Read Romans 8
Key Verses 5-8: “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.”
Observations: In this section, Paul is looking at how people can come to God and please God and the old way of coming through the law does not work, now we see that when we are living in the flesh it does not work. He pictures our lives as in slavery to a master, we are always enslaved either to sin (flesh) and the law or to God. He says that the person who is enslaved to the flesh cannot please God but is hostile toward God. This is very impactful language: if I am being controlled by the flesh I cannot be in partnership in any way with God but will be hostile towards Him.
Application: Where does my allegiance fall? Am I walking in the flesh or in the way of God? Something that caught my attention here is that I cannot walk in the ways of God, it’s impossible – the mind controlled by the flesh cannot submit to God’s law. I need to be set free from the flesh so that I can have any hope of submitting to God. This freedom is a gift of God’s grace. It does not come to me by my sheer willpower or desire but is granted to me by God’s grace.
Prayer: Father, I need your help to be free from the flesh so that I can serve you. Without your help it is impossible for me to be free and impossible for me to ever please you because I am enslaved to the flesh. Grant me your freedom and then allow me to live in that freedom to serve you.
