times the one wins and at another time the other wins. To the extent that the one wins the other loses. The spirit will never expel the flesh entirely. “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after” (Phil 3:12). In turn, the flesh will never expel the spirit entirely, nor have dominion and be triumphant over it. “His seed remaineth in him … because he is born of God” (1 John 3:9); “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom 6:14). To have dominion is to have fully prevailed over a given party, so that the conquered one surrenders and subjects himself to the conqueror, thereby rendering obedience. This will never be the case here. The flesh does receive such a measure of strength that it can activate both the natural faculties of the soul as well as the members of the body. This enables it to execute its desire in a manner which cannot be prevented by the spirit. However, the regenerated man can never be brought to the point—not for one moment—that he would subject himself to the will of the flesh for the purpose of rendering obedience to it, either willingly or unwillingly. The regenerated man will always oppose, even if it were but by sighing against it—thus showing his aversion and crying out as if violence were done upon him. A man can take a child by the arm against his or her will and cause the child to walk rapidly alongside of him. The child will indeed move his or her feet; however, not for the purpose of walking, but rather to avoid falling. Every step is an act of resistance. Such is also true when the spirit is overwhelmed by the power of indwelling corruption.