Let’s look at the biblical word “flesh.” The Greek word sarx has been translated as flesh numerous times in the New Testament. Translated correctly, sarx means flesh, fleshy, or of the flesh. It is important to remember that the flesh is weak but not automatically sinful. Jesus came to earth in the flesh.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14 NASB).
But Jesus never did anything according to the flesh. He was simply in bodily physical form. This simply means that Jesus did not do anything in His own self-effort nor did He obtain His sense of worth and value from what He did. In His spirit, Jesus was completely dependent upon His Father’s love and acceptance.Sarx has three different usages in the New Testament and always refers to something natural, never supernatural!
1. It could mean our own self-effort.
Paul confronts the church at Galatia because they were moving in the flesh. They were perfecting (or attempting to complete) their faith through their own self-effort (sarx/flesh). The Galatians wanted to fulfill the requirements of the Law (performance) and pursue a relationship with Jesus.
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh [self–effort]? Did you suffer so many things in vain-if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:1-5 NASB).
2. Sarx can also mean drawing on a natural source for a sense of worth, value, and acceptance.
The Corinthians had a supernatural source in Jesus, but they were drawing on natural sources by identifying themselves with a specific teacher (I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas). They were using natural sources (people) to draw a sense of value, acceptance, or life. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1 NASB).
3. Sarx also refers to the physical body.
We know that Jesus came in the flesh (sarx). …and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).
Unfortunately, we have lost the true meaning of the word Sarx because some have taught incorrect theology through sermons, books, songs, and even some Bible translations. In some translations the word flesh has been translated as “sinful man” or “sin nature.” As much as I love the New International Version Bible, the translators do the word Sarx an injustice by translating it as the phrase “sinful nature” instead of the word flesh. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16 NIV).
Thus, many are taught to feel that they have a sin nature. This ill teaching suggests that we have an evil nature that is against God’s Spirit, as if we are at odds with God. Paul says, Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1 NKJV).
When monarchs transferred power, those who had witnessed the death of one king, and the crowning of another, would cry, “The King is Dead! Long Live the King!” When we initially hear this statement, it can be confusing. How could a king be dead and alive at the same time? They were talking about two different people! Indeed, the former king had died and was no longer king. He had ceased to exist. But the new king, who could never have emerged as king had the old king not died, now lives. So long as the old king remained alive, the new king could not be “born.”
But after the second man’s “birth” as the new king, the old king could never again resurrect himself and reclaim the throne! The very existence of the one precludes the existence of the other. These two kings cannot jump in and out of the grave and womb, and neither can we. The old man has indeed died (see Rom. 6:6). The Holy Spirit has regenerated the new man (see Col. 3:10).
Unfortunately, the pervasive position taken by some Christian leaders is that the old man is still “alive and well” within the believer and that sinful performance gives daily testimony to this fact. The old man is seen to leap in and out of the tomb many times during the typical day. However, one seldom hears a teacher claim that the new man leaps in and out of the tomb.
The two can’t coexist any more than the two kings can! It was the death of the old man that enabled the new man to be born! It is impossible for the new man to exist until the old man has died, and the old man cannot resurrect himself. Jesus carried resurrection power when He arose from the dead, and His life has been given to you!
Satan must disguise himself if he is to have any hope of victory. He masquerades in the thought life of a Christian by posing as the “old man” and deceiving Christians into thinking that they have a sinful nature by suggesting that they sin. In fact, this causes naïve Christians to direct their defensive efforts against the wrong foe—a darker side of themselves! Christians fire all their bullets at a shadow, instead of at the enemy! This is the explanation for the frustration Paul depicts in Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (NIV). We will discuss this at length later.
We know that our old, un-renewed self was nailed to the cross. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, [made powerless] that we should no longer be slaves to sin (Romans 6:6 NIV).
So, now that you know that you do not have “two natures,” you can no longer say, “I am only human.” God has done a supernatural act by giving you a brand-new nature that is now the source of your life.
His Righteousness Given To Us
If we are in Christ, then we have His righteousness and it is not given to us in degrees. No one receives more or less of it. It is the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, and by faith we receive it in its fullness!
We are to measure ourselves by His righteousness alone and not by anyone else’s righteousness. Listen to this passage.
We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you (2 Corinthians 10:12-13).
Paul is saying that there is a rule you can use to measure yourself. Everyone who truly repents, believes in the perfect righteousness of Christ, comes to Him in faith, and believes in His work on the Cross is made perfectly righteous in the sight of God. You may not have everything worked out yet. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, there is still a daily work of sanctification in your soul realm (see Rom. 12:2). The Beloved accepts us, and the very righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us!
No comments:
Post a Comment