Paul said, “All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another” (1 Corinthians 15:39 NIV). The meaning of flesh here is obvious; it is the body or tissue of a living creature. Yet all “sarx” is not the same!
In the New Testament (and especially in Paul’s epistles) flesh or “sarx” is defined four different ways: [1] bodily flesh or tissue, [2] human decent or relationship, [3] mankind or the human race, and [4] human nature. It’s that last meaning that is hard to get a handle on (well at least for me). In many modern translations “sarx” is translated as sinful nature (that’s what gives me a problem that I’m trying to figure out).
The flesh as human nature can be thought of in three ways: [1] weak human nature, [2] the human nature of Christ, and [3] unregenerate humanity. Just where does flesh as “sinful nature” in so many of our English Bibles fit in? Obviously it would not apply to the human nature of Christ. Jesus took on the “likeness of sinful flesh” but was free from sin (Romans 8:3 KJV).
But how might “sinful nature” apply to the flesh that is unregenerate humanity or the flesh that is the weak human nature? I can accept that a non-Christian the unregenerate has a sinful nature, but does the believer still have a “sinful nature” or is it just the weakness of the flesh? Think about this:
- [16] So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view [“sarx”-the flesh]. Though we once regarded Christ in this way [“sarx”-the flesh again], we do so no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NIV)
Paul had a transformation in his way of thinking about people, and especially about how he thought about Jesus. Why? In Christ he became a new creation; the old way of thinking according to the flesh was gone and a new way of thinking (by the Spirit) had taken its place. Being in Christ dramatically changed the way Paul thought, but did it also change his flesh? That is did Paul cease to have a “sinful nature” because of his relationship with Christ? How had Paul’s conversion (and in turn our own) changed him because he no longer lived according to the flesh but by the Spirit (see Romans 8:4-5)?
I want to invite you to take a journey and ponder with me this week about the change that has taken place within our lives. Has our sinful nature been done away with or is it still there trying to regain control of our lives? Together let’s try to unravel what it means to live in a body of flesh and blood, no longer controlled by the flesh but by the Spirit. What do you think?
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Our old sinful nature no longer exists. But their still is a spiritual battle going on…
Well we know we are delivered from sin. Jesus delivered us from Satan and sin when He went to the cross. He set us free from sin. But it is up to us to equip ourselves with the armor of God, repent, forgive others, and take everything captive to the obedience of Christ. And maybe the most important thing is to believe. Believe in the truth, which is the Word of God, which is Jesus. Believe it, speak it, and act upon the truth. John 8:32 Jesus says “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NLT)
Later, while praying for His disciples, Jesus says, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” (John 17: 15-19) (NKJV) (Wow. Does that not make you want to get to know the Word even more? )
But… even though we are children of God and set free from sin and our old sinful nature, some of us are still being held captive to habitual sins, which can make us real unproductive Christians. Yes, this could be from lack of mental discipline and patterns of the “sarx” (flesh). But it could also be mental torment from the deceiver. In 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 Paul says that believers are engaged in a spiritual battle against forces which stand against the knowledge of God. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” (ESV).
So, our sinful nature is gone but our weakness as flesh is not knowing, believing, relying on, or walking in the Truth. Satan is still here with all his demonic forces and protégés. He is trying to get us to believe other things, lies. He works hard to get us to think negative thought, to think we can’t be free, to think we are nothing special. But we know better. We have to stand firm, having girded our loins with truth as it says in Ephesians 6:14. We need to protect our minds with God’s Word (the truth). What is Satan? The father of all LIES. He wants to win our minds. But he can’t. We are God’s children. We inherit His Truth, His kingdom. We need to focus in on these things. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”(NKJV)
Keep reading the Word. Line your thoughts with scripture. Proclaim the truth. Win the battles of flesh.
TIffani
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