It (flesh) refers to any man standing by himself in the presence of God - this sarx (flesh) may be clearly morally corrupt, or it may be, to our human eyes, very good, as were the Pharisees, but it is still 'flesh', it is still man cut off from God, man in his rebellion and independence, standing' naked, exposed and alone in the presence of the God from whom he is severed. It includes me in my own righteousness as well as me in my obvious sinfulness. It includes me standing in God's presence thinking that my little handful of goodness, or of Christian service, might purchase for me some favour or blessing from his hand. It is me seeking to relate to God on the basis of my own performance, instead of relating to him always, only and ever in and through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. (The only person who can stand in the presence of God kata sarka (in the flesh), and not be condemned and rejected, is Jesus Christ.)
At a deeper level of understanding, this relating to God kata sarka - this effort to stand alone and merit our own access to God - is sin at its foundational and original level: it was this desire to stand alone, to be independent of God, that was the original sin in Genesis 3. When Christians, even for a moment, assume that they, by what they are or do, earn, merit or deserve their relationship with God, they are relating to God kata sarka-according to flesh, and indulging in the sin of Adam."
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