The Principle Of The Flesh

It is important to understand what God has to say about the flesh nature. A lot of people get confused when you start talking about the flesh. They think in terms of the outer covering of this natural body, but the principle of the flesh is much more than that. While we are here, let me interject a thought. God is not against our bodies. The Bible says, "The body is ... for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." I Cor. 6:13 Paul goes on to say that our physical bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (verse19).

God isn't against our physical bodies. He is against the sinful fleshly nature that dwells in our bodies and causes us to sin. We need to understand this principle if we are going to understand and yield to spiritual circumcision.

"And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Gene 2:7 Here we discover the three parts of man. God formed a body, breathed the breath of life (the spirit) into him and he BECAME a living soul.

God originally spoke of man in terms of his soul. Later, after the fall and after man became corrupted, God spoke this way, "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also [is] flesh..." Gen. 6:3

Lets see what the New Testament has to say about the flesh nature.

"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

"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:" John 6:63

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: for sin: or, by a sacrifice for sin. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 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. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom.

"For 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 do not do what you want." Gala 5:17 NIV

These, and many other passages, clearly demonstrate the conflict that exists between the two natures that reside within a Christian. The principle of the flesh (sin nature) is plain; it opposes God and delights in sin. Sin can easily be characterized as simply gratifying one's own desires. It is this flesh nature that promotes sinful behavior.

When the Bible speaks of sin it does so in two dynamics. There is "SIN" (singular) which refers to the sin nature, or the root of sin. The Bible also speaks of "SINS" (plural) which refers to the specific acts of sin. The ministry of Jesus deals with both aspects of sin. His death brought about forgiveness of SINS (plural) that we have committed and His resurrection brought power over SIN (singular) that dwells within us.

We must have our flesh nature dealt with. God pictured this "cutting away of the flesh" in the Old Testament sign of the covenant--circumcision. The New Testament also has a "cutting away of the flesh." It is "flesh nature" that must be cut off in spiritual circumcision, just as the natural flesh was cut off in physical circumcision.

There is absolutely no doubt that God had this in mind from the beginning. All the way back in Deuteronomy 10:16 God gave this admonition to Israel, "Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer."

The spiritual circumcision of the heart directly relates to the new covenant, just as physical circumcision related to the old covenant.

Circumcision seems a strange way to initiate a covenant, doesn't it? However, everything God did in the Old Testament had meaning. Nothing was done without foreshadowing a spiritual truth to come. So it is with circumcision. I believe that God was trying to make a two-fold point here. The first was that circumcision is a personal matter. God is dealing deeply in the hearts lives of people when spiritual circumcision takes place. It isn't a matter for public display. God is gracious to deal with us privately about these things. It is fair to say that God wants us humbled, not humiliated.

The second point of the picture is similar to the first. Circumcision wasn't something everyone could see. You could see the effects of circumcision. A Jewish man followed the law of God (or should have). Likewise you can't see if a person has a circumcised heart, but you should be able to see the results of it. This causes a real problem for those in the Church who like to judge after the flesh. God can be doing a work in someone's heart and the effect has not yet been reflected in the outer life. We must be careful to "judge righteous judgment" as Jesus instructed us in John 7:24. True life-change starts inside, in the heart, not outside in the flesh.

I believe another point is being made here. Stop and think about something. The foreskin is the only part of our flesh that is unnecessary. It is the only part of our skin you can cut off without leaving a hole someplace. God only cuts out of our life what is unnecessary. Sometimes we think God is being unreasonable, but nothing He removes from us is of any value to our spiritual lives and wellbeing.

God declared that any Jewish male that was not circumcised would be "cut off from Israel." Circumcision then, became the point of consecration for the Jewish people.

Another interesting passage is found in Joshua 5:2 where the Bible tells us:

Why did God command them to be circumcised again? We've already pointed out that a person can't be physically circumcised twice. There is a spiritual truth here. Before the Israelites could enter into their inheritance, the nation had to be re-consecrated to God. Here God looked at the nation as a whole when saying that the nation needed to be "circumcised again the second time." It was the flesh that caused the Israelites to fail at God's promise to enter into the promised land. And although they had a covenant relationship with God, it was this flesh that had to be dealt with before the nation could finally enter in to their blessing.

Likewise, spiritual circumcision is a point of consecration to God. As a general rule we are pretty found of this stuff we call flesh. We pamper it and cater to it. We feed it and water it and generally take pretty good care of it. Self-preservation is a strong instinct. Allowing God to "cut off our flesh" takes more than a casual commitment to the cause. It takes real consecration.

To accept God's offer of forgiveness and salvation doesn't require a lot of sacrifice on our part. Although we must repent, we are in fact the beneficiaries. However, after salvation comes consecration. After the initial work of salvation, we must allow the nature of Christ to be formed in us. This is a life-long process--a continual circumcision--a continual consecration.

A couple more truths can be gleaned from this passage of scripture in Joshua.

Gilgal, the place where they were circumcised, means "rolling", because it was here that God "rolled away the reproach of Egypt."

Although God had taken His people out of Egypt, He hadn't yet gotten Egypt out of them. When God called Moses to the Mount for a few weeks, the Israelite, including Aaron, demanded "Gods". What they came up with was a golden calf, just like the Egyptians worshipped. They continually wanted to go back to Egypt rather then have to trust God to provide for them.

Circumcision (or consecration) was a way for God to give Israel a new identity. No longer were they slaves in Egypt. No longer would they be homeless vagabonds wandering around the desert. No longer would they suffer the indignities thrust upon them by the Egyptians. With circumcision they were renewing their covenant relationship with God. They now had a new identity as God's special people. This is what the Bible means when it says that God "rolled away the reproach of Egypt."

The Word of God tells us that we were slaves to sin. Many of us have done things that we are ashamed of. Sin held sway in our lives and we were not the FREE people we liked to boast about being. When we are born again God begins a circumcising work in our lives setting us free from the shame, guilt and bondage of our past lives, thus preparing us to enter into our "promised land." Truly the reproach of our old lifestyle is rolled away as we yield to God in spiritual circumcision.

The last point I want to make here is somewhat obvious. Circumcision required the CUTTING of the flesh and that involves some pain and a time of healing to follow. Remember that God didn't waste words in the Bible. When He pointed out that they stayed in camp until they were whole (healed) He was trying to tell us something.

Spiritual circumcision will usually carry some pain with it. Sorry, but that's part of yielding the flesh. Jesus and Paul both admonished us to "take up our cross and follow." Paul said, "I die daily." Carrying the cross, spiritual circumcision or whatever you want to call it is not a nice Christian doctrine to preach about, it is a spiritual reality to enter into. Dying to self will never be most people's idea of fun. The old nature will kick and scream all the way to the cross. Many will be the time that God asks us to give up something that we are pretty fond of. Or possibly ask us to do something that we are not fond of. Either way a "Cross is formed." A "Cross" occurs in your life when your will crosses God's will. Somebody's will is going to be crucified on that cross.

The pain associated with spiritual circumcision isn't generally physical pain. It is probably going to be an emotional struggle to yield to God. Sometimes after a particularly intense struggle to yield God will give us time to heal. I want to make a point here. During the past few years I have watched God work deeply in my own life and the lives of those people around me. Many times those same people did not have a clue that God was actually at work. Much of what God is doing today involves major changes over a period of time. The frustration and struggle is often painful and confusing, but God knows how to get the job done.

Paul admonishes us in the book of Hebrews 12:11 "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

Read again the stories of the people most used of God in the Bible. You'll find they all went through frustrating times when everything looked absolutely hopeless in regards to what God had promised them. But in it all God was at work preparing each for the job He had planned for them.

So it is with us today. Sometimes after a time of spiritual circumcision we need time to heal. This is normal. Those who need to hear this will understand what I mean.

"A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code..." Rom. 2:28-29

"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." Col. 2:9-14

In these a passages we find some interesting thoughts. First, as we have already discussed, we find that we do not circumcise ourselves (or each other for that matter). Christians today are really good at wanting to cut off the flesh, whether it be our own or someone else's. (Although I must say it is mostly other's flesh we want to cut off for them.) This is a fancy way of saying that we want to change all the bad stuff we see in others. We tend to spiritualize it by calling it discernment and "ministry". Often it is nothing more than self-righteousness and impatience. It isn't maturity, it is the height of immaturity.

I believe the Bible addresses this tendency in Christians to be overzealous in whacking each other up. In Phil. 3:2 Paul tells the church something that the average person passes right over. However it is relevant to our message. "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision."

Paul used this word in a contemptuous manner referring to those who still required physical circumcision for a person to be right with God. However there is a deeper meaning here. Paul didn't warn them of the "circumcision" as he had in other places, but of the "concision." The word meant "mutilators of the flesh."

I believe Paul was telling the Philippians to be careful. He wanted us to be sure that in the process of cutting off the flesh we didn't "mutilate" people.

Spiritual circumcision was to performed by the Spirit of God.

While we should discipline our lives and yield to God, we must be careful not to get in God's way and try to do God's work. Much pain and destruction has been caused by Christians trying to straighten other Christians out. Along the same lines, many people become discouraged and quit serving God because they just couldn't be as spiritual as someone else. All Christian growth takes time and God knows how and when to get the job done.

Man can't touch the spirit of man, but God can. However God rarely does anything without His servants. It is still the job of the ministry to circumcise the Body of Christ as they preach the word of God and lead the flock of God. They must be led by the Spirit however, and not their flesh.

Paul told us to submit ourselves to the elders of the Church. As the ministry of God begins to touch live areas of our life by the Spirit of God we do one of two things. We can yield or we can get angry. A popular old phrase illustrates this perfectly. They used to tell the preacher he "stopped preachin' and started meddlin."

What is happening here? The Spirit, through the preacher, brings the flesh to the place of circumcision and self-preservation kicks in. Since we don't often understand what God is trying to do, we get mad at the preacher for confronting something in our lives. (The next time you get angry at something the preacher says why not stop and ask yourself if God is trying to bring something to your attention.)

Here is one reason why so many Christians don't ever mature. They go from church to church looking for a place to belong, to teach, to minister, but not for a place to be circumcised. When the ministry starts dealing with them, they find fault and run to the next new church that sprang up down the road.

Learning to yield to the voice of God, no matter what agent He speaks through is a maturing thing. We can certainly hear from God on our own, but the fact is that God still uses His ministry to work a work in the lives of his people. Smart is the Christian who will allow God to speak to them, correct them and circumcise them through His appointed ministry. It is humbling and it hurts sometimes, but it is the only way. Remember that circumcision must be yielded to.

Something else we should consider here is how God linked the Old Testament sign of circumcision to the New Testament sign of baptism. The passage in Colossians 2 seems to tell us that a circumcision takes place at baptism.

While I do not believe that a person must be baptized to be saved, I do understand that it is more than "an outward sign of an inward act." Consider this: Even the rituals God commanded under the Old Testament carried spiritual significance. Although they were signs that pointed to the spiritual reality that was to come, God still honored the people who obeyed them.

. Why would He suddenly command meaningless ritual under the new covenant that contained the spiritual reality. God only gave two ordinances to the Church: communion and baptism. I believe these have spiritual power attached to them. As we are obedient to observe them in faith, God ministers to us.

Before you argue about that last statement let me ask you a question. How could you do anything in faith and obedience that would not have a spiritual impact on your life?

Several things are abundantly clear from our study. The main one is that circumcision is a spiritual principle in the bible that cannot be ignored.

We find that a circumcision takes place at the point of salvation. Again, Paul links it with baptism as a sign of the covenant. We also discovered that circumcision was aon ongoing principle in our lives as we daily yield to the Spirit of God.

Another important fact is that Paul clearly links the old and new covenant signs in one passage. What should this mean to us? For the most part I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions based on what you have already read.

I will say this. Spiritual circumcision is not an option for the born again child of God. It isn't something you or I can take or leave. If the Old Testament people of God had to undergo circumcision under an inferior covenant, how much more is it required of us who have a better covenant?

"And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart , and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." Duet. 30:6

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