Flesh

Have you ever heard the term “mortification of the flesh”? That’s how theological writers of old termed what Paul presents in our passage today. These writers understood the spiritual battle—the old life, ruled by the sinful nature, versus the new life, ruled by the Spirit.

The Spirit of God lives in you. That’s the amazing truth for every true believer. And when the Spirit of Christ lives in us, that changes everything.

Do you feel it? There is a battle raging within us. On one hillside of my heart the sinful nature is encamped. This army, hostile to God, desires to be in control.

Where does temptation come from? Does it come from our own desires that wage war within us? Does it come from the world, a culture that opposes God? Or does all temptation come from Satan? Do we blame our sin on ourselves, the anti-God culture, or Satan?

Why did God become flesh? Why did God humble himself to become a man? The writer of the Hebrews tells us that it was for the joy of providing man the way to God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

God is not silent about sexual sin. He doesn’t whisper the needed truth. He doesn’t spell out the words to protect our “innocent” ears. In this section of Proverbs, God slams the hammer down with four important warnings. 

How about you? Are you still trying to work your way to God? Still trying to be good enough for him? Our only hope depends on what Jesus did for us.

God in the flesh surrendered himself, entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. He continued to yield all the way to the cross. The charge of the believer is to follow that example of humble relent.

In Jesus, we saw what God looked like and how much he loves us…all the way to the cross.