What contrast is Paul drawing in Romans 8:5?
Paul contrasts those who live according to the flesh, meaning old Adam, with those who live according to the Spirit. The fleshly person minds the things of the flesh—materialism and fleshly appetites—while the spiritual person minds the things of the Spirit.
Les teaches that in Romans 8:5 Paul makes a comparison between the lost individual and the saved individual, the true Christian. The word flesh is the same as sin, old Adam, so those who are after the old Adam mind the things of old Adam. When a person is still in the world, he is in spiritual darkness, blinded by the God of this world so he cannot believe; naturally he cares only for the things of this world, has fleshly appetites and vision, materialism, and no concept of the Spirit. But those who are after the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, will mind the things of the Spirit.
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 comparison does Paul make in Romans 8:5?
In Romans 8:5 Paul again makes a comparison between the lost individual and the saved individual—the true Christian—contrasting those who are after the flesh with those who are after the Spirit.
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.