FRIDAY March 8th
Romans 8:5–8
‘For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.’
It was difficult in knowing where to break up verses 2 through to verse 11 as Paul is taking us through something which is so essential regarding us being those who are no longer under condemnation and who have been placed into the incredible position of being in Christ.
The essential he is teaching us is that we should have our minds set upon the things of the Spirit and not upon the things of the flesh. We live according to the Spirit and not according to the desires of the flesh.
We could list several things that could hinder us in our daily walk with Jesus, and maybe perhaps, the greatest enemy is the flesh! And Paul doesn’t beat around the bush, he says that the flesh, or satisfying the desires of the flesh leads to death. He even says that to live in this way is also to be hostile toward God!
If we don’t get the message which Paul is portraying, then a little later in Scripture, the Holy Spirit has seen to it that we get another reminder of the dangers of living according to the desires of the flesh, and this certainly should make us sit up and think about it, it is from the pen of James, our Lord’s brother, in James 4:4-5 and I will put in brackets into the text what I consider to be the equivalent from Paul ‘You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world (living according to the flesh, setting your minds on the things of the flesh) is enmity with God.’
The flesh and the Spirit are opposites, they are a complete contrast, they are worlds apart! For the flesh is death, the Sprit is life, the flesh is carnal the Spirit is spiritual, the flesh is self-seeking, and self-satisfying while the Spirit means to be God centred and God glorifying.
Paul is very clear. That a life that is lived according to the flesh cannot please God.
I will close this devotion with some further words from the pen of Paul in Galatians 6:8 ‘For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.’
May God help us to be men and women who desire to live according to the Spirit with our minds set upon the things of the Spirit.