BEYOND THE HOSTILE MIND: Being a Christian

Where is the battle for control of your life fought? Romans 8, says it is fought in the mind. It is not what you do, but who you are that shows the commitment to the gospel life. Being a Christian is not to enslave ourselves to God so as to be afraid of him, but it is to become his child and call him our Father. Rom 8:15. The law was powerless to condemn sin in sinful man, so God condemned sin in sinful man by sending his son in man’s likeness as a sin offering to fully satisfy the requirements of righteousness under the law. Man now satisfies righteousness by living according to the Spirit; meaning, they have their mind set on what the Spirit desires and no longer on the desires of their flesh (sinful nature). Know that the mind of sinful man is death. It is hostile to God. It does not and cannot submit to God’s law. Rom 8:7-8. Therefore, in his natural state, man cannot please God. It is not what a man does, but who he is that please God. You must declare yourself his child through the acceptance of Jesus Christ, declaring him your Father, and you must submit your mind to His Spirit and have it controlled by His Spirit; then, you will have life and peace. This shows that the Spirit of God lives in you; meaning, you belong to Christ and carry the name Christian.

Living in Christ - Spirit to Spirit

In Rom 8:1 Paul talks about those “who are in Christ,” meaning those who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. To be “in Christ” means living according to the Spirit. Being “not in Christ” means living according to the sinful nature. Living according to the sinful nature has been condemned by God. Through this we are encouraged not to worry so much about what we do, but worry about who we are in Christ. What lifestyle have we adopted? Do we follow our sinful nature which is also called “the flesh” or do we follow the Spirit? The self-evaluation is simply the following:

Life Expectations with Sinful Nature/Flesh...Life Expectations Living by the Spirit
All life is according to flesh desires.....Life is according to what the Spirit desires
Controlled by fear of death..................Controlled by life and peace
Hostile to God......................................Spirit of God lives within you
Cannot submit to God’s Law................Same Spirit gives life to your mortal body
Cannot please God..............................Puts to death misdeeds of the body giving life
............................................................Become Sons of God
............................................................His Spirit now speaks to our spirit
............................................................He assures us that we are His children

As God’s children we are co-heirs with Christ to share in his suffering in order that we share in his glory.