Make No Provision for the Flesh

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires" (Rom. 13:14, HCSB).

In this verse, Paul uses the term "flesh" to denote the sinful nature. We may not speak of it as "flesh" or "sinful nature," but we know what he means.  There is an internal compulsion that drives us. Usually, it drives us to do the things that we want to do.  At other times, it drives us to do things we would rather not do. We call it cravings, addictions, or obsessions.  Call it what we will, it is sin seeking to rule our hearts.

It is the same compulsion that compels us to hit the snooze button when the alarm goes off. It drives us to scarf down donuts and Twinkies, when we should be watching our weight. It sabotages our efforts for self-improvement and complicates our relationships. The flesh seeks to keep us in a state of rebellion to the will of God. It seeks to preserve its dominion.

However, as believers we don't live by the flesh.  That is to say, we don't live to satisfy our sinful nature. Paul calls us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. It may sound like Paul is comparing Jesus to an article of clothing, but he has something bigger in mind. Jesus acts as a covering for us. He shields us from the wrath of God and God's enemies.  He is a refuge, a hiding place.

By faith, we are to cloth ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, just as God clothed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  He prepared for them a covering, animal skins that hid their nakedness. In order for their to be a covering, their had to be blood shed. Through Jesus' sacrificial death a covering has been made for humanity. Our sins have been covered by the Lord Jesus Christ.

With that reality in mind, we are called to stop making provisions for our sinful nature. We move the clock away from the bed, so that we have to get up to turn it off (then we don't allow ourselves to go lay back down).  We replace the donuts in our shopping cart with apples. We replace the My Name Is Earl marathon with a run on the treadmill, and trade our recliner for an incline press. We set a definite time for prayer and Bible study every morning, and we prepare for it as if we were meeting with royalty or celebrity (because we are really meeting with the High King of Heaven, the Creator and Redeemer of the Universe).

In order to put an end to making provisions for the flesh, we have to stop making and stop accepting excuses for our behaviors. We have to nip that kind of behavior in the bud. Sure there may be things that arise that throw off our lives, but if we have plan in place it is much easier to make the proper adjustments.

It is hard to overcome the desires of the flesh.  In fact, we cannot do it alone.  That is why Paul compels us to put on Christ. It is only through faith in the gospel that we can succeed. Only by apply the gospel to our lives can we stop providing for the flesh.  We may not kill the flesh's desires, but we can keep from feeding it.

A Source of Temptation

James 1:13-15 gives us a glimpse into a source of temptation. Many have expressed that there are three sources of temptation in the life of the believer. Those sources are the world, the flesh, and the devil. When we speak of "the world" in terms of temptation, we are speaking of the anti-Christian system controlled by the devil. The devil, of course, is that ancient serpent that led Eve astray and who continues to deceive even now. In this passage, James focuses on the flesh.

James begins by explicitly stating that there is one source from which the temptation to sin will never come--God. He states, "For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt any one" (James 1:13). Evil is contrary to God's nature. It holds no sway over him. He is a Shepherd that seeks lost sheep, not a butcher that drives them to destruction. To paraphrase James, "God is not the source of temptation."

If God is not the source of temptation, then who is? I have already mentioned that temptation comes through the world and from the devil, but James does touch on these. Why? The simplest answer is that the Holy Spirit moved him to speak about temptation that comes through the flesh ("evil desires"). This answer is not only simple, but true. However, it leaves us the question of why the Spirit so moved James. I think that James is led to address this source of temptation, because it is the one we have the most control over.

We are in the world, but not of it. The world hates us, because it hated Christ, our Lord. There are many things within our natural environment that have an impact on us. We are creatures greatly affected by nature (genetics) and nurture (environment/upbringing). A person tempted to sexual immorality can do very little to change the reality of prostitutes and promiscuity within the larger community in which they live. A fallen world cannot operate in accordance to the law. Thus, their battle lies mostly within. They cannot control their world, nor can they control the devil, but we are told self-control is possible through the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

James states we are tempted when by our own "evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed" (James 1:14). This is a picture of a fish being taken from the water. The bait is cast. Slowly, the angler begins to reel it in, to draw the fish's attention. Snap--the bait is taken, the hook is set, and the fisherman has to begin reeling in the fish. Thus, our evil desires set the bait before us. Each tantalizing enticement draws us closer and closer to danger. We push through red flags and silence screaming consciences, because the bait is so appetizing. Snap--the bait is taken, the hook is set, and sin begins to reel us in. Sin will gut us, skin us, throw us in the frying pan, then chew us up and spit us out.

We are drawn out by our own evil desires. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. The spirit awakened by God through regeneration desires to do what pleases God, but the flesh wages war (see Rom. 7:7-8:11). The works of the flesh are obvious (see Gal. 5:19-21). The flesh is something that must be put off (see Eph. 4:17-24), and something that must be crucified (see Col. 1:1-10). Speaking about overcoming the flesh in his ministry Paul informs us that we must run with aim, fight the good fight, and make not provision for our flesh (see 1 Cor. 9:24-27).

James finishes his look at the source of temptation by exploring the cycle of sin. He uses the metaphor of birth. He states, "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death" (James 1:15). The flesh gets a craving, it begins to formulate a plan, it slowly erodes the barriers of conscience and morality until sin is achieved. Sin allows our flesh to feel a temporary euphoria and excitement in its achievement, but the snare is set. Sin will push passed the feelings of euphoria and excitement with feelings of guilt, shame, and condemnation. Sin lies to us by promising that our guilt and shame can be eliminated through committing more sin. We are then tricked into a vicious cycle of sin and guilt. Without confession, repentance, and redemption, we are enslaved by the sin that promised us freedom, and the evil desire that led us astray slays us.

James includes the cycle to help us know where to, as Barney Fife would say, "Nip it in the bud." Because sin is so sneaky and slippery, the Bible continues to warn us not to let down our guards. We are on the battlefield the enemy has surrounded us, from the outside and on the inside. We cannot allow ourselves to drift into spiritual slumber or we will find ourselves a prisoner of war. We can overcome temptation, but not in our strength. James urges his readers to draw near to God in order to defeat the enemy (see James 4:7-8). When you are tempted, remember our brother, Jesus Christ, who was in way tempted as we, but who sinned not (see Heb. 4:15). It is through his sinless sacrifice that we find forgiveness and life. Remember what Charitie Bancroft wrote in the song "Before the Throne of God Above,"

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.