Life and Peace

Jan. 12

The Transformed Life; Lesson 10

Read: Romans 8:1-11

Life and Peace; a Review and Conclusion

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” - Rom. 8:6

Living according to the flesh will KILL YOU… literally and figuratively. In the end, this “spiritual” life we have been talking about is the FULLEST life…it is the only life of “peace”. In Romans 8:6, we can see the idea that we covered before - namely that the mind is an intermediary designed to be “set on” one thing or another. It will either be set on the “flesh” or it will be set on the “spirit”. The flesh is death and the spirit is life. What does this mean? “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.” The mind set on the flesh is “hostile to God” and “does not submit to God’s law”. (v.7) Here is the unpopular truth that the church is afraid of … people who live this way - “mind set on the flesh and not submitting to God’s law” - CANNOT please God! God is not pleased with people like this. It says it directly in the bible: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Why have we become afraid to admit this? God is not pleased with you if you live this way! Are you pleasing God?

SO we must “walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” This is the pathway to “life and peace”. What will you “set your mind on”? Who or what will you allow to control and influence your mind? This is the transformed life: spirit made alive by the Holy Spirit, and communing with God. Fed by the word, and strengthened by solitude. Invested in prayer and relationship with the Holy Spirit, and offering worship in spirit and in truth. Our spirits and the Holy Spirit working together then overseeing our thoughts and emotions, and renewing our minds so that the spirit and soul (mind and emotions) can direct and reign in the body. This spirit led life is a life of FREEDOM and peace. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you FREE in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1,2) Your are no longer trapped .

Unpacking this further, we are reminded to meditate on Gods word and obey what it says. We work to be quicker at responding to the voice of the Holy Spirit and the voice of our spirit within us. We must worship deeply and often… reminding one another of God’s goodness and what he has done. We rejoice with those who rejoice and we mourn with those you mourn. Brothers and sisters, seek time alone and undistracted to listen to the Lord and to pray. We must not only seek to avoid sinning, but we also embrace the ways that God is working in this world. Do not shy away from acknowledging the spiritual or stop seeking to usher it the supernatural Kingdom of God. We are participants with the Spirit in what the Father and Son are doing. My prayer: Lord - breath this life on our spirits; our body, soul, and spirit are yours. You want all of us… and all of us is transformed when you intersect our lives. Your good news has ramifications for ALL of me… body, soul, and spirit. May I walk in the spirit and not in the flesh. Amen! I love you guys! - JDP