The Two Classes
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"For those who are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; and those who are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit" Romans 8:5
The whole world is made up of two classes—those who walk after the flesh, and those who walk after the Spirit. The same parties have got mixed together in the Church; it is, therefore, very important that we should be particular in describing characters, and marking out the boundaries between nature and grace. The apostle has set us an example of this, for he constantly distinguishes between the precious and the vile, between him who fears God—and him who fears him not. Having stated the great privilege of the Lord's people, and having set forth the design of our Redeemer's advent—he proceeds to distinguish between those who enjoy the blessing and those who do not. He brings the whole world before us in one brief verse, intended as an illustration of his former statement, and says, "For those who are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; and those who are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit" (Romans 8:5). Here is,
The Lost Sinner's State and Conduct.
As to his STATE, he is not in Christ. He has no vital union with Christ. He is without Christ, and without God in the world.
He is without faith. He may believe the gospel to be from God—but he does not sincerely believe in Christ. Faith always brings us to Christ, lays us low before the cross of Christ, induces us to commit the soul to Christ, trusts implicitly in Christ, nor will it allow us to rest without union to Christ.
He has not the Holy Spirit. The Spirit always convinces of sin, shows the need of a Saviour, leads us to Jesus, and inspires us with a hatred to sin and a love to holiness.
His nature is unchanged. He is still in the flesh. He may be educated, cultivated, and very much improved mentally and morally—but he is still a natural man; and the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
He is in his corrupt state—a part of the wild olive-tree, resting on the old foundation, sensual, having not the Spirit.
This is every man's state by nature.
His CONDUCT is, he "minds the things of the flesh." To "mind," is to attend to, to savour, to seek, to enjoy and relish. And the "things of the flesh" are the things that please and gratify the flesh. In religion, he relishes and enjoys the legal, or the ceremonial, or the licentious—but not the spiritual. In the matter of acceptance with God, his own works and merits must have some place, or some influence. It must be his works, or his feelings, or his creed; his connection with some Church, or his attention to some religious observances, or his experience of some joys or sorrows. It is never Christ alone. Simple trust in Christ is never considered enough; there must be some appendage, some addition.
In natural things, his inclinations or lusting are fleshly and evil, always going out after something that will gratify the carnality of the mind. The works of the flesh when unrestrained are evil, only evil, and that continually. As the apostle states, "Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." What a fearful catalogue! What a corrupt tree, which brings forth such bitter fruit! Yet such is human nature, when unsanctified by the grace and Spirit of God.
Even in natural good things—the flesh shows itself, seeking them from a bad motive, or for bad purposes—to feed pride, to gratify ambition, or to please the carnal appetite only. Nor is this all: they are sought inordinately, and placed before spiritual things, and that even under a profession of religion, as the apostle complained, "Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." They were "after the flesh," or fleshly; and therefore they set their minds, their affections, on earthly things—they walked after the flesh. Turn we now to,
The Believer's State And Conduct. The believer is in Christ. He is one with Christ. He can never be too often reminded of this, for he should live daily and hourly realizing the fact, Christ and my soul are one. He is under the dispensation of the Spirit, the ministration of righteousness. He is a new creature, which God has formed for himself, to show forth his praise. He possesses a new and spiritual nature, which acts within him, influencing and directing him, so that he relishes, enjoys, and minds spiritual things. He is "after the Spirit" and he "minds the things of the Spirit."
He experiences that he is accepted of God, and accepted of God through Christ alone. He carefully excludes everything done by or felt within himself, from any part or place in the matter of his acceptance with God. In this it is Jesus, and Jesus only.
He "minds the things of the Spirit,"—the things which the Spirit reveals: this renders the Bible—his counsellor, the source of his comfort, and the directory by which he walks. Truth is unfolded to his mind, he is led into it, he receives it with meekness, it becomes in him the engrafted word; and of the things which pertain to his peace and holiness he can say, "God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit."
And he can add with Paul, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world—but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things which are freely given to us by God." What the Spirit reveals—we know, and what the Spirit applies—we feel and enjoy.
He minds not only what the Spirit reveals—but what the Spirit works. In him the Spirit as a well of living water abides; and there is a springing up into everlasting life. In him the Spirit as an incorruptible seed dwells, and there is a growing up into Christ, and a bearing fruit to the glory of God. And "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." He produces godly sorrow for sin, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, submission to the righteousness of God, acquiescence in the will of God, and the meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Of these things the spiritual man savours, he relishes and enjoys them; therefore he fixes his eye and sets his mind upon them.
"The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth;" to which he inclines and directs the minds of those in whom he dwells. Not only so, they relish communion with God in grace, and cannot live long comfortably without it; and this is but preparatory to the ultimate enjoyment of God in glory.
That those who are after the Spirit—do mind the things of the Spirit; and those who are after the flesh—the things of the flesh—appears from their thoughts: they think deeply, frequently, and pleasantly of those things upon which the heart is set. Therefore, Jesus said, "Where your treasure is—there will your heart be also." So also the apostle exhorts, "If you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Now, if our treasure is in heaven, it is spiritual; and if our treasure is spiritual, our thoughts will be set upon it, and be busy about it. So, if our affections are set on things above, they must be set on spiritual things; and wherever our affections are set, our thoughts will be.
One feature of character in the Lord's people of old was, "they thought upon his name." If we mind the things of the Spirit, our thoughts will be engaged with them. So, if we think of them—we shall speak of them, and our spirituality will appear in our words. John represents worldly men as speaking in a worldly strain, and so pleasing the world—but himself and the Lord's people with him—as speaking in a very different strain. He says, "They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God: he who knows God hears us; he who is not of God hears not us."
And Solomon testifies, "The tongue of the wise is as choice silver—but the heart of the wicked is little worth." If the nature is spiritual, and if we mind the things of the Spirit, there will be a spirituality in our conversation; for "out of the abundance of the heart—the mouth speaks."
As our thoughts will appear in our words, so in our actions; therefore our Lord said, "By their fruits you shall know them." The life expounds the heart. If, therefore, spirituality reigns in the heart—it will appear in the life, and we shall live, not unto ourselves—but unto Him who died for us and rose again. If the thoughts, words, and actions correspond with the written word in general, and if we enjoy spiritual subjects and exercises, we are after the Spirit.
Let us now ask, Am I in the flesh—or in the Spirit? In which direction does my mind habitually lean? In which am I most at home, and which gives me most satisfaction—the spiritual or the carnal, the earthly or the heavenly? This ought to be a settled point with us; we ought not to live at an uncertainty, or in doubt.
If we are in the flesh, we relish, enjoy, and seek earthly things supremely: we think more of gold—than of grace; more of the opinion of men—than of the approbation of God; more of gratifying the appetites—than of feeding the soul; more of earthly pleasure—than of communion with God. If pride rules us, or worldly honours have a powerful attraction for us, or carnal society delights us, or if on any special point we habitually prefer the natural to the spiritual—we are in the flesh; for we mind principally, and enjoy most, the things of the flesh.
If we are in the Spirit, we relish, enjoy, and seek principally spiritual things. Nature is always powerful, and the more excellent the nature, the greater is its power. There is power in vegetable nature, more in animal nature, more still in intellectual nature—but most of all in spiritual nature. The animal, therefore, will conquer the vegetable; the intellectual the animal; and the spiritual the merely intellectual. If, then, we are after the Spirit, or if we are spiritual, the superior nature will rule us. And if the spiritual nature rules us—it will subdue our corrupt propensities, control our carnal appetites, curb our earthly desires, and lead us to prefer the things which are spiritual and divine.
If we were wholly spiritual, it would be perfectly so, and always so; and if we were altogether fleshly it would not be so, it would never be so. As, therefore, we have the two natures, both will work, and each will sometimes appear—but the elder shall serve the younger. When the flesh prevails, it will cause us grief and sorrow; but when the Spirit reigns, it will fill us with joy and peace. Let us, then, endeavour to attend to, and carry out the admonition of the apostle, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." Again: "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Once more: "Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he who sows to the flesh—shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit—shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
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