Man was made from the dirt and that was cursed by God at the fall. Let us say that a false seed was planted in the dirt and it produced a cursed spiritual tree, that grows in all of us? "I see men as trees" was what the blind man first saw when The Lord healed him. What this man seen was a spiritual truth that the seed that is in man is a false seed and grows a tree that cannot bear fruit.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Its hard to see the truth of what we are, because the same lie that we are judges of good and evil prevent us from seeing the truth that we are corrupt according to the true standards of God.
Now what was the solution to this tree? Well we where given another Tree and new seed to plant to reproduce a new tree unto God.
The term "flesh" as used by Paul and others in the epistles could best be described as "self" or the self principle? We desire that which promotes our own ego, we desire that which satisfies our own lust to have and to be seen as having. "let us make a name for ourselves" is the response of the flesh. Covetousness, personal ambition, jealousy, pride, world gain..etc Its all based upon self, even sexual sins are based upon the desire to have and satisfy self. What is Gods solution? First is the truth of the Cross where we determine that self must die and in sincere acknowledgement of its truth allow it to judge our flesh..daily. Second consider that "love" agape is the exact opposite of "self"?
1Co 13:4 ¶ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 ¶ Love never fails
The Cross and love are the only answer to the flesh, all these religious traditions are vain and have no power to overcome the flesh.
Col 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Its hard to see the truth of what we are, because the same lie that we are judges of good and evil prevent us from seeing the truth that we are corrupt according to the true standards of God.
Now what was the solution to this tree? Well we where given another Tree and new seed to plant to reproduce a new tree unto God.
The term "flesh" as used by Paul and others in the epistles could best be described as "self" or the self principle? We desire that which promotes our own ego, we desire that which satisfies our own lust to have and to be seen as having. "let us make a name for ourselves" is the response of the flesh. Covetousness, personal ambition, jealousy, pride, world gain..etc Its all based upon self, even sexual sins are based upon the desire to have and satisfy self. What is Gods solution? First is the truth of the Cross where we determine that self must die and in sincere acknowledgement of its truth allow it to judge our flesh..daily. Second consider that "love" agape is the exact opposite of "self"?
1Co 13:4 ¶ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 ¶ Love never fails
The Cross and love are the only answer to the flesh, all these religious traditions are vain and have no power to overcome the flesh.
Col 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.