“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” -Romans 8:6
Have you ever watched a dog protect its turf? A dog makes decisions based on instincts, which are natural inclinations built in by the dog’s Creator. Human beings are different from the animal world in that we possess a soul, a will with which we make decisions. Nonetheless, we also have our own natural inclinations. Paul described our basic human nature with the word sarx which is the Greek word for “flesh.” The flesh is our natural self, always inclined away from God and toward self.
Paul says, to be sarx-minded, that is, “here-and-now minded” or “me-first minded” is our natural inclination and it leads us further from God on a pathway toward eternal death and separation from His presence. But to be spiritually-minded means eternal life and brings peace to the chaos of our lives. What are your natural inclinations like? When you make a moral choice, do you think spiritually or carnally? Do you consider the eternal benefits or the earthly benefits first? Do you have self at the center of your interests, or God and others?
Paul let us know that our answer to these kinds of questions will determine where we go for eternity. A mind surrendered to God thinks spiritually and therefore identifies us as God’s children. A mind that thinks carnally has never been surrendered to Christ, at least not fully. If your natural inclination is to live life on your own, get ready for chaos. If you want peace and eternal life, surrender your mind, soul, and body to Jesus Christ and begin to think spiritually.
