THIS LESSON IS BEING UPDATED AND EDITED.

THE FLESH

It helps to understand the Holy Spirit better when we contrast His fruit with the fruit of the flesh. That is because flesh and Spirit are opposed to each other, and these two topics are separated only for the sake of brevity.

The ‘flesh’ is a challenging topic for one main reason: a single Greek work, ‘sarx’ is used 149 times in the NT and in a variety of contexts. So, to understand the meaning, one must first carefully consider the context. For example, the word ‘flesh’ can be used to denote: the physical body; mankind; food from a slain animal, the natural or carnal man; mankind’s sinful nature. And, surprisingly, some kinds of fleshly works – religious ones in particular – can be done in an effort to please God.

Pay close attention to these guidelines as you encounter and discuss the following scriptures in this lesson. In each case, identify the context before choosing the interpretation.

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INTRODUCTION:

Starting exercise. Read each of the following passages. It usually helps to go to the passage and read the surrounding verses. Then identify and discuss which definition of the flesh best applies.

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Rom 13:14 ESV  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. 

2Cor 10:3-5  For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. (4) For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. (5)  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.

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SPIRIT vs. FLESH -- THE BATTLE

Gal 5:16  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (17) For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

(19) Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, (20) idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, (21) envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (24) And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (25) If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. .

Since the Father (who gives us the gift of the Spirit at salvation) and Jesus (who gives us the baptism of the Holy Spirit) sent us the Holy Spirit--for our advantage--we are to take on His personality fully, i.e. His character, attributes, behaviors, likes, dislikes, and fruit.

We must seek to be completely controlled by Him, every minute of every day, for the rest of our natural lives. This will require us to say no to the flesh, since the flesh and the Spirit are in complete opposition, at every moment.

The attributes and fruit of the Spirit are revealed in the Word. But being filled is not mere blind imitation; it is about developing a relationship of trust and intimacy with Him. He has much to teach us. He will counsel and comfort us. He will guide and correct us. And He will work the works of God through us.

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THE FLESHLY BODY and MIND

Eph 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins (2) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— (3) among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

The use of the word "flesh" can sometimes be confusing, and one must follow the context closely. In some cases, it refers to just the physical body. However, this verse gives a broader definition of the flesh to include the passions and desires of both body and mind.

The body seeks ease and comfort, not sinful in itself, but must be kept under self-control to avoid drifting into sin. Clearly, this cannot be referring to the legitimate needs of body and mind which are not inherently evil or sinful.

Similarly, the mind seeks control and dominance but must be renewed by God's word and not allowed to hinder the leading of the Spirit.

The will is the key to this process of change -- it must yield to God's direction continually in order to allow the renewing of our minds and the following of the Spirit's leadership. Consequently, as our minds are being renewed, our wills become even more compliant with God's direction. As we allow this cyclical process to continue, we grow in maturity. The mind (or intellect), emotions, and will comprise the soul.

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THE NATURAL MAN

1Co 2:12-15 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (13)  And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (14) The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

This describes people who are fleshly in their thinking because they are not born-again.

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A DEEPER LOOK AT THE FLESH

Rom 8:3-17  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do [1]. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, (4) in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

(5) For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. [2]  (6) For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. [3] (7) For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. (8) Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [4]

(9) You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. [5] (10) But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (11) If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. [6]

(12)  So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. (13)  For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, [7] you will live.

(14)  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (15) For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" (16)  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (17) and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. [7]

[1] The law could never work because of the built-in propensity of man to sin, i.e. the flesh. You cannot apply a perfect law to imperfect people.

[2] What do I think about the most?

[3] That's so true!

[4] Notice the word "cannot." Those who try to figure out the things of God through their natural mind are on a fool's errand.

[5] Being 'in the flesh' is another way of describing an unsaved person. Vs 12 also describes it as living 'according to the flesh.' As born-again Christians we are not 'in' the flesh, but we can choose to 'walk in' the flesh.

[6] The body is, technically, dead and decaying--all my life is in my spirit. Yet God still provides life to our mortal bodies. I take this life to mean physical healing, but it could mean much more. In this context, life can also mean the higher things: the enablements and influence of the Spirit so we can do good deeds.

[7] Suffering, i.e. of the flesh is perhaps the least-preached subject in Christianity but one of the most important. This is covered in more detail in a separate topic.

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SUFFERING IN THE FLESH

1Pe 4:1-2 ESV Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, (2) so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 

The flesh must be put to death in practice. This is a form of suffering.

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FLESH vs. BODY

Col 2:23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

This interesting verse shows that punishing the physical body does not necessarily control the flesh.

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THE APOSTLE PAUL'S VIEW:

1Co 2:1-5  And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. (2)  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (3)  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, (4)  and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, (5)  so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

This may be the most important and subtle manifestation of the flesh. Where there is little or no authentic power, fleshly substitutes quickly fill the void. A large part of the modern Church does not even acknowledge the miraculous work of God but are full of intellectualism instead. Such arguments may sound good but don't change people at the core; only the Holy Spirit does.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS

Heb 9:13-14  For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, (14)  how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

The contrast here is between the external and the internal. I think of a "dead work" as one done outside of the direction of the Spirit. The flesh is capable of many "good" works. Many unsaved people do dead works because they are not led by the Spirit of God because they are either not born-again or not seeking direction from the Spirit.

2Co 3:5-6  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, (6)  who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Trying to live by the letter of the law is a losing enterprise. It is fleshly and brings death. As discussed in Rom 8, only through the Spirit can we live spiritual lives.

Mat 4:1-2 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (2)  And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.

Why would the Holy Spirit lead Jesus to do this? What is the value of fasting?

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ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

2Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

 

Rom 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

 

2Ch 32:7-8

(7)  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. (8)  With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

 

2Cor 3:4-6

(4)  Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. (5)  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, (6)  who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

 

2Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

 

Examples of well-meaning flesh:

·       Abraham attempted to help God by taking Sarah’s handmaiden Hagar as his wife, producing his son Ishmael.

·       David refused to kill Saul when he was being pursued even though he knew that he was to be king. That would have been flesh.