THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE
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.
The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peaceG1515,
because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the flesh,
but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,
he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin,
yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you,
He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies
through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Romans 8:5-10
Paul contrasts having the “mind of the flesh” and the “mind of the Spirit.” What does he mean? Having the mind of the flesh means being driven by our human desires, giving in to temptation and continuing to sin. A person who has truly been transformed by knowing and submitting to Jesus cannot remain in sin without feeling conviction—that nudge in the mind that lets a person know they need to confess their wrongdoing and ask the Lord to forgive them (1 John 1:9). Someone continuing in habitual sin probably has not been freed from slavery to sin by trusting in Jesus. That person is dead to the influence of the Holy Spirit because that Spirit does not live in him/her. A non-believer may think they are living it up, but in reality, they are plunging deeper and deeper toward eternal death—separation from God and all that is good. In contrast, those who have the mind of the Spirit are those who have put their trust in Jesus alone, knowing they could never be good enough to measure up to God’s standards on their own. Once a person accepts God’s gracious gift of salvation, His Holy Spirit comes to live in them. Their minds are now subject to the Spirit’s influence. When we are committed and submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we experience truly abundant life and peace within. J. Vernon McGee explains this well. He calls the mind of the flesh “carnally minded.”
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace [Rom. 8:6 KJV]. “For to be carnally minded” means that you are separated from fellowship with God and that flesh is death here and now. The Spirit who indwells the believer brings life and peace. When we sin, we are to come to Him in confession and let Him wash us. This restores us to fellowship. The “life” He offers speaks of full satisfaction and the exercise of one’s total abilities. Oh, to live life at its fullest and best! Many people think they are really living today, but it is a shoddy substitute for the life God wants to provide. “Peace” means the experience of tranquility and well-being regarding the present and future. Oh, my beloved, how you and I need to get into that territory! (62)
Romans 8:10 (VOICE) If the Anointed One lives within you, even though the body is as good as dead because of the effects of sin, the Spirit is infusing you with life now that you are right with God.
Jesus promised that He came to give us life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10), or as The Voice translation reads: “life with joy and abundance.” The passage we have examined today adds “peace” to what our relationship with Jesus brings us. We can truly live with joy and abundance when we reside calmly in the peace of God! Are you living peacefully, joyfully, and abundantly? If not, talk to the Lord about whatever is disturbing your peace and trust Him to restore it!
Father, as we’ve been studying peace, many trials have tried to disturb our peace and disrupt our writing schedule. Thank You for faithfully calming us down and getting us back on track. Thank You that the enemy was not able to rob us of our joy!!!