Questions for Definitions

Romans 8

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

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.

I want to look at more definitions and descriptions to help clear things in my mind. There is definitely a number of opposites here but I also know that they are not usually understood very well.

What are the things that are done for us – in spite of us – to us?

Opposite that, what part do we have – what choices can and do we need to make in this situation?

Most of the time I think we confuse the two areas and work very hard on producing the results that can only come out of God's part, that will occur naturally after He does something inside of us. At the same time, we may be neglecting to do the things/choices that God will not do for us and in neglecting those choices or decisions we hold up progress and thwart God's intentions for our lives. I know I feel like that is my own condition right now, though I feel like I am in the dark about what it is I am neglecting.

Just what is involved in living in the flesh – living according to the flesh – as described here?

Opposite that, what is needed for us to live in the spirit – live according to the spirit?

The answers to these questions are crucial to understand because the results of living one way or the other (there is no other options) are either death or life ultimately. Whether we believe that we have a choice or not, or whether we make a deliberate decision to look at the options head-on or not, does not take us to any other options. We can ignore, deny, argue, rationalize or anything else – we will still make our choice whether by default or intentionally. The unavoidable reality is that we are either living each day according to the flesh or we are living according to the spirit with the end results of those two options being formed in our hearts to be realized sooner or later.

Again, I believe the answers can be found in the context and I would like to spend some time taking these questions back like a big magnet and seeing what they pull out of the previous passages that will help define what they mean. I would certainly enjoy doing this with more people than just myself, but at this point I will have to be content to continue discussing these things as a monologue. The Spirit is always eager to share and reveal truths to my mind, but I know that He is even more eager to apply what I am learning to my heart. I want Him to do that at a much deeper level and more pervasively than what has happened so far.

God, reveal Yourself to me in Your word more clearly. Also help me to be more open and less resistant to all of the channels You want to use to affect my healing and training and shaping. Show me Your face as I learn and experience more deeply what it really means to live according to the spirit.

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