"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."
Romans 8:6
Part 2
Yesterday:
“For to be carnally minded.”
The carnal mind is stuck in a rut, it only thinks of the sinful things of the flesh. It is God’s enemy!
“Is death.”
There is no life in the carnally minded person! The only hope for the carnal mind is Jesus Christ!
Today:
“But to be spiritually minded.”
“Minding of the spirit,” or the all-out pursuit of “spiritual things,” is to be “spiritually minded.”[1]
“‘The minding of the Spirit.’ That is, making it the object of the mind, the end and aim of the actions, to cultivate the graces of the Spirit, and to submit to his influence. To be spiritually minded is to seek those feelings and views which the Holy Spirit produces, and to follow his leadings”[2] (Barnes).
This can be called “walking in the Spirit.”
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:4).
A believer is “after the Spirit,”
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5).
Having God’s Spirit in us makes us “in the Spirit,”
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Romans 8:9).
The Holy Spirit helps us put to death the things of the flesh,
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:13).
To be “spiritually minded” is listening to the Holy Spirit. His “victory is given us over the perpetual down-pull of sin”[3] in our lives (Meyer)! Now we can finally begin to say “no” to sin!
What does God do for the spiritual mind? Come back tomorrow and let’s rejoice in our good God together!
Quote: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39). Jesus can calm your storms.
[1] Jamison, Fausset, and Brown. Jamison-Fausset-Brown’s Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] F.B. Meyer. Through the Bible Day by Day, the electronic version in eSword.