The Flesh

In the Bible we often run into the term "flesh". The word is employed in chiefly two contexts. Firstly, it is used when the Bible draws a dividing line between was is spiritual life and what is human life. Human life expresses itself in a material world. In addition to having a spirit humans are also furnished with a soul and a body. For a get a clearer understanding of the second aspect of the use of the word we will utilize the following Thayer definition: "The flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God." The first use of the term defines an unique existence. The second use of the term is closely related to how this existence is displayed in deeds and outlook.

When we are now to prove without a shadow of doubt that Christians are dead to the flesh we will obviously be speaking of the second use of the term. The motivation behind this article is that there exists a common misunderstanding amongst many believers which holds that they are still influenced by the flesh in thoughts, desires, deeds etc. We will start out by examining John 3:6 which says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Most Christians can agree on that we died with Christ on the cross, and that we were raised with Him in His resurrection, and that we in the instant we accepted Him as our savior received a new spirit and thus was born by the Spirit. If we then claim that we are still operating from the flesh we are obviously illogical and self-contradictory in our mindset.

Rom 7:5 states plainly; "For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death." "While we were", is evidently past tense. Something we were and are not now! We are those who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:4), if we have accepted Christ by faith. Paul elaborates on this fact in Rom 8:9, "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."

Our last proof in this article will be Gal 5:24, "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." The flesh is indisputable dead. A dead thing holds no power whatsoever over someone, except if a person is living in the past and refuses to accept a new reality. We have perhaps all met persons who are still heavily influenced by dead persons. So the principle of the renewing of the mind also applies in this context.

In 2 Cor 5:16 Paul takes all this a step further: "From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer." What he states here has so far-reaching consequences in regard to our new lives and how we view Christ that it would take several volumes to explore it. Suffice for now is to say that we now through faith can regard ourselves as spiritual beings expressing the risen Christ in a material world. We are not duplicates of Christ, but expressions of everything what that title entails. We are beings in our own right, but a new kind compared to what we were before we were born again. We are now true sisters and brothers of the resurrected Christ, each with our own unique personality, and we are partakers of the same divine power which raised Him from the death.

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σάρξ
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Thayer Definition:
1) flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both man and beasts
2) the body
2a) the body of a man
2b) used of natural or physical origin, generation or relationship
2b1) born of natural generation
2c) the sensuous nature of man, “the animal nature”
2c1) without any suggestion of depravity
2c2) the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin
2c3) the physical nature of man as subject to suffering
3) a living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh) whether man or beast
4) the flesh, denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)
For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. (Rom 7:5)
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. (Rom 8:4)
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. (Rom 8:9)
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. (2 Cor 5:16)
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:24)