Romans 8:5-11
Which will it be? Are we going to let our sinful nature or the Spirit of God control our minds?
The choice is obvious—letting our sinful nature control our minds leads to death, but letting the Spirit of God control our minds leads to life—and peace. Who doesn’t need some peace in their lives?
Notice how Paul says that our sinful nature is always hostile to God. It is our constant enemy, seeking to undermine everything good God is trying to do in our lives. We choose what we allow ourselves to think about and dwell on each day—and trust me, those thoughts eventually lead to action. Paul makes it clear that we can never please God when we are controlled by our sinful nature.
How do we know if we are controlled by our sinful nature? We do what it wants! You could say that we are obedient to it. The same is true of the Spirit of God. If we are controlled by the Spirit, we will be obedient to Him and will not carry out the desires of the flesh. It is all about whom we listen to and to whom we give expression in our lives.
Christ lives within us, and even though our mortal bodies will eventually die because of sin, we have been given new life that will be fully realized when we receive our resurrected bodies at Christ’s return.
Sin has already been condemned through Christ's sacrifice in the flesh, yet our mortal bodies remain subject to death. As Paul reminds us, flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor can mortality inherit immortality (1 Corinthians 15:50).
But here is the wonderful news! The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives within us and will one day give life to our mortal bodies. We have the promise of resurrection and bodies clothed with immortality, just as Jesus has!
Lots to look forward to! However, in the meantime, there is lots to do as we learn to live each day under the control and direction of the Spirit of God.
The question is not simply whether the Spirit of God lives within us, but whether we are allowing Him to direct the way we think and live.
The choice is obvious—letting our sinful nature control our minds leads to death, but letting the Spirit of God control our minds leads to life—and peace. Who doesn’t need some peace in their lives?
Notice how Paul says that our sinful nature is always hostile to God. It is our constant enemy, seeking to undermine everything good God is trying to do in our lives. We choose what we allow ourselves to think about and dwell on each day—and trust me, those thoughts eventually lead to action. Paul makes it clear that we can never please God when we are controlled by our sinful nature.
How do we know if we are controlled by our sinful nature? We do what it wants! You could say that we are obedient to it. The same is true of the Spirit of God. If we are controlled by the Spirit, we will be obedient to Him and will not carry out the desires of the flesh. It is all about whom we listen to and to whom we give expression in our lives.
Christ lives within us, and even though our mortal bodies will eventually die because of sin, we have been given new life that will be fully realized when we receive our resurrected bodies at Christ’s return.
Sin has already been condemned through Christ's sacrifice in the flesh, yet our mortal bodies remain subject to death. As Paul reminds us, flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor can mortality inherit immortality (1 Corinthians 15:50).
But here is the wonderful news! The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives within us and will one day give life to our mortal bodies. We have the promise of resurrection and bodies clothed with immortality, just as Jesus has!
Lots to look forward to! However, in the meantime, there is lots to do as we learn to live each day under the control and direction of the Spirit of God.
The question is not simply whether the Spirit of God lives within us, but whether we are allowing Him to direct the way we think and live.
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