Romans Chapter 8 cont'd
Those who live out of the selfish compulsions of their lower passions have a corrupt mind-set, but those who live by the Spirit's power have a renewed mind-set. Note the stark contrast: to be selfishly minded is death in the making; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. The selfish mind-set is at odds with God, for it is not submitted to his moral standards and it cannot be by its very nature.
Comments:
Just one more thought now on "setting our minds" on the things of the Spirit or, as Paul says in Colossians 3, "setting our minds on things above, not on things on the earth". I like to refer to it as "minding" the Holy Spirit. It's a nice word play that brings the focus of our thinking together with a heart of obedience. The bottom line is that many believers become overly-mystical and lean toward gnosticism when they imagine what this really means for our daily lives. It is not about a concerted effort to try to figure out what is going on in the angelic realm or trying hard to listen for voices from the invisible realm. (Sometimes we actually do get glimpses into and tokens from this realm...mostly serendipitously.) It's not a "way of being" that removes us from engaging with life upon God's earth. In fact, "setting our minds on the things of the Spirit" has tremendous practical applications for our lives and relationships here and now. And...actually doing it each day on earth is vitally connected to our eternal rewards then and there.
It is primarily about living out of a quiet and confident communion...a friendship...with the Trinity who indwells us and seeking to have our minds renewed so that we, more and more, come to view what is happening within us, around us and in our world from divine perspectives...viewpoints and associated feelings and responses that are informed by the Word and the Spirit. It's a discovery of what a human life on earth looks like that bears the fruit of the Spirit: LOVE...and then...joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...and that is empowered to live and minister in the power of the Spirit's imparted gifts and grace. This life, of course, also implies clearly saying "no" to the sinful "works of the flesh" that are so obviously manifesting all around us in this fallen world.
True spirituality finds it's source of life and wisdom in the highest heaven, but it is embodied and fleshed out in Christ followers whose feet gratefully walk out our connectivity with God here on this earth that He has promised to renovate fully one day. We are invited to be His humbled and emboldened agents here and now for the honor of Jesus the Christ.
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