… gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.
Summary: There is a weird aspect to being human that is hard for us to understand. Our spirit and our body are not one and the same. They have two separate agendas.
Want to know something weird?
There are two “me’s.”
Yep, two of me. There are two of you, too.
Notice how Paul (and the NIV) structured this sentence:
“All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.”
Our “flesh,” that is, our body, has cravings, desires, and thoughts of its own. It “feels” like they are my cravings. The thoughts and desires that well up in the flesh feel like mine, too. But they are not me unless I submit to them.
When Jesus was asked what is most important to God, he summarized the Old Testament Law this way:
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
The soul is our spirit. Our “heart” is the core of our beliefs. Our “mind” is where we make decisions. It is where we exercise our will.
None of these parts of us are flesh. They are all invisible to the human eye. We can’t touch them with the human hand. If the body dies, they do not die but continue to exist.
This is the part of us that God is talking to.
The “flesh” is the thing God made for our spirits to occupy and experience God’s creation. God never intended the flesh to have its own will. That only happened because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. When they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:6-7), the text says, “the eyes of both of them were opened.”
What does that mean? Were they walking around with their eyes closed before that? No! It means that the flesh woke up. As Paul says, the flesh now has its own “cravings” and “desires and thoughts.”
There are two of me and two of you. And one of them isn’t very nice.
Application: Be aware that our bodies have their own cravings, desires, and thoughts.
Food for Thought: How do we tell the difference between spiritual cravings, desires, and thoughts and those of the flesh?
How do we tell the difference between spiritual cravings, desires, and thoughts and those of the flesh?
We are to think about those things that are True, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable Philippians 4:8.
And we are to take all thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ Romans 12:21.
I need to seek wise counsel so I will wait for my beautiful wife so we can ponder this over.
Tim,
I’m sure your wife will add some to your thoughts this morning, but the direction you are headed is excellent on its own. 🙂
Tim, I love the Romans 12:21 reference!! Praise God!
Jeff, “The thoughts and desires that well up in the flesh feel like mine, too. But they are not me unless I submit to them.” Amen Brother! Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
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In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul instructs that the gifts of the Spirit should edify the Church. In the same manner, our thoughts and desires should edify the body of Christ. Our flesh seeks to edify itself. God’s plan for our life (both on Earth and in Eternity) is that we are of one spirit, one mind, one heart and one will, and this is the Spirit, Mind, Heart and Will of God. Together we stand in the presence of God, in righteousness. Alone we fail, isolated and in sin.
How do we tell the difference between spiritual cravings, desires, and thoughts and those of the flesh?
I think to understand this question, the questions you should ask yourself (myself) are: “Who are you edifying?” and “What are the desires of your heart?”
Are you submitting to the flesh, or are you submitting to the Spirit?
I think the best part of those two questions is that you can ask the Holy Spirit these very questions and He will give you an answer, and then we can turn from our fleshly desires. In that sense, even our fleshly desires, the submitting to God’s Will over them, edifies the body of Christ.
Chris,
Great response! I love your “test” questions!
03-30-2023, How do we tell the difference between spiritual cravings, desires, and thoughts and those of the flesh?
Know the will of God as taught in His word, revealed by His Holy Spirit. Desires of our flesh will shrink away as we focus on our God.
Ron,
What you say is very true. I am reminded of Luke 16:13, we cannot serve two masters. As we focus on serving God, everything else falls away.
Thanks for the devotion and all the good comments.
I have a slightly different view of the flesh. When I think of the flesh I don’t necessarily think of the body, but the sinful nature. My body isn’t always the problem, my sinful nature is.
Regardless of that, I think I can tell the difference between that which is fleshly and spiritual by whether it seeks to honor and glory God or me. Whether it is supported by a biblical world view or a secular world view. Whether it produces good fruit or bad. Galatians 5: 16 – 26 is one good biblical description.
Rich,
Great passage! (I added a link)
Perhaps you can help me better understand your views on the flesh one of these days. I certainly agree we have a “sinful nature.”