Romans Chapter 8 Verses 5 – 6

• You gotta look at this in the Greek!  What Paul says here as written by the translators is that “folks that live after the flesh but when you dig a little in the Greek you find is that Paul simply means folks that are mindful of the things of the flesh…minds are full is the thought…it’s what’s on their minds!  What their life is, man…and those that live after the spirit are mindful of things of the spirit.  And he keeps doing this…he keeps contrasting the flesh and the spirit.  In five verses in this Chapter so far Paul has contrasted the flesh and the spirit four times…why?  What’s he trying to get across?!
• Condemnation prevails when we live after the flesh…even when we are in Jesus!  What’s that?  You heard me right.  Even a Christian can be carnally minded and that Christian is doing just what Peter did the night it got him into so much trouble…following Jesus from a distance man!  Still not clear?  Still not impressed? 
• Look to be carnally minded doesn’t have to mean that you’re completely given over to some sort of blatant sin…it could mean that…that certainly does lead to death…the death of something, your relationship or your ministry or your career or whatever…certainly sin leads to destruction but what Paul is saying here is simply to be after the things of the flesh. 
• What shall we eat, what shall we drink, what shall we put on in terms of material clothing, what shall we do so that we are entertained…Jesus talked about all of these things in Matthew Chapter 6 as He pleaded with the people, “is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Where is your faith?  For your Father in heaven knows you have need of all these things and rather than spend your days hungering and worrying…seek first, that is primarily…that means focus…that means get after…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you!”
• All what things?  If you thought food, clothing, entertainment…then maybe you are living after the flesh and maybe that is why you can’t seem to shake this feeling of distance between you and the Lord…because yes Jesus was talking about the needs of the body but primarily He was talking about the kingdom of God in your life and His righteousness prevailing and shining forth in your life…those are the primary things in the life of one who is after it man…the things of God!  Life and peace bro…
• Do you desire life and peace?  Of course you do!  It’s like you’re in the restaurant of life and here comes the desert tray and on it are two selections…two choices found in verse 6…”sir, madam we have the most excellent selection of accompaniments tonight would you care for a hot bowl of death or a cool serving of life and peace?”  No Brainer!
• Skip the junk food man and eat what is good…get after the things of the Spirit…How though?  That’s so lofty!  Learn it!  That’s how!  Humble yourself to God and God’s Word, the Bible.  Approach your time in the Word each day not with an intention to do your priestly duties but with the need to learn of Him, to learn His ways, to apply His truth to your day…that is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness in your life…
• You don’t just “get it.”  You can’t turn it on and turn it off as you please…walking in the spirit is not a light switch…it is a, well we just said it…it’s a walk.  A journey.  And so many think they get it…”oh you know I’ll just give to charity or I’ll just not cuss today, or I’ll just go to church today…”  Give, not cuss, go…those are all things of the flesh…and you don’t even see it…no there’s much more to be….LEARNED!  Ahhhhh, gasp!  To submit yourself to learning means you don’t already know and so many have an issue with that!  Pride man!  But it’s true…here’s how you live after the spirit…criss/cross applesauce at the feet of Jesus and listen!
• Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do good, seek justice…”  See it?  Learn….seek….then what?  Isaiah continues, “then you will know how to rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless and plead for the widow…”  And then life and peace show up as Isaiah 1:18 says, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”  Paul continues…

Romans Chapter 8 Verses 7 – 8

• Paul says, “don’t be fooled, and certainly don’t be fronting thinking that living after the flesh is a-ok with God.”  He can’t be any clearer here…the carnal mind is straight up enmity against God!  Why?  Because if you are living to please self, with the priority of self…then how on heaven and earth are you loving God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength…and loving others?  You’re not!  You’re not subject to that and as long as you go without humbling yourself, Paul says you’re not even able to know what that means…let alone please God.
• Now there’s an interesting parallel found in the Bible where Paul says, “without faith it’s impossible to please God.”  And so put it together!  To be carnally minded is indeed to be unfaithful and unfaithfulness at its core, walking outside of the Word and will of God at its core…boils down to one hard and tough truth…you’re walking in disbelief!  It’s Hebrews, Chapter 3 verses 18 – 19!
• Dangerous place to be.  A place that very few think that we are…carnally minded…but let me ask you today…how’s your life looking?  Got strife?  Got envy?  Got division…then you need to get something else…some honesty…because look at 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. 
• That is carnality.  That is not normality!  And it certainly is not acceptable!  And please hear me…if you do not heed the Word of God and repent then you will end up at a dead end in the matter…for to be carnally minded is death…but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
• What’s that then?  If the tell-tale signs of being carnally minded are strife, envy and divisions, what are some tell-tale signs of being spiritually minded?  Well, I could go to Galatians 5 and speak about the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…but let me show you what that looks like applied.  1 Cor again.  This time Chapter 4 beginning at verse 12…notice how it starts…”we put in WORK!”  (Read to verse 13).
• Now turn over to Chapter 6 and look at verses 7 and 8.  Can you even believe the Bible says that!  You know what else it says?  Trust in God man!  Commit your ways to Him and He will direct your path…He will straighten it all out…but strife…envy…division…and the mirror says…you don’t believe…and that’s not ok.  That pains God…Paul says it certainly doesn’t please Him!  Ah but allow humility to have its place…humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, believing what He has said, in faith…being faithful and the Bible says He will lift you up…in due time!!
• May not be today, but do you believe?  May not be tomorrow, but DO YOU BELIEVE?  May not be this week, this month, this year, this LIFE…but do you believe…here is where faith meets fact man and you sow to the Spirit as the Bible says…you rest and you wait and you believe and the whole time, I’m telling you, peace will proliferate and strength will surge…why?  Because you are well pleasing to the Lord and The Holy Spirit is not hindered in His desire to fill you, lead you, care for you and teach you the truth about life and righteousness…what do you mean, Matt?…look at the next verses…

Romans Chapter 8 Verses 9 – 10

• Paul wrote to the carnal Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians Chapter 2.  Look with me at verses 13 – 14.  Paul had just taught them about God’s awesome revelation in the life of one who is faithful, one who trusts in Him…”eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have even entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love them…”  You can’t see it, you can’t hear it, you can’t even predict it with your heart of hearts…God’s amazing life and righteousness are revealed man!!!
• To who?  The specially chosen?  The chosen few who have it all together and walk on water?  NO way!  To those who CHOOSE HIM and are deliberate and courageous about patterning their life after the spirit man…prioritizing the things of the Spirit!  And as you do that, as you humble yourself, learn of God, rely upon God, trusting Him and believing Him at His Word…what do you think happens?  YOU FIND HIM FAITHFUL!
• What?  Sirens!  Fireworks!  For Real!?  Can you believe it!  The God who created all things knows what is best for you?  The God who crafted your life before you were in your mother’s womb, He knows the solution to your present predicament?  Of course He does!  Give Him a chance to prove Himself faithful to His Word…He will every time!  He’ll never take a break!  He’ll never call in sick!  He may not show up according to your plan and schedule but you have a lifetime warranty on this next statement…He will always show up according to His plan and schedule…which by the way happens to be the perfect set…not yours!
• And then what happens when you begin to actually believe God?  When you begin to actually trust in Him…you rest!  Strife, envy, division…subsides…fades away and abundant life appears…not abundant as in more toys, more money, more junk…man if you can buy it, then it is not abundance….I’m talking about peace man…love, joy, gentleness, kindness…hope, strength, grace…I’m talking something real!  The life that the Lord has purposed for you specifically!

Romans Chapter 8 Verse 11

• See that?  Life is given to your and to my mortal body how?  Through the Spirit man!  The key to the life you desire, the life you were made to live, the life you yearn for and hope for…is not more striving, is not more planning and plotting and maneuvering and manipulating!  It’s to be found only by gettin’ after the things of the Spirit!

Romans Chapter 8 Verses 12 – 14

• In a nutshell, Paul just said, “be led by the Spirit, be alive and you will find family like intimacy with God!”

Romans Chapter 8 Verse 15

• One of the most wonderful verses in this chapter!  Paul says, “check this out!  Trust in you…rely upon what you can see, hear and discern naturally…and you will arrive at fear and slavery man!  But God has done something for you and for me…He has purchased us…He has freed us…and He has made us His sons and daughters through the eternal and powerful atonement of Jesus Christ while we were still absolutely estranged from Him!”
• While we were yet sinners, He adopted us!  That word there in verse 15, adoption…it’s huiothesia in the Greek…it means adult adoption…not as in adopting a child but here we were, all of the baggage that we have created, all of the chains that we have crafted…He looks us over and says, “I’ll take him!”  And the first thing He does…frees us man…retires our baggage, removes our bondage and if we allow that to happen, we arrive at a child-like humble state of sheer reliance upon Him and we cry out, just as a child would…abba…daddy!  And innocence is restored man…just like a child…

Romans Chapter 8 Verses 16 – 17

• You see, adult adoption means congnizant adoption.  It means we are aware.  We made a choice…and in that, responsibility is implied.  And Paul now, as he has laid out what it is to be spiritually minded and alive, now prepares us practically to walk our faith out…because without testing, there can be no testimony…without difficulty there is no opportunity for faithfulness and to be sure…following God in the spirit, amongst a very physical and carnal world…will certainly involve suffering!  Why?  Because ultimately I don’t belong here.
• I am a son of God.  Of the family of God.  Of the line of God and this place is not my home…and so…as long as I am here, I will experience a bit of situational discomfort…a portion of circumstantial disrest…but in terms of position, I am constantly comfortable…persistently at rest…why?  Because I believe man.
• Whitney sang, “I believe the children are our future.”  Well I disagree Whitney…”I believe that Jesus is my future.”  My future, the next minute, the next day, the next week, the next life…and so I rest in hope…and I rely upon Him and His Word and His Spirit assures me of my inheritance constantly…and I’m just free to live…I’m free to love…I’m free to be a fool for His sake ya know…I’m just a kid man…just like my own…
• Madison is free to live…Link, free to live…Brantley, free to live.  No worry, no mortgage, no grocery bill, none of them check the locks on the front door and back door before bed…they just live and play and thrive…why?  Because they trust me man…God says to you and to me, “Trust Me.  I won’t leave you, I won’t forsake you…take Me at My Word…and live.”