Featured Romans 8:6.....What is it getting at.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Perhaps some of you have considered this verse.

What is it getting at?

What are we to consider with this verse?

List any thoughts you have on this.

 

Now we are off to a good start.
JonC first looks at the surrounding verses which should be our first step.
JonC offers a couple of texts that come to mind as part of a general consideration...which is always healthy.
Jon C offers a few verses that come to mind.
5 point G see's the contrast of believers and unbelievers.
SBG notices some related verses dealing with the ongoing struggle in Rom7.
Van made a contribution before diverting off somewhere.
Anyone else have an idea how to open up and consider verse6?

 

I have been making a case for a few years now, but most recently on the advantages of looking back to Godly Pastors and Teachers to see if they can provoke godly thoughts and emotions in us to better equip us to understand and serve God to our outmost.
Here is one such approach. John OWEN wrote a whole book on this one verse. How did he do that? I will offer portions of his work to suggest a more complete approach to opening up scripture.

 

Here is part of the table of contents. I find this already instructive.

THE GRACE AND DUTY OF BEING SPIRITUALLY MINDED DECLARED AND PRACTICALLY IMPROVED.
To be spiritually minded is life and peace. — Romans 8:6
Set your affection on things above. — Colossians 3:2.

LONDON: 1681

Table of Contents Prefatory Note Preface PART 1.
CHAPTER 1. The Words of the Text Explained: To be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6.

CHAPTER 2. A particular account of the nature of this grace and duty of being spiritually minded.

CHAPTER 3. Outward means and occasions of such thoughts of spiritual things as do not prove men to be spiritually minded

CHAPTER 4. Other evidences of thoughts about spiritual things arising from an internal principle of grace.

CHAPTER 5. The objects of spiritual thoughts, or what they are conversant about, evidencing them in whom they are to be spiritually minded

CHAPTER 6. Directions unto the exercise of our thoughts on things above, things future, invisible, and eternal; on God himself.

CHAPTER 7. Especial objects of spiritual thoughts on the glorious state of heaven, and what belongs thereunto -- First, of Christ himself

CHAPTER 8. Spiritual thoughts of God himself -- The opposition unto them and neglect of them, with their causes and the way of their prevalency.

CHAPTER 9. What of God or in God we are to think and meditate upon -- His being. .

CHAPTER 10. Sundry things tendered unto such as complain that, they know not how, they are not able to abide in holy thoughts of God.

PART 2.
CHAPTER 11. The seat of spiritual mindedness in the affections -- The nature and use of them

CHAPTER 12. What is required in and unto our affections that they may be spiritual -- A three-fold work on the affections described.

CHAPTER 13. The work of the renovation of our affections -- How differenced from any other impression on or change wrought in them

CHAPTER 14. The second difference between affections spiritually renewed and those which have been only changed by light and conviction.

CHAPTER 15. Delight of believers in the holy institutions of divine worship

CHAPTER 16. Assimilation unto things heavenly and spiritual in affections spiritually renewed.

CHAPTER 17. Decays in spiritual affections, with the causes and danger of them

CHAPTER 18. The state of spiritual affections.

CHAPTER 19. The true notion and consideration of spiritual and heavenly things.

CHAPTER 20. The application of the soul unto spiritual objects.

CHAPTER 21. Spiritual mindedness life and peace.

 

Good input. these are verses that are at the heart of the issue.
Many read over them and that is profitable.
let's see if Dr.Owen can unpack these verses using the rest of the bible.

 

Yes indeed....i was stunned when I first read this work. I said there is no way this could be...until I read it.
This work has actually help me to read the verse and others , with a more complete understanding.

In this work he will unfold each phrase...ie,
it is a grace,
it is a duty.
What is being "spiritually minded",
what is being "carnally minded,'
What are causes,
what are warning signs,
what helps to obey,
what hinders it,
He uses the whole bible, with examples and helps to illustrate how it is so.

Here is a free online version;
The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded - Modernized | Monergism

 

I have his works and worked through this in two older version, I am going to enjoy taking a fresh look as if I had not looked at it already and see if I can glean additional verses and understanding...here it is free pdf file;
The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded - Modernized | Monergism

 

The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded - Modernized | Monergism

Here we can all view the same texts and verses...if any find good things, they can cut and paste, then discuss why it was good.
If anyone sees something to object to, they also can cut and paste, and show from scripture what they would offer...
What could possibly go wrong?

ANALYSIS. After an explanation of Romans 8:6, the duty of being spiritually minded is described as including —
1. The exercise of the mind in its thoughts concerning iritual things;

2. The inclination of the mind in its affections towards them; and,

3. The complacency of the mind in them,

chap. I. The treatise is divided into two parts: —


I. The former relating to the first of these heads, — the nature of spiritual thoughts; II. The latter to the two other heads, — the exercise of spiritual affections.

PART I. As to the character of those thoughts which are the evidence of spiritual mindedness, —

1. They are natural, in the sense of arising from ourselves, and as distinguished from thoughts suggested to the mind by (1.) impressions constraining it to acts opposed to its habitual procedure, and
(2.) outward occasions; such as

[1.] the preaching of the Word,

[2.] prayer, and

[3.] the discourses and remarks of other men

2. They abound us, filling and engrossing our minds, II.-IV. An inquiry follows into the objects of spiritual thoughts; which are, —

1. The dispensations of Providence;


2. Special trials and temptations; and

3. Heavenly and eternal realities. In regard to the latter, —

(1.) The motives inducing us to fix our thoughts on them are mentioned; faith is thereby increased, hope is exercised, preparation is made for the cross, and the mind weaned from the world.

And (2.) Directions for this spiritual exercise are supplied; — the mind must be occupied with right notions of these objects, directed to them with intensity, and led to compare the blessedness of an interest in them with the opposite state of eternal death and misery, V.,VI. The especial objects of ritual contemplation are, —

1. The person of Christ; and,

. God himself, who must in our thoughts, in opposition to atheism, practical infidelity, various inferior degrees and ways of forgetting God, and the indulgence of secret lusts. The thoughts which are characteristic of spiritual affections are delineated,

In our consideration of God, we must think of, —
(1.) His being;

(2.) His omnipresence and omniscience; and,

(3.) His omnipotence, IX. Various counsels are tendered to such as cannot fix their thoughts with steadiness on spiritual and heavenly objects, X


.