So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Romans 8:6 NLT
When it comes to life and death situations, heartbeat, breathing, stopping the bleeding, consciousness, and vital signs are the priorities of first responders. The mind is not something we usually think about.
The writer of Romans brings the focus of our mind to the center of attention as a life and death choice:
- The choice for death: Let your mind be controlled by your sinful nature.
- The choice for life and peace: Let your mind be controlled by the Spirit of God.
Choices around life and death provide such a contrast for us to seriously consider.
Reflection
One of the uncomfortable truths of this scripture is the statement that my mind is going to be controlled. The question is a choice of who and/or what.
If sinful nature controls us, all of our thinking moves us to make choices that lead to the death of ourselves and others. The landscape of the world is filled with proof of the sinful nature controlling our minds individually and collectively in ways that result in death.
If the Spirit of God is directing our minds, everything is about cultivating life and peace in this world. Our life is focused on lifting everyone up, life is precious and treasured, and peace becomes more and more of a reality in our experience.
There is a popular line of thinking that is “as old as the hills” that believes we can manage sin by the making and keeping of laws. However, if the mind is not focused on the life and peace offered through Jesus Christ, there is no amount of law-making and law-keeping that can overcome the mind controlled by sinful nature. Even the law of Moses did not accomplish this:
“The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.” Romans 8:3 NLT
The choice of what/who our mind is going to live in submission to is a life and death choice. I choose God’s Spirit to shape my mind.
Encouragement
Choose life and peace by letting the Spirit of God transform and renew your mind. This takes focus and discipline to choose to follow God and His ways. Believe in Jesus Christ as the response to all sinful nature and death with the gift of life forever. Live in submission to the Holy Spirit. He will only lead you to life and peace.
Prayer
Dear Holy Spirit of God,
Thank You for these clear words of life and death. Thank You for giving us the opportunity to have our minds focused on You and the life and peace being offered through Jesus Christ. Lead us in stepping away from sinful nature. Lead us in this life and peace You offer. Help us to share this with others. We love You.
In the strong name of Jesus, we pray, Amen