2 Corinthians 10:3

"I said, Ye are Gods; and all sons of the Highest." To whom speaks the Lord? To those who reject as far as possible all that is of man. And the apostle says, "For ye are not any longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit." And again he says, "Though in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh." "For flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." "Lo, ye shall die like men," the Spirit has said, confuting us.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the demolition of fortifications, demolishing thoughts, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of Christ." Equipped with these weapons, the Gnostic says: O Lord, give opportunity, and receive demonstration; let this dread event pass; I contemn dangers for the love I bear to Thee.

This means that although we are living in the body we act in a spiritual way. Anyone who does what is pleasing to God is acting spiritually.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh." Here he goes on to alarm them also by the figure he uses, 'for,' says he, 'we are indeed encompassed with flesh; I own it, but we do not live by the flesh;' or rather, he said not even this, but for the present reserves it, for it belongs to the encomium on his life: but first discourseth of the Preaching, and shows that it is not of man, nor needeth aid from beneath. Wherefore he said not, 'we do not live according to the flesh,' but, "we do not war according to the flesh," that is, 'we have undertaken a war and a combat; but we do not war with carnal weapons, nor by help of any human succors.'

Although we are surrounded by the world, we do not give in to it.

The rule and conduct of the life here is the similitude of that of spiritual beings, and the dwelling here is a type of that of heavenly beings. The conversation of you who are clothed with the body is a copy of that of those celestial and incorporeal beings. It is seemly for you to say that which Paul proclaimed, "Although we live in the flesh, we do not war according to that which is in the flesh." Being corporeal beings ye may be seen with the eyes, but your warfare is wholly spiritual; O corporeal beings, ye are angels, and spiritual beings clothed with flesh.

That is, although we are clothed in flesh, we do not use carnal weapons. He reasons about preaching, showing that it is not a human affair and has no need of earthly help. And when he says "we wage war," he conveys this thought: we are waging war and have entered into battle.

But this reason is null and void; therefore, he destroys it, saying: For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war [according to the flesh]. As if to say: we cannot deny that we are in the flesh, because in Rom. (8:12) he says: "So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh," but that we are ruled according to the flesh, by placing our end or our intention in carnal goods, this is false, because we are not carrying on a worldly war, i.e., we do not regulate our life, which is a warfare (Job 7:1) according to the flesh.