#1391. The nature of the flesh (20/11/25)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

What is meant by the ‘sinful nature’ or ‘flesh’ that so dominated us before becoming a Christian, and that also seeks to influence us after we come to Jesus?

To watch this devotional, please select the link below

In our last reflection, we considered the spiritual forces at work in the world, particularly how Satan - the "ruler of the kingdom of the air" - is active in those who live in disobedience to God. Today, Paul adds a third, more personal dimension to the picture: the flesh.

Having mentioned the influence of the world (‘the ways of this world’) and the devil (‘the spirit who is now at work’), Paul now exposes our inner enemy: the flesh. Before our new birth in Christ, we were all ‘gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.’

1. What Is the Flesh?

The Greek word sarx, translated as flesh, has several meanings depending on context. It can refer to:

i. Humanity or mortality (see Job 34:14–15),

ii. The physical body (see Ephesians 2:11),

iii. The sinful nature - our fallen desires and inner corruption.

In this passage, Paul clearly uses flesh in the third sense: our rebellious nature apart from the Spirit of God. The flesh is not merely about physical urges; it represents our inward bent toward sin, our hostility to God's rule, and our self-centred thinking.

2. All live in the flesh 

Paul uses the verb anestraphēmen (translated ‘lived among them’) to describe this former way of life. This word carries the sense of habitual conduct - a settled way of behaving. We didn’t occasionally slip into sin; we walked in it, lived in it, returned to it. The flesh was not just a bad influence; it ruled our hearts, minds, and desires. It’s so vital that we understand that all of us are affected by the Fall and have inherited the sin of Adam (Romans 5:17). 

3. Outward expressions of the flesh 

Firstly, we are told that we all ‘gratified the cravings of our flesh and following its desires…’ ‘Cravings’ (epithumia) and ‘desires’ (thelēma) speak of our inner desires that are then expressed through our physical body. Our actions and speech are instruments of the flesh. 

4. The inner nature of the flesh 

Added to speech and actions, we are told that the desires of the flesh are also about our inner thinking. This makes the whole issue of sin far more encompassing. Many people live respectable lives. Their finances, families, homes, work… all look in order; however, God sees the thoughts and He knows that our thinking is sinful. All of us, if we are honest with ourselves, often do all we can to look respectable whilst we would be ashamed if people could see our thoughts!  This is why Paul says elsewhere that the mind governed by the flesh is ‘hostile to God’ (Romans 8:7).

All aspects of our humanity -  inwardy and externally were corrupted. This is why we were ‘by nature deserving of wrath.’ Sin is not just something we do - it’s who we were apart from Christ.

3. Walking by the Spirit

This is why the gospel is such good news. Christ doesn’t just forgive us; He makes us new. He liberates us from the flesh by giving us His Spirit:

And again:

Response

Do we truly believe that those outside of Christ - however moral or kind they may appear - are still bound by the flesh? This is why we must pray earnestly for the Spirit to bring new birth.

And for ourselves: are we recognising and resisting the lingering influence of the flesh? Are we alert to the lies, cravings, desires, and thoughts that seek to pull us back into bondage? Let us walk by the Spirit and fix our minds on the things of Christ, not the deceptive voice of the flesh.

Community Group Notes

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.

Note - Please be thinking and praying about who you might want to invite to our upcoming carol service (7th December) and to sign up for carol singing (30th November). To sign up, go to: https://forms.monday.com/forms/67541e198902721e4b04ee65cc95ae8a?r=use1

2. Icebreaker

How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we continued our series: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

Our message on Sunday from Ephesians 2:1-3, was:  The depths from which God has saved us.

Please read Ephesians 2:1-3 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection – What did God speak to you about through Sunday’s message?

• In what ways does this text glorify God's grace?

• How do these verses lead us to praise, joy and assurance?

• Why do the truths of this text lead to unity within the church?

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• How do these verses inspire us with compassion and confidence for sharing the gospel?

• Share Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.

• Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Are there any ‘people of peace’ (*see note) in your life—those who are receptive to you and spiritual conversation?

Let’s pray together: 

• Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.

• Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.

• Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.