Jesus Christ is come in the flesh = God?

[Gatekeeper]

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.


I write this post with a heavy heart, as it seems that many think the above scripture is suggesting that Jesus is God and that one MUST believe this to be "saved".


Here's an example of the zeal that at least one person has about this: Jesus Christ is God! Period! And you are an antichrist if you deny it! That's what scripture said. If you do not like it. Your problem. But consider to repent and embrace Gods salvation plan in Christ.



I appeal to all who may have such an understanding with the following post:


The term flesh as used in the above scripture is (sarx). It not only implies the tissue that covers us, but also our human nature, which is prone to temptation and sin. Jesus was both the son of God and the son of man. He was both from above (heavenly) and from below (worldly). This thought is echoed throughout the scriptures, that he suffered temptation, but also that he was made perfect through suffering by overcoming his human nature. He came in the flesh, and was like us in every respect. He was prone to temptation and sin just like us, yet he overcame, just as we can overcome.


So many place Jesus as God, suggesting it impossible for us to become as he was. The entire point of that particular scripture is to show Jesus' humanity, that he overcame despite being prone to sin. Trinitarians make living the life Jesus lived impossible by making Jesus God, but our lives are to mirror Jesus' own. We are to follow him in heart and in deed. Jesus came into the world as we do, able to be tempted, prone to sin, yet he overcame by the power of God in him. Keep reading 1 John 4 and it will clue you in on how Jesus accomplished what he accomplished. The Spirit of the anti-Christ is the spirit of doubt that we can be as Jesus was (A living sacrifice) through the power of God in us.


Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error - Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him (live as he lived).


Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to bring us to a state of peace] [concerning] our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.


And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.


This scripture is about believing in the power of God in us to make us acceptable in his sight, that we (like Jesus) may present ourselves as living sacrifices unto God. Jesus showed us what it takes: He was the way, the truth, and the life and we too become the way, the truth, and the life by yielding to God as love. We are the body of Christ after all!


All those who think they can't be like Jesus, that it is impossible, well ... I can't never could do nothing could he? But, I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me (this includes overcoming sin nature by the power of God in us). That's what this chapter is about. It's about a man who by the love of God overcame temptation, who denied himself, that he might fulfill the will of his Father.


It is the story of mankind. It is the story of us!

 

[radarmark]

“There is something in (our) inmost being that can be kindled and struck into flame by God, and as we feed the flame with our lives, we become revealing places for God, a flame of God’s life.” The light from this flame is both the Inner Light, or, “that of God in everyone,” as Quakers are so fond of saying, and the light that Jesus tells us to shine before others so they might see our good works and give glory to our God in heaven. “The inner light,”“ the light within,” the inward Christ,” “the spirit of Christ within,”are all ways of describing God’s free Spirit in immediate relationship with the heart of every human being, as well as the actions that proceed from it. “For no one after lighting a lamp, puts it under the bushel basket.”​

The words in quotes are from the Quaker 20th century mystic, Rufus Jones. The Christology of the Religious Society of Friends is "a little different". By in large Christ Jesus is seen as Divine in the fact that He lives on... proof of the power of G!d. It is for us to emulate Him, listen to His voice, and Witness His word.​

The Kingdom of G!d is here and now, just as the Parousia never stopped. Christ Jesus is the Divine gift allowing us to become Divine ourselves.​

 

[Princely]

So many place Jesus as God, suggesting it impossible for us to become as he was.

Yes. That is why He said;" I have given you an example. What I have done that is what you must do. As the Father sent me that is how I send you.The man who wants to come to me will hear my words and put them into practice."

Jesus came to spread the word of God.
Here is an example of what needs to be done.

The Lord says this;

"They shall be my people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice.
These then are the things you should do: Speak the truth to one another; let there be honesty and peace be in the judgments at your gates.

I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk in his name.

They shall call upon my name, and I will hear them. I will say, "They are my people," and they shall say, "The Lord is my God."

The Lord shall become king over the whole earth; on that day the Lord shall be the only one, and his name the only one.

For a great King am I, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations".

Truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.
Truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. Flesh makes flesh, spirit makes spirit. Do not be surprised that I tell you, you must all be born from above.

If only you recognized Gods gift, and who it is that’s speaking to you, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. Anyone who drinks the water I give him will never become thirsty the water I give him shall be like a well inside him rising up to provide eternal life.

The work of God is this , having faith in the One he sent.

I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Everything that the Lord gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.

My teaching is not my own it comes from the one who sent me.
Whoever chooses to do his will shall know about this teaching namely, whether it comes from God or whether I‘m speaking on my own.

When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I only say what the Lord has taught me.
For the one who sent me is with me. He has not deserted me, because I always do what pleases him.

The world must know that I love the Father and that I do just as the Father has commanded me.

I do nothing on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I’m not seeking my own will but the will of the one who sent me.

The Lord who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.
And since I know that his commandment means eternal life, what I say is spoken just as He instructed me.

End of example.

 

[radarmark]

I am sooooooooooooo glad the rest of you do not share Princely's ideology.

 

[Lunitik]

Jesus came to spread the word of God.

"Do not think I have come to destroy the law, I have come to fulfill it"

He is not against the law, it had its place, but now it is finished - this is why he comes.

What does he replace it with? He says to "love God with all your heart and all your soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself". His work is to spread compassion, he goes on saying he has performed no miracle, that it is the father working through him. It says God animates him, nothing he does is his own.

He describes enlightenment, but he goes on saying it is not him. The Bible instructs us to give up free will and do the will of God, it is the same thing. You are not enlightened because you desire to copy Jesus, you do not have authority of your own. Jesus says all that accept the Holy Spirit are Christ's, are Son's of God. Instead, you only present through the words of Jesus, you should be able to talk without discussing Jesus if it is your reality, but it is not.

Speak on growing in love, speak on how to attain to the body of Christ, but you merely throw scriptures at everyone. Do you think the Bible contains all Jesus has said and done for the entire 3 years of his ministry? In total it is not more than a days activity which is dicussed, but you are living your life by just that.

Love exuberantly, because love is all there is - God is all there is, and God is love. You are not showing love, you are showing fanaticism.

 

[Lunitik]

Of course, much about the Apostles is discussed after, and Peter rambles much about his beliefs about Jesus - 1 Romans is proof enough that he is not enlightened though, just read about dying when sin is committed and returning when he is done with it, the man is an idiot, but Jesus himself is beautiful.

It is interesting that only two entities are called a rock in the entire Bible... they are Peter and the Devil. This is certainly no compliment, think of the Lilly scene, the flower is the exact opposite of a rock - it is subtle, vulnerable; the rock is hard, protected. Peter has come as a Mithraic Priest, he has been against Jesus at first, but he has never let go of Mithra. Jesus has been lost, his work to replace law with love has failed because of this rock, all sorts of nonsense has come because of understanding Jesus through Mithra.

 

[Princely]

"Do not think I have come to destroy the law, I have come to fulfill it"

He is not against the law, it had its place, but now it is finished - this is why he comes.

What does he replace it with? He says to "love God with all your heart and all your soul, and to love your neighbor as yourself". His work is to spread compassion, he goes on saying he has performed no miracle, that it is the father working through him. It says God animates him, nothing he does is his own.

He describes enlightenment, but he goes on saying it is not him. The Bible instructs us to give up free will and do the will of God, it is the same thing. You are not enlightened because you desire to copy Jesus, you do not have authority of your own. Jesus says all that accept the Holy Spirit are Christ's, are Son's of God. Instead, you only present through the words of Jesus, you should be able to talk without discussing Jesus if it is your reality, but it is not.

Speak on growing in love, speak on how to attain to the body of Christ, but you merely throw scriptures at everyone. Do you think the Bible contains all Jesus has said and done for the entire 3 years of his ministry? In total it is not more than a days activity which is dicussed, but you are living your life by just that.

Love exuberantly, because love is all there is - God is all there is, and God is love. You are not showing love, you are showing fanaticism.

No you are not showing love,you think of love in a human way but Gods love is different that is why scripture says "Love is what I want not sacrifice,knowledge of God not holocaust."
God is not just love but wise, understanding, merciful, truthful, spirit, life, righteousness, power and more.

You base your beliefs on only on a few verses but I know all the scriptures of the Lord and have been taught by God because I do what Jesus commanded.You refuse his commandments so He will not reveal himself(the truth and the word of God) to you.

It isn't only what Jesus said that you must spread but all the words of the Lord that are quoted by the prophets in the OT.

"Man does not live by bread alone but by every word from the mouth of God".

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, I too will love him and reveal myself to him."

That is why Jesus and I say judge justly.But you cannot understand these words because you do not want to come to me to possess the wisdom of the Lord and his love.That is why scripture says as I do; "No one can come to me unless the Lord who sent me draws him".

If you knew me you would know the Lord also. Anyone who has seen me sees the Lord who sent me.I am the truth. If you know me you know Gods word and keep it.If you see me you have understanding and walk in the light.Whoever rejects me walks in the dark and seeks his own glory.

 

[Hermes]

obviously this is false. there is no bible verse where it states, UNEQUIVOCALLY that Jesus was god exclusively. If there is any hint of divinity in man, and in jesus that has to apply to all of us. and in fact, Namaste - I see the g-d in you....

P.S. quote me a Bible verse and I will refute it! Most of it is conjecture and twisted explanation by someone who WANTS to see it that way....

 

[radarmark]

ah, you see, Hermes, you have just challenged G!d and Jesus as well as Princely. solipsism (the belief that the world is how you see it, by definition) may be laughable, may be false. But it is not falsifiable, good luck!

 

[Hermes]

I do read the bible and try to get the true meaning of things, if you read the bible with an open mind and some philosophical training you'd soon realize that Jesus was a truly remarkable Teacher who preached that anyone can do as he did. That is the most illuminating essence of the good book. It is everybody's birthright. Then what happened(?) a bunch of charlatans STOLE the whole teaching and hijacked the true message. When you actually accept and see this then you are born again. This too was twisted and perverted to what it is today's organized religions became - a tax free business, selling g-d as a sack of potaTOES..

ah, you see, Hermes, you have just challenged G!d and Jesus as well as Princely. solipsism (the belief that the world is how you see it, by definition) may be laughable, may be false. But it is not falsifiable, good luck!

 

[Princely]

ah, you see, Hermes, you have just challenged G!d and Jesus as well as Princely. solipsism (the belief that the world is how you see it, by definition) may be laughable, may be false. But it is not falsifiable, good luck!

It looks as though you cannot back up your views with scripture so the Lord has shown He gives the wisdom to those who serve Him and walk in the light.

 

[Hermes]

Seriously, can you back up any of your assertions with anything other than far fetched, conjectural innuendos. WHERE IN THE BIBLE THAT UNEQUIVOCALLY states or even alludes that Jesus, alone IS God? Give me your best shot, please....
It seems than the burden on proof is on you as I state that something it isn't (and may be considered even blasphemous by some) and it is you are who seemingly reading all sorts of nonsense into a book. We read and interpret it a way we see it, it is(BIBLE) esoteric and in places, makes no sense at all (old testament especially)...

It looks as though you cannot back up your views with scripture so the Lord has shown He gives the wisdom to those who serve Him and walk in the light.

 

[wil]

Matthew 1:23 - “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 43:10,11 - “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.”
Revelation 1:17-18; Revelation 2:8 - (Jesus is the First and the Last)

Isaiah 44:6 - (God is the Redeemer)
2 Peter 1:1 (Jesus is the Redeemer) - “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ”

Isaiah 44:24 - (God created the world by His self alone)
John 1:3; Colossians 1:16 - (Jesus made all things)

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... 1:14</B> - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

John 5:17,18 - “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” Therefore the Jews sought to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

John 5:23 - that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 8:24 - “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM He, you will die in your sins.”

John 8:58 - Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

John 10:30-33 - Jesus answered them, “I and My Father are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

John 14:6-7 - Jesus said to him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:9-11 - Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?”

John 20:28 - And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Acts 4:12 - “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 20:28 - (God purchased us with His own blood)
Revelation 1:5,6; Revelation 5:8-9 - (Jesus' blood purchased us)

Philippians 2:5-7 - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men.

1 Timothy 3:16 - And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Titus 2:13 - looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ

Hebrews 1:8,9 - But to the Son He (God) says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

2 John 1:7 - For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Revelation 1:8 - “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 22:13 - “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”... 22:16 - “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.”

 

[Hermes]

wil,
The statement "I and my Father are one" is just an esoteric way of confirming non-duality. In fact the statement implies that Jesus is saying he is NOT GOD because there is the FATHER.
All of the other quotes are conjectures and in fact allude to the divinity in ALL men,
" And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh.."

I AM the Alpha and the Omega is a good one but by no means saying that Jesus=God. It is reference of the cyclical nature of things and how prophets are periodically come and then they are replaced by another and an another. Jesus was perhaps the last one before we recycle humanity once again.....
Good effort but not convincing....Try harder....

 

[Gatekeeper]

Matthew 1:23 - “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 43:10,11 - “You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.”
Revelation 1:17-18; Revelation 2:8 - (Jesus is the First and the Last)

Isaiah 44:6 - (God is the Redeemer)
2 Peter 1:1 (Jesus is the Redeemer) - “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ”

Isaiah 44:24 - (God created the world by His self alone)
John 1:3; Colossians 1:16 - (Jesus made all things)

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... 1:14</B> - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

John 5:17,18 - “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” Therefore the Jews sought to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

John 5:23 - that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

John 8:24 - “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM He, you will die in your sins.”

John 8:58 - Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

John 10:30-33 - Jesus answered them, “I and My Father are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

John 14:6-7 - Jesus said to him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:9-11 - Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?”

John 20:28 - And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Acts 4:12 - “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 20:28 - (God purchased us with His own blood)
Revelation 1:5,6; Revelation 5:8-9 - (Jesus' blood purchased us)

Philippians 2:5-7 - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant, and coming in the likeness of men.

1 Timothy 3:16 - And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

Titus 2:13 - looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ

Hebrews 1:8,9 - But to the Son He (God) says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

2 John 1:7 - For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Revelation 1:8 - “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 22:13 - “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”... 22:16 - “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.”

Love redeems .... Jesus embodied the fullness of God. God is said to be love, just as the Word (logos) was said to be God. Love and Word are probably more akin to descriptors than actualities. For instance one might read John 1 like this: "In the beginning was love, and love was with God and love was God. All things were made through love, and without love was not anything made that was made. In love was life and the life was the light of men."


Love more or less defines God, as it is the Spirit behind God. Love is the Spirit of life, and Jesus embodied this Spirit fully, which is why he said he was the way, the truth, and the life. When we act on love, we are acting on behalf of God. We become as Jesus was when we surrender to God's Spirit, and yield to God's will. We ourselves become "Emanuel" by being filled with the fullness of God.


I think the story of Jesus is about a man who by the love of God overcame temptation, who denied his self will that he might fulfill the will of our creator. It is the story of mankind. It is the story of us. The beauty of it all is that what one man can do another can do, and Jesus led the way. You have to believe it to achieve it, and I for one believe. If Jesus is God then wouldn't it be impossible for us to live as he lived? However, if Jesus was a man, then we too can overcome just as he overcame.

 

[wil]

All of the other quotes are conjectures and in fact allude to the divinity in ALL men,
" And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh.."

Good effort but not convincing....Try harder....

You offer too much credit, google, cut, paste, no effort, none required as you answered it.

If you believe as I do, that the bible alludes throughout the divinity of all men, then why would you deny the divinity of Jesus?

 

[Hermes]

I do not. I am saying he was NOT exclusive god incarnate. That whole idea of "god incarnate" has been refuted and rebutted time after time....it makes no sense and the Bible and no sources can say it convincingly. It is an effort to twist and massage the Bible into an ill conceived world view. He might be the Lord and the Teacher but God? That is blasphemous.

You offer too much credit, google, cut, paste, no effort, none required as you answered it.

If you believe as I do, that the bible alludes throughout the divinity of all men, then why would you deny the divinity of Jesus?

 

[Princely]

Seriously, can you back up any of your assertions with anything other than far fetched, conjectural innuendos. WHERE IN THE BIBLE THAT UNEQUIVOCALLY states or even alludes that Jesus, alone IS God? Give me your best shot, please....
It seems than the burden on proof is on you as I state that something it isn't (and may be considered even blasphemous by some) and it is you are who seemingly reading all sorts of nonsense into a book. We read and interpret it a way we see it, it is(BIBLE) esoteric and in places, makes no sense at all (old testament especially)...

I never said that. I was giving the post to Radarmark.

 

[Thomas]

The term flesh as used in the above scripture is (sarx). It not only implies the tissue that covers us, but also our human nature, which is prone to temptation and sin.

Sorry Gatekeeper, but I think you've mixed up your terms here. The Greek term sarx refers to the flesh only.

The New Testament term used when implying the whole person is soma.

As the text does not use soma however, but sarx, which does mean the flesh, you've jumped to an erroneous conclusion.

God bless,

Thomas

 

[Gatekeeper]

Sorry Gatekeeper, but I think you've mixed up your terms here. The Greek term sarx refers to the flesh only.

The New Testament term used when implying the whole person is soma.

As the text does not use soma however, but sarx, which does mean the flesh, you've jumped to an erroneous conclusion.

God bless,

Thomas

σάρξ
sarx
sarx
Probably from the base of G4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), that is, (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred, or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specifically) a human being (as such): - carnal (-ly, + -ly minded), flesh ([-ly]).


Maybe I'm reading it wrong