LayGuy

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63

Have you ever given serious thought as to what “flesh” means? Seems as if this “flesh” of ours doesn’t mean much at times. And yet Christ came in the “flesh”. And anyone who denies this is an “anti-Christ”.

I wonder if “denying yourself” is the same as denying your flesh. As I look at my hands typing away at my keyboard, I can’t see why actual physical flesh is wrong and counts for nothing. I am “fearfully and wonderfully made” - and that includes my fingers typing away.

I have a different understanding of flesh. I see “flesh” as a mind thing. A lot of my friends in the blogosphere have been commenting lately on physical lust and sexual sins. Even the bible talks about the “thrilling” side of sin. The carnal desire inside all of us. This is what I see as flesh - our carnal desire.

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:13-15

My brother is a psychologist and I have pursued a career which deals with the human mind. I have a keen interest into what happens - on a neurological and chemical level - in the brain with each activity we do.

For example, serotonin is a chemical which affects mood - a lot of you would understand this due to depression. Dopamine is another chemical - mental stability is greatly affected by this chemical. What about pleasure? People would explain that all kinds of endorphins are released into the brain and body whenever we feel pleasure.

I was listening to a sermon the other day on porn addiction where a psychologist explained the chemical reactions as a person pursues porn in secret and the chemicals released in the brain as this happens. And if a person reaches climax, the additional chemicals released in the body are the equivalent of a person on crack cocaine and heroine.

Sin. Is very much a chemical addiction. An addiction we crave for. And like any addiction, it gives extreme pleasure at the time, but when coming off the drug, there are consequences. In our world, the consequences are guilt and shame and conviction.

The enemy likes to put the boot in at this time and accuses us to ourselves and to God. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and prompts us to lead to repentance cause he understands the devastating effects sin has in our lives.

And us? Well we feel like crap. This is our flesh. This is the part of us that needs to be crucified to the cross. Our addiction to the “pleasure” of sin. I am not saying that sin is purely a chemical addiction, but it is the part our flesh deals with.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Romans 8:1-5

I strongly believe that ONE of the ways God sets us free is by enabling us to be free from the chemical addiction of sin - i.e. what we so crave for physically. Look at the above verse. The sinful nature craves to satisfied. But the one set free by God is empowered to live a life free from the addiction of sin and death. I believe this happens on a spiritual and physical level. Remember that we do not wrestle with flesh and blood (Eph 6:12) but we wrestle with powers we have no idea about - spiritual powers.

Look at some of the healings of Jesus: A person suffering from epilepsy - a demon cast out. A person is dumb and mute - another demon is cast out. The physical manifestations of evil are explained away by a spiritual source. And yet the healing is evidenced physically.

We are carnal people. Most of what we conclude is based on physical and chemical input - i.e. - our flesh. Instead of being lead spiritually, we are lead physically and chemically. No wonder we are “fallen” and are short of the Glory of God. But Christ has set us free from this. We just got to claim it! And make it real in our lives.

Flesh, Fallen, Human Depravity, Atonement, Freedom, Jesus