The Flesh

The Flesh

The flesh is a spiritual expression, a spiritual concept. It is our self-life as natural men, our self-will, our desires and opinions. It is our reasoning as natural beings, together with our feelings and our tastes as natural beings.

Paul’s profound and powerful self-acknowledgment in Romans 7 is a spiritual masterpiece in its own right: “In me (that is, in my flesh) [meaning, in me as a natural human being] nothing good dwells,” namely, in the sense of living a righteous and good life before God, pleasing Him in everything.

For this reason this needs to be my testimony: “Not My will, but Yours, be done.” Luke 22:42. For, everything that we desire and think and have an opinion about as natural men is the opposite of God’s perfect will that is always for our absolute best. Therefore we can deny ourselves for a very good reason. Making flesh our strength (Jer. 17:5) means relying on our human reasoning, feelings, and human strength. God’s curse is over these things.

“Be silent, all flesh . . . .” Zech. 2:13. This comes about by silencing our human reasoning, feelings, and self-will. “Flesh and blood have not revealed this to you,” Matt. 16:17. This means that it was not your human reasoning that revealed it to you.

“The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matt. 26:41. This means that human reasoning and feelings are sufficiently stupid to resist and explain away the things that are from God. “It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh profits nothing.” John 6:63. On the contrary, all that is of ourselves results in complete loss!

Jesus said, “You judge according to the flesh.” John 8:15. This is precisely what every unconverted person and almost every converted person does without ceasing, alas, alas! Poor people! In addition, they imagine they are in the right and are doing the right thing. Almost all of it is: I think this and I think that!

In each case, we are either in the flesh or in the Spirit. The flesh and the Spirit are two complete opposites! “The mind of the flesh is enmity against God.” Rom. 8:7. This is not a small matter! Paul says, “For when we were in the flesh . . . .” Rom. 7:5. This indicates that there were some who had come away from it! Also we “who do not walk according to the flesh . . . .” Rom. 8:4. They did not listen to what their reasoning and feelings and self-wills said; on the contrary, they denied them. They neither recognized them nor acknowledged them, but followed God’s voice, according to God’s commands in the New Testament.

They were in the Spirit and were willing to be led by Him instead of being in the flesh, being human and soulish. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Rom. 8:8. Not in any way whatsoever. Nothing of all the things the flesh says is true or profitable! The only true thing as far as life in God and true happiness are concerned, is God’s Word. The testimony of the Spirit of truth is always in agreement with the Word of truth! Of course!

“Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.” That is, not according to human qualities, but only according to the inward qualities, according to their life’s content, according to the Spirit! 2 Cor. 5:16-17. Paul also said, “I did not confer with flesh and blood . . . .” Gal. 1:16.

Paul asks, “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” Gal. 3:3. Unfortunately, this is also possible as long as we are in this body. It is also possible to alternate between being in the flesh and being in the Spirit. This is precisely why it is of the utmost importance always to be in the Spirit all the days of our life; first of all, to get there, and then to remain there faithfully until the end.

It has always been like this—also during the days of the first, great, and glorious apostles—that there were extremely few spiritual people; yet the opportunity to become spiritual is there for everyone.

All of us have the same flesh all the days of our life in this world; however, it is definitely not necessary to be in the flesh. God be highly praised for this!

“Among whom we also once [formerly, in the old days] conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind . . . .” Eph. 2:3. Yes, that is how it was formerly, but God be highly praised that it is not the case anymore! And everyone can be finished with it at any time!