That’s A Lot Of Flesh

What is written in the law and how do you read it?  This question was Jesus’ response when asked what was necessary to inherit eternal life.  Most of us would have given a canned answer but The Master showed us, in Luke 10:26, that even straight-forward questions have potential for misunderstanding. Avoid this by clarifying definitions. 

Let’s look at Biblical definitions of ‘flesh’.

If your go-to definition of ‘flesh’ is the human body, that works the majority of time. But there are times that definition doesn’t quite fit and all sorts of mental adjustments begin to take place. Our minds begin juggling the things we are uncertain about to fall in line with the things we are confident of in our understanding. Common words like flesh are overlooked and remain unexamined.

Many Christians have added a second definition for flesh. One that is synonymous with physical desires.  That works…sometimes, but not nearly as often as some would have us believe. It’s time to add another definition for flesh that is well worth considering.    It’s the one Paul associates with eternal ramifications and salvation.  The one Peter and Jude associate with Cain and the writer of Hebrews associates with Old Covenant Law and New Covenant Grace. 

Flesh: any attempt to earn salvation and approval from God through human effort based on human understanding. 

It’s the most deadly work of the flesh we humans are capable of producing.  Why?  Because it feels noble, right, and true.  But all we have to do is read the story of Cain and Abel to see this manifestation of human flesh in all its deceptive glory.  Cain was determined to impress God with his hard work, noble effort and impressive results. God was not impressed and didn’t appreciate being relegated to a god created in the image of man, and He told Cain as much.  The man was infuriated, offended, and indignant which he expressed by killing his brother and walking away from the One True Living God. All this because his flesh-based ideas of worship and salvation were not honored in the way his flesh- focused heart desired. 

So, the next time you come across the word ‘flesh’ when reading your Bible, see if this insidious, deadly definition doesn’t lift the scripture’s meaning to a level that exalts the Cross of Christ while diminishing human effort.  Remember, the Cross changed everything!