The apostle Paul uses the term “flesh” frequently in his letters, especially in Romans and Galatians. When Paul refers to the “flesh”, he is not merely speaking of the physical body, but of the sinful nature within human beings that leads them to rebel against God. So what exactly does Paul mean when he speaks of the “flesh”? Let’s take a closer look.
The Flesh as Sinful Human Nature
For Paul, the flesh represents the part of human nature that resists God and wants to go its own way. It refers to the sinful desires, passions, and appetites that drive sinful behavior. Paul contrasts the flesh with the Spirit, writing that “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other” (Galatians 5:17).
The flesh exerts a powerful pull on human beings. In Romans 7, Paul describes the struggle between the flesh and the spirit within himself: “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18-19). Even after coming to Christ, Paul felt the ongoing tension between his redeemed spirit and his sinful flesh.
So the flesh represents the part of human beings corrupted by sin and opposed to God. It refers to natural human tendencies toward evil that persist even after conversion.
The Works of the Flesh
Paul provides several vice lists of sinful behaviors he calls “works of the flesh.” For example:
| Sexual immorality | Impurity | Debauchery |
| Idolatry | Witchcraft | Hatred |
| Discord | Jealousy | Fits of rage |
| Selfish ambition | Dissensions | Factions |
| Envy | Drunkenness | Orgies |
(Galatians 5:19-21)
Paul contrasts these sinful behaviors with the “fruit of the Spirit,” writing, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: …But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:19,22-23).
So the flesh produces outward behaviors contrary to God’s will and character, while the Spirit produces godly virtues and character. The flesh manifests itself in sinful deeds.
Living According to the Flesh
For Paul, to “live according to the flesh” means allowing the sinful nature to control your life rather than living by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8 he writes, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (v.5).
A mindset dominated by the flesh is hostile to God and refuses to submit to his commands. “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Rom 8:6-7).
Paul exhorts believers to instead live by the power of the Holy Spirit who now dwells within them: “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you” (Rom 8:9). Relying on God’s Spirit enables believers to put sinful deeds to death (Rom 8:13).
Flesh vs. Spirit
Paul sets up an opposition between the flesh and the Spirit. The Spirit represents the new life given by God to those who believe in Christ. The flesh represents the old sinful nature inherited from Adam that still wages war against the redeemed spirit.
Paul sums up the conflict: “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Gal 5:17). But Paul reassures believers that “if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Gal 5:18)-not enslaved to sinful flesh.
Through Christ, Christians have been liberated from bondage to the flesh and its sinful passions and desires. “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3). Trusting in Christ frees believers from fleshly desires that war against their souls (1 Pet 2:11).
Putting the Flesh to Death
Since believers have been set free from the power of the flesh, they are now called to actively put its deeds to death: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Col 3:5).
Paul calls Christians to radically mortify sinful fleshly desires by the power of the Spirit: “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live” (Rom 8:13).
Sanctification requires vigilant effort against the sinful flesh. Paul disciplines his body to keep it under control, so that after preaching to others he himself will not be disqualified (1 Cor 9:27). The flesh with its passions must be crucified (Gal 5:24).
Flesh and Spirit at War
The battle between flesh and Spirit rages even among believers. Paul vividly describes this inner conflict in Romans 7: “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (vv.18-19).
Though the Spirit dwells within Christians, the sinful flesh wages war against the Spirit: “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Gal 5:17).
Paul cries out, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Rom 7:24) His hope is in Christ, who alone can deliver believers from bondage to the flesh. “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:25).
Conclusion
When Paul speaks of the “flesh”, he refers to the sinful human nature within people that generates evil desires and actions. The flesh represents the internal corruption inherited from Adam that leads human beings to rebel against God. This sinful nature tempts believers through passions and pleasures that wage war against their redeemed spirit. Paul calls Christians to actively put fleshly deeds to death by the power of the Spirit. Though the flesh persists even in the saved, Christ has definitively broken its dominion so believers can walk by the Spirit and bear righteous fruit. Living according to the Spirit rather than the flesh is key to the sanctification of believers.
