Introduction
The Condition of Man in the Flesh of Sin reveals a life dominated by desires contrary to God, rendering him incapable of pleasing Him on his own. In this article, we will explore what Paul teaches about this sinful nature and how it separates man from fellowship with God. We will see what Jesus requires of those who wish to follow Him and how Solomon describes the wicked and the undisciplined child. In addition, we will understand the consequences of resisting God’s will and how this choice keeps man trapped in the enemy’s traps.
Slavery and Estrangement from God
The Bible reveals to us that the condition of man in the flesh of sin is one of slavery and separation from God. Since the fall of Adam, human nature has been inclined toward evil, dominated by carnal desires that distance us from communion with the Creator. Paul teaches that this corrupt nature cannot please God, because it lives according to the flesh and resists His will. To follow Christ, man must deny himself and abandon this sinful condition. Solomon describes the wicked as someone imprisoned by sin, without discipline and direction. Furthermore, those who resist God become easy prey for the enemy.
The Nature of Man in the Flesh of Sin
Romans 8:6-8 – “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is hostile to God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Therefore those who are in the flesh cannot please God“
Paul clearly describes the condition of the carnal mind, stating that it is completely opposed to God. Romans 8:6-8 tells us that “the carnal mind is death“. For the flesh seeks its own desires and passions, which are not according to the will of God. This inclination is “enmity against God“. For man, living according to his fallen nature, cannot submit to the divine law and cannot please God by his own efforts. The flesh, therefore, keeps man away from communion with the Creator and from true peace.
Man in the flesh of sin lives according to his own passions and desires, ignoring the will of God. He becomes a slave to the corruption within and is unable to seek righteousness on his own.
Ephesians 2:3 – “Among whom also we all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as others“
Furthermore, man, bound by the desires of the flesh, becomes a slave to his passions and is unable to seek God’s righteousness. Ephesians 2:3 highlights this reality, saying that “we walked in the lusts of our flesh“, doing what our corrupt nature dictates to us, without being able to choose the good. This behavior causes man to be in constant rebellion against God, seeking satisfaction in temporal things and ignoring the eternal life that He offers. Man’s nature in the flesh is driven by selfishness and spiritual separation from God.
The Way to Follow Christ
Jesus makes it clear that to escape the slavery of sin, a radical decision and a change of life are necessary. Matthew 16:24 reveals to us what is required to follow Christ: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me“. This call to renunciation is not a suggestion but a command. Man must forsake his old nature and the fleshly desires that keep him from God.
True renunciation means surrendering oneself totally to God’s will, as we see in Luke 9:23: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me“. This involves not just a momentary decision, but a daily willingness to deny the temptations of the flesh and live according to the principles of God’s kingdom. Following Christ requires an ongoing commitment to live in obedience to His word.
This decision requires discipline and a change of direction. Man cannot serve the flesh and the Spirit at the same time, as is clear from Jesus’ words. The choice is between continuing in slavery to sin or seeking true freedom in Christ. Following Christ requires that man submit to the control of the Holy Spirit, living to please God and not his own desires. This transformation is the key to a new and full life in Christ.
The Description of the Wicked and the Undisciplined Child
Solomon describes the wicked as someone who is imprisoned by his own iniquities, saying in Proverbs 5:22: “As for the wicked, his own iniquities will capture him, and he will be held with the cords of his sin“. A person who is far from God does not realize that his choices and sins enslave him, distancing him from the truth and freedom offered by God. In his spiritual blindness, he remains trapped by the consequences of sin, without seeing the damage it causes to his life. The chains of sin prevent him from freeing himself and walking in the light of righteousness.
Lack of discipline and correction leads man down a path of destruction. Proverbs 29:15 reinforces this idea, saying: “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame” Just as a child without guidance grows up without knowing what is right, man without divine correction lives in an unruly manner and heads for perdition. Sin, without God’s intervention, leads to a life of rebellion, where lack of self-control and denial of the truth result in pain and destruction. Divine discipline is essential for man to live according to God’s will and avoid the pitfalls of sin.
The Danger of Resisting God’s Will
2 Timothy 2:26 – “And they will awaken again, freeing themselves from the bonds of the devil, in whose will they are held captive“
The man who resists God’s will makes himself vulnerable to the enemy’s traps. In 2 Timothy 2:26, Paul describes this situation when he says that such people “are trapped in the will of the devil“. Satan keeps those who live in the flesh of sin blind to God’s truth, leading them into a life of spiritual slavery. They remain imprisoned in the bonds of sin and the will of the evil one, unable to experience the true freedom that Christ offers.
However, this condition of spiritual slavery and death can only be transformed by divine grace. Man must recognize his spiritual misery and turn to Christ, the only source of salvation and freedom. Only through renouncing the flesh and surrendering himself completely to Christ can man escape the enemy’s traps and find true life. God’s call is clear: repent and live according to the Spirit. Only in this way can man please God and inherit eternal life, finding true freedom in Christ.
Conclusion: The Condition of Man in the Flesh of Sin
Man’s condition in the flesh of sin is one of slavery and separation from God. His mind is inclined toward evil, making him unable to please the Lord or seek righteousness for himself. The Bible shows us that without Christ, man follows his own desires and becomes a prisoner of his own wickedness. However, Jesus offers a way of deliverance, calling us to deny ourselves and follow Him. Those who resist God’s will remain under the dominion of sin and the snares of the enemy. But God’s grace is available to all who repent and choose to live according to the Spirit. Only then can we experience true freedom and fellowship with the Creator.
