Bible Question (short): Sin and the Flesh, How are they related? |
Question (full): Sin and the Flesh Do our present corrupted mortal bodies in any way influence us to sin? How? What is the relationship between our mortal bodies and indwelling sin? What generated this question is that sometimes I have to be careful about what I do or say when I’m tired, and I suspect that sometimes my feelings of depression are brought on by an occasional lack of physical well-being. But is there more to it than that? Sin is spiritual, not physical. It is internal. It originates from a corrupted heart (not emotions, but intellect). Now, Paul and others use the word translated “flesh” in several senses, sometimes to mean person, sometimes to mean body, etc., but it’s curious how they sometimes uses the word to mean something sinful. If I had to pick a word or phrase to substitute for this negative meaning I would choose “fallen human nature,” although sometimes it only fits awkwardly into a sentence. But the apostolic writers inspired by the Holy Spirit chose this word, curiously enough. Could they not have chosen another? Our present bodies will not make it to glory (1 Cor. 15). They will be planted like a seed when we depart to be with the Lord. And the dissimilarity between the body that is planted and the glorious one that will be resurrected will be like that of a seed and the plant that grows from it. So do the Apostles, that is, the Holy Spirit through the Apostles, use the word flesh because there’s more to our mortal body than flesh and blood? |