“The flesh” in Scripture means two different things depending on context. In the New Testament, it refers either to the physical human body — mortal and weak — or to a mode of living that depends on human ability instead of the Holy Spirit. Confusing the two makes the Christian life nearly impossible to understand.
The Two Meanings of “Flesh” in the New Testament
To understand what the Bible means by “flesh,” we have to distinguish between the Physical Vessel and the Spiritual Mode of Operation.
1. The Neutral Sense: The Physical Body (Soma)
The first meaning is simply our physical, mortal existence. This is “flesh” in the biological sense—mortal, weak, and subject to hunger or fatigue.
- Scriptural Example: When John 1:14 says “the Word was made flesh,” it does not mean Christ became sinful. It means God entered human, physical reality.
- The Key: The body itself is not evil; it is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Theological Sense: The Self-Life (Sarx)
The second meaning is what Paul warns against in Romans and Galatians. This “flesh” is a mode of operation—a pattern of living that relies on human ability, intellect, and willpower rather than the Holy Spirit.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
The “flesh” operates by human intention; the Spirit operates by faith in the finished work of Christ.
What Does “Walking After the Flesh” Actually Mean?
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
A common misconception is that “walking after the flesh” only refers to “gross immorality.” However, a believer can be reading their Bible, attending every church service, and following a strict moral code—and still be walking after the flesh.
The issue isn’t the activity; it’s the object of your faith.
If you are trusting in your discipline, your prayer routine, or your own moral stamina to produce victory, you are walking after the flesh. You have placed your confidence in a human mechanism. This is the flesh at its most dangerous: religious, sincere, and utterly powerless.
Flesh vs. Sin Nature: The Essential Distinction
While these terms are roommates, they aren’t identical. To walk in victory, you must understand the “Hand and Glove” relationship between them.
The sin nature is the internal corruption we inherited from Adam—the “old man” (Romans 6:6). It is the source of our independence from God. While the Cross broke its dominion, the sin nature still looks for a way to express itself.
The flesh is the vehicle or mechanism through which that nature operates when we step off the ground of faith.
- The Sin Nature: The Source (The fallen “engine”).
- The Flesh: The Mechanism (The “steering wheel” we grab when we stop trusting God).
Understanding the “flesh” is impossible without first identifying the source of the problem with a deeper dive into our inherited spiritual condition.
Why the Law and the Flesh are Natural Partners
“For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” (Romans 7:5)
The Law demands perfection; the flesh attempts to provide it. But the Law was never meant to make us holy—it was meant to reveal our need for a Savior. When a believer tries to use “Law-keeping” to grow in Christ, the flesh is actually energized. Paul describes this defeated cycle in Romans 7: the more we “try” to keep the Law in our own strength, the more the sin nature finds traction.
How to Stop Walking After the Flesh
How do we pivot from self-effort to Spirit-life? Scripture points to our “Mindset” (Greek: phronema).
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5)
To “mind” something means to set your focus and confidence there. Moving from flesh to Spirit isn’t about “trying harder” to be good; it’s about repositioning your faith.
- Recognize the Striving: Admit when you are measuring your standing with God based on your performance.
- Reposition Your Faith: Place your confidence back in Christ and Him Crucified—the only ground upon which the Spirit operates.
- Rest in the Fruit: Remember that “fruit” is the Spirit’s work, not yours (Galatians 5:22-23).
Final Thought: The Mortal Blow
The Cross did not just save us from hell; it dealt a mortal blow to the authority of the flesh. “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24).
The flesh still exists, but it no longer has the right to rule. I spent years thinking the Christian life was about “trying harder” for God. The Message of the Cross showed me the answer was never more effort—it was better faith. When I stopped trusting my discipline and started trusting what Jesus accomplished, the Holy Spirit finally had the latitude to work.
