The desires of the flesh

Resisting Worldly Affections – Part 1

(1 John 2:16-Part 1, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, May 8, 2016)

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

For (that, because, since)

The apostle John has been insisting that Christian must not be idolatrous, short-sighted, and deceived world-lusters. Instead, as in Psalm 84:1-3, their highest desire is reserved for Another. They are to allow the Word of God to teach them concerning that Best-of-All—God and His kingdom. They are to renew their minds with the love that will always be most worthy.

All that is in the world

The alternative, which we need to always flee from, is to live for—to desire most highly and eagerly—what is plainly fading away under the judgment of the Almighty. It is very natural for us to have worldly affections, but some unbounded passions will not help us to follow Christ. During the next three weeks we will consider what John calls here “all that is in the world.”

What is he referring to? It may help us to remember the distinction between two worlds. There is a new world that is coming into being. John is not speaking of that new creation when he uses the word “world.” John is talking about the old world which is under the sentence of futility (Romans 8:20), and is under the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19).

the desires of the flesh

John breaks down this “all that is in the world” into three headings: “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life.” They have much in common with each other. I will use them to explore the eager passions of the body, the need to see and know everything, and the drive to own, Today, the first of these: “the desires of the flesh.” The word “desires” here used to be “lusts.” Not all “lusts” are bad, and every desire has its place (1 Timothy 4:4). Jesus spoke at the Last Supper about His lust to begin the resurrection world (Luke 22:15). The problem with humanity after the fall is that our lusts are too small and often misplaced. People have eager desires for countless creations and not a lot of time and love for the one Creator. Something is really messed up here. When we view overt love for God as ignorant or extreme and then fall head over heels for created fleeting pleasures, is that supposed to be smart? Misplaced, unbounded affection is from the sinful flesh. It is worldly, and it needs to be resisted. But how?

First we need to understand the lusts of the flesh more specifically. There are several places where the New Testament uses the words “desires” and “flesh” together. Here they are:

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:13-14; context 13:8-14)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.... And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:16, 24; context 5:13-26)

… among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2:3; context 2:1-10)

so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:2; context 4:1-5)

and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, …. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. (2 Peter 2:10, 18; context 2:1-22)

These seven verses in five passages have interesting and informative contexts that can be easily summed up: The desires of the flesh are those impulses that are against God and His Word. The defining mark of these eager longings is not that they are physical, sexual, pleasurable, or popular. This all may be true, but that is not the root problem. It is that they are hateful toward God and toward others, and therefore are not from faith, but are against the law of love.

Just one example from the passages above in order to see the love/hate issue in many of them:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (Galatians 5:13-15) followed by one of the seven verses above: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

Not from the Father but from the world

Not every impulse that can captivate a human soul is necessarily from the Father. Some are from this dying world. Those need to be actively resisted. People who push the lusts of the flesh are haters. They “promise freedom … but they themselves are slaves of corruption.” (2 Peter 2:19)

We should admit that the desires of the flesh can be very powerful. Impulses and actions that lead to sexual immorality, drunkenness, and all types of over the top comfort-seeking of body and soul will not lead to freedom and happiness but to bondage and misery.

What should we do to resist the desires of the flesh and those pushing them on us?

1. Don't just put off the sinful desire. Put on an eager affection for God. Pray for it. It will come. Study God. Come to Sunday School this next few weeks. “Of God” (WCF 2).
2. Redirect any wandering passions back toward obedient pathways. For example, check out 1 Corinthians 7 and follow Paul's advice in favor of marriage.
3. In light of God's inexpressible gift of Jesus (2 Corinthians 9:15), give thanks. God is not against the physical or the pleasurable. He invented it. He is against entangling sin and idolatry. Keep Him first with a rigorous habit of giving Him thanks in everything.
4. When all else fails do what Jesus did for you on the cross, choose love, even for your enemies. God loves love. Desires of the flesh move people toward hate. Those kinds of impulses are against the Lord. You don't need more hate in your life. Choose love.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 84 – Loving what lasts rather than what fades away

Gospel Reading—Luke 6:27-36 – Be merciful