Well, we've found one of your problems.
The flesh Paul is referring to is the dependence on self, in other words, works of your own ability.
But on the other hand, if you depend on the Holy Spirit and not self to put to death the deeds of the body, you shall live.
No. That is not correct, dear sir.
Romans 6:19 says,
“I speak after the manner of men because of the
infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.”
What is the infirmity of your flesh?
Romans 7:25 (NTE)
“Thank God – through Jesus our king and Lord! So then, left to my own self I am
enslaved to God’s law with my mind, but
to sin’s law with my human flesh.”
Romans 7:25 (GNT)
“Thanks be to God, who does this through our Lord Jesus Christ! This, then, is my condition: on my own I can serve God's law only with my mind, while my human nature serves the law of sin.”
What is being “
enslaved…
to sin’s law with my human flesh” mean?
This then runs right into Romans 8:1 that talks about how there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The context of the word
flesh in Romans 8:1 is taken from the previous verse (Romans 7:25), which is clearly in reference to sin.
Romans 13:14 says:
“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the
flesh, to
fulfil the lusts
thereof.”
What is the…. “
Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts” mean?
Clearly this is in reference to sin because making provision for the flesh is placing things in our life to stumble or fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
For example: Watching certain TV shows or movies can make a provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof because they have either nudity, scantily clad women, and or fornication in them. It’s making a provision for the lusts of the flesh.
Here is another one.
Galatians 5:19-21
“
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told
you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Did you catch that?
It says that the works of the flesh are manifest which are these… and then Paul lists various sins to describe what these works of the flesh are.
You said:
Paul did not say we will stop sinning, he said that sin will not have dominion over us. Rom. 6:14
What does Paul mean sin will not have dominion over us in Romans 6:14?
Romans 6:6-7 says,
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with
him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.”
We must die to ourself. We must pick up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Jesus.
Romans 6:17-18 says,
“But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
Being made free from sin means you have become servants to God with having fruit unto holiness and the end…. Everlasting life.
Romans 6:22
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
Do you have fruit unto holiness?
We as believers must have this if we are to have an end that is everlasting life.
Romans 6:16
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
Please take no offense, but by what you have written so far, I don’t so how you can actually believe the plain words as they are written above here in Romans 6:16. Why? Well, Paul is saying a similar thing that John said in 1 John 3:7, and 1 John 3:8. Do you believe those words by John?
Take for example the words of Jesus in John chapter 8.
In John 8: Jesus said to the Jews, whoever commits sin is a slave (or servant) to sin (John 8:34). In context: Jesus insulted the Jews here and said to them, “You are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.” (John 8:44). Meaning, they were controlled by sin, and because of that, their father was the devil. In John 8: Jesus said, “And the servant (slave) abides not in the house forever:
but the Son abides forever.” (John 8:35). Meaning, a person who is a slave to sin will not abide in the house of God forever. So Christians who justify sin (weeds) will be gathered out of the Lord’s Kingdom by Christ’s angels and they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Also see: Matthew 13:41-42).