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.For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of 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 they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
5 sermons cite this verse
… Over in Romans 8. I had you turn there. If you haven't turned there, go there now if you could. Romans 8 verse 5. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature, think about sinful things. And those who are controlled by the Spirit, think about things that please the Spirit. Hmm. Things that please the Spirit. Thinking about things that please the Spirit. Now what would those be? What thoughts could we have that would actually please the Holy Spirit? This phrase think about could be translated be preoccupied. Have you ever spoken to anyone who's preoccupied? Let me restate the question. Have you ever talked to anyone who's on their phone? You ask them a question like uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. They're not listening to you. Why? Because are preoccupied. So God wants us to be preoccupied with things that effectively preoccupy the Holy Spirit. Okay. What does the Holy Spirit want us to think about? Over there in Romans 8 again it tells us, there are as many as are led by the Spirit of God, the sons of God. You did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by which you cry, Abba Father. Here's what God wants you to think about. You are adopted, you are loved, and you are welcomed by God. This is important because sometimes we get discouraged. We feel like everyone's forgotten about us. Nobody cares about us. You are adopted by God. Is anybody here adopted? Any adopted people? I'm okay. I'm adopted. I'm adopted. And not only was I adopted by a man …
… have the mindset of the things of the flesh. There's that word. Things of the flesh. mindset, have a mindset, fronio again. But those who are according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mindset, fronima, of the flesh is death. But the mindset, fronima, of the Spirit is life and peace. Why? Why is the phronema of the flesh death? For the mindset of the flesh is hostile to God. it does not submit to God's law. Why not? It cannot. Why can't it? Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. That's just the heaviest verse in the Bible. cannot. You preach to people who are absolutely enslaved. They cannot please God. They are hostile to God by nature. that's why we need justification, that's why we need the Holy Spirit, this is all an explanation for, why did God go to the lengths, of killing his son, good night, the most glorious being in the universe, dies, and pours out the Holy Spirit so that we might fulfill the law. …
By default, we're born with an earthly nature. Look at Romans 8.5. To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God. It cannot be subject to the law of God. but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. By default, you're born into this world with a sin nature. Until this statement, Nicodemus thought he was going to go to heaven. He thought because of being born a Jew of the seed of Abraham, and then because he did everything that was right that you could possibly do in the way of religion. In Matthew chapter 3 verse 7, we see John the Baptist, he's out baptizing, and as he's baptizing, a bunch of Pharisees and Sadducees come to the baptism. So he's down there baptizing, and he looks up, and he sees them, and he goes, could you imagine? We have a baptism coming up. Could you imagine? I'm out there baptizing, and I see some people coming down the stairs, and I stop, and I go, brood of vipers! …
… You can look that up. Romans chapter eight, verses five to nine, where the apostle Paul talks about, hey, your mind can be set on things. You're not an animal. Animals just respond to stimuli. Humans have this amazing capacity to think, I'm gonna put my thoughts on that. I'm gonna put my mind, I'm gonna set my mind somewhere. and your mind is going to, as you drive through university, all the advertisements all around town, you got the billboards, you got stuff on your phone, the ads are popping up. You can endure all sorts of stimuli coming at you if you have set your mind on an enduring, solid, powerful place, mainly the voice of Jesus in his word. You become ready for the day when you've set your mind and you reset your mind. Now, I know you can't only think about heavenly things all day. Now, you live on earth, you've got a calling here as a student and in your ministry, but in meditation, you can set your mind on the things of God. …
… Look at somebody and say, I'm beautiful. 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. That's just how it is. If you are of the Spirit, you are after the Spirit. If you are of the flesh, you do mind the things of the flesh. You talk about the flesh. You look at the flesh. You imagine the flesh. You fantasize the flesh. You want the flesh. You're attracted to the flesh. But if you are in the Spirit, you are drawn to the Spirit. You are drawn to the Spirit. You might be scrolling through your phone, and you get to one scroll and they're singing a song and it's so anointed that you get happy and you stop there and start playing it over and over and over again. It gets on the kid's nerve because you're playing it over and over again. They don't understand why you're doing it, but you are after the Spirit of God. …