Is. 43-44
I don’t know how anyone can read these chapters in Isaiah and not be in awe of God’s greatness and His love for His people. But then, I don’t understand a lot of things that people choose to do and believe. Humans without God create a culture of death and lies. And they are taken over by their lies. Just look around for a minute or two and you will see the truth of it. God speaks of this through Isaiah, when He addresses the nonsense of worshiping a block of the same wood used to cook and provide heat. “A deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, ‘Is there not a lie in my right hand?’” (Is. 44:20). I thank God that He has opened my eyes and my heart to know His truth, and I pray for a world lost to lies.
Rom. 8:1-21
Paul confirms what I said about humans without God creating a culture of sin and death. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 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. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom 8:6-8). Again, it doesn’t take much looking around to see the truth of this.
The thing we need to be mindful of here is that we are still flesh, even though we have submitted our flesh to God and He has given us His Spirit that we might walk in life. We still need to be careful where we “set our minds.” Living for God isn’t just some fancy thing that we say because we have called on the name of His Son. It means that we make a habit of setting our minds on Him every minute of every day. It means that we are mindful of the choices we make, big and small, so that we are careful to move toward God and away from our natural tendencies. His Spirit dwelling inside us is able to overcome our flesh, freeing us from its relentless clutches so that we truly can live for God.