Is the Old Man the Flesh?

T. A. Hegre clears up a common misconception about the "old man" and the flesh. We have so often been taught that the flesh is evil in and of itself that we cannot separate Satan's misuse of our flesh and the Lord Jesus' proper use of it. This is from the book The Cross and Sanctification:

"In the former manner of life before our renewal through the redemption of Christ, the old man directed the life, allowing the flesh to have its way, so that the whole being was largely, if not entirely, ruled by its appetites, desires, passions, and senses. Many are confused just here, thinking the flesh and the old man are the same, but they are not the same. The old man comes to an end when a person is saved, so that for the Christian, the old man is crucified, dead, and buried. On this fact we are told to reckon, count, believe.

"On the other hand, nowhere in Scripture does it say that the flesh (human nature) is dead, though it does speak of the flesh being crucified: 'they . . . have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof' (Gal. 5:24). There is nothing essentially wrong with the flesh except when living for itself. The only time flesh or human nature is wrong and sinful is when it rules. God never intended the flesh to rule but rather the Spirit; and when the Spirit rules, the flesh is pure and right. But the flesh allowed to rule is anarchy.

"Romans 8 speaks of 'the mind of the flesh,' but reference to the original makes it clear that Paul says it is the minding of the flesh that is enmity against God. 'The mind [the minding] of the flesh is death; . . . because the mind [minding] of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God' (Rom. 8:6-8). This word is plain enough so that it needs no explanation . . . .

"Galatians 5:24 gives the solution to our awful problem: 'They that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts thereof.' The Cross is the answer. The Cross is not only the place where Christ died, and not only the place my old man died and came to an end, but the Cross is also the place for the flesh. The flesh as a ruling principle must be crucified and be deposed, and the Spirit of Christ enthroned as the very center of the life. This is the only solution. We do not get far by saying less of the flesh or less of self. The flesh must be deposed altogether. God never intended the flesh to rule. It was only after the Fall that the flesh began to rule the life; so we need to be saved not from sin and hell only, but also from our own deranged nature, and from the dominance of the flesh. The flesh is crucified in the sense that its dominion is ended and its place of rulership given to the Spirit, who wants our spirit dominating and our body a willing servant. While the flesh is ruling, it accumulates many new garments or habits which must be put off."