The Flesh
The Bible says, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh
on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all
these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have
put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of
him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor
free: but Christ is all, and in all.” Colossians 3:5-11 (KJV)
Paul’s
meaning is not that the flesh, with its affections and lusts, is no longer present at all with those that have become Believers,
but that a walk in the flesh should not any longer exist in the case of Believers. A walk in the Spirit might be rightly expected
of Believers. This is only possible for those who have crucified the flesh. The word is not slain, but crucified. It is a
task of the Christian to be accomplished only by continual effort. It is imperative we constantly keep “on guard”
against the wiles of Satan and the decadence of the world and the flesh.
In crucified,
however, the simple slaying is not the main idea, but the condemning, giving sentence, surrendering to infamous death. This
has necessarily taken place in becoming Christ’s. Fellowship with Christ involves a crucifixion of the flesh for the
very reason that it is fellowship with Christ’s death on the cross. Christ indeed has only suffered what people have
deserved on account of their sinful flesh. Whoever appropriates to himself Christ’s death upon the cross regards the
flesh to himself no longer. For him, in Christ's death, the flesh has been crucified.”
As Paul told the Believers in Galatia: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (KJV)
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 (KJV)
Daily Chronological Bible Reading: 1 Chronicles 3-5
