Biblical Topics A to Z
The Flesh
What Paul means when he uses the word 'flesh' in Galatians and Romans, distinguishing it from the physical body and understanding it as a power or orientation.
At a Glance
The flesh, in Paul's teaching, is the sinful orientation opposed to the Spirit, not merely the physical body, and it wars against the believer's new life.
Overview
The flesh, in Paul's letters to the Galatians and Romans, refers not to the physical body itself but to the sinful orientation of fallen human nature, opposed to the Spirit, productive of the works Paul catalogs in Galatians 5:19-21, and defeated only through crucifixion with Christ.
Learning Objectives
- •Distinguish Paul's use of 'flesh' from the neutral physical body.
- •Identify the works of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21 and the fruit of the Spirit that stands opposed to them.
- •Explain what Galatians 5:24 means by believers having crucified the flesh.
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Galatians 5:24
Read It in Context
This study quotes Galatians 5:24, but no verse stands alone. Open a Bible and read the whole surrounding chapter to see the full argument the passage sits within, then look up the other references cited throughout this study — Galatians 5:17 and beyond — in their own context. Scripture is the final authority here, not this summary.
Historical & Literary Context
Paul writes to the Galatians to combat a false teaching that righteousness could be achieved through law-keeping, and in chapter 5 he turns to a related danger: using Christian freedom as an occasion for the flesh (Galatians 5:13). His catalog of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, set directly against the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23, gives the clearest biblical picture of what he means by this term.
The Flesh Opposes the Spirit
Galatians 5:17 describes an internal conflict, the flesh lusting 'against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh,' language that makes clear Paul means an orientation or power in opposition to God's Spirit, not the body as such.
The Works of the Flesh Are Concrete and Varied
Galatians 5:19-21 lists specific works of the flesh, including sexual immorality, idolatry, hatred, strife, envy, and drunkenness, showing that 'flesh' names a broad range of sin, not only bodily appetite.
The Flesh Has Been Crucified
Galatians 5:24 declares that those who belong to Christ 'have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts,' a definitive, past-tense reality believers are called to live out practically, echoed in Romans 8:13's call to 'mortify the deeds of the body' by the Spirit.
Christ-Centered Focus
Romans 8:3-4 says God condemned sin 'in the flesh' by sending his own Son, so that 'the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,' making Christ's own atoning work the decisive answer to the flesh's power.
Practical Application
This week, identify one specific work of the flesh from Galatians 5:19-21 that you recognize in your own life, and instead of relying on willpower alone, ask the Spirit specifically to produce the corresponding fruit in verses 22-23.
Prayer
Father, thank You that in Christ my flesh has been crucified with its affections and lusts. Help me walk daily by Your Spirit rather than gratifying the flesh, and produce in me the fruit of the Spirit in place of the works of the flesh. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture Memory
"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other."
Galatians 5:17
Reflection Questions
- 1How does Galatians 5:17's picture of internal conflict change how you think about temptation?
- 2Which of the works of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21 do you most need to bring before God honestly right now?
- 3What does it mean practically that believers have already 'crucified the flesh' (Galatians 5:24), even though the struggle continues?
- 4How does Romans 8:3-4's description of Christ condemning sin in the flesh deepen your confidence in facing this struggle?