What’s the difference between "in the flesh" versus "after the flesh?"
It does matter what we do in our flesh, that is, inside our physical bodies! There is a difference in the bible between "in the flesh,” that is, in our bodies...and "after the flesh" meaning to walk carnal or religious.
God wants the “life of Christ” to be manifest in and through our flesh. God left us in our bodies so that we can serve Him! But we are not the issue, we are just his vessel, but we still need our human flesh to serve Him.
2 Corinthians 4:11, 4; 10:3
For we which live are alway [in every way] delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh
So God does use our flesh, our bodies, to perform His Will! Paul says that God made it possible by setting us free from the dominion of the sin in our flesh!
Colossians 2:11
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Paul himself said this…
Philippians 1:22, 24
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Galatians 2:20
I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Just because we still have sinful flesh, does not mean that God can not use it for His Glory. Tell your friend to re-read Romans chapters 6 and 8.
Romans 6:12-13, 19
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
These "members" are parts of our human body, our flesh! God's Word and His Spirit in us does the work! So we do walk "in the flesh,” just not "after the flesh"!
Romans 8:1, 4-5, 12-13
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
So you see that walking in the flesh is not the problem, but walking after the flesh is!
So in summation...When we get to the Judgment Seat, we will be judged on what we did in our flesh, that is our bodies...
2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!
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