My Flesh Profits Nothing – It’s The Words I Speak

A study related to the SDA
Sabbath School Lesson for 2021, 4th Quarter
Present Truth In Deuteronomy
Week 1
by Mary Zebrowski
Edited by Trent Wilde

This quarterly is entitled, “Present Truth in Deuteronomy.” This week’s lesson is entitled, “Preamble to Deuteronomy,” which discusses the context for Deuteronomy which comes from the history that came before it. Wednesday’s lesson is entitled, “Covenant at Sinai,” and discusses the Exodus and the deliverance of the Israelite’s from the bondage of slavery. Wednesday’s discussion question asks,

“‘When Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood…and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you”‘ (Heb. 9:19, 20, NKJV). What does the blood signify, and why is it so important, even to us today?” Sabbath School Quarterly Lesson, Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Well, these are very important questions. What does the blood signify?

We know that the life of the flesh is in the blood, according to Leviticus 17. The ancient Israelite’s knew very well that the shedding of blood led to the termination of life. So blood signifies life.

Jesus also used it to signify life. He said,

⁵³ “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” – John 6:53

This, of course, caused quite a bit of consternation among the Jews and even Jesus’ disciples. But Jesus clarified it for them. He said,

⁶³ “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” – John 6:63

Many Christians have missed this point, which is that Jesus said that His literal flesh, and by association, His literal blood, profits nothing. It will save no one. Ironically, this is what might cause consternation among Christians today! But think about it, what flesh and blood did Jesus have? According to Hebrews 2:14, he had the same flesh and blood we have. And our flesh and blood can’t save anyone!

Jesus tells us in John 6:63 that it is **the words** He spoke that are spirit and life. It is his words that bring life to us, not his literal blood.

So, what is this life? Well, John 1 reads,

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God. ² He was with the God in the beginning. ³All things were made by him, and apart from him not one thing was made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. ⁵And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:1-5

The life that was in Christ is said to be light. What is this light? Let’s read 1 John 1:5-9. It reads,

⁵Now this is the message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him and yet walk on in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, ⁹ but if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:5-9

Darkness is here defined as a place with no truth – a place of deception and sin. Light, on the other hand, is defined as a place of truth and pure righteousness. This light is the life of which Christ was speaking.

Jesus is the life, the light, the truth, the word, the way. There is actually is no other way to life but through the words of Christ. This is what John 6:53 says! Let’s read it again,

⁵³ “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” – John 6:53

If we want to have life, we must eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus. Why? Because his words bring light and truth which leads to righteousness. Jesus said,

“The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father, just so the one who eats me, that one will even live by me.” – John 6:56-57

Many take this spiritualistically, and believe that Jesus himself is actually residing in them somehow. But as we can see here, Jesus was referring to us drinking his blood and thereby him residing in us metaphorically. He made this clear by saying that to drink his blood and to have him residing in us actually means that we should **live by him,** just as he lives by the Father.

This same sentiment is to be understood in the mystery revealed to the Gentiles in Colossians 1:27-28. It reads,

²⁷ To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. ²⁸ Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Again we see that “Christ in you” is referring to Christ being in us through the teachings of all wisdom. It is by these wise teachings that we may be become perfect in Christ Jesus. It is not that Christ himself is actually in us.

We see all throughout the scriptures that to say that Christ or the Spirit is in us is to say that their words are in us. That their love is in us. Their truth is in us – in our minds and hearts. This is not to be taken mystically, or spiritualistically, as many do – and thus miss the point. Again, they themselves are not in us, no, it is their message that is in us. Consider these verses:

And the Father himself, who has sent me, has born witness of me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time, nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent. – John 5:37-38

But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. – John 5:42

I know that you are Abraham’s seed; but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you. – John 8:37

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. … If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. – John 15:4, 7

As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. – 2 Corinthians 11:9

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus – Philippians 2:5

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. – Colossians 3:16

If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. – 1 John 1:8

If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. – 1 John 1:10

… I have written to you, young people, that you are strong, and the word of God resides in you … – 1 John 2:14

As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. – 1 John 2:24

I have stored up your words in my mind so that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11

I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have stored up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. – Job 23:12

Let your mind lay hold of my words; keep my commands so that you will live. – Proverbs 4:4

Your words were found and I ate them, and they filled my mind with joy and happiness because your name is called upon me. – Jeremiah 15:16

There are many more places in scripture that say these types of things. This should be enough to see that what we need to have dwelling in us is the truth. We need truth to be the thing which is continually on our minds. This wisdom will enable us to love and think and act like Jesus did. This will give us a mind like Christ had, and we will thereby be able to overcome every temptation to sin by reason of knowing the truth. The truth about what? Well to start, the truth about good and evil, love and hate, righteousness and sin. Sin is simply to follow darkness or untruth. The light of God’s word dispels this darkness, enabling us to know and choose life and truth instead.

In closing, because we are studying “The Present Truth in Deuteronomy” this quarter, let’s end with a quote from its pages. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 reads,

And these words, which I command you this day, must be kept in your mind. You must diligently teach them to your children, and you must talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the road, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. – Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Let’s drink the blood of Jesus. In other words, let’s internalize the life giving truth of the words of Jesus, and allow it to change our hearts and minds, so we can fit ourselves for the company of Heaven.