… 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Those living in the flesh cannot hope to please God, yet we Christians often fall back to fleshly living, just like non-believers. The word “flesh” here obviously does not mean the physical body, for all humans have physical bodies. Commentators use words like “the spiritual Christian” versus “the carnal Christian” or “the new man” versus “the old man.” But mark it well, the war is one of faith versus unfaith.

Unbelief may be experienced in isolated episodes, like giving in to a momentary temptation. Living in the flesh also happens when a person compartmentalizes unbelief into one area of life, while carrying on with faith in the other areas of life. Or a Christian might be backsliding big time, where he walks away from all Christian living; he maintains a hidden belief while fully enjoying worldly living. Whether such a person is a Christian at all is addressed in the next verse.

One can’t help but think of the story of Adam and Eve’s first children, who brought sacrifices to God: “[T]he Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell” (Gen 4:4–5). To use Paul’s term, the Lord was pleased with Abel but not with Cain. Cain’s response of anger (Gen 4:6) belies his sacrifice as being an attempt to please himself rather than God. One would assume that if his real desire were to please God, then he would have sought to find out what would please God and then do it. The principle is that sacrifice itself does not please God, but the attitude of the one offering it.

The Jewish people felt their keeping the law and sacrifices should be enough to please God. This is true of all “religious” people. God said through the prophet, “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them” (Is 1:13–14). Why? Because they were just going through the motions; they were not doing them to please God. They were doing them in the flesh, as dry, cold rituals.

When we Christians reduce our faith to merely going through the motions, especially in an effort to offset our carnal, worldly living, the Scripture is absolutely clear. That fleshly living cannot please God. Period!

Lord, I confess my fleshly living. My desire is to live up to the high calling of Your pleasure, as a response to Your grace.