The Battle Against the Self: How Philosophy, Scripture, and Physiology Affect Self-Discipline

Abstract

As mankind’s culture has shifted throughout history, the conflict of worldly culture and Christianity has always remained. However, in today’s culture we have seen a slight shift in how culture forms identity. No longer does community put restrictions on what is acceptable and what is not. Instead, the individual now places those restrictions on themselves. This has led to more self-indulgence than we have ever seen before. This paper aims to explain that shift in how one finds their identity, what Scripture has to say about the battle against the flesh, and how living a life according to the Spirit benefits the physical flesh far more than the philosophy of our modern culture.