Life in the spirit
Life in the spirit
Life in 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you..
We see here that life in the Spirit for the average Christian is not about charismatic experiences or extraordinary events, but is deeper and more lasting. It is an ongoing phenomenon that shapes our lives gradually and progressively, bringing with it a gradual increase of blessings and joy that will increase indefinitely forever and ever. The markings of this life in the Spirit are at least three fold according to Paul in these verses.
1) It involves the life of the mind. “The mind that is set on the things of the Spirit is life and peace” (vs 6). Do you need inner peace, peace in the life of the mind? Paul says this is how it comes, by setting your mind on the things of the Spirit. To set your mind on the lofting things that are “of the Spirit”. What are those things? They are manifold! All true doctrine, all biblical law, all practical theology, in fact all of creation if viewed from a spiritual and theological perspective can be included under “the things of the Spirit”. But perhaps more importantly to set your mind on the things of the Spirit is to set your mind on the Lord Jesus Christ, on all His works, past, present and future, and on all His perfections.
2) It involves a life that is pleasing to God. Paul says the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God and cannot please God. But the mind of the believer is not so inhibited for it has been made new, a new heart and will has been given, so that now we can, though imperfectly, please our God and Father. How delighted are earthly fathers when they see their children seeking to live rightly. Though they do so imperfectly, they still truly and deeply move the heart of their fathers to joy. This is also true of our Heavenly Father.
3) It involves unbroken fellowship with the risen Christ. If the Spirit is in us then Christ is in us, and if Christ is in us then even though we die we will live and so never be separated from fellowship with Christ. We might speak of it this way: when Christ ascended into heaven, He set about creating two homes, one for us in heaven, and one for Himself in our hearts on earth. The reason for these two homes is the same, so that where He is we might also be, for this is Christ’s desire. It is the Spirit that causes this second home, that Christ and the Father may dwell in you.
Bible Text: Romans 8:5-11 | Preacher: Ian Goodman | Series: Romans—The Greatest Letter Ever Written | 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you..
We see here that life in the Spirit for the average Christian is not about charismatic experiences or extraordinary events, but is deeper and more lasting. It is an ongoing phenomenon that shapes our lives gradually and progressively, bringing with it a gradual increase of blessings and joy that will increase indefinitely forever and ever. The markings of this life in the Spirit are at least three fold according to Paul in these verses.
1) It involves the life of the mind. “The mind that is set on the things of the Spirit is life and peace” (vs 6). Do you need inner peace, peace in the life of the mind? Paul says this is how it comes, by setting your mind on the things of the Spirit. To set your mind on the lofting things that are “of the Spirit”. What are those things? They are manifold! All true doctrine, all biblical law, all practical theology, in fact all of creation if viewed from a spiritual and theological perspective can be included under “the things of the Spirit”. But perhaps more importantly to set your mind on the things of the Spirit is to set your mind on the Lord Jesus Christ, on all His works, past, present and future, and on all His perfections.
2) It involves a life that is pleasing to God. Paul says the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God and cannot please God. But the mind of the believer is not so inhibited for it has been made new, a new heart and will has been given, so that now we can, though imperfectly, please our God and Father. How delighted are earthly fathers when they see their children seeking to live rightly. Though they do so imperfectly, they still truly and deeply move the heart of their fathers to joy. This is also true of our Heavenly Father.
3) It involves unbroken fellowship with the risen Christ. If the Spirit is in us then Christ is in us, and if Christ is in us then even though we die we will live and so never be separated from fellowship with Christ. We might speak of it this way: when Christ ascended into heaven, He set about creating two homes, one for us in heaven, and one for Himself in our hearts on earth. The reason for these two homes is the same, so that where He is we might also be, for this is Christ’s desire. It is the Spirit that causes this second home, that Christ and the Father may dwell in you.