Answers In Bible

Tag: Romans 8

  • What Is “The Flesh” in the Bible?

    What Is “The Flesh” in the Bible?

    The Bible uses the word “flesh” in more than one way, and knowing which sense is meant changes how a passage should be read. Sometimes flesh simply means a human body made of skin and bone. Other times it points to something deeper: a pull toward sin that lives inside every person, working against the Spirit of God. Here’s what scripture actually says about both meanings, and why the difference matters.

    What Does “Flesh” Mean in the Bible?

    The Hebrew word basar and the Greek word sarx are both translated “flesh” throughout the Old and New Testaments, and both carry a range of meaning depending on context. Sometimes flesh is completely neutral, referring to physical bodies, meat, or humanity in general (Genesis 6:12, Isaiah 40:5). In the New Testament, especially in Paul’s letters, flesh often takes on a second, more specific meaning: the fallen, self-centered part of human nature that resists God and craves sin. Reading “flesh” correctly means asking which sense a passage intends before drawing a conclusion from it.

    The Flesh as the Physical Body

    The most straightforward use of “flesh” in the Bible is simply physical, bodily existence. John 1:14 uses it this way to describe the incarnation, the moment God the Son took on a real human body: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” This sense of flesh is not sinful or negative on its own. It is simply what it means to be human, made of flesh and blood like everyone else, and it is the very thing Jesus took on in order to live, die, and rise again for humanity’s sake.

    The Flesh as the Sinful Nature at War With the Spirit

    Paul’s letters use “flesh” a second way, describing an inner pull toward sin that opposes the work of God’s Spirit in a believer’s life. Galatians 5:17 puts it directly: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Romans 8:5 describes the same conflict as a matter of mindset: “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.” Paul goes on to list concrete examples of what living according to the flesh looks like, including sexual sin, idolatry, hatred, strife, envy, and drunkenness (Galatians 5:19-21), not as an exhaustive list but as a picture of self-centered living left unchecked. Even the apostle Paul admitted the pull was real in his own life, writing in Romans 7:18 that “in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.”

    Walking in the Spirit Instead of the Flesh

    Scripture doesn’t leave the flesh’s pull unanswered. Galatians 5:22-23 describes the opposite of the flesh’s works as “the fruit of the Spirit,” a very different list: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Paul frames the Christian life as an ongoing choice to walk by the Spirit rather than give in to the flesh’s demands (Galatians 5:16), a daily posture of dependence on God rather than a one-time fix. This is the same tension explored in What Are the Fruits of the Spirit? and Common Questions About the Holy Spirit, both of which look at how the Spirit works in a believer’s daily life.

    Key Bible Verses

    Galatians 5:16-17
    “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

    Romans 8:5
    “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.”

    John 1:14
    “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is “the flesh” the same thing as the physical body?

    Sometimes, but not always. The Bible uses “flesh” both ways, so context matters. When Paul warns against living “according to the flesh,” he means the sinful pull inside a person, not the body itself. Having a physical body is not sinful; scripture even describes Jesus taking on flesh (John 1:14) without taking on sin.

    Can a Christian ever fully escape the flesh’s pull in this life?

    Scripture describes this as an ongoing struggle rather than something resolved once and for all. Even Paul described the fight in his own life (Romans 7:18). The consistent answer across the New Testament is not perfection but daily dependence on the Spirit, one day and one choice at a time.

    Related Bible Topics

    What Are the Fruits of the Spirit? | Common Questions About the Holy Spirit | What Is the Gift of Tongues in the Bible?

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  • Common Questions About the Holy Spirit

    Common Questions About the Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit is one of the most asked-about subjects in all of Scripture, and the questions people bring are wonderfully honest ones. Who is the Holy Spirit? What does He actually do? How can I recognize His work in my life? The Bible has a great deal to say in answer, and this article walks through the most common questions people ask, letting Scripture speak for itself.

    Who Is the Holy Spirit?

    Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit is presented as the very presence and power of God at work in the world. He appears in the Bible’s second verse, moving over the waters at creation (Genesis 1:2), and He is there on its final page, extending an invitation to “come” (Revelation 22:17). In the King James Version you will often see Him called the “Holy Ghost,” an older English way of saying the same thing.

    Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit in strikingly personal terms. He called Him “the Comforter” and “the Spirit of truth,” and promised His followers that the Spirit would be with them after He returned to the Father (John 14:16-17). The Spirit teaches, guides, comforts, and can even be grieved (Ephesians 4:30), which is language the Bible uses for a person, not an impersonal force.

    What Does the Holy Spirit Do?

    Scripture describes the Holy Spirit’s work in several distinct ways. He teaches and reminds believers of what Jesus said (John 14:26). He guides people into truth: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13 KJV). He gives power for living out and sharing the faith (Acts 1:8). And He helps people pray, even when words fail (Romans 8:26).

    The Bible also says the Spirit convicts the world concerning sin and righteousness (John 16:8), and that He comforts God’s people in hardship. If you have ever felt drawn to seek God, encouraged by a verse at just the right moment, or helped in a prayer you could not put into words, those are the kinds of work Scripture attributes to the Holy Spirit.

    What About the Gifts and the Fruit of the Spirit?

    The Bible speaks of both gifts of the Spirit and fruit of the Spirit, and they are not the same thing. Spiritual gifts, described in passages like 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, are abilities given for serving others, such as teaching, encouragement, giving, and more. Sincere Christians hold different views on whether certain gifts, like tongues and prophecy, continue today, and faithful believers land on both sides of that question. You can read more in our page on the gift of tongues, which presents those views side by side.

    The fruit of the Spirit, by contrast, is the character the Spirit grows in every believer: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV). Gifts differ from person to person, but the fruit is meant for all.

    Key Bible Verses

    “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26 KJV)

    “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 KJV)

    “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26 KJV)

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is the Holy Spirit God?

    Christians across nearly every tradition have historically answered yes. In Acts 5:3-4, lying to the Holy Spirit is described as lying to God, and the Spirit is named alongside the Father and the Son in passages like Matthew 28:19. The historic Christian teaching is that the Holy Spirit is fully God, together with the Father and the Son.

    What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

    Jesus said, “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men” (Matthew 12:31 KJV). Sincere Bible teachers explain this differently, but many understand it as a settled, final rejection of the Spirit’s witness to Jesus rather than a single careless word. Many pastors also note that a person who is worried they have committed it is showing the very sensitivity to God that suggests they have not.

    Related Bible Topics

    Keep exploring what the Bible says with these related pages: What Is the Gift of Tongues in the Bible?, What Are the Fruits of the Spirit?, and Where Did Jesus Go When He Died?

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  • Good Bible Chapters to Start Reading

    Good Bible Chapters to Start Reading

    If you want to start reading the Bible but don’t know where to begin, you’re not alone — and the good news is there’s no wrong door in. Some chapters are simply a gentler on-ramp than others, whether you’re brand new to scripture or you just need a fresh place to land. Here are a few good starting points, and why each one works.

    Why Where You Start Matters

    The Bible is 66 books written over roughly 1,500 years, so opening to a random page can land you in a genealogy, a battle account, or a detailed temple blueprint before you’ve had a chance to get your footing. That’s not a flaw in the Bible — it’s just not built to be read cover to cover like a novel. Starting in a chapter that’s clear, self-contained, and speaks directly to real life gives you something to hold onto before you branch out further.

    Good Chapters If You’re New to the Bible

    John 1 introduces Jesus as “the Word” who “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14), and it does so in short, memorable lines rather than dense narrative. It’s a natural front door to the New Testament. Genesis 1 is the other natural starting point — the account of creation, told in a clear, repeating rhythm (“and God saw that it was good”) that’s easy to follow even on a first read. Psalm 23 rounds this list out: six short verses about God as a shepherd, simple enough to read in under a minute and rich enough to sit with for a lifetime.

    Good Chapters for Encouragement

    If you’re looking for something to read when life feels heavy, a few chapters consistently stand out. Romans 8 closes with the promise that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39) — one of the most quoted assurances in all of scripture. Philippians 4 offers a practical picture of peace in the middle of real anxiety, ending with “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Isaiah 40 speaks directly to weariness, with the promise that “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31).

    How to Read a Chapter Well

    You don’t need special training to get something real out of a chapter of the Bible. Read it slowly, more than once if you can. Notice what stands out, even if you can’t yet explain why. It’s fine to not understand every verse the first time through — most people who read the Bible regularly still come back to the same chapters years later and notice something new. If a question comes up as you read, that’s normal too, and it’s exactly what a resource like Ask the Bible is there for.

    Key Bible Verses

    Psalm 119:105
    “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

    John 1:14
    “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

    Romans 8:38-39
    “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do I need to read the Bible in order, starting with Genesis?

    No. Many people find it easier to start with a shorter, clearer chapter like John 1 or Psalm 23 and branch out from there, rather than reading straight through cover to cover.

    What if I don’t understand what I’m reading?

    That’s completely normal, even for people who’ve read the Bible for years. Re-reading a passage, reading it in a different translation, or asking a specific question about it are all good next steps.

    Related Bible Topics

    Questions to Ask When Reading and Studying the Bible | Encouraging Bible Verses | Listen to the Bible

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  • What Does “Once Saved, Always Saved” Mean in the Bible?

    What Does “Once Saved, Always Saved” Mean in the Bible?

    “Once saved, always saved” is one of the most debated questions among Bible-believing Christians. Sincere, scripture-loving believers land in different places on it. Here’s what the relevant passages actually say, from both sides, without picking a winner for you.

    What Does “Once Saved, Always Saved” Mean?

    “Once saved, always saved” (often called eternal security or perseverance of the saints) is the belief that a person who is genuinely saved by faith in Jesus Christ can never lose that salvation, no matter what happens afterward. The opposing view, sometimes called conditional security, holds that salvation can be forfeited through unbelief or ongoing unrepentant sin. Both views are held by Bible-believing Christians who take scripture seriously, and both draw on real passages to make their case.

    The Case for Eternal Security

    Christians who hold to eternal security point to passages like John 10:28-29, where Jesus says of His sheep, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand,” and adds that no one can snatch them from the Father’s hand either. They also point to Romans 8:38-39, where Paul lists death, life, angels, and “any other created thing” as unable to separate believers from the love of God in Christ, and to Ephesians 1:13-14, which describes the Holy Spirit as a “seal” and a “guarantee” of a believer’s future inheritance.

    The Case for Conditional Security

    Christians who hold to conditional security point to passages like Hebrews 6:4-6, which describes people who were “once enlightened” and “partakers of the Holy Spirit” who then “fall away,” and to Galatians 5:4, where Paul warns believers pursuing justification by the law that they have “fallen from grace.” They also point to 2 Peter 2:20-22, which warns that a person who escapes the world’s corruption and is later entangled by it again ends up “worse” off than before. On this view, these passages describe a real possibility, not just a hypothetical.

    Where Both Sides Agree

    Whichever view a believer holds, both sides agree on the fundamentals: salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not personal effort (Ephesians 2:8-9); genuine faith produces a changed life over time (James 2:17); and assurance of salvation is meant to be a source of confidence and peace, not anxiety. The disagreement is specifically about what happens, if anything, when someone who once professed faith later walks away from it entirely — a question scripture doesn’t answer with a single, uncontested verse.

    Key Bible Verses on Eternal Security

    John 10:28-29
    “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

    Romans 8:38-39
    “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    Hebrews 6:4-6
    “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit… if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance.”

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do all Christians believe in eternal security?

    No. This is a genuine, longstanding disagreement among Bible-believing Christians across different traditions, not a settled question. We’d encourage studying the relevant passages directly and talking with a pastor or teacher you trust.

    Is doubting my salvation the same as losing it?

    No. Scripture treats doubt and struggle as a normal part of the Christian life (see Mark 9:24, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”). Both eternal-security and conditional-security traditions distinguish between a believer wrestling with doubt and someone who has fully and finally rejected faith in Christ.

    Related Bible Topics

    How Can I Be Saved According to the Bible? | What Does the Bible Say About Sin? | What Does Faith Without Works Mean?

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  • Verse of the Day: All Things Work Together for Good

    Verse of the Day: All Things Work Together for Good

    “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NKJV)

    This is one of those verses that’s easy to quote and hard to believe in the middle of a difficult season. It’s not a promise that everything happening to you is good. It’s a promise that God is at work through it, weaving it toward something good.

    That kind of trust doesn’t come naturally when life feels chaotic or unfair. It’s a posture we grow into, verse by verse, season by season, as we watch God’s faithfulness show up again and again.

    If today feels uncertain, this verse is an invitation to hold on, even loosely, to the belief that God hasn’t lost track of your story. We’d encourage you to sit with this verse, read the fuller passage in Romans 8, and see what it stirs in you.

    If you have questions about what this verse means or how it applies to your life, our Bible Chat Bot is always available to explore scripture with you, one question at a time.