The Necessity of Death — The Spiritual Man

The Necessity of Death

The more a believer is enlightened by the Holy Spirit to see the wretchedness of their fleshly condition, the more intense their struggle becomes against the flesh. Yet, paradoxically, their failures also become more frequent and evident. In moments of defeat, the Holy Spirit further reveals the sinfulness and weakness of the flesh, leading the believer into deeper self-loathing and a stronger resolve to fight the sin within the flesh. This repeated cycle of grief and struggle can last for a long time, until finally, through a deeper understanding of the work of the cross, the believer finds deliverance.

The Holy Spirit leads such believers through many failures and laments with great purpose. Before the cross can do its deeper work, there must first be adequate preparation; only then can the believer receive the work of the cross without hindrance. The Holy Spirit guides the believer through these experiences to prepare them.

According to such a believer’s experience, although God has already judged the flesh to be incurable and utterly corrupt, the believer does not necessarily see it that way. They may intellectually assent to God’s estimation, yet they lack true spiritual insight to perceive the flesh as indeed vile and defiled. They may suppose what God says is true, but they have not yet inwardly grasped that God’s perspective is entirely accurate. As a result, they often attempt to reform the flesh—though not explicitly stated, this is what happens in reality.

Many such believers, due to misunderstanding God’s method of salvation, attempt to overcome the flesh by means of struggle. They believe that victory or defeat hinges on the measure of power, so they eagerly hope that God will grant them greater spiritual strength to conquer the flesh. This kind of warfare may last a considerable period, but ultimately, victories are few and defeats are many. It becomes increasingly evident that it is impossible to fully subdue the flesh.

At the same time, these believers not only fight against the flesh but also attempt to refine or train it. They pray, read Scripture, establish many rules, and hope to subdue, reform, or suppress the flesh. They set up numerous ordinances such as "Do not handle," "Do not taste," "Do not touch," believing (unintentionally) that the faults of the flesh stem from a lack of discipline, culture, or education. They try to subject it to spiritual training, hoping that in the end it will cease to be a problem. Yet Scripture clearly says that such regulations are of no value in checking self-indulgence (Colossians 2:21–23, NRSVue).

Because believers, on one hand, seem to aim at destroying the flesh, while on the other hand behave as though they intend to refine it, the Holy Spirit is compelled to let them experience defeat, battle, sorrow, and self-reproach. After going through this cycle repeatedly—sometimes dozens of times—they finally come to realize that the flesh is beyond remedy, and their own methods are useless. They must seek another way of salvation. What they once knew intellectually about the corruption of the flesh, they now know through personal experience.

If a believer sincerely trusts in God’s Word and earnestly prays for the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s holiness to them—so that in the light of divine holiness they may see the true condition of their flesh—the Holy Spirit will surely do so. This might allow them to avoid some of the painful struggles. But such believers are few. People always want to use their own methods! They simply refuse to believe that they are truly corrupt to such an extent! And yet, this lesson must be learned. So the Holy Spirit patiently allows the believer to gradually come to a knowledge of themselves through lived experience.

We now see that we cannot submit to the flesh, cannot reform it, cannot educate it. No spiritual method can even slightly change its nature. What then must be done? It must die. This is God’s ordained way. It is through death—not through any other means. We try to wage war, to change it, to make resolutions, and use countless other strategies to overcome the flesh. But God says: die—if death comes, all is settled. Not victory, but death.

This is the most reasonable approach. Humanity became flesh because we were born of the flesh. “What is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6, NRSVue). What enters by one way must exit by the same. The way we came in is the way we must get out. Since we became flesh by birth, we must escape it by death. Death is the only solution. “For whoever has died is freed from sin” (Romans 6:7, NRSVue). Nothing short of death will suffice. Only death brings deliverance.

Because the flesh is utterly defiled (see 2 Peter 2:10), even God cannot transform it. There is no remedy except death. Even the precious blood of the Lord Jesus cannot cleanse the “flesh” of man. Thus, in Scripture we see that the blood of Jesus cleanses our sins, but never do we see it cleansing the flesh. The flesh is to be crucified (Galatians 5:24). Even the Holy Spirit cannot improve the flesh. That is why He does not dwell in fleshly sinners (Genesis 6:3). Even when He dwells in believers, it is not to help the flesh evolve, but rather to battle against it (Galatians 5:17). “The holy anointing oil [symbolic of the Holy Spirit] shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person” (Exodus 30:32, NRSVue).

Therefore, many of our prayers—for improvement, for spiritual growth, for more love, for more service—are in vain if they are aimed at reforming the flesh. Many of our hopes—of attaining sanctification, of daily communion with the Lord, of glorifying His name in all things—are empty if we think the flesh can be made fit. Truly, we must not attempt to patch the flesh or cause it to cooperate with God's Spirit. The only end appointed for the flesh is death. Only by consigning the flesh to death can we find deliverance. Otherwise, we will remain its slaves forever.