Dominated By the Flesh

For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. Philippians 3:18-19 (New Living Translation, NLT)

Those who oppose the Lord are evident by how they live. Theirs is such low-level living. The Apostle Paul tells us that their god is their appetite. The King James version says their god is their belly. Now, that does not mean that food is their god, although people can exalt food too high in their lives. It means they are dominated by their flesh.

Flesh-dominated people focus on and do everything to feed their flesh because it is what they see as the most important. They don’t think about eternity- only about having a good time now. They are motivated by pleasure. They live by their physical senses and look for ways to experience things sensually, or by their senses. These are the people who live by the motto “If it feels good, do it.” It is a shallow and destructive way to live. It is selfish and detestable because these are people who care only about satisfying themselves and will do anything and harm anyone to gratify their own desires. They are greedy and manipulative.

Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Galatians 6:8 (New Living Translation, NLT)

Paul points out that they are headed for destruction. People who only live for self-gratification will enjoy themselves for a while, and it may appear that they are getting away with their lifestyle. However, destruction always comes to those who fight against God and honor their flesh above what is truly holy.

As we see more and more how people are perverting the ways of God and seeking after unnatural things that give them temporary pleasure, we can be sure that corruption and death are at work in their bodies. It is sad to see people essentially self-destruct by choosing what feels good over God, but it is the law of sowing and reaping at work. People choose what they sow, and when they refuse to turn away from their low-level and twisted way of life, theirs will not be a pleasant end.

There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. Proverbs 14:12-13 (The Message, MSG)

What can we do? We can pray for them and do our best to live right before them as an example. We can talk to them about the Lord and do what we can to bring them to salvation. But, some people will not turn away from their flesh long enough to receive Jesus, and for them, we can do nothing. And at some point, they will reap the harvest they have coming. When people choose the flesh over the Spirit, the results are disastrous.