Flesh, sinful nature

Flesh as the bodily substance of human beings

As individuals or in relation to others

Psalm 84:2 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

3 My siel verlang, ja, smag na die voorhowe van die Here; my hart en my vlees jubel uit tot die lewende God.

See also Ge 2:23–24; Ge 29:14; 1 Co 15:39

As the means by which Jesus Christ identified with the human race to bring salvation

John 1:14 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

14 En die Woord het vlees geword en het onder ons gewoon—en ons het sy heerlikheid aanskou, ’n heerlikheid soos van die Eniggeborene wat van die Vader kom—vol van genade en waarheid.

See also Eph 2:15; Heb 10:20; 1 Jn 4:2

As subject to mortality

Isaiah 40:6–7 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

6 ’n Stem sê: Roep! En hy vra: Wat moet ek roep? Alle vlees is gras, en al sy aanvalligheid soos ’n blom van die veld. 7 Die gras verdor, die blom verwelk as die asem van die Here daarin blaas. Voorwaar, die volk is gras!

See also Ps 78:39; Ac 2:31; 1 Co 15:50

As subject to weakness

2 Chronicles 32:8 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

8 By hom is ’n vleeslike arm, maar by ons is die Here onse God om ons te help en ons oorloë te voer! En die manskappe het gesteun op die woorde van Jehiskía, die koning van Juda.

See also Ps 73:26; Mt 26:41

Flesh as contrasting human nature with God’s perfection

The powerlessness of human beings contrasted with God’s eternal power

Isaiah 31:3 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

3 Ja, die Egiptenaars is mense en nie God nie, en hulle perde is vlees en nie gees nie; as die Here sy hand uitstrek, dan struikel die helper, en wie gehelp is, val; en saam gaan hulle almal te gronde.

See also Jn 3:6; Jn 6:63

Human or worldly standards contrasted with God’s standards

John 8:15 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

15 Julle oordeel volgens die vlees. Ek oordeel niemand nie.

See also 1 Co 1:26; 2 Co 5:16; 2 Co 10:3–4

Flesh as denoting the sinful nature of human beings

The tendency to sin

Ro 7:18 Paul does not mean that no goodness at all exists in people; nor that the physical aspect of human beings is inherently evil. He means that humans are invariably infected by evil and subject to its power.

See also Je 17:5

The conflict in human experience between the sinful nature and the Spirit of God

Galatians 5:17 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

17 want die vlees begeer teen die Gees, en die Gees teen die vlees; en hulle staan teenoor mekaar, sodat julle nie kan doen wat julle wil nie.

See also Ro 8:4–9; Ga 5:19–25

The sinful nature is opposed to God and his will

This opposition finds expression in a range of acts and attitudes

Galatians 5:19–21 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

19 En die werke van die vlees is openbaar, naamlik owerspel, hoerery, onreinheid, ongebondenheid; 20 afgodery, towery, vyandskap, twis, jaloersheid, toornigheid, naywer, tweedrag, partyskap; 21 afguns, moord, dronkenskap, brassery en dergelike dinge, waarvan ek julle vooraf sê, soos ek al vroeër gesê het, dat die wat sulke dinge doen, die koninkryk van God nie sal beërwe nie.

See also Ro 7:14–25; Ro 8:7; Ro 13:13–14; 1 Co 6:9–11; Eph 5:5; Jas 1:14–15; 1 Pe 2:11; 2 Pe 2:10; 2 Pe 2:18; 1 Jn 2:16

Confidence in the law is futile

Ro 8:3 Because of the sinfulness of human nature, God’s law is powerless to bring people into relationship with God; Ga 3:3 Even the attempt to find acceptance with God through keeping his law is an act of the sinful nature because it involves rejecting his offer of salvation through his grace.

See also Ro 7:25; Php 3:3–9

The sinful nature controls human behaviour in ways which run counter to God’s purpose

Romans 8:8 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

8 En die wat in die vlees is, kan God nie behaag nie;

See also Ro 7:5

The sinful nature therefore makes people subject to God’s judgment and to death

Ro 8:13; Eph 2:3

See also Ga 6:8

Believers are not controlled by the sinful nature

Through Jesus Christ’s entering into human flesh, God delivers from the power and consequences of human sinfulness

Romans 8:3 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

3 Want God het—wat vir die wet onmoontlik was, omdat dit kragteloos was deur die vlees—deur sy eie Seun in die gelykheid van die sondige vlees te stuur, en dit ter wille van die sonde, die sonde veroordeel in die vlees,

See also Eph 2:15

Believers have crucified the sinful nature

Romans 7:5–6 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

5 Want toe ons in die vlees was, het die sondige hartstogte wat deur die wet kom, in ons lede gewerk om vir die dood vrugte te dra. 6 Maar nou is ons ontslae van die wet waardeur ons gebonde was, aangesien ons dit afgesterf het, sodat ons dien in die nuwigheid van die Gees en nie in die oudheid van die letter nie.

See also Ro 8:8–9; Ga 5:24; Col 2:11

The power of God’s Spirit enables believers to continue to resist the sinful nature

Romans 8:13 DIEBYBEL:A19331953

13 want as julle na die vlees lewe, sal julle sterwe, maar as julle deur die Gees die werke van die liggaam doodmaak, sal julle lewe.

See also Ro 13:14; Ga 5:13; Col 3:5–6; 1 Pe 2:11

God’s provision of church discipline in eliminating the sinful nature

1 Co 5:5 The discipline of excluding a sinner from the church community is intended to bring him to repentance and so abandon his sinful course of action. Repentance provoked by physical suffering is possibly also in mind.