THE FLESH PROFITS NOTHING.

Jesus said: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). What is the biblical flesh? The biblical flesh can be described as the evil and corrupting power working in man and its carnal disposition to sin, lusts and passions. To be carnally minded is to have the nature and characteristics of the flesh. The bible says “to be carnally minded is ‘spiritual’ death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be” (Rom 8:6-7). If the words of Christ are Spirit and they are life, therefore, when we allow the words of God to operate in our lives, the Spirit will suppress the desires of the flesh and the lures of the world that would have denied us the Purpose and the Will of God to operate in our lives. When the words of God dwell in us very richly and we are obedient to Him, we will continue to enjoy the indwelling of His Spirit and enjoy His blessings and all His benefits unhindered, without yielding the flesh to temptations, unprofitable lusts and carnal pleasures.

Not only should we allow the words of Christ dwell in us richly, we should also become instruments in the Lord’s hands for the spread of the message to those who depend on the unprofitable flesh as ‘a means to an end’. Talking to Nicodemus, Jesus said: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6). Apostle Paul said: “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;for to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom 8:5-6). This means that living according to the flesh is sinful and dishonouring to God. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, etc; …….. they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:19-21). So, those who sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but those that sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Gal. 6:8). Then the flesh profits nothing but corruption!

At birth, we’re born into sin and are stuck with the unprofitable flesh, but now we have access to the Spirit through the Cross of Jesus Christ. Those who live according to the Spirit will set their minds on the things of the Spirit which are life and peace. In other words, living in the flesh is like dying a slow death under a suffocating weight of debt. The story of the Cross is the victorious life of Christ that empowers and drives us to accomplish God’s absolute Purpose and Will for our lives. The Word of God is Spirit and from the Spirit we receive Eternal Life in our mortal body because Life Eternal is a ‘flowback’ from the Spirit. “And if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He will quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11). As we read and study the Scripture, we must allow the words of God dwell in us richly and be ready to meditatively practice them faithfully and live by them, if we are to crucify the unprofitable flesh in exchange for eternity in heaven with the Lord.