The
Failures of the Flesh
Text: Romans 8:1-13
Introduction:
The term “flesh” in the New Testament has a rather large range of
meaning. It can refer to actual bodies or material of the body whether human or
animal. It can refer to mankind in general. It can refer to the humanity of
Christ. It can refer to the unregenerate state of man. It can refer to the
elements of our human weaknesses or frailties. It can refer to man’s physical
relationship from Adam as opposed to our spiritual relationship to Christ. There
are other uses I won’t get into here. I will add that the context will
determine the use of the word.
Let me give you a couple of instances where the word flesh does not mean
the same thing though the same Greek word is used. In Hebrews 5:7 we find
reference to Christ’s flesh. The reference here is to the days of His life on
earth. It does not have any reference to sin. You see that when you look in
Romans 8:3. We find Christ sent in the “likeness”
of sinful flesh. Christ came in flesh like ours but without sin (Heb. 4:15).
Our text (verse 1, 4, 5, 8, 9) is pointing to the controlling corrupt
nature of man when it uses the word flesh. Over and over again God used the
Apostle Paul to point us to the failures of the flesh, or our old controlling
corrupt nature. What a stark contrast he draws in verse 8 when he states quite
emphatically that those in the “flesh cannot please God;” Those who
are unregenerate, those not in Christ. But that is not our state (Vs. 9, “but
ye are not in the flesh…”). My purpose is not to analyze this text in
total but to use it to expose the failures of the flesh not only here but
elsewhere throughout the New Testament.
I.
It can not keep God’s law: (Romans 8:1-4)
A.
Romans 3:20, Therefore by the deeds of the law there
shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
B.
GAL 2:16, Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus
Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the
faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law
shall no flesh be justified.
C.
The statement Paul is making here is that the imperfection does
not lay in the perfect law of God but in the imperfection and corruption of the
flesh.
1.
The law would justify us if we would have remained obedient to
it from the beginning.
2.
But man has not and cannot keep it and therefore cannot be
justified by the law but only condemned by it.
3.
The law condemns us but does not have the authority to destroy
the power of sin that regulates the sinner in his natural state.
D.
That is why Christ came:
1.
The flesh cannot be subject to the law of God and can never be
subject to it.
2.
It is Christ who redeems, it is Christ who justifies, it is
Christ who kept the law and imputes righteousness to our account.
II.
It can not establish righteousness acceptable to God:
A.
Isaiah 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
B.
Matthew 5:20, For I say unto you, That except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye
shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
C.
Philippians 3:9, And be found in him, not having mine
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
III.
It can not bring about regeneration:
A.
John 1:13, Which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
B.
John 6:63, It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh
profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they
are life.
C.
Man is not partially depraved and partially dead:
1.
Man is dead and depraved in mind, heart, will, affections,
conscious and speech.
2.
Man in his natural state is an enemy to God, in rebellion to
God, and unable to change his
nature – just as the leopard cannot change his spots, Jer. 13:23
IV.
It can not produce saving faith:
A.
ROM 8:5, 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.
B.
1 Corinthians 2:14, But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can
he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
C.
Man can have an intellectual faith – a simple mental assent is
not saving faith.
D.
Man can have a historical faith – believing in the reality of
something as historical.
E.
Man can have an emotional faith – being moved emotionally is not
saving faith.
1.
2 Peter 1:1, Simon
Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained
like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ.
2.
Man’s natural decision will always be to reject God. Faith
is a gift.
V.
It can not pray:
A.
Romans 8:26, Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit
itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
B.
MAT 10:20, For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit
of your Father which speaketh in you.
C.
James 4:3, Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask
amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
D.
Matthew 26:41, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
VI.
It can not live the Christian life:
A.
Philippians 3:3, For we are the circumcision, which
worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence
in the flesh.
B.
Galatians 5:17, For 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.
C.
The Flesh cannot free us from the reigning power of sin:
D.
The Flesh cannot live
the life designed by God – Gal. 3:1-3
E.
The law could condemn sin, but it could not destroy its power. God
did that in sending his son in the likeness of sinful flesh.