Flesh (σάρξ)

Narrator: Chris Genthree
Duration: 2min
 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 7
This term is used in various senses in scripture. The principal are ...
1. The estate of man: "all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:66And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke 3:6)); "the Word became flesh" (John 1:1414And the Word was made 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)).
2. The material part of man and of animals: "all flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts" (1 Cor. 15:3939All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. (1 Corinthians 15:39)).
3. The same kindred: "thou art my bone and my flesh" (Gen. 29:1414And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. (Genesis 29:14)); "he is our brother, and our flesh" (Gen. 37:2727Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. (Genesis 37:27)).
4. Union: "they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 2:2424Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24); Eph. 5:29-3129For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (Ephesians 5:29‑31)).
5. Man's nature, but corrupted by sin: "that which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:66That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)); "sinful flesh" (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)).
6. The state which characterizes man before knowing deliverance: (Rom. 7; Rom. 8:8-98So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:8‑9)).
7. Though no longer the state of the Christian, yet the flesh is in him, and is antagonistic to the Spirit, "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye should not do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:1717For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)). Thus the Spirit resists in the Christian the accomplishment of the lusts of the flesh.