A carne
A carne representa a natureza pecaminosa que milita contra o Espírito. A Bíblia ensina que os que pertencem a Cristo crucificaram a carne com suas paixões e desejos.
Carne versus Espírito
Os que são segundo a carne inclinam-se para as coisas da carne. O nascido da carne é carne; o nascido do Espírito é Espírito.
People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God’s laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.
You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God’s Spirit, who lives in you. People who don’t have the Spirit of Christ in them don’t belong to him.
If you belong to Christ Jesus, you won’t be punished. The Holy Spirit will give you life that comes from Christ Jesus and will set you free from sin and death. The Law of Moses cannot do this, because our selfish desires make the Law weak. But God set you free when he sent his own Son to be like us sinners and to be a sacrifice for our sin. God used Christ’s body to condemn sin. He did this, so that we would do what the Law commands by obeying the Spirit instead of our own desires.
If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God’s Spirit you say "No" to your desires. Only those people who are led by God’s Spirit are his children.
The Law has shown me that something in me keeps me from doing what I know is right. With my whole heart I agree with the Law of God. But in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do.
When we thought only of ourselves, the Law made us have sinful desires. It made every part of our bodies into slaves who are doomed to die.
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God’s Spirit can change you into a child of God.
The Spirit is the one who gives life! Human strength can do nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are from that life-giving Spirit.
Vencer a carne
Andai no Espírito e não cumprireis os desejos da carne. Os que são de Cristo crucificaram a carne com suas paixões.
If you are guided by the Spirit, you won’t obey your selfish desires.
People’s desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God’s kingdom.
And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires.
My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love.
If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life.
Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father.
Christ has also taken away your selfish desires, just as circumcision removes flesh from the body.
Stay awake and pray that you won’t be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak."
My friends, I want you to know that our bodies of flesh and blood will decay. This means they cannot share in God’s kingdom, which lasts forever.