Romans 8:5-6 "For those who live according to the flesh..."

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:5-6 NRSV).

Comment:

In a very real sense this brief statement sums up the totality of Jesus' message -- and, indeed, the message of the entire Bible. It is a perfect statement of the universal spiritual principles that Unity affirms and follows. We experience our lives according to how we “set our minds.” This doesn't mean that we fall victim to every random negative thought that drifts through our consciousness. We "set" our minds not just by entertaining thoughts, but by believing them. The choice is clear: we choose to believe in the material world around us, as verified and interpreted by our senses and human brain, or we choose to believe in a larger spiritual dimension that encompasses the material world and all of life in an infinite energy that is God. This second choice makes no sense to our logical brains; we must find support for it in the deeper dimensions of our hearts.   To "live according to the flesh" is to accept, not just the illusory rewards of a material existence, but the equally illusory punishments—chiefly a belief that everything is temporary and terminal, ending in death. To "live according to the Spirit" is to know the truth—that we are eternal spiritual beings who could never be defined or limited within a mortal existence.   The choice is ours—not just one epic choice between conflicting beliefs, but a thousand little choices every day that express an underlying faith—either in the dramas of our humanity or in the powerful love of our spiritual Truth.   Blessings!

Rev. Ed