When Jesus told His disciples, “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 of His followers were deeply offended. They could not understand how the flesh could be useless when they had just seen Him multiply physical bread to feed thousands. To them, bread was life, and wine was joy. But Jesus was revealing a mystery far greater than their natural understanding—He was teaching them that true life does not come from the physical realm, but from the Spirit.
This statement—“the flesh profits nothing”—is one of the most misunderstood truths in Christianity. It exposes the weakness of religion built on rituals and outward acts. No matter how beautiful, disciplined, or emotional a ceremony may be, it cannot give spiritual life. The flesh—our physical actions, traditions, and religious forms—cannot produce what only the Spirit can create. Only the Word of God, breathed upon by the Spirit, can bring transformation.
Many believers today rely heavily on physical forms of worship. They hold the bread, drink the wine, light candles, and sing sacred songs. These things may bring comfort to the emotions, but they cannot renew the soul unless the Spirit and the Word are present. Without the Spirit, communion becomes a habit. Without the Word, it becomes an empty performance. The flesh may feel good for a moment, but only the Spirit leaves a lasting change.
The human tendency is to trust what can be seen and touched. That is why many find it easier to participate in rituals than to live by faith. Rituals offer visibility; faith demands surrender. But Jesus was clear: “The flesh profits nothing.” You can touch the bread but not touch God. You can drink the wine but remain dry in spirit. You can attend every service and still walk in darkness if the Word has not entered your heart.
God does not seek outward participation; He seeks inward transformation. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were perfect examples of this truth. They fasted, prayed publicly, and strictly observed every religious rule. Yet Jesus told them, “You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful outwardly but inside are full of dead men’s bones.” (Matthew 23:27). Their fleshly acts of devotion earned them respect from people, but they gained nothing in the Spirit. Their hearts were untouched because they lived by the flesh.
When Jesus spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He was not inviting His followers to become religious cannibals. He was speaking in spiritual language. He was teaching them that to “eat” His flesh meant to receive His Word, and to “drink” His blood meant to live by His Spirit. But many could not understand, because they were stuck in the flesh—they interpreted His words literally instead of spiritually.
Even today, many repeat the same mistake. They think taking the physical bread and wine is what keeps them close to God. But Jesus said plainly that the flesh profits nothing. It is not the bread that changes you—it is the truth it represents. It is not the wine that cleanses you—it is the Spirit it symbolizes. The power of communion is not in what your hands hold but in what your heart believes.
Paul understood this when he said, “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 10:3). In other words, though we live in physical bodies, our strength does not come from physical things. Our power is spiritual because our God is Spirit. The Word of God works in the unseen realm, changing what is invisible before it manifests in the visible.
That is why those who live by the flesh often grow weary. They depend on emotions, ceremonies, and appearances to feel spiritual. But when those feelings fade, their faith collapses. The one who lives by the Spirit, however, walks in constant renewal. Their faith does not depend on outward conditions because their source is inward—the Word of God living in them.
To live by the flesh is to depend on what can be touched; to live by the Spirit is to trust what cannot be seen. The first leads to frustration, the second to freedom. The flesh can only imitate spirituality; the Spirit produces it. The flesh may act humble, but the Spirit creates true humility. The flesh may display joy in worship, but the Spirit produces joy even in pain. The flesh can perform; the Spirit transforms.
The bread on the altar can fill the stomach, but the Word of God fills the soul. The wine in the cup can warm the body, but the Spirit of God sets the heart on fire. The flesh stops at the surface; the Spirit reaches the core. When you begin to understand this, your entire approach to communion changes. You stop chasing physical feelings and start seeking spiritual revelation. You stop trying to “feel” God and start believing Him.
Every time you read the Word and let it speak to you, you are partaking in spiritual communion. You are feeding on what truly gives life. Every time you obey the Word, you are walking in the Spirit, and the power of God flows freely through you. That is why some people who have never taken physical communion live in greater spiritual strength than those who do it weekly—they are feeding on the Word daily.
The flesh profits nothing. It can only maintain appearances, not give life. But when you shift from outward observance to inward communion, you begin to experience the true power of God. The Spirit breathes on the Word within you, and suddenly, peace, wisdom, and power spring forth. You find yourself no longer chasing emotional highs but living in constant awareness of divine presence.
This is the kind of life Jesus came to give—not one tied to rituals, but one filled with revelation. The Holy Communion He established was never meant to be limited to physical elements but to be a living experience of the Spirit. When you feed on the Word, when you meditate on truth, when you let the Spirit interpret it to your heart—you are eating His flesh and drinking His blood. You are taking part in the real communion that produces eternal life.
The flesh can build a church building, but only the Spirit can build the church within the heart. The flesh can gather people for a ceremony, but only the Spirit can unite them in love. The flesh can start movements, but only the Spirit can transform lives. That is why Jesus said, “The flesh profits nothing.”
True Holy Communion is not about the bread and wine that perish; it is about the Word and Spirit that endure. The bread may crumble and the wine may dry, but the living Word remains forever. When you partake of that Word, you are receiving something eternal—something that never fades, never weakens, and never loses its power.
So, let go of your reliance on the flesh. Seek the Spirit. Let the Word be your daily meal and the Spirit your constant companion. Then you will discover the true communion that Jesus spoke of—one not built on ceremony but on life. For the flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit gives everything.
This statement—“the flesh profits nothing”—is one of the most misunderstood truths in Christianity. It exposes the weakness of religion built on rituals and outward acts. No matter how beautiful, disciplined, or emotional a ceremony may be, it cannot give spiritual life. The flesh—our physical actions, traditions, and religious forms—cannot produce what only the Spirit can create. Only the Word of God, breathed upon by the Spirit, can bring transformation.
Many believers today rely heavily on physical forms of worship. They hold the bread, drink the wine, light candles, and sing sacred songs. These things may bring comfort to the emotions, but they cannot renew the soul unless the Spirit and the Word are present. Without the Spirit, communion becomes a habit. Without the Word, it becomes an empty performance. The flesh may feel good for a moment, but only the Spirit leaves a lasting change.
The human tendency is to trust what can be seen and touched. That is why many find it easier to participate in rituals than to live by faith. Rituals offer visibility; faith demands surrender. But Jesus was clear: “The flesh profits nothing.” You can touch the bread but not touch God. You can drink the wine but remain dry in spirit. You can attend every service and still walk in darkness if the Word has not entered your heart.
God does not seek outward participation; He seeks inward transformation. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time were perfect examples of this truth. They fasted, prayed publicly, and strictly observed every religious rule. Yet Jesus told them, “You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful outwardly but inside are full of dead men’s bones.” (Matthew 23:27). Their fleshly acts of devotion earned them respect from people, but they gained nothing in the Spirit. Their hearts were untouched because they lived by the flesh.
When Jesus spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He was not inviting His followers to become religious cannibals. He was speaking in spiritual language. He was teaching them that to “eat” His flesh meant to receive His Word, and to “drink” His blood meant to live by His Spirit. But many could not understand, because they were stuck in the flesh—they interpreted His words literally instead of spiritually.
Even today, many repeat the same mistake. They think taking the physical bread and wine is what keeps them close to God. But Jesus said plainly that the flesh profits nothing. It is not the bread that changes you—it is the truth it represents. It is not the wine that cleanses you—it is the Spirit it symbolizes. The power of communion is not in what your hands hold but in what your heart believes.
Paul understood this when he said, “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 10:3). In other words, though we live in physical bodies, our strength does not come from physical things. Our power is spiritual because our God is Spirit. The Word of God works in the unseen realm, changing what is invisible before it manifests in the visible.
That is why those who live by the flesh often grow weary. They depend on emotions, ceremonies, and appearances to feel spiritual. But when those feelings fade, their faith collapses. The one who lives by the Spirit, however, walks in constant renewal. Their faith does not depend on outward conditions because their source is inward—the Word of God living in them.
To live by the flesh is to depend on what can be touched; to live by the Spirit is to trust what cannot be seen. The first leads to frustration, the second to freedom. The flesh can only imitate spirituality; the Spirit produces it. The flesh may act humble, but the Spirit creates true humility. The flesh may display joy in worship, but the Spirit produces joy even in pain. The flesh can perform; the Spirit transforms.
The bread on the altar can fill the stomach, but the Word of God fills the soul. The wine in the cup can warm the body, but the Spirit of God sets the heart on fire. The flesh stops at the surface; the Spirit reaches the core. When you begin to understand this, your entire approach to communion changes. You stop chasing physical feelings and start seeking spiritual revelation. You stop trying to “feel” God and start believing Him.
Every time you read the Word and let it speak to you, you are partaking in spiritual communion. You are feeding on what truly gives life. Every time you obey the Word, you are walking in the Spirit, and the power of God flows freely through you. That is why some people who have never taken physical communion live in greater spiritual strength than those who do it weekly—they are feeding on the Word daily.
The flesh profits nothing. It can only maintain appearances, not give life. But when you shift from outward observance to inward communion, you begin to experience the true power of God. The Spirit breathes on the Word within you, and suddenly, peace, wisdom, and power spring forth. You find yourself no longer chasing emotional highs but living in constant awareness of divine presence.
This is the kind of life Jesus came to give—not one tied to rituals, but one filled with revelation. The Holy Communion He established was never meant to be limited to physical elements but to be a living experience of the Spirit. When you feed on the Word, when you meditate on truth, when you let the Spirit interpret it to your heart—you are eating His flesh and drinking His blood. You are taking part in the real communion that produces eternal life.
The flesh can build a church building, but only the Spirit can build the church within the heart. The flesh can gather people for a ceremony, but only the Spirit can unite them in love. The flesh can start movements, but only the Spirit can transform lives. That is why Jesus said, “The flesh profits nothing.”
True Holy Communion is not about the bread and wine that perish; it is about the Word and Spirit that endure. The bread may crumble and the wine may dry, but the living Word remains forever. When you partake of that Word, you are receiving something eternal—something that never fades, never weakens, and never loses its power.
So, let go of your reliance on the flesh. Seek the Spirit. Let the Word be your daily meal and the Spirit your constant companion. Then you will discover the true communion that Jesus spoke of—one not built on ceremony but on life. For the flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit gives everything.