Romans 8: 7-9

(Romans 8: 7-9)

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

 

There are two kinds of human thoughts, the mind of the body and the mind of the spirit. Those led to the church often come without knowing anything about their faith. They must hear the Gospel and come, but because they cannot, the church tells the Gospel. Depending on how the church speaks, a person's view of faith can change. If they have learned exactly what repentance is, they will understand the thoughts of the Spirit well. And you will be able to discern. However, if not, no matter how long they have attended church, although they have a lot of knowledge of the Bible, they will remain in the mind of the flesh. Those who remain in the minds of the flesh will burn their faith when trouble comes.

 

People build their faith on Christ, and when they live like grass, trees, or straw, their faith is burned by fire. Anything made of gold, silver or precious stones will shine more in fire. No matter how hard human effort builds up faith, it is like grass or trees. In order to become gold, silver, or jewels, faith is achieved when self-denial and built only as Lord. The Bible said that the mind of the body is death, and the mind of the spirit is life and peace. The Lord promised the land of Canaan. The wilderness is not a promised land. All promises are fulfilled only in the land of Canaan, the word of God is planted and applied, and bears fruit. There is no water in the wilderness and no place to sow.

 

There are also two types of people who rely on the lamb. Do they live their entire life in the wilderness and die, or do the old die and be born new? When they come to repentance, only those who believe and obey in their homes and workplaces, "Man cannot do it, but God can do it." People asked Jesus, "Are there few people to be saved?" Jesus said, "Many are called, but few are chosen."

 

Those who do not repent do not seek the door of salvation. Jesus said, "Strive to enter through the narrow door." It means, "The mind of the flesh is a wide door." The Gospel of Matthew said, "There are many who go through the wide gate." It means that many people live according to the thoughts of the body and few live according to the thoughts of the spirit. The Gospel of Luke said, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, and in that day many will not be able to enter even though they strive to enter." This means that even narrow doors are not easy to enter.

 

Those who seek to enter that day are those who have found the door of salvation. It means that just because they have found the door to salvation doesn't mean they're entering. This is because they only believe without repenting. If they do not repent, they are caught up in the thoughts of the flesh, not the thoughts of the spirit. Because repentance is the rejection of the fleshly thoughts. Many churches believe that because of their lack of faith, they cannot shake off their fleshly thoughts. That's why they want to try and experience them to raise their level of faith. However, it does not depend on a lot or a small amount of faith, but on whether or not you accept or reject the thoughts of the flesh.

 

It cannot be said that the faith that came out of Egypt was the faith that entered Canaan. The Lord promised Canaan. But the ten spies accepted the fleshly thoughts. So all the people who left Egypt believed the words of the ten spies, who accepted the fleshly thought, "If we enter Canaan, we will die." Many church members must see whether they live with the mind of the flesh or the mind of the spirit. If we live the spirit's thoughts, it will be a distinct and holy life. The fleshly mind cannot please God, so it cannot be saved. The fleshly mind finds life and peace in the world. In 1 John 2:16, 『For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 』

 

If there is someone who thinks that if the church life is good and faith is on the rock, the Lord will give us abundantly the things of this world, we must reconsider. Spirit's thoughts don't like the world no matter how well the world works. This is because the spirit's mind is of the world and does not take life and peace. The mind of the spirit enjoys life and peace as heavenly things because of believing in promises. So, even though there is life and peace, it is difficult to think that it is the thought of the Spirit. There are many places in the church where the wave of secularization is overflowing. This is because many churches can't endure it if it doesn't go well in the world. Like Job, the Lord gives suffering to those whom the Lord loves. Like Joseph, he gives difficulties.

 

“Abraham became a hundred years old, and he knew that his body was dead and that Sarah's womb was dead.” Abraham’s 99 years old is the thought of his flesh. When Joshua and Caleb entered the land of Canaan, the land of Canaan was completely unbelievable with the fleshly thoughts, but they accepted the thoughts of the spirit who believed in God's promises. In the fleshly thoughts, Joshua and Caleb, or the ten spies, would have been the same. Their difference is whether they trust themselves and not the promises of the Lord. This is the difference between the mind of the spirit and the mind of the body.

 

Repentance is not trusting in oneself that comes from fleshly thoughts. This faith of Joshua and Caleb is the same as that of Abraham in the centuries. They gain knowledge and experience the word of the Lord throughout their lives, but it does not help them to receive the thoughts of the Spirit. Rather, they can become proud. The mind of the flesh and the mind of the spirit cannot be one, just as water and oil cannot be one. The fleshly mind becomes enemies with God.

 

However, the two thoughts coexist in one body. The thought of the flesh is called the soul. After all, the soul seems to be one by combining the spirit and soul, but the two cannot be combined. In fact, when the spirit died, the soul was the master, but when the spirit, the image of God, was alive, the soul had to be killed. Spirit and soul, these two seem to be united, but they are enemies that cannot be together. Because the one who controls the soul, which is the thought of the flesh, is the devil. The devil is the master. In John 8:44『 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 』

That is why Jesus came to destroy the devil. In 1 John 3:8, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 』