Sometimes it's called "flesh," sometimes, "our sinful nature," and we generally have some sort of individual interpretation of what it is. Folks who are acquainted with the Bible's references to flesh, assume it is negative. From God's perspective, yes. But it might not always look that way to us.
Probably the simplest definition of "flesh" is self-sufficiency. That is, all the strategies and tools we have learned and developed to get our needs met apart from God. God wants to bring us to a place where we don't rely on ourselves at all, but live in the sufficiency of Christ in us.
Ever ask God to bless your efforts? Ever work really hard at doing something "good" and still feel really empty? Or have it backfire? Ever feel like all your efforts in church aren't accomplishing anything? Ever wonder if God approves of your efforts? Of you? Did you grow up hearing, "God helps those who help themselves?" or "God will never give you more than your can handle?" (You won't find either one of those anywhere in the Bible.) Does God expect you to do things? Does your behavior effect what He thinks of you?
God isn't asking us to do things for Him. He isn't asking us to become more religious, or pray more, or read our Bibles more, or become more active in church. He hasn't asked us to help Him as He manages the universe, or for suggestions or ideas on what we can do for Him. Somewhere along the line many Christians started connecting Christian service with God's approval/expectations/desires. That pattern of thinking is rooted in our flesh; our desire to be self-sufficient in serving God. So much frustration in Christian's lives comes from thinking we can't do enough and what we can do, we can't do it right. That type of living puts us right back into the try/fail/beat ourselves up/repent/recommit/try harder/fail/beat ourselves up...cycle again. And we continue to ask, to beg, to pray to God, fervently, "What do you want me to do?"
If we don't ask the right questions we will never get the right answers.
God doesn't want us to do anything.
In John 6:28-30, Jesus is asked, "'...We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?' Jesus told them, 'This is the only work God wants from you. Believe in the one He has sent.'"
The story of Mary & Martha in Luke 10:38-42 is a great story about the importance of being with God vs doing things for God. Martha is doing all sorts of good/responsible/expected things because Jesus is a guest in their home. Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet listening. Martha complains because Mary isn't helping with all the work that needs to get done. What does Jesus say? "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it and it will not be taken away from her." Think about it! Jesus was in Martha's house and she was cleaning and cooking and...doing things for Jesus. In the meantime she was missing His visit completely. In reality her doing wasn't serving Jesus, it was a distraction from Him. Could the same be true of us? Is all this doing actually keeping us away from Jesus, who lives in us? Wouldn't Mary have jumped up in a minute if there was anything Jesus wanted done? Peter Lord said, "Wouldn't it be awful to spend your whole life trying to make God an apple pie, only to die and discover He never liked apple pie?" Apple pies are good. But they might not be what God wants.
Even our worship songs have us singing about, "living our lives for Jesus." He doesn't want us to live our lives for Him, He want to live His life through us.
I Thessalonians 5:24 reads, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." He calls us and he'll do it...not, He calls us and then we do it.
Our flesh is always in conflict with God. Whether we are going "good" or "bad." God's desire is that we reach a point where we can clearly see that there is no "fleshly" alternative and that relying on Jesus is our only option. Sometimes that realization comes out of terribly difficult and painful circumstances. Sometimes it takes experiencing "more than we can handle." He wants to bring us to a place where we will stop doing and start resting in Jesus.
Many Christians struggle to live a Christian life. Only Jesus can do that. So quit struggling. If you could live a Christian life you would not need Jesus in the first place. Galatians 2:21 says, "I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law [works; doing] could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." (my insertion)
Does God expect us to struggle to accomplish something we never accomplish? No, He invites us to give up. To admit we cannot accomplish it. To cast aside self-sufficiency for Jesus-sufficiency. The "doing" in our lives will not stop -- but it will have a new source. If we can agree that nothing we can do earns salvation, why is that after we accept Jesus we think the rules change. The free gift of grace extends from eternity to today.
Colossians 1:27 "...and this is the secret; Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory." (NLT)
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