Romans 8:7-8 - The Mind Set on the Flesh

Romans 8:7-8 - 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Message: The Flesh doesn't work

Time: This book was probably written between 56 and 57 B.C. Paul was in Greece, probably Corinth when he wrote. It was sent to Gentile believers, but also believers with a strong Jewish element.

What the Lord is Saying:

Review
Paul continues to look at the flesh in contrast to living according to the Spirit. Verse 1 is the promise from God that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. This is a great verse of comfort. At the end of Chapter 7 was the clear understanding that our wills battle against each other, as new creatures in Christ, on one hand wanting to do what is good, but on the other hand, having sinful tendencies.

But, Chapter 8, brings good news, letting us know that we don't bear this wrestling on our own. We surrender ourselves to God and really, as new creatures in Christ, we walk according to the Spirit. If we just allow the Spirit to work in our lives, then we will have further peace in Christ. Yes, we have peace, according to Romans 5, upon believing and receiving Christ's righteousness, but we can experience life long, daily peace, by walking according to the Spirit.

The problem with a mind set on the flesh
Verse 7 reiterates and clarifies the danger of the mind being on the things of the flesh: "The flesh is hostile toward God." The flesh and the ways of the flesh does not please God or have its focus on God. I'm finding this more true every day. The more I'm spending time in the Word, the more I'm focusing on things of God, the more I'm surrendering my will to God, the less thrilling it is to engulf my ways in the things of the world. The less appealing the flesh is to life.

I've been working on having a prayer time as a family on a nightly basis. When I think of it and what it could be, I think of the joy of gathering together in Jesus' name as a family and being able to share truths, reading the Bible, and being together as a family. We can read God's word. We can talk about life. We can pray for one another for what is going on in our lives. It is a thrill to think about and focus on. But, the problem is we aren't trained in this way and trying to set a new habit in the life of the family is so difficult. It is ever so difficult. It is a tussle. And so far it is hard to keep it going. I've been hoping we could do it 4 times a week now. This past week we have done it twice. I don't sense that anyone else in the family has the same desire. Or maybe they have the desire in retrospect or when they introspect, but when it gets to the point of doing it, no one seems willing and I feel like I am being an inconvenience. But, I want to press on. I want to seek to do it Lord. I do pray Lord that you would help that time to come to fruition. I want to be able to help my family walk in the Spirit.

Cannot please God
I just think we think that we can have our cake and eat it too. I just think that we dabble with living in the flesh like it is no big deal. It is not wrong I think to do some things but when the Spirit is clearing drawing me in a different direction, I think it is a sin when I don't follow through. The flesh cannot fulfill the Law (verse 7) and the flesh cannot please God (verse 8). Those are stark reminders that I need to be about the Spirit.

And I can be about the flesh in service that has the appearance of being toward God.  Being in a new church is nice because I feel like I'm back to being a parishioner and I am out of being at the forefront of something. It is hard to be a leader. Because my life is then on public display. It is much easier to just live in the shadows. But, that doesn't mean that I am not to be a leader. But, I just need to be careful. Don't force anything.

Promise: The flesh is always hostile to God, never pleasing God.