Romans chapter 8. Last week we looked at verses 1 down to verse 4, and Lord willing today we want to look at verses 5 down to verse 10.

Romans chapter 8. And I've struggled with the title. I'm taking the title I wrote down here from the words found in verse 8, and then I thought about that and I said, well, that's maybe not a good title. But the title I was going to use from verse 8 is, So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. They that are in the flesh cannot please God. And then I started thinking about that. And I said to myself, maybe I ought to use a title that is a little more positive and not negative. Okay? I thought about using this title in verse 6. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. So, what do you think? We'll pick one of those two, I don't know, when I post it on Sermon Audio.

I love those two words, life and peace, don't you? Life and peace. We know salvation is in Christ. He's our life. And He made peace for us with His own blood. But we also know that flesh and blood cannot please God. The flesh cannot please God. As it says in verse 8, So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Those who go about to establish a righteousness of their own, mark it down, cannot please God. Cannot please God. Those who go about to establish the righteousness of their own doing, own making, they cannot please God.

That is, this sinful flesh, this sinful nature that we're born with, that we still have, cannot satisfy the demands of God's holy law because it's too holy and we are too sinful. You remember back in chapter 7, turn back there. The law is holy and we are sinful. So why was the law given? To show us how sinful we are. In Romans chapter 7, verse 12, wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy, just and good, was then that which is good make death unto me, God forbid, but sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment, by the law, might become exceeding sinful, for we know the law is spiritual, but I'm carnal. I'm fleshly, sold under sin.

So God, we know, is holy. We know his law is holy. And we know from the record of scripture, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified. God is only well pleased with the Lord Jesus Christ and those who are in him. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ. So God is only well pleased with those in Christ, those who are in Christ by his grace, by his choice, by his mercy. God speak from heaven on two different occasions. And he said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. God also says of that, of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, God is pleased with His Son and pleased with us as we are one with Him in that vital union with the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see, we're justified by the Lord Jesus. That's why there is no condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect, as it says in verse 33, it is God that justifies. So, God is only well pleased with those in Christ. Outside of Christ, Nothing but judgment. Outside of Christ, our God is a consuming fire. Outside of the Lord Jesus Christ, there's nothing but judgment, wrath, and eternal condemnation. Oh, no wonder Paul said, oh, that I may win Christ and be found in him. Not having a righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, by way of introduction, the whole human race is made up of two distinct groups.

The whole human race is made up of two distinct groups, those justified in the Lord Jesus Christ, justified in the Lord Jesus Christ. As it says in Romans chapter five, turn back over there, Romans chapter five, verse six, those who are justified in the Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5 verse 6, for when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely, for a righteous man, for scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet perventure. For a good man, some would even dare to die, but God committed his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, much more than being now justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath through him.

If, when we're enemies, we're reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life because He lives, we live, and have our being in Him. So the whole human race is made up of two distinct groups, those who are made righteous in Christ and those who are justified by His blood.

Again, in Romans chapter 5, look at verse 19. Romans 5 verse 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness. unto eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So the whole human race is made up of two distinct groups, those justified in Christ Jesus and those who are condemned in their flesh. Those who are dead in their sin, described in scripture as without God, without Christ, without hope, who live in a state of Condemnation.

In Adam, all died. In Adam, all sinned. By nature, we live in a state of condemnation without God, without hope, and without Christ. Those lost in Adam, that's one group, and those saved and justified by the Lord Jesus Christ. Those condemned in Adam, those justified in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The whole human race is made up of those two distinct groups. Think about it. Those in Christ and those out of Christ. We read in Scripture, 1 Corinthians 15, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. In Adam all die. In Christ, they're accepted in the beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, in verses In our text, in verses 5 down through verse 10, Paul describes the two distinct groups of sinners, sinners saved by his grace and sinners lost and dead in their sin who seek salvation by the deeds of the flesh. So there's justified sinners and condemned sinners. Justified sinners and condemned sinners.

Now, in verse 3 of Romans 8, for what the law could not do, The law could not justify the ungodly, in that it was weak through the flesh. Nothing wrong with the law, but the flesh is sinful and weak. God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and by a sacrifice for sin, being made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, condemned sin in the flesh, that, verse four, the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Verse 5, For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, they do mind the things that are of the Spirit of God. Now notice the description the Lord gives here. It's the same thing that our Lord said in John chapter 3 to that religious Pharisee named Nicodemus. And our Lord said to him, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the spirit is spirit.

And then again, our Lord said in John 6, 63, it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh, profits nothing. This flesh contributes nothing to salvation. Salvation has to be by the grace of God because we are so sinful.

Those who live for the flesh, after the flesh, in mind the flesh, and serve the flesh, and walk in the flesh, they cannot please God or satisfy God's holy law. Those who seek salvation by the deeds of this flesh, That's what the Pharisees were doing, right? Going about to establish a righteousness of their own. They would not submit to the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel.

Verse 5, They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. Verse 6, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. So he makes a contrast here between those who mind the things of the flesh and those who mind the things of the spirit. There's a contrast. You see it there? Those who live for the flesh, after the flesh, mind the flesh, and serve the flesh, and walk in the flesh, they cannot please God.

To seek salvation by your doing, you'll never get it done. God said, away with it, it's filthy rags. Any and all efforts to please God by the deeds of this sinful flesh is nothing but what is recorded in the book of Isaiah. All their righteousnesses are filthy rags in God's sight. Man at his best state is altogether Vanity.

Now here's what God speaks to Adam. After Adam sinned against God, you remember what the Lord said to him? In the day you eat thereof you shall surely die. Now he didn't die physically for 600 some years later, but he died spiritually. He lost spiritual life. And here's what God says of us. Here's what God says of you. This is God's estimation of us. fallen Adam, that whole human race, and Adam all died. Here's what he says. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart and mind were only evil continually. His heart, his mind, his will, his affection. Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. That's describing what we are. That's God's estimation of our flesh. Only evil continually.

You say, well that doesn't describe me. Okay, maybe you descended from a monkey. I don't know. But all those descended from Adam have the same problem Adam had. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Jeremiah 17, 9. Desperately wicked. We study in the Roman chapter 3, when that's quoted from Psalm 14, the Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any that were righteous. He said they've all gone out of the way. There's none righteous, no not one. None that seek after God.

So what insanity! for a fallen human fleshly creature to try to satisfy God and to earn salvation by the deeds of our hands. God said, away with it. It's iniquity. I won't have it. Now, I'll give you an example. Our Lord said to those Pharisees, they said to Him in the day of judgment, Lord, we preached in your name, we cast out demons in your name, Lord, we've done many wonderful works in your name. Boy, that sounds impressive, doesn't it? discovered the reality of it, he said this, it's nothing but iniquity. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.

Would you dare, as a sinful, guilty creature, dare stand before God who is holy and say, well, look at me and look what I've done? And yet this whole religious world is bent on trying to earn salvation by the deeds of this flesh. God won't have it. If righteousness is by the law, Christ died in vain. If I can produce a righteousness in my flesh, Christ died in vain. No need for him to come. You see what he's saying here?

The Lord said to those self-righteous Pharisees, by the deeds of the flesh, no sinner has ever been justified. All they've done is sinned against God. We studied that in Romans 3. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The wage of sin is death.

Our Lord said to these self-righteous Pharisees, here's what he said. Now, you know the Pharisees, they thought themselves to be so pious. Lord, I thank You I'm not like that man. I've tibed, I've done all these things. I'm not like that old guilty publican over there. And our Lord said to those Pharisees, they weren't about to justify themselves. He said, you are they which justify yourselves before men. God knows your heart. For that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

I sent out a TV message by Pastor Mahan on Saturday from Matthew 5, verse 20, where it says in that verse, our Lord says, except your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. You have to have an exceeding righteousness, a perfect righteousness to be accepted of God. Well, how can I have that? In your flesh you can't. In Christ, that's what we have freely by His grace. Righteousness freely given.

Verse 6 it says in our text, for to be carnally minded were the minding of the flesh. The minding of the flesh is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Now we'll come back to the last part of verse 6 in a minute, and the last part of verse 5. For to be carnally minded, or fleshly minded, or the minding of the flesh, is nothing but death. All the flesh produces, if you look back at Romans chapter 7 verse 5. Romans chapter 7 verse 5 says, For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. Fruit unto death. The wages of sin is death, death, death. All the flesh produces is nothing but fruit unto death.

Seeking salvation by the deeds of the flesh, works of the law, bring nothing but the wrath of God. Our Lord said this, In Galatians 3, cursed be everyone that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Our Lord said, if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. We read that a moment ago, didn't we? Seeking salvation by the deeds of the law, deeds of the flesh, works of the flesh, bring nothing but the judgment and wrath of God. Not life and peace, but death, death.

Look at verse 7, because, Romans 8, 7, because the carnal mind, the fleshly mind, or the minding of the flesh is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be, verse 8, so then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Now can language be any plainer? The carnal fleshly mind is enmity against God. It's still talking about those who live for the flesh. The carnal mind is enmity against God. That word enmity means deep-rooted hatred, deep-rooted hatred against a true and living God, the sovereign Christ of God and the gospel of God's grace.

They say the natural man, the fleshly man says this, we will not have this man reign over us. You see this carnal mind is not in subjection to the law of God. The carnal mind, the fleshly mind lives in a state of enmity against God. We read in 1 Corinthians 2 verse 14, The carnal mind receives not the things of the Spirit of God. The carnal mind is not subject, will not surrender or submit to God, not to the will of God, the law of God, nor the way of God in salvation.

Left to himself. This natural, carnal, fleshly man will not surrender. God has to make him bow. And he does that in regeneration. One old preacher of the past said this, where it says in verse 7, the carnal mind is enmity against God, hatred against the true and living God. One old preacher said this, hating what God loves, loving what God hates.

And the prime example of this, what would you say would be the prime example of man's enmity against God? Well, it was manifested way back in the garden when Adam sinned against God. And you know what he said? Adam, where are you? Adam, what have you done? Remember what he said? The woman you gave me caused me to sin. Enmity against God. That's one example. And there's many other examples.

But what would you say would be the prime example of man's enmity toward God as He's revealed Himself in the Scripture. What would you say the prime example would be? How about when the Lord Jesus Christ walked among men and they nailed Him to a tree? What would you call that? I would call that enmity against God. When Potip brought the Lord Jesus before that crowd, that bloodthirsty crowd that was walking in the flesh, that was seeking salvation by the deeds of the law, when he brought the Lord Jesus Christ before that crowd and presented him, said, Behold the man, and they said, Behold your king. What did they say? Away with Him. Crucify Him. We have no king but Caesar. We will not have this God reign over us. We're walking in the flesh. We're satisfied with the deeds of the flesh. We don't need the Lord Jesus Christ. You kill Him. You do away with Him. That's our enmity against God. That's how totally depraved and sinful this flesh is.

You say, well, that's talking about somebody else. If that's your opinion, then it's not a description of you. You've missed the gospel. You've missed salvation by the grace of God. Because God, when He teaches us how He saves sinners, He shows us our wickedness. Oh, wretched man that I am. Now, I used to be that I am. The carnal mind will not surrender, not subject to, it says there, will not surrender to the law of God, nor the way of God. Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Hating the decrees of God, hating the purpose of God, hating the doctrines of the Lord Jesus Christ, the doctrines of the gospel. They hate God's electing grace, don't they? The carnal mind is enmity against God electing a people unto salvation. Yet the man who is a believer, who's made a new creature in Christ, knows if God had not chosen me, I'd never have salvation. The carnal mind is enmity against God, hating the decrees of God, the purpose of God in salvation, hating the doctrines of God's grace, hating electing grace, hating particular redemption. If Christ, the believer loves those things because he knows if Christ hadn't chose me and died for me, I wouldn't have salvation.

The natural man hates effectual calling, particular redemption, hating perseverance of the saints, The believer loves those things. Had God not chosen me and loved me with that eternal love and Christ dying for me and calling me by His grace, I would have no hope of salvation. I love those things.

The natural man hates the gospel of God because he hates God. That's just being brutally honest. But that's the truth, is it not? The preaching of the cross to those that are perishing is foolishness. There is a way that seems right unto men, but the end thereof is a way of death.

Now here's the flip side. Here's the flip side. But they that are after the Spirit, the things, they that are after the Spirit, binding the Spirit, the things of God. But to be spiritually minded, the second part of verse 6, is life and peace. Life and peace. life and peace. They that are after the Spirit mind the things of the Spirit. That is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation totally and fully accomplished by him.

They mind the things of the Spirit of God. By the Lord's grace, by the Lord's sovereign choice, there are some blessed with a with the mind and the things of the Spirit of God, because they're born of God, they love the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now let me show you two words, two places in Scripture where it says it uses that word mind. The carnal mind and enmity against God. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. Okay, what does that mean? Turn over here to Philippians chapter 2. Turn there first. Philippians chapter 2. Flipping chapter 2 verse 5. Let this mind be in you. Talking about spiritually minded now. Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus.

who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also with highly exalted him, giving him a name which is above every name, that at that name every knee should bow, Things in heaven and things in earth. And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Let this mind be in you. What is it? It's a mind of submission. Surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn over a few more pages. Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3 verse 1. Talking about that being spiritually minded. The carnal mind is enmity. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. Colossians 3, verse 1. If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God, set your affection.

Now notice the marginal reference on that word affection. What is it? Mind. Set your mind on things above, not on the things of the earth, for you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then you shall also appear with Him in glory. Set your mind on things above, your heart, your affection, your will on things above, not on the things of this earth. Those who are born of God love the doctrine of God, the gospel of God, because they're quickened by the Spirit. They're made new creatures in Christ Jesus. They have been made partakers of a divine nature.

Now back to Romans 8. The carnal mind is enmity against God, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. To be spiritually minded is life and peace, so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Now verse 9. But you're not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. Now he's talking to believers now. But you're not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so, be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he's none of his.

Now, so then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Let me go back to verse 8 for just a minute. They that are in the flesh cannot please God. When Saul of Tarsus was a strict Pharisee who bragged on keeping the law, he thought he was pleasing unto God. He said, I was blameless before God. But after his conversion, After his conversion, and after he met the Lord Jesus Christ, how different his mind, his thoughts about himself. Now he's walking in the Spirit, O wretched man that I am. He called himself the chief of sinners. He called himself less than the least of all the saints. That's what it is to be spiritually minded.

Verse 9, but you're not in the flesh. Verse 9. But you're not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so, be the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he's none of his.

Now, what does it mean when he says, but you're not in the flesh? Now, wait a minute. How did you get in here this morning? You walked in here in the body, in your flesh, didn't you? But you didn't walk in here seeking salvation by what you did. The just shall live by faith. We walk by faith. But you're not in the flesh. That is, believers are not seeking salvation by the deeds of the flesh. Only those believers found in Christ can please God. No carnal fleshly man can. In the flesh dwelleth no good thing. We're only accepted in the beloved.

What does it mean when Paul says you're not in the flesh? He does not mean that we have dropped this robe of flesh. Someday we will. Put it in the ground. We still have in this flesh passion, desires of the flesh to deal with each day. I get up each morning and this flesh desires coffee. And my dear wife fixes me a cup of coffee. And she also fixes my breakfast once in a while. I'm still walking in the flesh. I still have fleshly appetites and desires. The old sinful nature is not eradicated in us. We still live in this sinful flesh. And there is a warfare going on between the spiritual man created in Christ Jesus and this old man of flesh. When I would do good, Paul said, evil is present with me.

It doesn't mean that we've dropped this robe of flesh. It doesn't mean that some people say, well, I used to be a sinner. I'm not a sinner anymore. It doesn't mean that now that I've made this religious commitment and now I'm zealous and all this, it doesn't mean that I'm living above sin. That would be denying the Word of God because in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. That's still true. We still have this old Adam fleshly nature that we must feed and take care of.

But in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have that new man created in Christ Jesus. It does mean that the believer resting in Christ has peace with God through Christ, and they are dwelt with the abiding presence of God, the Holy Spirit. It means that we're reconciled unto God. He said, you're not in the flesh. That is, we're not trusting the flesh. But in the spirit, and so be the spirit of God dwells in you, And that's what happens in regeneration. God comes and takes up residence in your heart. He makes you a new creature in Christ. He gives you new desires, new thoughts, new motives.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he's none of His. And if Christ be in you, verse 10. If Christ be in you. Now that's salvation. If Christ be in you. It's not you and Christ. It's Christ in you is the hope of glory. If Christ be in you, this body is dead because of sin. But the Spirit is life because of righteousness. When sin is finished with this body, what do we have? We have death. Someday you're going to put this flesh, this rotten flesh, this body that I have, man has a body, he is a soul. When we die as believers, the body goes back to the ground, the soul and spirit go back to God who gave it.

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. That's what it is to walk in the spirit. It's to trust the Lord Jesus Christ for all our salvation. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, if any man have not the mind of Christ, he's none of His. That is, he's not the property of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's not bought with His blood. He's not chosen by His grace, not redeemed by His blood, not regenerated by the Spirit of God, not adopted into the family of God.

And if Christ be in you, The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. This body of this flesh is marked out for death, and when sin is finished, it brings forth death. All flesh is grass. and the result of Adam's transgression, and Adam all died, and Adam all sinned. But since Christ dwells in us, Christ the hope of glory dwells in us, we have spiritual and eternal life in Christ because of... What does it say there? Because of... Well, you were a pretty good boy. Because you didn't do this or didn't do that. Because you did anything or nothing. It's only because of righteousness. Now you reckon whose righteousness he's talking about? Christ. He is our righteous.

Turn to Romans 10. Brethren, verse 1, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel, they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Romans 10, verse 3, they being ignorant of God's righteousness, God's holy character, Therefore, they're going about to establish a righteousness of their own, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. Now, there's two different righteousnesses mentioned there, the righteousness of God, or the righteousness, or God's righteousness, and then the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone that believe it. What is the righteousness of God? It's the Gospel. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness with our works. The Lord Jesus Christ is called Jehovah, Sid Canoe. He's the Lord, our righteousness.

And if Christ be in you, it's by His purpose, by His grace. We know the body is going to die because of sin, but the Spirit is life. and salvation because Christ is our righteousness. God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.