Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Romans part 89 - Victory Over Sin 28

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Romans 8:5-6 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Ruach set their minds on the things of the Ruach. For the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Ruach is life and shalom.

Ruach is the Hebrew word for "Spirit." It can also mean "wind" or "breath." In these verses (and the surrounding context), Paul is making a clear distinction between "flesh" and "Spirit." The question is, which is greater, flesh or Spirit? Since they are both realities, which is the greater reality?

I hope you answered correctly. There is a tendency (although false) to prefer the physical flesh. After all, you can touch it, feel it, and weigh it. What is more real than that? Of course, we're going to correctly respond, the Spirit is! But, why? Because everything in the flesh started out in the Spirit. Before we were born, we existed in the Spirit. God knew each of us before we became flesh.

Jeremiah 1:5a Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I set you apart.

Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw me when I was unformed, and in Your book were written the days that were formed - when not one of them had come to be.

We existed spiritually, as thoughts in God's mind, before He formed us in the womb.

Psalm 139:17 How precious are Your thoughts, O God! How great is the sum of them!

Why is this significant? Because the spiritual reality came first (and to it we will return).

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility (spirit), and this mortal (flesh) must put on immortality (spirit).

The good news, and take-away for us, is that the physical will die (sooner or later), but the spirit will live forever. Therefore; develop your spirit man; focus on who you are, spiritually. Don't neglect the physical, but don't pin your hopes for eternity on it either. On this side of glory, we need both, the physical man and the spiritual man to accomplish our God-given assignments.