OK -- I may be sorry, but I have chosen this text for the week.Perhaps it is because I was rereading Augustine's Confessions a few months ago as part of a seminary class I taught. I was particularly struck by Augustine's notion of the bondage of the will, that is, we can not on our own will to do what is right. Perhaps that's why my immediate response on approaching this passage was: "Yes, but HOW do you "set your mind on things of the Spirit"? Is it (to some degree) an act of the will, a discipline, or is it a gift of grace? What difference does it make to the person in the pew? Any thoughts out there??
oops, I forget to sign the above post. I am . . . Ev in Kansas
oops, I forget to sign the above post. I am . . . Ev in Kansas
Ev in Kansas,
How do you set your mind on anything you do? Don't you, to quote a popular commercial, 'just do it'?
So what is it? To set your mind on the things of the Spirit is to set your mind on that which the Spirit has clearly made His mark. I think it starts with Scripture. The Holy Spirit has clearly made His presence known in the unity and harmony of God's Holy word. So I think we should be encouraging each other to get into the word prayerfully, dilligently, and with a mindset that is looking for truth, rather than the intellectual mindset so prevalent today which looks for falsehood in the Scriptures.
This would sem to be an excellent beginning. More later...
Rick in Va
I think the struggle in the Christian faith, like the struggle between Esau and Jacob, is an internal struggle of our will. The gift of grace from Christ works with us to resolve our internal conflict. It is not easy but like any relationship we need to constantly communicate with God so we can set our minds on the things of God.
"Let all mortal flesh keep silence..."
The spiritual disciplines help us to tap into God's power to over come the worldly desires of the flesh. We can not do it on our own but through Christ who strengthens me.
Bruce in WI
07/07/99
Eve in Kansas: You raise good questions--and I find merit in Augustine in that we cannot on our own do what is right and pleasing to God. Conversely I think with Paul--that sin has a far greater power than we humans give credit and we are duped into thinking that sin is just human wrong-doing. God sent Christ to die and break the bonds of Sin for all. It was more than just sinful acts that God responded to in the act of redemption--Let us not be deceived into believing that we are serving God when we are really serving evil. Many well intentioned Christians serve evil when they believe that by sitting in the pew on Sunday, they are righteous--evil has duped them. Humans intent on serving God--crucified Jesus Christ. God exposed the error of human ways in the raising of Christ from the grave. The power of God's love to bring us into the right relationship with God and others is God's gift of love as is the breaking of the bondage of sin which so desires to enslave us in servitude to evil---not love. Setting our minds on things of the Spirit means to me--we must stop believing that we can do right without the saving power of Jesus Christ. By the grace of God, we are freed to be "in Christ" and not caught in evil thinking that we are "being good" ---good enough to please God. We can only respond to God when we have surrended to the power of sin, only God has defeated sin, and by grace we can stand with our brother, Christ, who calls us brothers and sisters. It was Christ who submitted to Sin for us and arose triumphantly. Thus, standing with Jesus, we can have the mind of Christ and set our mind on the things of the spirit. Our response can then be loving acts of kindness and deeds of mercy---for we have known the love and mercy of God in our lives.
Ramblings from DF in KS
Thanks to all of you for your comments. I particularly like your image, Bruce, of the grace of Christ working to help resolve our internal struggle. And I agree with Rick that Scripture is the primary spiritual discipline through which we "set our minds" on things of the Spirit. Last evening, I spent a final session with members of last year's Disciple II Bible Study. I was particularly moved as I listened to group members talk about how their relationships and their lives had been changed as a result of their challenging encounters with Scripture. One woman spoke at great length about her newfound ability to forgive and be reconciled with estranged members of her family. Another talked of changed priorities and a new discipline of prayer in her life. All this I experience as the working of the Spirit through encounter with Scripture. Or as Paul says "life to (our)mortal bodies through his Spirit which dwells in (us).
Grace and peace
Ev in KS
Great theology, DF in KS!
Tigger in ND
This is a constant battle for every Christian. Even the Apostle Paul had to fight the selfish spirit. Paul said that the Lord gave him a thorn in the flesh to help him to win the war between the flesh and the spirit. In Romans chapter 7 Paul finally discovers how to get victory over the flesh- It's through the LORD JESUS CHIRST!
Jesus saved & placed his spirit in us not to live as we please but to live as we ought! If we walk in the spirit we won't have time to live for the flesh.
ILL: A Sunday School teacher was absent for her childrens class and at the last minute they found a replacement. Not having time to study she gave an asssignment. She said for the first 30 minutes write about the Lord and the last 30 minutes about the Devil. AS the students were stacking their papers into two piles. One little girl had only one paper and the sub-teacher asked were was the paper on the Devil. The little girl replied,"I spent so much time with Jesus I did't have time for the Devil. There my friend is the answer to win victory over the flesh by walking in the Spirit.
Dan Munson-Albany,LA.