Continuing my series of excerpts from Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body in Simple Language, published by Philokalia Books, an adaptation of the Pope's talks by Sam Torode:
"Christ's saving work is cosmic, rescuing the entire universe from sin; but it begins with man and the redemption of the body.
"A redeemed life is possible through the power of the Spirit. It begins in the heart, them bears fruit in outward actions. …
"The 'flesh' is not limited to the sexual or physical realm. The 'acts of the flesh' [mentioned by St. Paul] are closely aligned with those things Christ describes as coming from an impure heart — 'evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander' (Mt. 15:19). … All sin comes from the flesh; all purity from the Spirit.
"… When Paul talks [in Romans 8:12-13] of putting to death the body's misdeeds, he echoes Christ's words in the Sermon on the Mount. … Self-control is essential for living by the Spirit.
…
"Living by the flesh means bondage to sin and decay. But living by the Spirit brings true freedom …
"Again and again, Paul stresses that salvation does not come from following the prescriptions of the Old Testament law, 'You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rater serve one another in love' (Gal. 5:13).
"Christ sets us free — not so that we might fall under the control of sin again, but that we might learn purity of heart."
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