A house of cards

My theology of holiness instructor explained that the flesh is not sinful. God created the physical world and it was good.

I pointed out that at the fall, sin and death entered the world. Thus, the physical world was changed.

He asked if a gun was sinful, or a knife.

I said, no, but a gun doesn't have a mind that seeks self-gratification.

What's bugging me is that he's telling these young students that, if only they were sanctified soul and body, they would not be bent toward sin. Excuse me, but our bodies are selfish, and no matter what our circumstances, we still have to restrain the flesh. This body is a temporary tent. The real me, the eternal me, is my spirit, that wants to serve and honor God. The body has a chemical make up that is selfish. "Feed me. Scratch me. Satisfy me." Selfishness is self-destructive when it stands alone, so the spirit has to keep it in check. "Yes, I'll feed you, but no, you can't have that extra candy bar." The spirit has to call the shots, stay in charge at all times. As long as we are in these temporary tents, we have to keep pounding the pegs down tight. Just because we are sanctified, does not mean that the body is going to sit back and say, "Don't mind me. I'm fine. I don't need or want anything." I fear we are setting these students up for failure if we lead them to believe that their bodies will be holy, sinless, --sanctified with one more trip to the alter and a sincere heart.