The New Testament certainly has its fair share of this connotation, with verses like “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13), and “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions — is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:16).
We often read verses like this outside the context of the whole passage — or even outside the chapter or book they’re situated in. What I’ve noticed is that language like this tends to be carried over into how we speak about our bodies in recovery. Terms like “denying the flesh” — when used too often — place the emphasis of recovery and healing on bodily discipline alone.
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