Fighting the Flesh

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. Colossians 3:5-6

Paul does not mince words. Believers are to put the flesh to death. Kill it. Have nothing to do with it. He doesn’t suggest managing sinful desires or finding a comfortable compromise. Instead, Paul calls believers to eliminate anything that belongs to their sinful nature. For the early church, this meant taking drastic action against sin in their lives. His language leaves no room for half-measures or partial obedience. The flesh is an enemy of the soul, and they are to do whatever is necessary to avoid its ways and traps.

The same call echoes to us today. We are not to play around with sin and temptation. Rather, we are to put sin to death. John Owen, a seventeenth-century theologian, wrote that we must “be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” This requires honest evaluation and decisive action with the Spirit’s help. It could mean getting rid of the smartphone to battle anger, envy or lust. It may mean admitting alcoholism and going to AA. It could involve cutting up credit cards that enable overspending. It could include ending an inappropriate relationship or deleting a phone number. Spiritual growth often requires painful but necessary choices to eliminate what feeds our flesh.

TODAY: Make a specific plan to “put to death” what feeds your flesh. What practical step can you take today to cut off sin’s influence? If you need help, reach out to our care team at care@adabible.org.

For more help and discussion on how to fight the flesh, listen to this week’s Beyond the Weekend Podcast HERE. Got questions about the sermon? Submit your question HERE. Your question could be answered on the podcast!