This pastoral passage was originally written for LRBC for July 30th 2023

In traditional Christian thought there are three negative influences that hinder Christian discipleship. Although they are not named as a group or even in codified terminology, this triad appears regularly on the pages of the Bible.

These are known as the world, the flesh, and the devil (see e.g., Ephesians 2:1–3; James 4:1–7; 1 Peter 4:1–4; 5:8–9; 1 John 2:12–17). I was thinking on this recently and realised that the society we live in understands these things in completely different ways. Because of this, I think we can neglect to appreciate properly how these things undermine the faith we would hold and practise.

“The World” is the influence of culture (i.e., social habits, customs, assumptions, goals, and taboos) that are contrary to God’s kingdom. The society of New Zealand and the wider western culture it is part of is building its own kingdoms. It might be a kingdom based on the optimistic hope of progressive humanism, or the nostalgia of bygone times, or the single-minded determination to make money to buy things and experiences. Each of these visions work against the growth of God’s kingdom in its own way, and forms and shapes people accordingly.    

“The Flesh” is a term used at times to describe the internal personal resistance to the Christian’s new nature and the indwelling Holy Spirit. This is the ordinary-but-unnatural state of fallen human nature. As Paul wrote in Romans, “I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me (the “flesh”, as he calls it) that is at war with my mind” (7:22–23). Modern western thought disputes the idea that there is anything intrinsically wrong with human nature.

“The Devil” is the spiritual opposition to the Spirit’s work in the world and in our lives. In the purely material or physical worldview that dominates much of western society, such an idea is excluded as total nonsense.

The World, the Flesh, and the Devil are part of a Christian vocabulary that needs to be reinstated deliberately in the face of the differentness of the wider non-Christian society we live in. Each of these things work against God’s kingdom, and each shape and form us in such a way to undermine our part and place in it.

If you ignore any one of these, you won’t guard against its effects.

The basic activities of Christian faith and formation include our confession of faith, reading of Scripture, prayer, sung worship, church gathering, acts of charity.

It is worth considering how the World, the Flesh, the Devil undermine your participation and faithfulness in these things. If you don’t do these things, in what sense can you call yourself a disciple of Jesus? Work therefore to be faithful to your profession of faith!

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