Most Christians have this wrong understanding and believed that God gave the Law for us to follow. Before the death and resurrection of Jesus, everyone is living in the flesh and dead spiritually. Therefore, there is only one nature which man lived by which is the flesh. Man not knowing that they are sinful and can never please God, tried to perform good works to earn God's favor. Therefore God gave the Law and said: "Anyone who desire earn my favor and enter heaven must obey the Law without breaking any of the commandments."
Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Galatians 5:3 If anyone wants to be righteous through the law, they have to obey the entire law
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
But God's true intention for giving the Law is to show man that they cannot keep his law because of their sinful nature. It is liken to God saying to a dead corpse "If you want to live, then show me that you can breathe." But it is impossible for a dead corpse to breathe.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, everyone who accepted Jesus is born again, filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit and made alive spiritually. At this point, a Christian has two natures. The nature of the sinful flesh that is the old man and nature of the Holy Spirit that is God's nature. If you know the flesh, you will know that it is capable of performing good works and evil desires. In the non-Christian community, do we not see people who contributed much to the society and others? However, God compare all the rightouseness of sinful man as filthy rags.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
The other nature of a Christian is the nature the Holy Spirit that is God's nature which cannot sin. These two different nature within a Christian is constantly at war. Therefore Paul wrote that he discipline his body and bring it into subjection.
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
How to know stop operating in the flesh?
Step 1: Stop focusing on the Law and do not be sin conscious. Remember that God did not gave the Law for anyone to follow but rather to make all sinners aware that of their sinful nature and cannot save themselves by their own human effort or good works. If you continue to focus on the Law, you will strengthen the flesh to perform and more sins will be committed.
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.
Galatians 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.
Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Step 2: Live in freedom from the Law and act according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If you believe that God cannot sin, what made you think you will commit sin when you are flowing with the Holy Spirit?
Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Anyone who is alive will naturally breathe without being told to do so. Therefore if a Christian flows with the spirit, they live out the nature of God which is free from the Law and Sin. Therefore, I believe this is the reason why God do not want Christians to be conscious of the Law and Sin. A born again Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit will naturally obey the Law without effort or mindful of not breaking it.
Romans 2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Galatians 5:3 If anyone wants to be righteous through the law, they have to obey the entire law
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
But God's true intention for giving the Law is to show man that they cannot keep his law because of their sinful nature. It is liken to God saying to a dead corpse "If you want to live, then show me that you can breathe." But it is impossible for a dead corpse to breathe.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, everyone who accepted Jesus is born again, filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit and made alive spiritually. At this point, a Christian has two natures. The nature of the sinful flesh that is the old man and nature of the Holy Spirit that is God's nature. If you know the flesh, you will know that it is capable of performing good works and evil desires. In the non-Christian community, do we not see people who contributed much to the society and others? However, God compare all the rightouseness of sinful man as filthy rags.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
The other nature of a Christian is the nature the Holy Spirit that is God's nature which cannot sin. These two different nature within a Christian is constantly at war. Therefore Paul wrote that he discipline his body and bring it into subjection.
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
How to know stop operating in the flesh?
Step 1: Stop focusing on the Law and do not be sin conscious. Remember that God did not gave the Law for anyone to follow but rather to make all sinners aware that of their sinful nature and cannot save themselves by their own human effort or good works. If you continue to focus on the Law, you will strengthen the flesh to perform and more sins will be committed.
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
Hebrews 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.
Galatians 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.
Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
Step 2: Live in freedom from the Law and act according to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If you believe that God cannot sin, what made you think you will commit sin when you are flowing with the Holy Spirit?
Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Anyone who is alive will naturally breathe without being told to do so. Therefore if a Christian flows with the spirit, they live out the nature of God which is free from the Law and Sin. Therefore, I believe this is the reason why God do not want Christians to be conscious of the Law and Sin. A born again Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit will naturally obey the Law without effort or mindful of not breaking it.