The Flesh Crucified With its Passions and Desires

What are we to crucify? Paul, that wise teacher of faith and truth says that we are to crucify “the flesh with its passions and desires.” What is thereby rendered ineffective? The flesh! What kind of works will then stop? The works of the flesh, some of which he has just named in verses 19-21.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The words “and the like” tell us that there are many more works of the flesh. The above-mentioned works are only a few examples. Let us name some other works of the flesh that are very common: lying, stealing flattery, hypocrisy, backbiting, unrighteousness, cruelty, impatience, stubbornness, irreconcilability, murmuring, complaining, vanity, pride, selfish ambition, covetousness, and suspicion.

Where is the boundary? The boundary for each individual is he light that he has at any given moment from his own conscience. Whatever a person does against his better knowledge results in a work of the flesh, or a work of the old man. “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds.” Col. 3:9.

For instance, if something falls over or gets broken and a person gets angry about it, or if he flatters a rich person in the hope of receiving gifts from him, this proves that the flesh is not crucified and the old man is not put off, assuming that he knows that anger and flattery are sins—which people usually do.