Flesh versus Spirit

Temporal versus Eternal

Richard Hollerman

When we find a contrast like this we can go several ways. One way to see this would be in this manner: We are very concerned about the physical welfare of people but we give very little thought or concern about their spiritual needs. We may rightfully express a desire to bless and help a person or a family in their physical needs but we do not give the needed concern for their spiritual needs. We may remember that someone needs physical healing but seem to show very little concern about their spiritual healing. There is something incongruous about this.

We know that it is important that we care for a person’s physical condition. If he is hungry, we are to feed the person. If he is thirsty, let us give him a drink. If a person is physically sick, let us do what we can to alleviate the pain he or she must feel and if we can solve their human situation, let us do so. In fact, let us bring healing, if possible. This is what Jesus did and we must do likewise, as we have the opportunity.

But do we have the same interest in the person’s soul? Do we express to the person himself or herself that we are concerned about the state of their relationship with God?

There is an aspect to this that we seem to have overlooked. It is this. While we do want to show our compassion for the person’s physical need, why is it that we seemingly overlook their spiritual need? We may live only 60, 70, 80, or 90 years here on earth. But after physical death overcomes us, we will die and the future is before us. We speak not of another 100 years, or 1,000 years, or one million years, but eternally! Take note of that word: eternally. It is a weighty term, isn’t it! In discussing the future judgment scene, Jesus declared, “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46). Take note of this description: eternal punishment and eternal life. Eternal. Eternity.  Without end. Endlessness. Do we begin to see the importance of these words with the term “eternal”?

There are many other verses that fill in our thoughts here. Consider, for example, 2 Corinthians 7:1: “Having these promises [mentioned above], beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Here we see that both “flesh” and “spirit” are to be cleansed. Our flesh will one day die but through the resurrection, God will bring us back to life again. Physical death is not the end! (John 11:25-26)

In 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 we see that Christ Jesus, when He comes again, will deal out “retribution” to those who are living according to the flesh, but we also see that He will be “glorified” in that day and will receive the glory of those who are awaiting Him. In this case, once again we see that we are to forsake the ways of the flesh and the sins of the body and are to seek the things of the spirit, following after the things of the Holy Spirit!

We should also remember the words of Christ in Mathew 7:13-14 about the narrow way that leads to life (the way of the Spirit) and broad way that will lead to destruction (the way of the flesh).  There are only two ways and it is vital that we choose the right one!

If we only live for fewer than 100 years, we wonder why we give attention to those 100 years (usually much fewer, perhaps 60, 70, or 80). Why don’t we keep in mind that we will “live” for 1,000 years or one million years, or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 plus years! (We find it uncomfortable even stating “years” hear for eternity is not measured by years!

Also, think of the worse pain that might happen on earth to our physical bodies. Could it be an injury (a tree falls us on, we suffer a disastrous car wreck, someone takes a hatchet or other weapon on us)? Or could it be a disease or illness that gives us pain? We think of childbirth, or a problem with other parts of the body, or a heart attack, or COPD, or diabetes, or cancer, or something else. Or it may be an emotional or relational issue—such as loneliness, or parental abuse, or marital discord, or job problems, or things such as this. As bad as these items may be (and they definitely may be serious and filled with pain), this is not at all equal to the anguish that will come to us in dying without Christ and His rich salvation!

Look at your Bible (any version of the Scriptures will do, but it might be better to use an up-to-date one that you can readily understand). Check the various references or occurrences of the terms: condemn, condemnation, judgment, hell, punishment, destroy, Hades, and the like. If we do this sincerely, we will be shocked to see the countless references to the pain that comes to one after death for one who does not know God or refuses the salvation that Christ brings!

This exercise should bring terror into your heart! It should bring horror to our sensibilities! If we compare the physical and the spiritual (that we have been doing in this short article), we should be able to see our rightful need to turn from the pain of the physical to the pain of the spiritual. Or, to change the picture, to turn from the sadness, the anguish, and the horror of the physical—to the joy, the delight, and the relief of the spiritual. This is a special and noteworthy difference and we must keep this in mind.

Of course, we are not at all minimizing the physical body! We believe in the resurrection of the body or the resurrection of the flesh. Although it may be hard to determine what this means, we know that it is true and must be accepted. But here we are only referring to the physical body that is subject to the human lifelong afflictions that come upon us as persons in this life who have bodies that are subject to all sorts of physical ailments. As Paul said about his own body: “We do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). See verses 14-18.

We see from this that our “outer” person is “decaying” or passing away, thus while we must be concerned, we know that “this too shall pass” (as the saying has it). But our “inner man” or the spiritual is “being renewed day by day.” It is what lies ahead that is of ultra importance! Why can’t people around us see this? Why can’t we see this? As you must yourself, we have many friends who intellectually know these things but live as though they do not matter. Many just assume that they will go to “heaven” or a better place and live life without any (or much) concern about eternity!

What about you? What are you doing now that will prepare you for that heavenly home, the eternal kingdom of God? What are you doing to embrace the salvation that God freely gives to you? Are you really preparing for eternity by what you think, say, and do? Or are you wedded to this life and this fallen place that will one day burn up (2 Peter 8-13)?

Are you seeking “first” the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33) and are you “losing your life” now that you may gain eternal life (Mark 8:34-38)? Are you focused on time or eternity? On the flesh or the spirit?