Flesh and Spirit

My friend Kevin Beck had an interesting post yesterday about the fact that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God and how this is hard to reconcile with the "resurrection of all flesh". Traditionally, we Christians have understood the word "flesh" as biological existence, and that supposedly at the end of time our "flesh" will be reconstituted for immortal life while maintaining a modicum of biological existence. In other words, we will still have flesh and blood, as we understand those terms, but will somehow possess an extraordinary ability to live forever and ever.

What's needed on this issue is a look at what Jesus meant by the terms "flesh" and "spirit", especially in his late-night conversation with Nicodemus as recorded by St. John in John 3:1-8.

Jesus said, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit". He didn't mean material, biological parents give birth to material, biological children. He also didn't mean immaterial, invisible parents give birth to immaterial, invisible children. He was pointing out that there are two kinds of people: those who believe they have God's favor because of who they are and those who believe they have God's favor because of who God is.

The term "flesh" refers to humanity in rebellion against God, making gods out of themselves and being their own saviors on their own terms. It has nothing to do with being biological. The term "spirit" refers to humanity in submission to the kingship and the will of God on God's terms. It has nothing to do with being immaterial and disembodied.

So when Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be reborn of God, it's no wonder that Nicodemus was confused thinking he had to climb back into his mother's womb. Coming from his Jewish mother's womb was why he considered himself a person born of God in the first place! But Jesus would have none of that. One must be reborn of God, that is, by water and the Spirit. There has to be another Exodus event signified by baptism into Christ. There one is born again of water and the Spirit.

Those who are in Christ are thus "spiritual". It doesn't mean that they are floating around as disembodied entities. It means that, through Christ, they have put off the "flesh" (i.e.-- the sinful nature) and have put on Christ.