Sunday Sermons
The Flesh
The Flesh
In the New Testament the word “flesh” is used in different ways. 1. It is used in phrases, which in English we might express by “humanly speaking”, or, “from a human point of view” (Romans 1:3; 4:1; 9:5). 2. The word is used in phrases and contexts in which we would use some such phrase as to “judge by human standards”. Not many wise men after the flesh accept the gospel call (1 Corinthians 1:26), that is, not many who are wise according to the standards of this world. 3. The term is also used where the main thought is that of “humanity or mankind” (“By the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in God’s sight” Romans 3:20). 4. The term can be used as referring to the human body without any connotation of evil (Acts 2:26; Luke 24:39). Yet, there is a sense where the term is a used concerning something that is evil.
Sinful Nature?
The New International Version (NIV) has been very inconsistent in its translation of the Greek term sarx (flesh). In certain passages the translators have used the phrase “sinful nature” for sarx. For example in Colossians the term sarx is used nine times. It has been rendered “sinful nature” only in 2:11 and 2:13. The problem with such a translation is that it does not give the reader a chance to interpret what the term might mean in a given context. In Colossians 1:22 the term is translated physical body. In 2:1 it is translated met me personally. Secondly, the phrase sinful nature was designed to further the Calvinistic concept of inherited depravity, that is, man is born a sinner. It gives the reader the mistaken impression that something about us is inherently sinful.
· The Bible makes is clear that mankind is born pure and innocent (Matthew 18:3; Romans 7:9; 1 Corinthians 14:20).
· The Bible also clearly states that we do not inherit the sins or the guilt of our parents or ancestor’s sins (Ezekiel 18:20 “The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity…the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself”).
· If people inherit the sins of their parents, then logically one should inherit the righteousness as well. If am born a sinner, then I am converted and have children, why do those children still inherit a sinful nature that I no longer have?
The Human Body
We know that the human body is not inherently sinful, for Jesus had a human body and yet He never sinned (John 1:14; 1 Peter 2:22).
The Human Spirit/Soul
We know that the human spirit is not inherently sinful, for God is the author of the human spirit (Genesis 1:26-27), even after Adam and Eve sinned, God still forms the spirit of man within him (“And forms the spirit of man within him” Zechariah 12:1; “Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?” Hebrews 12:9). “Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices” (Ecclesiastes 7:29).
Ephesians 2:3 “And were by nature children of wrath”
The word “nature” can have a couple of meanings: It can mean the nature of things, the force, laws, order, of nature, that is, that which is natural (Romans 1:26 “against nature”). But it can also mean, a mode of feeling and acting which by long habit has become nature (Thayer p. 660). The context of Ephesians 2:1-3 argues for the second definition. These people had “walked” (2:2) and “lived” (2:3) and “indulged” (2:3). In addition, they were responsible for this condition “in which you formerly walked” (2:2). When we read about people having hard hearts, or being involved in some type of moral and spiritual corruption or defilement, we find the same pattern that such a condition was chosen: 1. Ephesians 4:19 “having become callous”. 2. Romans 1:28 “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind”. 3. Matthew 13:15 “For the heart of this people has become dull…and they have closed their eyes”.
Romans 8:3 “in the likeness of sinful flesh”
The term “likeness” means: likeness, i.e. resemblance, freq., such as amounts well nigh to equality or identity (Thayer p. 445). This passage is a problem for those who believe that the human body or mankind is inherently sinful. The term “likeness” cannot be reduced to the idea that it merely “looked like” that Jesus had a human body or that Jesus had partaken of humanity. To make such an argument is to be guilty of being “anti-Christ” (1 John 4:2-3). Neither can we argue that Jesus really did not have a body like we have, or that Jesus really did not partake of man’s nature, “Since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same” (Hebrews 2:14); “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things” (Hebrews 2:17). The “flesh” here is called “sinful” because “the idea of evil attaches to the flesh not in virtue of what it is essentially, but from the undue preponderance which is given to it…. because of the universal ‘giving in of the flesh’ to sin, which is characteristic of mankind. It is the same adaptation of terms that allows ‘worldly’ to mean sinful…not that God's creation is sinful of itself”. Adam had a flesh and blood body before He sinned (Genesis 2:7; 1:28,29; 2:9; 3:6). Jesus partook of a flesh and blood body, and yet didn't sin (Heb. 2:14,17; 1 Peter 2:22-24). “When Adam and Eve were first created, they had all that belongs to human nature. Sin came into their lives as ‘a foreign element’, “Sinful flesh” is human nature prostituted. It is people using their bodies and faculties for wicked purposes.”
So What Is The Flesh?
We know that the term goes beyond the body, for the body is not inherently sinful and the works of the flesh include sins that really have nothing to do with the body (or, that clearly do not originate in the body, “idolatry, strife, jealousy, envying, factions)(Galatians 5:20-21).
Romans 8:4-9
Here we find that the term “flesh” is used of a particular mindset or disposition. “Those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh” (Romans 8:5); “For the mind set on the flesh is death” (Romans 8:6). When Paul says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8), obviously he is talking about something other than the mere physical body. Since all Christians remain in a physical body prior to death, one in a physical body can either have their mind set on the flesh or the Spirit. The “Spirit” in this section of Scripture is clearly the teachings revealed by the Holy Spirit. Thus the “mind set on the flesh” is a mental perspective that rejects God’s will, that excludes spiritual realities, that refuses to think and live on a spiritual plane, and that places physical desires, needs, and things, ahead of God’s will.
1 John 2:16 “the lust of the flesh”
In Genesis 3:4 we see the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The lust of the flesh is seen in the statement “the tree was good for food”. Carefully note that there is nothing wrong with a physical appetite or a desire for food that is attractive and flavorful. Here we see how a good desire becomes the lust of the flesh. When this particular food (which God had commanded them not to eat), became more important that God’s will, that desire become a sinful desire. The same is true when bodily desires such as comfort, relaxation, safety, physical intimacy, and so on, are placed ahead of God’s will. Any bodily desire that is placed ahead of God’s will or in conflict with God’s will is automatically a lust of the flesh. Therefore, “minding the flesh”, “walking after the flesh”, and the mindset that is hostile to God is one that places physical needs or desires ahead of God’s will(Matthew 6:33).
Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please”
Sadly, I believe that many people have become convinced that the “flesh” in the above verse is merely the human body. If we interpret the passage in that sense, then our attempt to please God looks rather hopeless, for we cannot get out of this human body until we die. The Spirit in the above passage is not our human spirit, but rather, the Holy Spirit who informs us how to live(Galatians 5:25). Now, the term “flesh” can include the body, for the body is either the willing instrument of sin or righteousness(Romans 6:13), but the human body does not inherently rebel against God’s teachings, it does not have a mind of its own. The “flesh” in this context is something that is God’s enemy and must be crucified (Galatians 5:24). The “flesh” in this section does not have wholesome desires that can be fulfilled in a righteous manner, rather, whatever desires or passions the “flesh” in this section has, they must be killed (Galatians 5:24).
A whole sermon could be built on this phrase: “The desire of the Flesh fights against the Spirit” (Con). “The Flesh says, ‘Gratify yourself!’. The Spirit says, ‘Love others’” (Boles p. 137). The flesh says, “Blame others”. The Spirit says, “Accept responsibility for your own actions”. The flesh says, “The world owes me”. The Spirit says, “You are a debtor.” The flesh says, “Retaliate”. The Spirit says, “Seek reconciliation”. The flesh says, “Hold a grudge”. The Spirit says, “Forgive”. The flesh says, “Wallow in self-pity”. The Spirit says, “Grow up!” The flesh says, “Why did God let that happen to me?” The Spirit says, “I deserve much worse”. Selfishness and Christianity can never be harmonized. How foolish to try to accommodate the "gospel" to the whims of society. The "flesh" will always yearn for the exaltation of the individual. The Spirit will always teach the exaltation of God and service to others. No matter how much time will transpire, or how many cultures will come and go, "the flesh" will always take the same position, self first. “That in the Spirit/flesh conflict it is impossible for the believer to remain neutral: He either serves the flesh or follows the Spirit” (Fung p. 251). The present tense indicates that these two perspectives are always in conflict, and will always be in conflict. Galatians 5:18 “If you are led by the Spirit”: “This conditional sentence clearly shows that Paul does not regard the believer as a helpless spectator or an unwilling pawn in the fierce battle between the flesh and the Spirit; the assumption is rather, that the Christian can overcome the flesh by siding with the Spirit…The active leading of the Holy Spirit does not signify the believer's being, so to speak, led by the nose willy-nilly, on the contrary, he must let himself be led, that is actively choose to stand on the side of the Spirit” (Fung p. 251).
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.ch-of-christ.beaverton.or.us/mdunagan@easystreet.com
