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Scripture Reading: Gen. 6:3a; Gal. 3:3; 5:17, 19-21; 1 Cor. 3:3-4; Gal. 4:29; Rom. 7:18a; 8:7-8; Phil. 3:3; Gal. 6:8a; 5:16, 24
I. The fallen man becoming flesh — Gen. 6:3a.
II. The flesh versus the Spirit — Gal. 3:3.
III. The flesh lusting against the Spirit — 5:17.
IV. The works of the flesh that damage the church life — vv. 19-21; 1 Cor. 3:3-4:
А. Enmities, strife, jealousy, and outbursts of anger.
B. Factions, divisions, sects, and envyings.
V. People of the flesh persecuting those of the Spirit — Gal. 4:29.
VI. Nothing good dwelling in the flesh — Rom. 7:18a.
VII. The flesh being enmity against God — 8:7a.
VIII. The flesh not being subject to the law of God — v. 7b.
IX. The flesh being unable to subject itself to the law of God — v. 7c.
X. The flesh being unable to please God — v. 8.
XI. Not trusting in the flesh — Phil. 3:3.
XII. Not sowing unto the flesh — Gal. 6:8a.
XIII. Not fulfilling the lust of the flesh — 5:16.
XIV. Crucifying the flesh — v. 24.
The subject of this lesson — “Knowing the Flesh” — is very simple. After the previous lesson on the impotence of our natural being, we need to see this. My burden in these few recent lessons is to help the saints in the Lord’s recovery realize the real service that the Lord wants and to help them see that what Christianity does is absolutely condemned and repudiated in the eyes of God. This is because the works or services in Christianity are either by strange fire (natural enthusiasm), the soul, or the flesh. Now we need a lesson to help us know what the flesh is.
Genesis 6:3a is the first verse in the Bible that says something concerning the fallen man as flesh. This verse indicates that man fell to such an extent that he became totally flesh. The fallen man is flesh.
The flesh is versus the Spirit. In Galatians 3:3 Paul says, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” The flesh is condemned and repudiated throughout the entire book of Galatians (1:16; 2:16; 3:3; 4:23, 29; 5:13, 16-17, 19, 24; 6:8, 12-13), and from chapter 3 every chapter gives a contrast between the flesh and the Spirit (v. 3; 4:29; 5:16-17, 19, 22; 6:8).
The flesh not only is versus the Spirit but also lusts against the Spirit. Galatians 5:17 says, “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these oppose each other that you would not do the things that you desire.” There is a warfare between the flesh and the Spirit.
The apostle Paul speaks of the works of the flesh that damage the church life (vv. 19-21; 1 Cor. 3:3-4). Here I do not list all the works of the flesh; I mention only the works of the flesh that damage the church life.
Enmities, strife, jealousy, and outbursts of anger are of one group, concerning evil moods and fleshly feelings.
Factions, divisions, sects, and envyings are of another group, concerning parties. A faction develops into a division, and then a division becomes a sect. Jealousy and envyings are two different words in the Greek text. Jealousy is actually envy in a smaller state. When jealousy is intensified and becomes greater, reaching “manhood,” it turns into envy. Envy is more bitter and more severe than jealousy. Paul classifies jealousy with the first group of evil moods, but he classifies envy with the second group of parties. This second group is not just a matter of evil moods but of evil doings. Envy begins with jealousy. When jealousy becomes mature, it is envy. The above two groups of items are the damaging items to the church life revealed in Paul’s writings. First Corinthians 3:3 and 4 show that the flesh was a damaging factor to the church life in Corinth.
Galatians 4:29 says, “Just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.” The children according to the flesh, like Ishmael, persecuted the children according to the Spirit, like Isaac. Paul says that now it is also the same. The people of the flesh always persecute those of the Spirit.
In Romans 7:18a Paul says, “I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, nothing good dwells.” We should not say that we have something good in our flesh. We may think that we have bad flesh and good flesh, but there is no such thing as “good flesh.” Nothing good dwells in our flesh.
Romans 8:7a says that the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God. This is because the flesh itself is enmity against God. When the mind is set on the flesh, it also becomes enmity against God. We have to develop this point when we share it with the saints.
Romans 8:7b says that the flesh is not subject to the law of God.
Romans 8:7c goes on to say that the flesh is unable to subject itself to the law of God. Even if it wanted to be subject to the law, it would be unable to do so. Romans 8:7 is the strongest verse in the Bible describing the flesh. The flesh is enmity against God, the flesh is not subject to God’s law, and the flesh is not able to subject itself to God’s law. It does not have the ability. To expect the flesh to keep the law of God is like expecting a cat to fly. Paul was very strong to say that we should not expect that our flesh can keep the law or can subject itself to the law. It does not have the ability.
Romans 8:8 says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Because the flesh cannot subject itself to the law of God, it cannot please God. It is impossible for the flesh to please God. All these points need much development for our sharing.
In Philippians 3:3 Paul says, “We are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.” The religious ones may worship and serve God while always boasting and having confidence in the flesh, but we should not be like this. We should not have any confidence in our flesh for our worship and service to God.
Galatians 6:8a says that if we sow unto the flesh, we will reap corruption of the flesh. To sow unto one’s own flesh is to sow for one’s own flesh, with the desire and purpose of the flesh in view, to fulfill what the flesh covets. We should not carry out any kind of spiritual endeavor by our flesh. I may go to visit a saint in my flesh and not in my spirit. That is the sowing unto the flesh that will yield a harvest of corruption. Corruption will eventually come out of visiting the saints or the churches in this way. We should not invest in any spiritual things by our flesh or unto our flesh. If we do this, we will reap corruption of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk by the Spirit and you shall by no means fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Walking by the Spirit keeps us from fulfilling the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:24 says, “They who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and its lusts.” The flesh is good only for crucifixion. It must stay on the cross. In the church service we must help all the saints to see that our motive and intention must be pure, without any element of the flesh. Ambition is of the flesh. No other work exposes our flesh as much as the church service. The secular work is absolutely according to the flesh, so this kind of work does not expose the flesh. But the church service is altogether a matter of the Spirit. Thus, whatever we do by our flesh is exposed.
In order to have the proper church service, every saint should know not only the Spirit but also the flesh. If we know the flesh and do nothing according to the flesh, there will be no jealousy, envy, or ambition among us. I feel that this lesson on the flesh is crucial. All the saints need to know this. The flesh is a terrible “gopher.” Most of the time it is hidden, but sometimes it comes to the surface. A gopher is a good illustration of this. The flesh is a great undermining factor that damages the church life.
