The Great Divide

“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, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” – Romans 8:5-8

The Bible draws a clear line between those who live according to the flesh and those who walk by the Spirit. The unsaved live to gratify their natural desires—whatever feels good, they pursue. Their thoughts are unchecked, their impulses unchallenged, and their lives revolve around self. It’s not that they never do anything good, and it’s not that Christians never stumble. The difference lies in the direction of the heart. The unsaved are bent toward self-pleasure, while the saved are bent toward holiness. A born-again believer may fall, but they rise again with a desire to please God. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). That pursuit marks the life of the Spirit-led believer.

Romans 8:6 gives us another contrast: “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Death here isn’t just physical—it’s spiritual and eternal. It’s the kind of death that never ends, a separation from God that cannot be reversed. The carnally minded may be moral or religious, but without the Spirit, they are spiritually lifeless. In contrast, the spiritually minded enjoy life—eternal life—and peace with God. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” That peace is not just a feeling—it’s a settled reality. The saved are no longer at war with God; they are reconciled, restored, and secure.

Romans 8:7–8 continues the contrast. The flesh is hostile to God. It doesn’t submit to His law, and it cannot. The unsaved mind wants control, not surrender. It lacks both the desire and the power to obey. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” That’s not a harsh statement—it’s a sobering truth. No amount of good deeds, religious rituals, or moral behavior can earn God’s favor outside of Christ. But for those in Christ, everything changes. We are forgiven. So examine the bent of your life. Are you pursuing the things of the Spirit or the impulses of the flesh? If you are in Christ, walk in the Spirit. Let your life reflect the peace, purpose, and power that come from Him. And if you’re not yet in Christ, today is the day to surrender and step into life.

“The mind of the flesh is death—not merely leading to death, but being death itself; whereas the mind of the Spirit is life and peace—not merely leading to them, but being them.” – John Stott