In studying Scripture there are two words that often cause confusion. They are body (Gr.soma) and flesh (Gr.sarx). The flesh is most often referred to as human nature, or that which is external as opposed to soul or spirit.
We are tri-partite or three-part beings, spirit, soul, and body (1Thess.5:23). When one is born again it is his spirit that is born again ( John 3:6). The soul is predominately left unchanged at that moment. The Spirit of God comes to indwell the person’s spirit (Rom.8:9, 1 Cor.12:13). The soul (mind, will, and emotions) needs to be continually changed to reflect the reality that is now within the spirit (Rom.12:1-2, Eph.4:23). In the meantime, those areas of our life that as of now have not been changed are known as the flesh. Gal.5:19-21 says, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” These are the types of things that the flesh will produce until the mind is renewed by the Word of God, the will is committed to the Lordship of Christ, and the emotions are harnassed.
Notice the following:
Gal.2:16 “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”
Gal.2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Gal.5:13 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Gal.5:16 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Gal.5:24 “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
Gal.6:8 “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
Every person who is born again has a perfect standing before God, yet, none of us are without some flesh remaining in our life. The saints of old still had some flesh in their life though greatly used by God (Moses, Abraham, Paul).
We should consider ourselves dead to sin (Rom.6:6-11) and we should consider our flesh crucified with Christ also (Gal.5:24). As we do that, we will have fewer areas that satan can exploit since he walks about seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet.5:8).