Flesh vs Spirit
What the Bible calls “flesh” we can define as our inner man, our self, our self-will. And by “spirit”, we understand that part of us that is dormant until we are born again, where the Holy Spirit comes to dwell when we believe in Jesus and convert to Him. It is worth remembering that when the Bible refers to the Spirit (with capital letter) is referring to the Holy Spirit of God, not our spirit (lowercase)!
On “flesh and spirit” there are several revealing texts in the Word of God. Such “words” help us to make decisions and assume positions in the face of the most varied and diverse offers, proposals, temptations…
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh produces nothing to be enjoyed. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63-NIV).
“He who lives after the flesh has his mind set on what the flesh desires; but he who lives according to the Spirit has his mind set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace; the mentality of the flesh is the enemy of God because it does not submit to the Law of God, nor can it. Anyone who is ruled by the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:5-7, NIV).
“Therefore, brethren, we are indebted, not to the flesh, to live in subjection to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit they put to death the deeds of the body, they will live, for all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:12-14, NIV).
“Brothers, you have been called to freedom. But do not use freedom to give occasion to the will of the flesh.
Therefore I say: Live by the Spirit, and you will in no way gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit; and the Spirit, which is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest: sexual immorality, impurity and licentiousness; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before: Those who practice these things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:13; 16-25, NIV).
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. He who sows to his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but he who sows to the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7,8-NIV).
“So I say to you, and in the Lord I insist, that you no longer live like the Gentiles, who live in the futility of their thoughts. They are darkened in understanding and cut off from the life of God because of the ignorance they are in, due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all feeling, they gave themselves up to depravity, greedily committing every kind of impurity.
However, this is not what you learned from Christ. Indeed, you have heard of him, and were taught in him according to the truth that is in Jesus. As for the old way of life, you were taught to put off the old man, which is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the way of thinking, and to put on the new man, created to be like God in righteousness and in holiness from the truth.
Therefore, each one of you must give up falsehood and speak the truth to your neighbor, for we are all members of the same body. When you get angry, do not sin. Appease his wrath before the sun goes down, and give no place to the devil. What you stole, do not steal anymore; rather work, doing something useful with your hands, so that you have something to share with those in need.
Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouths, but only what is useful to edify others as needed, so that it may give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, indignation and anger, shouting and slander, as well as all malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, as God forgave you in Christ.
Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice of a pleasing aroma to God.
Among you there should not be even a mention of sexual immorality, nor of any kind of impurity and covetousness; for these things are not fit for the saints. Let there be no obscenity, no foolish talk, no immoral jesting, which are inconvenient, but, instead, thanksgiving. For you can be sure of this: no immoral, or impure, or greedy person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with foolish words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon those who live in disobedience. Therefore, do not participate with them in these things.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, justice and truth; and learn to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness; rather, expose them to light. Because what they do in secret, even mentioning it is shameful. But whatever is exposed by light becomes visible, for light makes all things visible. Therefore it is said, Wake up, O sleeper, arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Ephesians 4:17-32; 5:1-14).
