No.10.--F., Eastleigh.--"What is the difference between `The old man' and `The flesh'?"

As your question indicates that you have already gone so far as to limit both

expressions to a doctrinal character, we will not take up space to discuss their primary

meanings. Your difficulty lies in the inability to clearly express just the difference which

is evidently intended in Scripture between these two terms when they are used

It may help us if we notice with what other terms they are used, and wherein these

other terms either agree or differ.

Rom. 6: 6; Eph. 4: 22; Col. 3: 9 are the references in Scripture to the "old man."

Let us look at the context of each passage.

Rom. 6: Deals with the question raised in verse 1, "Shall we continue in sin in order

that grace may abound." The apostle's answer emphasizes the fact that believers have

died to sin (2), have been baptized into his death (3, 4), and having died with Christ (8),

are to reckon themselves dead indeed unto sin. Verse 6 comes centrally with the words,

"Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, in order that the body of the sin

may be rendered inoperative, that we may no longer be enslaved to the sin." Read also

verses 12 and 14. It will be seen that the "old man" in some way signifies something

which gives power to the body of the sin, the reign of sin, and the dominion of sin. This

reign of sin was introduced by Adam's transgression (Rom. 5: 12, 14), and the "old man"

is connected with Adam and the result of his fall upon his seed.

In Eph. 4: 22 the "old man" is connected with a manner of life, and is contrasted with

the "new man" (verse 24) which has been created in "righteousness and the holiness of

the truth." Similarly in Col. 3: 9, 10 we find the old man and the new man connected

with a manner of life, and the expressions "put off" and "put on." In Col. 2: 11 you

might notice and ponder, "the putting off of the body of the flesh," in conjunction with

these verses, and "the body of sin" in Rom. 6: 6. If Rom. 6: tells us of the crucifixion

of the old man, Gal. 5: 24 tells us of the crucifixion of the flesh with its affections and

desires. This, you will observe by the argument of verse 25, compared with Col. 2: 20, is

subsequent walk than the initial act of faith. The "old man" is contrasted with the "new

man"; the flesh is nearly always contrasted with the spirit. (See Gal. 5: 17-25; 3: 3;

6: 8; John 3: 6; Rom. 8: 5, 6, 7, &100:). The flesh seems to stand for a condition of

sinfulness (Rom. 7: 5, 18; 8: 8), and to indicate the remainder of natural corruption

(Rom. 7: 18, 25). Note well such expressions and their contexts as "after the flesh,"

"according to the flesh," "in the flesh," "carnal," "carnally."

Without attempting to cramp the mind by a premature definition, the old man seems to

indicate that principle of innate corruption and sinfulness which pertains to all