According to the Spirit - Part 1

I started out this morning looking for what it means to set my mind on the spirit mentioned so many times in Romans 8. As I scanned down through the verses picking up clues and bits of information to form a description, I came across the very popular text of Romans 8:28. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” I remembered some people's comments about some of the words not being in the original so I decided to look back at the Greek and see what insights I might find there.

I was startled when I carefully examined the Greek words behind this text and saw a very different picture of what it says here. Here is an alternative wording of this verse from what I find in the definitions of the Greek words from Strong's.

But we perceive that all (things, people, the whole gamut daily) cooperate (mysteriously) at a point in time – because of the totally selfless love (agapao) of God – for the benefit of those who accept the invitation to focus their mind on the Spirit by exposing themselves before God (like the shewbread in the sanctuary).

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