There are many references to “the flesh” in New Testament Scripture, especially in the letters of St. Paul. The phrase confuses some who think it synonymous with the physical body, or sometimes with sexual sin.Posted on 02/18/2014 3:16:33 AM PST by markomalley
There are many references to “the flesh” in New Testament Scripture, especially in the letters of St. Paul. The phrase confuses some who think it synonymous with the physical body, or sometimes with sexual sin.
It is true that there are many times when Scripture uses the word “flesh” to refer to the physical body. However when the definite article “the” is placed before the word “flesh” we are dealing with something else. Only very rarely does the Biblical phrase “the flesh” (? s??? (he sarx), in Greek) refer only to the physical body (eg. John 6:53; Phil 3:2; 1 John 4:2), but almost always the phrase refers to something quite distinct from the physical body.
What then is meant by the term “the flesh” (? s???)? Perhaps most plainly it refers to that part of us that is alienated from God. It is the rebellious, unruly and obstinate part of our inner self that is operative all the time. It is that part of us that does not want to be told what to do. It is stubborn, refuses correction, and does not want to have a thing to do with God. It bristles at limits and rules. It recoils at anything that might cause me to be diminished or something less than the center of the universe. The flesh hates to be under authority or to have to yield to anything other than its own wishes and desires. The flesh often desires something simply because it is forbidden.
Some modern Scripture translations often call the flesh our “sin nature” (e.g. the NIV) which is not a bad term in summarizing what the flesh is. In Catholic tradition the flesh is where concupiscence sets up shop. Concupiscence refers to the strong inclination to sin that is in us as a result of the wound of Original Sin. If you do not think that your flesh is strong, just try to pray for five minutes and watch how quickly your mind wants to think of anything but God. Just try to fast or be less selfish and watch how your flesh goes to war.
The flesh is in direct conflict with the spirit. The “spirit” here refers not to the Holy Spirit but to the human spirit. The (human) spirit is that part of us which is open to God, which desires him and is drawn to him. It is that part of us which is attracted by goodness, beauty and truth, which yearns for completion in God and to see His face. Without the spirit we would be totally turned in on ourselves and consumed by the flesh. Thankfully our spirit, assisted by the Holy Spirit draws us to desire what is best, what is upright, good and helpful.
Perhaps it is good that we look at just a few texts which reference “the flesh” and thus here learn more of the flesh and its ways. This will help us to be on our guard and to rebuke it by God’s grace and learn not to feed it. I make some comments in red with each quote.
1. The Flesh does not grasp spiritual teachings – [Jesus said] The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. (John 6:63)
Having taught on the Eucharist, most of Jesus’ listeners ridicule his teaching and will no longer take Jesus seriously. So Jesus indicates that their hostility to the teaching on the Eucharist is of the flesh. The flesh demands that everything be obvious to it on its own terms. The flesh demands to see physical proof for everything; demands that it be able to “see” using its own unregenerate power. And if it cannot see based on its own limited view, it simply rejects spiritual truth out of hand.
In effect the flesh refuses to believe at all since what it really demands is something that will “force” it to accept something. Inexorable proof which faith demands takes things out of the realm of faith and trust. Faith is no longer necessary when something is “absolutely” proven and plainly visible to the eyes of flesh. The flesh simply refuses to believe and demands proof.
2. The flesh is not willing to depend on anyone or anything outside its own power or control – For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless….I [now] consider this rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ (Phil 3:3-9 selected)
The flesh wants to be in control rather than to have to trust in God. Hence it sets up its own observance, under its own control. And when it has met its own demands it declares itself to be righteous.
Since the flesh hates being told what to do it takes God’s law and makes it “manageable” based on the flesh’s own terms. So, for example, if I am supposed to love, let me limit it to my family and countrymen but I am “allowed” to hate my enemy. But Jesus says, no, love your enemy.
The flesh recoils at this for unless the law is manageable and within the power of the flesh to accomplish it, the Law cannot be controlled. The flesh trusts only in its own power.
The Pharisees were “self-righteous” That is to say, they believed in a righteousness that they themselves brought about through their flesh power. But the Law and flesh cannot save. Only Jesus Christ can save. The flesh refuses this and wants to control the outcome based on its own power and terms.
3. The Flesh hates to be told what to do – For when we were controlled by the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death. (Rom 7:5)
The disobedience and rebelliousness of the flesh roots us in sinful behavior and prideful attitudes. The prideful attitude of the flesh is even more dangerous than the sins that flow from it since pride precludes instruction in holiness and possible repentance that lead to life.
So the flesh does not like to be told what to do. Hence it rejects the testimony of the the Church, the scriptures and the conscience.
Notice, according to the text, the very existence of God’s Law arouses the passions of the flesh. The fact that something is forbidden makes the flesh want it all the more! This strong inclination to sin is in the flesh and comes from pride and indignation at “being told what to do.” The flesh is refuses God’s Law and sets up its own rules. The flesh will not be told what to do.
4. The Flesh is focused on itself and its own desires only - 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. The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace (Rom 8:5-6)
The flesh is intent on things of this world, upon gratifying its own passions and desires. On account of the flesh we are concerned primarily with ourselves and seek to be at the center. The flesh is turned primarily inward. St Augustine describes the human person in the flesh as “curvatus in se” (turned in upon himself).
But the spirit is that part of us that looks outward toward God and opens us the truth and holiness that God offers. Ultimately the flesh is focused on death for it is concerned with what is passing away: the body and the world. The human spirit is focused on life for it focuses on God who is life and light.
5. The Flesh is intrinsically hostile to God – The mind of the flesh is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. (Rom 8:7-8)
The flesh is hostile to God because it is pridefully hostile to any one more important than itself. Further the flesh does not like being told what to do. Hence it despises authority or anyone who tries to tell it what to do. It cannot please God because it does not want to.
6. The Flesh abuses freedom - You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another in love. (Gal 5:13)
The flesh turns God given freedom into licentiousness. Licentiousness is to demand freedom without limit. Since the flesh does not want to be told what to do it demands to be able to do what ever it wants.
In effect the flesh says, “I will do what I want to do and I will decide if it is right or wrong.” This is licentiousness and it is an abuse of freedom. It results in indulgence and paradoxically leads to a slavery to the senses and the passions.
7. The Flesh Demands to be fed – So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (Gal 5:16-17)
Within the human person is this deep conflict between the flesh and spirit. We must not be mistaken, the flesh is in us and it is strong. It has declared war on our spirit and on the Holy Spirit of God. When the spirit tries to obey, the flesh resists and tries to sabotage the best aspirations of the spirit.
We must be sober about this conflict and understand that this is why we do not do what we most know is right. The flesh has to die and the spirit come more alive.
What you feed grows. If we feed the flesh it will grow. If we feed the spirit it will grow. What are you feeding? Are you sober about the power of the flesh and do you and I therefore feed our spirit well through God’s word and holy communion, through prayer and the healing power of confession. What are you feeding?
8. The Flesh fuels sin - The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-210)
This catalog of sins for Galatians 5 is not exhaustive but is representative of the offensive and obnoxious behavior that flows from the flesh. Be sober about the flesh, it produces ugly children.
So here is a portrait of “the flesh.” It is ugly. You may say I have exaggerated, that the flesh is not really this bad. Well I am not, just buy a newspaper and see what the flesh is up to.
We may, by God’s grace, see a diminishment in the power of the flesh in our life. That is ultimately what God can and will do for us. He will put the flesh to death in us and bring alive our spirit by the power of his Holy Spirit.
A four step plan -
God by his grace will cause the flesh to die and the spirit to live by his grace at work in us through Jesus Christ.
Another sermon by the same name as one previously linked. I highly recommend it to one and all. It’s good for Protestants to have a reminder of what the Reformation was all about and why it was a necessity. When you recall the cold darkness you will appreciate the warmth of light all the more.
Martin Luther’s Gospel
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1026082134247
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4)
Soli Deo Gloria!
1 John 4:1-4
New King James Version (NKJV)
4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
1st my ‘denomination’ is Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
My question is: Do you use commentaries such as Scofield, Matthew Henry, or A.T. Robertson, in your Bible studies?
If a Bible study is a Sunday school type, we have SS Sunday morning 10 - 11 and preaching 11 - 12 or more often now, 1230.
Wednesday is generally a shorter, get over the hump spiritual injection.
You're correct
Thanx for the links ... I haven’t gone to any yet, but one of my favorite preachers is Lester Rolloff
The Bible is written in English and the translators of KJ were, if nothing else, Master English scholars.
Scripture compared to scripture is the basis for understanding doctrine
Again, thanx for the links
WOW! There’s a name from yesteryear. I haven’t thought of Lester Roloff in many years. He was one of those godly men who sounded the alarm for this nation until the day he died. The way I remember Lester, he wasn’t like the compromisers who are prevalent today.
One of my favorites of Lester’s era was an old Baptist evangelist named Rolfe Barnard. Most people sitting in pews today wouldn’t tolerate even one of his sermons posted on sermonaudio.com. People hate the hard truths of Scripture.
It was a few years before I heard a message and of course it took the internet and youtube to REALLY endear him to my heart.
I used to have a couple of cassette tapes of him but have no idea where they are or what shape they're in.
My wife just forced me to buy a cassette player from Goodwill just before the holidays so we could time travel .... my wife is wise.
There's a good bio under this short clip ... 6 1/2 minutes .. before his death so this is 1970's or earlier
**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. The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace (Rom 8:5-6)**
BTTT!
Unless you are sitting at home with nothing other than a Catholic Bible and a Strong’s Catholic Concordance, you will see Church teaching one way or the other as the truth.
Check the salvationhistory website for the Catholic Concordance.
Amen to that...
Agree.
He would be wise to reformulate his rubric on the basis of considering three kinds of hearts of the humans, that is, "Who is on the throne of your heart?":
sarkikos = fleshly = carnal; self on the throne--especially when claiming that Christ is on the throne, but is not. (Rom. 8:5-7, Gal. 5: 19-21; Strong's Gk Lexicon 4559)
psuchikos = soulish = sensual in thinking; one's philosophy on the throne; intellectuality and one's reasonings preeminant, especially when one is unregenerate but claiming to understand Biblical interpretation and application.(1 Cor. 2:14, Eph. 2:1,5, Jas. 3:15, Jude 15; Strong's 5591)
pneumatikos = spiritual = having the mind of Christ; The Lord Jesus Christ on the throne; dying to self, to Sin as one's master, and to worldly focus, but coming alive to Christ as Spiritual Lifegiver; regenerated, with the Holy Spirit in control. (1 Cor. 2:15-16/Php. 2:5-8, Psalms 1 (all), 128:1, Col. 3:1-3, ; Strong's 4152)
The author's hypothesis seems to me to be soulish, intellectually derived, of the law, and not spiritual. Here is his four-step plan for advancement:
But step one is to appreciate what the flesh is and understand its moves.
Step two is to bring this understanding to God through repentance.
Step three is, by God’s grace, to stop feeding the flesh and start feeding the spirit on prayer, scripture, Church teaching and Holy Communion.
Step four is to repeat steps 1-3 for the rest of our lives.
This sounds good, but upon close inspection seems to be without the godly kind of sorrow of a practicing sinner that brings repentance from unbelief to salvation on the basis of faith alone, in Christ's death and reconciliation for us alone, as told reliably by Scripture alone; but rather on the basis of the kind of sorrow that depends on one's works, that brings self-willed attempts to reject sin, which in the end leads only to death of the body, soul, and spirit, and rejects the Christ and His Bible.
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death" (2 Cor 7:10 AV).
It is a works-based gospel.
I am pretty certain that no one is forcing you to read the "ceaseless Romish (sic) propaganda", or even to comment on it.
Of course I don’t have to read it, but you say that as if I read it for fun or because I want to debate. That’s far from the truth. I read and comment because I know many lost people do read it. If born again Christians don’t sound the alarm who will? If I sit back and ignore damning false doctrine, I believe that’s a sin of omission on my part. Would you refuse to throw a life preserver to a drowning man just because you didn’t want to make him angry? I bet you wouldn’t. Likewise, I can’t refuse to tell people the gospel truth.
From John 10:
22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Did you catch verses 26 and 27 really say and mean? When His sheep hear His voice and they follow the Good Shepherd. Those who don’t believe, aren’t really His sheep.
If my posts don’t mean anything to you, if you don’t hear the truth, they aren’t meant for you. On the authority of the Word of God I know that His sheep, those who were chosen in Christ from the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1), will eventually respond when they hear the truth.
One of my favorite passages in all of Scripture comes from the first section of Ephesians 1:
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Are you sure you know THE GOSPEL?
The True Gospel
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=221101933219
Then you attempt to rationalize it with this: Of course I don’t have to read it, but you say that as if I read it for fun or because I want to debate. That’s far from the truth. I read and comment because I know many lost people do read it. If born again Christians don’t sound the alarm who will? If I sit back and ignore damning false doctrine, I believe that’s a sin of omission on my part. Would you refuse to throw a life preserver to a drowning man just because you didn’t want to make him angry? I bet you wouldn’t. Likewise, I can’t refuse to tell people the gospel truth.
If a Conservative doesn't want a gun, he doesn't buy a gun, If a liberal doesn't want one he tries to get them banned.
Tell me do you see any Catholics telling the protestants: "then you and the others should stop with the ceaseless Heretical propaganda"?
The first amendment gives me the freedom to practice my religion, any religion that I choose. It does not give you the right or the authority to tell me not to practice that religion.
You want to point out what you believe to be errors, you go right ahead, but don't tell us not to post.
Reading is fundamental. I never told anyone what to post. I never told anyone not to post.
What I said was quite simple. I said if people don’t want me to respond, they should stop posting Romish propaganda. That’s hardly the same thing as telling Catholics not to post in the first place. Post Roman Catholic stories all you want, but when you do you should expect at least occasional pushback from people who know the Scriptures and know Christ.
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