The Boastings of the Flesh 121
The activities of the various faculties of the soul may not be as
defiled as lust. Furthermore, “lust” as sometimes used in the Bible
has no connotation of defilement, as for example, “the flesh lusts
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” in Galatians 5.17
(Darby). We see that the Spirit also lusts—against the flesh. Lust in
this instance simply conveys the idea of an intense desire.
All which one does or is able to do before regeneration is but the
efforts of the flesh. Thus it can do good as well as evil. The error the
believer makes lies right here in that he only knows that the evil of
the flesh must be destroyed without appreciating that the good of the
flesh needs to be done away with as well. He is unaware of the fact
that the righteousness of the flesh belongs as much to the flesh as its
evil. The flesh remains flesh, no matter how good or how bad. What
imperils a Christian is his ignorance of, or his reluctance to face up
to, the necessity of ridding himself of everything of the flesh,
including what is good. He must positively recognize that the good
of the flesh is not one bit more presentable than its evil, for both
pertain to the flesh. Unless the good flesh is dealt with no Christian
can ever hope to be freed from the dominion of the flesh. For by
letting his flesh do good he will soon find it working evil. If its self-
righteousness is not destroyed, unrighteousness shall surely follow.
The Nature of the Good Works of the FleshGod opposes the flesh so drastically because He knows its actual
condition thoroughly. He desires His children to be released
completely from the old creation and enter fully upon the new in
experience. Whether good or bad, flesh is still flesh. The difference
between the good which proceeds from the flesh and the good which
flows from the new life is that the flesh always has self at its center.
It is my self who can perform and does perform good without the
need of trusting in the Holy Spirit, without the necessity of being
humble, of waiting on God, or of praying to God. Since it is I who