One of the scripture passages set for today's worship was from Galatians chapter 5. In the RSV it reads "do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh: ...." The Good News Bible changes it from "flesh" to "human nature". It goes on to list off "the works of the flesh". There are all the juicy ones: "immorality, impurity, licentiousness, drunkenness and carousing." (I recall a similar list from the book of Romans being read dramatically by an earnest Christian man at a Youth Club we had running at a Church in Australia. All these little adolescent boys were wide eyed and interested. Instead of putting them off these juicy sins, I think the reader was just feeding their curiosity.) Then there are also more run of the mill ones: "idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy" . You get the picture that "Flesh" is bad... naughty.... Something mysterious, not of this world, "heavenly" called "Spirit" is good.
The same sort of emphasis comes across in many songs. Let me quote two choruses. One chorus goes like this: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow
will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace."
Its a nice opening meditation type chorus but the implication is that there is something inherently wrong with "the things of earth". Is there?
Another chorus goes like this:
"Jesus take me as I am
I can come no other way
Take me deeper into you
Make my flesh life melt away.
Make me like a precious stone
Crystal clear and finely honed
Life of Jesus shining through
Giving Glory back to you"
Again "flesh" gets bad press by implication in this song. There are countless hymns I could quote also.
Now I have a problem with this. I happen to like "Flesh". I think that to promote the concept that human nature or flesh is evil is to give people an inferiority complex, cause them to be sexually inhibited, or to have them perpetually guilty. I like J B Phillip's translation of "Flesh". He calls it our "lower nature". I tend to think the correct description would be something like "our nature when it is self centred". It is selfish living that he is talking about, and that is a distortion of human nature.
I like "flesh" and "human nature". In the myths of Genesis God created human beings (flesh) and looked at them and decided his creation was "Good". I enjoy sensuality. Now I hasten to add that the term "sensuality" has a much wider meaning than just the erotic. I have over the last two days gone for two walks up in the bush or hills around Dunedin. They were sensual. I loved the sights. There were little wax eyes on top of Swampy summit. I enjoyed their noise and their antics. I loved walking in the fog and having landmarks appear out of the fog. I enjoyed the physical challenge of getting up the hills without stopping.... the heavy breathing... the need to keep pushing my legs to work. I loved the sweat, the wetness of the drizzle, the joy of getting back to the vehicle before night fall, the brief conversations with other walkers and runners. I LOVED the FLESH! I love food. The taste of leeks, carrots and potatoes I have grown in my garden. I enjoy Ginger Wine, and Horlics and beautifully brewed coffee. Yes and even at my age I still enjoy an active sex life. When I have music on and I am alone, I love dancing around singing at the top of my voice. I enjoy the movement, the emotion the self expression. All of these things are "Flesh" and they are NOT inherently sinful! I think translations, teaching and compositions that imply that Christianity is "anti-flesh" are heresy and very damaging to people's lives. I know of a number of religious people whose lives have been stuffed up by such teaching. I have talked with earnest mental health patients who go to churches and hear such rubbish and come to me with such guilt and anxiety that they really don't need added to their difficulties.
I actually think that true spirituality, true openness to Jesus leads to a deeper awareness and appreciation of flesh. Because of the sense of connection you are in a very special way joined to all flesh. Like Francis of Assisi, people, animals, plants and trees are your brothers and sisters. The sensations we can enjoy in life are gifts of Grace... precious gifts we can savour. Because of my faith I believe I experience "the flesh" in a richer and fuller way. I also believe that Spirituality is not an escape from "Human Nature" but rather the ideal follower of Jesus is more fully human and more fully alive. They relate positively and harmoniously with creation, with others and with themselves. The whole point of Jesus based spirituality is the wholeness of the human being, "life abundant" is what Jesus called it in John's Gospel. The Jewish word "Shalom" is not about some after life, but things in their right place, in harmony here on earth.
Anyway... Flesh is OK and I am going to keep on enjoying the things of this world, I hope not in a selfish way, but in the way God intended.
Photos: Mt Cargill track on Saturday and Swampy Summit today (It is not snowing, its a black and white photo)
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