Romans 8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
What Paul is saying here is immensely important because our mind-set makes all the difference when it comes to daily living. We all, whatever our spiritual state, live in a storm-tossed world. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. The set of our minds will determine not only eternity but the quality of our life now. 1
The unsaved person does not have the Spirit of God and lives in the flesh and for the flesh. His mind is centered on the things that satisfy the flesh. But the Christian has the Spirit of God within and lives in an entirely new and different sphere. His mind is fixed on the things of the Spirit. This does not mean that the unsaved person never does anything good, or that the believer never does anything bad. It means that the bent of their lives is different. One lives for the flesh, the other lives for the Spirit. 2
Application
- Are you living life thinking more about your personal prosperity, or the prosperity of others?
- What eternal thought have you been thinking most about lately?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for helping me to think more about Your glorious return, instead of my personal problems.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans: righteousness from heaven. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
2. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.