Who is Paul comparing in Romans 8:5?
Paul compares the lost individual, who is after the flesh or old Adam and minds fleshly things, with the saved individual—the true Christian—who lives according to the Spirit and minds the things of the Spirit. It is the contrast between spiritual darkness and the Spirit-led life.
Les teaches that in verse five Paul again sets the lost individual against the saved individual, or the true Christian. Those who are after the flesh are after old Adam, so they mind the things of old Adam. While still in the world, they are in spiritual darkness, blinded by the God of this world so they cannot believe; naturally their concern is the things of this world, fleshly appetites, materialism, and they have no concept of the Spirit. But those who now live according to the Spirit, the Holy Spirit with a capital S, mind the things of the Spirit. This follows the earlier point that believers walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, displaying a changed lifestyle and desire.
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.
More Questions
What does Paul mean by the word "flesh" in Romans 8:5?
The word "flesh" in Romans 8:5 is the same word as sin and refers to old Adam, so "they who are after the flesh" means they who are after the old Adam and therefore mind the things of old Adam.
Who are the people who are 'after the Spirit' in Romans 8:5?
Those who are after the Spirit are those who now live according to the Holy Spirit, and they set their minds on the things of the Spirit.