“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…” Romans 8:7
What is an enmity?
Is it an “itty-bitty” enemy?
Not quite.
The Greek word for enmity is ἐχθρός (echthra / echthros).
Elsewhere in the scriptures echtrha is translated as enemy, enemies, enmity, hostility, hatred.
Of course, if you know me, you know I have to challenge it …. at least an itty-bitty bit.
The immediate context within the passage is the distinction between being spiritually minded and being carnally minded. Using the word enmity to mean hatred or hostility, though, paints a picture that I think can be confusing when taken in the greater context of the scripture and our position in Christ.
In our carnal mind are we enemies of God when the scripture has declared us to be friends of God?
If when I am hungry… and eat… have I become His enemy? If when I am cold… and cover myself… have I become His enemy? If after giving my life to Christ… I give in to “carnal desires”… have I undone the work of the Cross?
When God looks at His children… is it with hatred?
Never.
In Genesis 3:15 the Lord says to Satan, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;”
Satan is the enemy. He can’t be between himself and us… there needs to be something more.
I’ll cut to the chase… when I read enmity I read a constant struggle, a battle, a war.
Why? Well, in part, in verse 6 it describes the opposite of this to be “life and peace.” If to be spiritually minded brings peace… then to be carnally minded brings a war or a battle…a conflict.
In Genesis 3:15 the second half of the verse describes the battle… a bruised heel for us… but a crushed head for Satan. Booyah!
I can fully see that the carnal mind causes us to be in a constant struggle with our spiritual mind because it focuses on ourselves, and our needs.
When I am “me-minded” I struggle with being “God-minded”… I struggle with being “others-minded.”
But does it make us God’s enemy? To say that my mind makes me an enemy of God would have to allow for the opposite to be true, that my mind can make me His friend.
But only He can do that. It is not through “my” anything that I achieve a position of forgiveness or righteousness, but only through His position on the cross.
Through what He has already done.
Thank God for the Cross. Thank God for His grace. Thank God that this constant struggle, this battle, this war… is already won!
Today you will face an enmity…
but only through the review mirror…
For in Christ the battle has been decided… death has been defeated… and we stand victorious in Him.
What is an enmity?
Is it an “itty-bitty” enemy?
Not quite.
The Greek word for enmity is ἐχθρός (echthra / echthros).
Elsewhere in the scriptures echtrha is translated as enemy, enemies, enmity, hostility, hatred.
Of course, if you know me, you know I have to challenge it …. at least an itty-bitty bit.
The immediate context within the passage is the distinction between being spiritually minded and being carnally minded. Using the word enmity to mean hatred or hostility, though, paints a picture that I think can be confusing when taken in the greater context of the scripture and our position in Christ.
In our carnal mind are we enemies of God when the scripture has declared us to be friends of God?
If when I am hungry… and eat… have I become His enemy? If when I am cold… and cover myself… have I become His enemy? If after giving my life to Christ… I give in to “carnal desires”… have I undone the work of the Cross?
When God looks at His children… is it with hatred?
Never.
In Genesis 3:15 the Lord says to Satan, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;”
Satan is the enemy. He can’t be between himself and us… there needs to be something more.
I’ll cut to the chase… when I read enmity I read a constant struggle, a battle, a war.
Why? Well, in part, in verse 6 it describes the opposite of this to be “life and peace.” If to be spiritually minded brings peace… then to be carnally minded brings a war or a battle…a conflict.
In Genesis 3:15 the second half of the verse describes the battle… a bruised heel for us… but a crushed head for Satan. Booyah!
I can fully see that the carnal mind causes us to be in a constant struggle with our spiritual mind because it focuses on ourselves, and our needs.
When I am “me-minded” I struggle with being “God-minded”… I struggle with being “others-minded.”
But does it make us God’s enemy? To say that my mind makes me an enemy of God would have to allow for the opposite to be true, that my mind can make me His friend.
But only He can do that. It is not through “my” anything that I achieve a position of forgiveness or righteousness, but only through His position on the cross.
Through what He has already done.
Thank God for the Cross. Thank God for His grace. Thank God that this constant struggle, this battle, this war… is already won!
Today you will face an enmity…
but only through the review mirror…
For in Christ the battle has been decided… death has been defeated… and we stand victorious in Him.
SDG
No comments:
Post a Comment