Contrast: Spiritual versus Carnal
There is a battle raging in each of us. We make choices and what leads to those choices? Paul wrote, "I am carnal, sold under sin." Don't fool yourself, you and I are also of the flesh with temptations at every turn in life. Each of us has a battle within us with righteousness or sin. It is a battle of the flesh against the Spirit.
"But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:23,24)
Yes, it is a battle! It is a mental battle which can wreck your life or save your life. Our minds and the state of our minds control our decisions. Have you watched CNN or NBC? Many anchors have let their hate over power their judgment resulting in news becoming about destroying our president or even our country if that is what it takes. Have you seen what lack of trust does to a relationship? It brings pain and sorry. I've witnessed jealousy turn a co-worker into the office spy filled with lies and cause division and lack of trust among co-workers. Addicts give into their addictions, and it destroys families and the addict. The list of life choices that can destroy is long. For many, we battle in our minds to overcome these desires. It is a battle of making good choices or bad choices. It is a battle of evil versus good - righteousness versus sin - Spiritual versus Carnal.
"For the carnal minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6
Paul clearly makes the contrast. If you have lived, you know this is true. In other words, we know what we should do and will to do what is right, but our physical body doesn't do what we will to do. Ever been there? Can you decide to do what is right? In Romans 7:25, Paul writes, "I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." We all have this mental battle of wills where our carnal mind leads us towards destruction and our spiritual minds leads us towards what is right. How can we end this battle? There is a way, chose to be spiritually minded.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1,2
We defeat the carnal desires with our faith in Christ Jesus. However, there is more to life with Jesus. With Jesus Christ, we become spiritually minded filled with "life and peace." (8:6) "If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." (8:10,11)
Yes, you can have this great peace with Jesus Christ. It is a decision you have to make for yourself. "For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and the with mouth confession is made to salvation." (Romans 10:10) With your faith in God, you will be filled with the Spirit of God and be equipped to defeat the temptations of the flesh. "And, if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." Romans 8:10
"But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:23,24)
Yes, it is a battle! It is a mental battle which can wreck your life or save your life. Our minds and the state of our minds control our decisions. Have you watched CNN or NBC? Many anchors have let their hate over power their judgment resulting in news becoming about destroying our president or even our country if that is what it takes. Have you seen what lack of trust does to a relationship? It brings pain and sorry. I've witnessed jealousy turn a co-worker into the office spy filled with lies and cause division and lack of trust among co-workers. Addicts give into their addictions, and it destroys families and the addict. The list of life choices that can destroy is long. For many, we battle in our minds to overcome these desires. It is a battle of making good choices or bad choices. It is a battle of evil versus good - righteousness versus sin - Spiritual versus Carnal.
"For the carnal minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6
Paul clearly makes the contrast. If you have lived, you know this is true. In other words, we know what we should do and will to do what is right, but our physical body doesn't do what we will to do. Ever been there? Can you decide to do what is right? In Romans 7:25, Paul writes, "I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." We all have this mental battle of wills where our carnal mind leads us towards destruction and our spiritual minds leads us towards what is right. How can we end this battle? There is a way, chose to be spiritually minded.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1,2
We defeat the carnal desires with our faith in Christ Jesus. However, there is more to life with Jesus. With Jesus Christ, we become spiritually minded filled with "life and peace." (8:6) "If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." (8:10,11)
Yes, you can have this great peace with Jesus Christ. It is a decision you have to make for yourself. "For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and the with mouth confession is made to salvation." (Romans 10:10) With your faith in God, you will be filled with the Spirit of God and be equipped to defeat the temptations of the flesh. "And, if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." Romans 8:10
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