I would like to share on a subject which has largely been misconstrued. And this misunderstanding has robbed many of their effectiveness in the things of God. What is the Carnal mind? What also does it mean to be spiritually minded? Our text for study is Romans 8:1-10. Verse 1 tells us, 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' (KJV) It's interesting to note that the original text doesn't read this way. It reads as, 'Therefore no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus'. The other part, '....to those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit', is a commentary on that verse that found its way into later manuscripts. So, what then did Apostle Paul mean by the terms, 'The Carnal mind' and being 'Carnally minded'? Verses 4-6 zero in on our subject matter; That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but 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. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. What does it mean to 'walk after the flesh'? To some, it's to pursue earthly pleasures or to live after the senses. That's not true in this context. Since scriptures explain scriptures, let's examine other scriptures to explain this. Galatians 3:3-4, 'This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?' From this context, we see that Paul equates living by the Law of Moses to being in the flesh and Faith as being in the Spirit. Therefore, we can see that righteousness comes upon those who walk not after the flesh (the law) but those that walk according to the Spirit (faith). Then, we see that to be Carnally minded is death. What does this mean? The Law is the ministration of death- 2 Corinthians 3:7. To live by the law is death because sin takes occasion of the law to slay man - Romans 7:11. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. The spiritually minded is one who deports his life within the paradigms of the finished works of Christ by faith. It produces life (Romans 6:23) and peace (Galatians 6:15-16). Then, we see some further information in 7-8, 'Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.' Why is this so? People who live by the law aren't subject to God's law. Paul explains this in Romans 10:3, ' For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.' Look at this! Those who live by the law haven't submitted themselves to God's righteousness! This is the Carnal mind! When we submit ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus, it's not just our allegiance to him, it's our commitment to claim him as our righteousness and depend solely on him as our acceptance before the Father. Then he says that 'those in the flesh cannot please God'. Why? He explains this in Romans 3:20, 'Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.' The Carnal mind, being an adherent of the law, is not justified in God's sight. If there was any doubt about what it meant to be Carnal or Fleshly, verse 9 resolves it; 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 have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. If it meant actions, it would have read differently. But, the believer isn't in the flesh because the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of adoption dwells in him. Because, we believe, we are in the Spirit! #TrueLight #Pleroma
