• Romans 8:4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 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. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

1. Translation Issues
Romans 8:5, for the student of Greek, can be either a nightmare or a dream. I have just enough knowledge and ability in Greek to be dangerous, but even I can see that the translators have caused quite a bit of confusion through their work on this text. The phrase in question, which is used twice, is, as the ESV puts it, along with the NASB, ‘set their mind…’ Those of the flesh ‘set their mind’ on the flesh, those of the Spirit ‘set their mind’ on the Spirit. The KJV translates this phrase, instead of ‘set the mind,’ ‘being carnally minded’ and ‘spiritually minded.’

The obvious issue with these translations is that the quoted phrase includes a genitive definite article, and a genitive definite article expresses ownership. Thus the NET Bible translates the phrase more literally: ‘For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace.’ And I would offer up the translation, which I’m sure is not original:

• ‘The mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace.’

The issue in Romans 8:6, then, is not simply what the mind is set on, but what the actual paradigm of the mind is. What’s your basic point of view? What governs your way of thinking? The way you answer this will determine whether or not you are a Christian.

2. The Mindset of the Spirit vs. The Mindset of the Flesh
Those who are ‘of the flesh’ have a certain way of thinking which is opposed to the ‘mindset of the Spirit.’ Therefore we have to ask, What is the mindset of the Spirit?

The Mindset of the Spirit is a Gospel Mindset

For instance,

• John 16:14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you

• Or consider the great outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. What does He do, what is His work? He causes men to praise God. He causes Peter to preach a sermon all about Christ and his gospel. He causes men to believe the gospel.

• Or consider 2 Corinthians 3. The work of the Spirit is to enable us to behold the glory of Christ in the gospel and thereby be conformed to Christ’s image.

The work of the Spirit is to cause us to believe the gospel and be transformed accordingly into the image of Christ. Particularly relevant here are the great texts of the New Testament that point to Christ humbling himself, serving others, giving himself as a sacrifice, and offering, and granting, forgiveness to his enemies.

This was the mindset of Christ, and it is likewise the mindset of the Spirit. Is it yours? This is the real test:
Is your mindset built upon, centered upon, humility, selflessness, service, self-sacrifice, showing mercy to those who do not deserve it, making peace? Is your mindset that of the blessed man in the beatitudes – poor in spirit (humble), mourning (hating your own sin, lamenting the fallenness of the world), meek (forgiving others and repaying evil with good), etc?

The mindset of the flesh is ‘me first.’ It is a mindset of pride, of counting myself as the greatest, of looking out for my own needs, of begrudging those who don’t line up with my wants. It is the mindset of hostility, enmity, anger, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, and the like. That’s the way of the world in a nutshell.

If you would have the mindset of the Spirit you must possess the Spirit. The new birth is essential. Man will not naturally humble himself. He will not be inclined to put others before himself, to sacrifice, to serve, to forgive.

So which mindset is yours? If you would have the mind of the Spirit you must know the gospel, exult in it, meditate upon it, and return to it over and over. It must be the controlling paradigm of your thoughts.

One of my old professors likes to paraphrase John Owen’s comments about this verse (from The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded):

• ‘What are you thinking about when you’re not thinking about anything at all?’

And to paraphrase Matthew Henry, we could say,

• On what do you dwell with the most satisfaction?

What’s the default mode of your mind? What thrills you? What excites you? Is it, ‘Me, me, me,’ ad infinitum? Is it MY likes, MY desires, MY interests? MY team? What can I buy next? What TV show can I watch? What game can I play? Or is it, How can I glorify my Savior? Who can I serve today? Where can I bring peace? Where can I show mercy?  Who can I encourage with gospel encouragement?

This is the work of the Spirit in justification – to make us believe this gospel, and in sanctification – to conform us to this gospel from the inside out. To have the mindset of the Spirit is to have a gospel mindset, and a gospel mindset leads to life and peace.