The relation between Original Sin and the term "flesh" in the New Testament

The concept of Original Sin and the term "flesh" in the New Testament are intricately related and hold significant theological importance in understanding human nature and the struggle against sin. To address these questions comprehensively, let's explore the meanings and interrelations of these terms.

Original Sin

Original Sin refers to the doctrine that all humans inherit a sinful nature due to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). This sinfulness is not just a result of individual transgressions but a state or condition into which every human is born. According to Romans 5:12-21, through Adam's disobedience, sin entered the world, and death through sin, so death spread to all because all sinned.

The Term "Flesh" in the New Testament

The term "flesh" (Greek: σάρξ, sarx) in the New Testament is used in various ways, often signifying different aspects of human existence:

1. Physical Body: Sometimes, "flesh" simply refers to the physical body (e.g., John 1:14, where the Word became flesh).
2. Human Nature: It can denote human nature, especially in its weakness and mortality (e.g., Matthew 26:41).
3. Sinful Nature: Most prominently in Pauline theology, "flesh" often signifies the sinful nature of humans, the aspect of humanity that is opposed to God's Spirit (e.g., Romans 7:18, Galatians 5:17).

The Nature of Someone "In the Flesh"

To be "in the flesh" means to live according to the sinful nature, dominated by sin and separated from the life of the Spirit. Paul uses this term to describe a state of existence characterized by rebellion against God and enslavement to sinful desires. Key passages illustrating this concept include:

• Romans 8:5-8: "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

• Galatians 5:19-21: "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these."

Relation Between Original Sin and Flesh

Original Sin is the root cause that corrupts human nature, which is described as the "flesh" in its sinful sense. The flesh is the manifestation of this inherited sinful nature, leading individuals to live in ways contrary to God's will. This connection is evident in the following points:

1. Inherited Sinfulness: Due to Original Sin, every person is born "in the flesh," inherently inclined towards sin.
2. Enslavement to Sin: The "flesh" represents the ongoing power of sin in a person's life, showing the natural state of humanity apart from God's redemptive work.
3. Need for Redemption: The New Testament emphasizes the need for Christ's redemptive work to rescue humans from the power of the flesh. Through the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to live according to the Spirit rather than the flesh (Romans 8:1-4).

The Bible presents several key limitations of someone who is "in the flesh.":

1. Hostility to God

A person "in the flesh" is described as being hostile to God. This means that their natural inclinations and desires are in direct opposition to God's will and commandments.

• Romans 8:7: "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot."

2. Incapacity to Please God

Those who are "in the flesh" cannot please God. Their actions, thoughts, and behaviors are tainted by sin, making it impossible for them to fulfill God's righteous standards on their own.

• Romans 8:8: "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

3. Death

Living according to the flesh results in spiritual death. This encompasses both a present state of separation from God and the ultimate consequence of eternal separation.

• Romans 8:6: "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace."

4. Slavery to Sin

People in the flesh are slaves to sin. They are controlled by their sinful nature and desires, unable to break free from this bondage without divine intervention.

• Romans 6:20: "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness."

5. Lack of Spiritual Understanding

Those in the flesh lack spiritual discernment and understanding. They cannot comprehend the things of God because these require spiritual discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit.

• 1 Corinthians 2:14: "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

6. Works of the Flesh

The "works of the flesh" are evident in sinful behaviors and lifestyles. These include acts such as sexual immorality, idolatry, enmity, strife, jealousy, and others listed by Paul.

• Galatians 5:19-21: "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these."

7. Under God’s Judgment

Being in the flesh places a person under God's righteous judgment. Without the saving work of Christ, they stand condemned before God.

• Romans 2:8-9: "But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek."

8. Inability to Fulfill the Law

People in the flesh cannot fulfill the righteous requirements of God's law. This limitation underscores the necessity of Christ's atoning work and the transformation brought about by the Holy Spirit.

• Romans 7:18: "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out."

Conclusion

The limitations of someone "in the flesh" as described in the Bible reveal the profound need for redemption through Jesus Christ. Without the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, individuals remain in a state of spiritual death, hostility towards God, and enslavement to sin. The transformative power of the gospel is essential to overcome these limitations, enabling those united to Christ to live according to the Spirit, be fruitful and please God.

For further reading on this topic, consider exploring:

• Romans 6-8: For a detailed exposition on the contrast between living according to the flesh and living according to the Spirit.
• Galatians 5: For understanding the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit.

These passages offer rich theological insights into the nature of sin and the transformative power of the gospel.

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The New Testament uses the term "flesh" (Greek: σάρξ, sarx) in various contexts, and often it denotes the sinful nature that humans possess due to original sin. Below is a list of key verses where "flesh" is used in this way:

Jesus' Use of "Flesh"

John 3:6

• John 3:6: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
  • In this passage, Jesus contrasts human birth (flesh) with spiritual rebirth (Spirit). Here, "flesh" refers to human nature in its natural state, implying its insufficiency for entering the Kingdom of God. Spiritual rebirth through the Holy Spirit is necessary.
• John 6:63: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
  • Jesus emphasizes the superiority of the Spirit over the flesh, indicating that human effort or nature ("flesh") is powerless to achieve spiritual life, which is granted by the Spirit.

Romans

1. Romans 7:5: "For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death."
2. Romans 7:18: "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out."
3. Romans 7:25: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."
4. Romans 8:3: "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh."
5. Romans 8:4-5: "in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."
6. Romans 8:8-9: "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."

Galatians

7. Galatians 5:13: "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
8. Galatians 5:16-17: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."
9. Galatians 5:19: "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,"
10. Galatians 5:24: "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
11. Galatians 6:8: "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

Ephesians

12. Ephesians 2:3: "among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."

Philippians

13. Philippians 3:3-4: "For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:"

Colossians

14. Colossians 2:11: "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,"
15. Colossians 2:13: "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,"

These verses highlight the New Testament's use of "flesh" to denote the sinful nature that results from original sin. This "flesh" is characterized by its opposition to God's Spirit, its incapacity to please God, and its inclination towards sinful desires and actions. The transformative work of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are essential for overcoming the limitations of the flesh and living in accordance with God's will.