Some Key Words (9/18/00)

According to (kata [2596]):

down from, down upon, motion from a higher to a lower place, upon, towards, through, that toward which anything tends, in respect to, throughout; down from, throughout, according to, toward; down in place or time

Flesh (sarx [4561]):

any flesh, the human body, man, human, human nature and the infirmity thereof, man's corrupt nature, temporal advantages; that which covers the bones, the body, man's body, born of natural generation, the animal nature present in man, the cravings that incite to sin, that earthly nature of man apart from divine influence and subject to sin; flesh, the meat of an animal, the body as opposed to the soul or spirit, the external, human nature with its physical and moral frailties and passions

Spirit (pneuma [4151]):

breath, the wind, the spirit as it is wind-like, the center of perception, reflection, feeling, desire, purpose, aim, and character in man, the Holy Spirit, the inward man of the believer, the element in man which allows him to think of God (as opposed to soul, which is conscious of this world); a movement of air, the spirit, the vital principal of the body's animation, the rational spirit, thought, the soul, a spirit devoid of matter, a life giving spirit, the human soul, the spiritual nature of Christ, divine nature, the Spirit of God; a breath, a breeze, a spirit, the rational soul, mental disposition, an angel or demon, God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit

Mind set on (phronema [5427]):

what one has in mind, the thoughts and purposes; inclination or purpose

Death (thanatos [2288]):

natural death, spiritual death, eternal death; bodily death - the separation of soul and body, the misery of the soul arising from sin, the state of the wicked dead in hell, all the miseries arising from sin in this life and thereafter and the loss of God's blessing; literal or figurative death

Life (zoe [2222]):

the principle of life in the spirit and soul - as opposed to mere physical life, all the highest and best which Christ is, and which He gives to us, the highest blessedness of the creature; the state of one who is animate, the absolute fullness of life in essence and ethic - which belongs to God and Christ, real and genuine life devoted to God; literal or figurative life

Peace (eirene [1515]):

peace and rest rather than strife, untroubled security and well-being, the object of divine promise brought about by God's mercy, deliverance from all distress coming from sin; exemption from the havoc of war, harmony and concord between individuals, security, the way that leads to peace (salvation), the tranquil state of a soul assured through Christ and fearing nothing from God, content with its earthly lot; peace

Hostile (echthra [2189]):

enmity or the cause thereof; hostility, a reason for opposition

Subject (hupotasso [5293]):

to place in an orderly fashion under, one's relation to superiors - either compulsory or voluntary; to subordinate, to put in subjection, to obey, submit to one's control, yield to advice, a military arranging of troops under a leader's command, an attitude of cooperation; to subordinate, to obey

Able (dunamai [1410]):

to have power, to have ability, to be enabled by circumstances, to be powerful; to be enabled by ability, by circumstance, or by legal permission, to be capable, strong, and powerful; to be able or possible

In (en [1722]):

in, resting in a place or thing, or on a thing, remaining, taking place within, that in which one is enveloped; in, by, with; a fixed position in place, time, or state, instrumentality, a relation of rest

Please (aresko [700]):

to make one inclined to, to be content with, to be pleasing, intentional and continuous conduct satisfying a preceding relationship, behaving properly and satisfactorily toward a relation; to strive to please, to accommodate oneself to another's desires and interests; to be agreeable, to seek to be agreeable

 

Paraphrase: (9/18/00)

5 Those who live by the flesh think of fleshly things, but those who live by the Spirit think of spiritual things, 6 the former reap death, but the latter reap life and peace, 7 for the fleshly mind is at war with God, refusing to subject itself to His law, and unable to do so if it would. 8 Such fleshly men cannot please God.

Key Verse: (9/18/00)

8:7 - This comes closer to the root issue than verse 8. Our fleshly mind is hostile to God, not only wants nothing to do with Him, but works actively against Him, refusing His law, and incapable of conforming.

People Mentioned: (9/18/00)

N/A

Some Parallel Verses (9/18/00)

8:5

Gal 5:19-21 - The flesh pursues immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, strife, jealousy, anger, dispute, factions, envy, drunkenness, and such. Gal 5:22-25 - The Spirit pursues love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control

8:6

Gal 6:8 - Reaping and sowing - from fleshly seed reap death, from spiritual seed reap life. Ro 6:21 - The outcome of those things we used to pursue is death.

8:7

Jas 4:4 - To befriend the world is to be an adulteress towards God, for worldliness is hostility to His kingdom.

8:8

Ro 7:5 - Prior to rebirth, the Law aroused our sinful passions to work in our body to produce death.

 

New Thoughts (9/18/00)

Three issues are raised here. There's the issue of what our existence and being tend towards, the issue of what our inclinations and purposes are, and the issue of whether we choose to remain. Certainly, for me, there was a time when all of who I was, what I was about, what I was inclined to do, and planned to do - all of this - was aimed at sinful and fleshly pursuits (and occasionally toward sinful and spiritual pursuits.) There have been times since I became a Christian that some of these pursuits have remained for a time in my focus. There have been numerous times that they have come back for a visit. But there is a clear choice to be made here, and clearly we are expected to choose. We are being presented with the reality of the situation which, had we seen it from the start, might have kept us from our past pursuits, which - if we fully grasp hold of it - might keep us from slipping back into those ways. Look at the list of fleshly pursuits. Some of those come dressed enticingly in today's society as in every society throughout time. Immorality can be dressed up to look pretty and pleasant to our foolish eyes. Sensuality looks good to our fleshly minds. Envy is practically a driving force in the modern economy, and is venerated by the society around us. Drunkenness seems kind of fun in its way. But here, the reality is unveiled: it all leads to death. Inexorably. It cannot help but produce death. Spiritual pursuits strike most people as boring. I still recall my brother's reaction last time he asked me what I was reading. I told him honestly that my reading was pretty much confined to the Bible at that point, to which he replied with equal honesty "how boring." But the reality of pursuing the things of God is that they produce the things that fleshly pursuits only promised through lying lips. Love, joy, and peace are possible! Patience, kindness, and gentleness can become my lifestyle! These virtues the world still values in some degree, but it's lost track of how to attain to them. It's bought into the promises of the Lie. It's bought the line that satisfying all our envious lusts and desires will bring joy; that if we just give everybody what they want, there can be peace; that love consists only in acquiescence. How God sorrows to see this.

I said there was a choice we needed to make, and this is true. But, we need to recognize what we are being told in verse 7, the full impact of it. Our mind was actively hostile towards God. Not only were our choices opposed to His rule, we were incapable of choosing otherwise. Incapable! Our free will was free to choose sin. We did not choose God. Not until that point where He revealed His choice of us. Not until He provided the way for us to choose, the ability to choose. Is it possible that what God has provided and enabled could fail to fulfill His desire? Is it truly possible? Scripture seems to indicate not, for it says in Isaiah that His Word will not return void, but will surely accomplish His purpose, and thank God for it! Father, many times in this struggle with my flesh, I've asked and longed for Your will to simply dominate mine, and so make the struggle cease. And yet, in doing so, I was setting my will back up against Your own. For Your will has surely dominated mine in those critical points. It is by Your will, and not my own that I have come to desire You. It is by Your will, and not my own that what was once foolishness to me is now life. It is by Your will, and not my own that what once captivated my attention is no longer of interest. Help me to remember, this, and to know that it is by Your will, and not my own that the struggle continues between my flesh and my spirit. It is by Your will, for my growth and strengthening. It is Your desire for me, that I would grapple with the issues of sin in my life and, in learning to more and more depend on You, to emerge victorious!

I want to take one last look at verse 8: Those who remain enveloped in fleshly pursuits and rest in them cannot continuously conduct themselves in a fashion satisfying their preceding relationship with God. They cannot behave properly towards this established relationship, or accommodate themselves to God's desires and interests. God, You have established that relationship with us. You have declared it, and brought it to pass that we might be Your children and You our loving Father. I remember the beginnings of that relationship, that I wanted to remain in my pursuits and still lay claim to Your love. If I look at myself today, much of that has faded, and yet… There are certainly those areas in my life that are still entirely too wrapped up in the things of the world. But, I thank You for the assurance of the progress I've seen You make in me. I thank You for the hope that assurance produces. I thank You for the faith to believe and know that You will complete this work You've begun in me. And I continue to pray, Lord, that - in those critical areas of change - You would once more come and change this will of mine, to be able to will Your will.