Now in my mid-50s, I’ve pondered long the words of Jesus, “The flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63). According to Jesus, investing in the flesh to deliver a profit is like flushing your money down the toilet.
Jesus delivers his absolute declaration after his disciples have fed the 5000 with nothing more than a little fish and biscuits. In mind-bending imagery Jesus declares there is nothing of eternal or temporal value that comes from the flesh. All eternal and temporal value comes from the spirit, that is, from him, from God.
For as long as I’ve been alive, I’ve been assured of the superiority of the flesh, and so have you. You were taught this in school, among your peers, at your job, in broadcast television and movies, and in social media.
In the simplest of terms, when the Bible talks about the flesh, it is talking about that which is without God. There is nothing in it that comes from God, relies upon God, or points to God. The language of the unconverted mind cannot accept the superiority of that which it cannot see, the life of the spirit in Christ. It values what it can see, the flesh. Let me try to make that more understandable.
The flesh values magnetism, the visible, the powerful, the sophisticated and what ignites the senses. In middle school and high school, the flesh usually determines what makes someone popular. In the business culture, the flesh contributes to upward mobility. In politics the flesh wins popular opinion. In the church the flesh draws a crowd. In personal relationships the flesh manipulates to gain attention, overpowers to win a disagreement, and pouts to get its way. In conversations the flesh lies to avoid hurting feelings, to better position self before the hearer, or to get out of a sticky situation. In personal habits and entertainment the flesh values what feels good, what titillates, and what excites.
The New Testament regularly expresses the faults and limitations of the flesh. Your flesh and mine is weak (Matt. 26:41), possesses no wisdom that leads to desired outcomes (2 Cor. 1:12), wars against God at every occasion of our days (Gal. 5:17), can deliver nothing good (Rom. 7:18), and always leads to deterioration in all areas of life (Gal. 6:8). Is it any wonder the New Testament waves the warning flag not to indulge the flesh (Col. 2:23), make opportunity for the flesh (Gal. 5:13), or walk according to the flesh (2 Peter 2:10)?
Like a bear stock market in perpetual decline, the flesh profits nothing.
The spirit values weakness in suffering, telling the unadorned truth, the invisible human heart, the wisdom of the mind of God revealed in the Bible, a guiltless conscience, controlled emotions, transparent relationships, gentle responses to verbal attacks, listening first, correction by others, a willingness to be mistreated, and fighting against temptation while doing the hard work of becoming like Christ.
I’ve learned…
There is no profit fighting with Brenda and others close to me according to the impulses and controls of the flesh.
There is no profit in disciplining our children as my flesh prompts me to penalize.
There is no profit in positioning myself to be liked, promoted, noticed, or valued by people whose opinion about me likely will change once they get to know me.
There is no profit in indulging my flesh for the momentary pleasure it delivers without regard to the lingering shame and conflict.
There is no profit in playing loose with the truth in any and all conversations.
There is no profit in exercising wisdom that does not originate with God but seems to be the better option at the moment.
My list goes on and on. I’ve found myself pondering on a near daily basis Jesus’s teaching – the flesh profits nothing. I literally say to myself, often out loud, “the flesh profits nothing.” I am learning to practice in my daily movements what Jesus taught. It’s taken me a while to get here. I hope your learning curve is much quicker than mine has been.
Back in John 6, those who heard Jesus’s words found fault with Christ’s sayings, when in reality, the fault was in themselves. To fleshly minds and persons, spiritual truths, spiritual actions, spiritual wisdom are worthless and senseless, but spiritual minds and persons delight in them.
Help me, Lord, to believe you when you say, “The flesh profits nothing.”
Mike VerWay
Pastor for Preaching & Vision