The New Testament Warning Many Christians Have Never Learned
The Jews who argued with Jesus, resisted Him, and ultimately had Him crucified represent the religiously minded flesh of human beings who seek to serve the true God in a faulty way. They were truly of God’s people but Jesus said they were spiritually lost (Matt 15:24).
The four gospels record many believing Jews and particularly the faith leaders had big problems with Jesus. The core reason why they did is something Christians should learn from because Christians have shown they are overwhelmingly susceptible to tendencies like in kind to those of the Jews.
To some, the statement that Christians can practice the faith according to their flesh like the Jews did will be self evident. Further along in the article will be scriptural proof that Christians may act from their flesh or spirit or be mixed and not know it. This article will focus first on the Jews who served God with their flesh. The New Testament says a Christian is a “new creation” who can serve God with either flesh, which is warned against, or the spirit which is the only way the New Testament encourages.
[Apostle Paul writing] Romans 1 – For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
More will be explained further, but let’s focus first on the Jews who resisted Jesus and what the New Testament says about them. The Jews who resisted Christ, although acknowledged as members of God’s people, were bound in the spirit of their minds. They comprehended and served God with their fallen minds, not their spirits. They did not have born again spirits and “rivers of living water” from which to flow out from.
[Jesus speaking] John 7 – 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. …
[Jesus speaking] John 6 – 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
The Jews who resisted Jesus were not spiritually alive. Jesus said they were spiritually dead (Mt 8:22) but they did not know their true state. They were of the earth, fallible, spiritually handicapped, and from their polluted well flowed all manner of errors, sin and iniquity. The gospels show they were spiritually dishonest, deceived, and their hearts were wrong even while they clamored for their teachings and understandings they had derived from reading the Scriptures. They followed mentally held understandings and were so indoctrinated in human-originated interpretations of God’s words that Jesus did not pass their tests for being the Messiah.
In the process, they performed countless sins against God while professing to be in His service and defending the way of God as they perceived it. They were hypocritical, bore false witness, dishonest in argumentation and not interested in pure truth discovery. They were spiritually dull, and unable to get on the same wavelength as Jesus or understand what those of a soft heart who heard Jesus could understand. They were biased and had personal self-serving motives in following God that they were often not aware of. Or, if they were aware of their self-serving motives, they were not bothered by them. Their consciences were malfunctioning yet they could start fights over matters of conscience.
They could be passionate, morally outraged, and go through all the motions of standing for a theological way they thought was true, but which was false and causing them to oppose Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Ultimately Jesus said they were acting as tools and mouthpieces for Satan while they argued with God to His face over the truth and things of God.
Their fatal shortcoming was they understood and attempted to serve God with their fallen, separated-from-God minds as the source of-their thoughts and actions toward God, and not a living spirit.
The religious flesh is defined as when the natural, fallen person utilizes his/her mind, will, and emotions – along with biases, limited critical thinking or reasoning skills, etc. – to serve God.
Serving God is defined as when one seeks to do anything for God – preach, pray, do good works, refrain from doing bad works, or simply declare one’s self a follower of Christ however you define it, and whatever you do or do not do. It of course also includes seeking to learn of God, understand the Bible, sermons, and teachings.
Below is a list of undesirable character traits of the fleshly caricature of holiness that the Jews who resisted Jesus demonstrated. It is not an all-inclusive list, but it does name most major flaws the Jews of the flesh demonstrated before Jesus. With very little elaboration, these listed traits are bad fruits of human beings who seek to serve the true God with only their natural fallen fleshly mind – and this is a warning to those who would follow Christ – as will be shown following this list.
Traits of Religious Flesh
Those who seek to follow the true God (by the flesh) adhere to the faith not for the love of God but to avoid punishment of eternal damnation (or other judgments short of that).
Matthew 3 – 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
They have not the love of God in them.
John 5 – 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.
They do not know the voice of God.
John 5 – 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.
They do not have the living Word abiding in them.
John 5 – 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
They place their confidence for acceptance by God in their scriptural interpretations.
John 5 – 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
They are not willing to “come to” Jesus (God) in spirit and truth.
John 5 – 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
They validate and approve or disapprove of one another irrespective of God.
John 5 – 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
They do not really believe God regardless how much they study, preach and discuss His words.
John 5 – 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
They do not really want to do the will of God.
John 7 – 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own.
When they preach from themselves, they seek their own glory even if they go through the motions of calling for glory to God.
John 7 – 8 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.
This characteristic of speaking from one’s own self – and not a river of living waters – is of Satan.
John 8 – 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
They do not exercise righteous judgment.
John 7 – 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
They judge according to the flesh.
John 8 – 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
They do not know God.
John 8 – 9 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
John 8 – 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.
They are of this fallen world, not the kingdom of God.
John 8 – 23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
They are slaves of sin who will not abide in the house forever.
John 8 – 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
They are willing to argue against, defame, denounce, and even destroy someone whose theology offends theirs – even those who speak God’s truth. God’s living word has no place in them.
John 8 – 37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.
John 8 – 58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Their theological outlook and opinions are derived from their father Satan. (See also 1 Tim 4:1).
John 8 – 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.41 You do the deeds of your father.”
John 8 – 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
They are spiritually undiscerning, blind.
John 8 – 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
They can blaspheme the Holy Spirit in others accusing they work by Satan.
Matthew 12 – Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
Although they are evil, they can speak of the good things of God.
Matthew 12 – 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
They look for signs. They are feeling around in their darkness; not walking with God.
Matthew 12 – 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
They are bad leaven.
Matthew 16 – 11 How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Luke 12 – 12 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
They are lovers of money more than God.
Luke 16 – 14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
They can be legalistic, blind, undiscerning, arguing among themselves.
John 9 – 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
Mark 2 – 23 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”
They can be crafty and debate just to try and win, prove an argument, or prove another false even if he is true.
Matthew 22 – 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.
They can elevate human tradition above the law of God.
Mark 7 – 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
They emphasize their authority and demand it be followed but are unqualified even still.
Matthew 23 – Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
They are hypocrites.
Matthew 23 – 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
They seek (and are motivated by) social recognition and status in their ostensible service to God.
Matthew 23 – 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’
(See also Matthew 6:1-7; 16-18)
They want to take the place of God as spiritual authorities.
Matthew 23 – 8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
They bar the way to God’s kingdom while posing as those who preach it. They will not enter the kingdom of God and keep others from entering.
Matthew 23 – 13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
John 12 – 42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
They are money motivated and may have no shame even to rob widows of their money on a pretense – saying it is in the service of God and giving the widow hope she does a good deed before she dies.
Matthew 23 – 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
They can be motivated to win converts but then distort the person into a disciple of man and not Christ – to their own image and not the image of Christ.
Matthew 23 – 15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
They are blind guides.
Matthew 23 – 16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
They have unjust balances; poor and twisted discretion and judgment.
Matthew 23 – 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
They make themselves look spiritually clean, pious, acceptable, even admirable – but inwardly they are full of corruption and sin. Often they can be unaware of the depths of their depravity or in denial about it or saying they have valid excuses for it.
Matthew 23 – 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
They are hell-bound false ones; of the spirit of those who persecute God’s true people.
Matthew 23 – 33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,
They can never create unity of the Spirit in God (See: Eph 4:4; 13-16 as pertains to Christians).
Matthew 23 – 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
They are divided over theologies and straining to grasp ethereal and abstract unseen things of God with their minds and are not taught by God.
Acts 23 – 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. 8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection—and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both. 9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.”
A Warning to Christians
Really, the Jews had a greater excuse for acting out from the flesh than those who claim to follow Christ. Christians by the new birth are offered a new, made-alive spirit united with the Holy Spirit, but competing with the spirit is the natural mind one was born with.
Being spiritual is not automatic. The default nature of humans is the flesh, and being truly spiritual is a higher state experienced by living faith. The religious flesh of humans – Old Testament Jew or New Testament believer in Christ – is well able to mimic righteousness and spirituality as the God of the Bible defines these, but is fatally flawed. The Jews showed us that in all their clashes and confrontations with Jesus. They are the negative example to Christians of what not to do, and what to stand guard against.
The New Testament indicates Christians, even born again, have their fleshly nature co-existing inside of them along with the new made-alive Spirit.
[Paul writing to Christians] Ephesians 4 – 17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; …
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
The above verses from Ephesians 4 are just a few of numerous New Testament writings showing that one may be born again, a new creation, and yet “walk” according to the flesh – “in the futility of their mind” just as the unbelievers do. They are told not to walk as the “old man” and to “put on” the “new man” which is the same as walking according to the Spirit (Rom 8, Gal 5).
Paul addresses those who may put on a new man “created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” That is a description of Christians. God will only tell true Christians to “put off” the “old man,” and “put on” the “new man.” He does not tell non-Christians this because it is impossible for them as they have no “new man” to put on. So again, this is a word to true Christians and offers a sobering warning. Paul admonishes with what is effectively a commandment to any and all who would call themselves Christian. He says do not walk as the unbelievers do – lest many unwanted consequences follow (Gal 5:19-21; Rom 8:5-8, 12-14).
As shown in a prior article, Jesus warned in the gospels of many who would fall short, or fail to enter into the true faith which calls for living in a state of being the Bible calls “walking according to the Spirit” (Rom 8:1-forward, Gal 5:16, forward).
[Jesus speaking]: Luke 13 – And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
Jesus said the test of whether a person is spiritual is fruit (Mt 7:15-20). Fruit of the Spirit goes beyond the classic list Paul gave in his Galatian epistle.
Galatians 5 – 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Fruit of the Spirit is the outworking of the Holy Spirit united with a submitted, surrendered Christian. Other fruit God called for, includes knowing the voice of Jesus, ability to identify and avoid false voices (Jn 10:4-5), and ability to unite and not divide the body. And adding dimension to “love” – this love is loving God above all things and seeking holiness, purity, deliverance from sin. The fruit of the Spirit that God says is the earmark of authentic followers of Christ is the fruit of Christ living His life though you (John 14:15-24; 15:17; 17:11, 20-23; Gal 2:20).
The flesh may think it is the spirit
The flesh is the great imitator of the real. It is a parrot. It play acts. It can do so not ever realizing it is doing it so a person may assume they are faithfully walking in God when they are really not walking as Jesus walked (1 Jn 2:6). In short, the flesh may presume it is serving God. It is an insidious problem the Jews’ catastrophic errors were supposed to be a warning against. But many who have sought to follow Jesus Christ the past 1900+ years never learned.
Many have sought to join the Christian faith in their flesh, motivated by fleshly reasons. The flesh serves self. The Spirit serves Christ.
Many through the Christian age have been fleshly Christians which may demonstrate some or many or all of the following characteristics of the Jews who resisted Jesus. These traits may be obvious or subtly present in a believer in Christ. They may be found in any combination or admixture in a person who lives according to the flesh but struggles or strives to walk in the Spirit.
