“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above – not on the earth.(3) For ye are dead – and your life is hid with Christ in God.” [Col.3:1-3]
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world – the love of the Father is not in him! (16) For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life – is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passeth away and the lust thereof – but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever!” [1Jn.2:15-17]
“For what the law could not do — in that it was weak through the flesh — God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh – and for sin – condemned sin in the flesh (4) that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us – who walk not after the flesh – but after the Spirit. (5) For they that are after the flesh – do mind the things of the flesh – but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.(6) For to be carnally minded (or, fleshly minded) is death – but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace.(7) Because the carnal mind (or, the fleshly mind) is enmity against God – for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (8) So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God! (9) But ye are not in the flesh – but in the Spirit – if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you! Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ – he is none of His!” [Ro.8:3-9]
The evil man (or, woman) of this world is described in the Book of Proverbs in this way: “as he thinketh in his heart – so is he!” Therefore, from the above descriptive declaration he would fit the bill of one who loves this world and the things of this world. The way of this world – and the desires of this world – are motivated by -and oriented towards — what the Word of God refers to as the flesh. The flesh of this fallen world and its corrupt system. However, everyone whom God the Father has sent God the Son into this sinful world to seek and to save them from their sins has been united with the Lord Jesus Christ in His sin atoning death and resurrection. Therefore, if we have been raised up with Christ – then we will not seek the things of this sinful world, but rather we will seek those things which are above where Christ sits on the right hand of God the Father! We have died with Christ and our new life is hid with Him – where He now is – in God.
This is why we, who are Christ’s, do not love this sinful world – nor the fleshly things of it. The things of this world are not at all “the things” of our holy God – nor “the things” that are in our holy God! For “the world passeth away and the lust thereof – but He that doeth the will of God abideth forever!” And, the He that doeth the will of God – is the God/man, Christ Jesus, our Surety – in whom we have been placed from before the foundation of this world! [see Eph.1:3-5]
This brings us to the Ro.8 context and its wonderful descriptive declaration. When God gave His Law unto Moses on Mt. Sinai, He did not give it in order for fallen sinful man to achieve keeping it in their fallen and sinfully fallen flesh. No! It was to manifest clearly and completely how miserably weak our sinful flesh really and truly is! As God’s Word declares from Ro.3:20: “Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight – for by the Law is the (full) knowledge of sin.” This is why God sent His own Beloved Eternal Son – “in the likeness of sinful flesh – and for sin – condemned sin in the flesh”! He condemned His people’s sin – in His own Son’s flesh – so that – “the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us – who walk not (right now, through this sinful, fallen and passing away world) after the flesh, but after the Spirit!” Praise the Name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus! We shall continue to elaborate on this wonderful pure gospel truth in even more detail. Until then – may God be glorified!
For Christ’s Glory Only! – John Carpenter