The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded

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Romans 8:6
For to be carnally minded is death;but to be Spiritually Minded is life and peace.
John Owen wrote a whole book unpacking this one verse.
In this thread we will examine what he understood by this verse.
Two persons are in view.
One Minds the Flesh, he is under its dominion.
The other minds the Spirit,he is under His control.

 

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To be spiritually minded is the great distinguishing character of True Believers from all unregenerate persons. As such it is here asserted by the Apostle ,all those who a Carnally minded, who are in The Flesh they are unregenerate, they are not born of God, they please him not, nor can do so, but must perish forever.
But those that are spiritually minded, are born of God ,do live to him and shall come to the Eternal enjoyment of him .

 

[amigo de christo]

Let all that draws breath praise the glorious Lord . Yes indeed the carnal mind is enmity with GOD .

 

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In Romans 8 and also in Galatians 5 there are two kinds of person described those who mind the flesh those who mind the spirit or being carnally minded and spiritually minded .
of these two do constitute two states of mankind onto which each individual person in the world does belong and it is the highest concern of our souls to know which of them pertain to.
the flesh lusts against the spirit ,the spirit against the flesh,
but where either of them is predominate, or has a prevalent rule in the soul, there it makes a different state this distinction of states the the Apostle expresses in verse 9 but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit .
They that are in the flesh and cannot please God.
they are after The Flesh verse 5 they walk after the flesh,
verse one they live after the flesh
verse 13 this is one state others are in the spirit.
verse 9 after the spirit,
verse 5 walk after the spirit
verse one this is the other state the first sort of carnally minded and the other or spiritually minded until one of these two.
Each and every living man belong; he is under the ruling of the flesh or of the spirit there is no middle State though there are different degrees in each of these as to Good and Evil

 

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Mt7:35
Jesus described in Matthew 7 every man have two treasure in his heart that is a prevailing inexhaustible principle of all his acting's and operations but and son this treasure is good in others it is evil that is the prevailing principal in the heart which carries along with it it's dispositions and inclinations is in some good and gracious,in others evil. Out of this good treasure, a good man bringeth forth good things. The first opening of it, the first bringing of it forth, is by these thoughts the thoughts that arise out of the heart or of the same nature with the treasure that is in it if the thoughts that naturally arise and spring up in us or for the most part vain, foolish ,sensual ,Earthly, selfish ,selfish such is the treasure that is in our hearts, and such we are but where the thoughts and US naturally proceeded from a treasure that is in the heart or spiritual and holy, it is an argument that we are spiritually minded

 

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Let all that draws breath praise the glorious Lord . Yes indeed the carnal mind is enmity with GOD .

This study examines the root causes if where these thoughts arise from...what cultivates such thoughts, what hinders such thoughts.

 

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Voluntary thoughts are the best measure of where a person stands as in Ezekiel 33:,31 there's a certain track and course of thoughts, that men ordinarily betake themselves unto when not affected with present occasions. If these be vain ,foolish ,proud, ambitious, sensual ,or filthy such as the mind and its frame .
if they be holy ,spiritual ,and Heavenly, such may be the frame of the mind be judged to be, but these things must be more fully explained.

 

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In Psalms 78 the men who turned from God were we were told nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouths and a light unto him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither was a steadfast in his Covenant. Men in troubles, dangers ,sickness, fears of death or under effectual conviction of Sin from the preaching of the word will endeavor to think and meditate on spiritual things yes they will be greatly troubled that they cannot think of them more than they do, and it's that they think of anything else but as freedom and deliverance approach so these thoughts the disappear the mind will not be compelled to give Place unto them anymore .
the Prophet Jeremiah gives a reason for it
Jeremiah 13:23 can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good that are accustomed to do evil.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Let all that draws breath praise the glorious Lord . Yes indeed the carnal mind is enmity with GOD .

What is the best way we can praise Jehovah Amigo?

 

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Pg62.
If the commenting on the parable of the sower these Reflections came up one oftimes the track and course of men's thoughts lie so out of the way, are so contrary unto such things, that they seem strange to them. they give them no entertainment .
You do but cross their way with such discourses, where are they stand still a little, and so pass on.
Even the countenance of some men will change here on, they will betake themselves to an unsatisfied silence until they can divert on to other things. Some will make such replies of empty words, that's evidence their Hearts are estranged from the things proposed unto them.
But with others such occasional discourses will make such an impression on their minds, as the store present thoughts spiritual things. But so frequent occasions here off may be renewed, yet will such thoughts give no evidence that any man is spiritually minded for they are not genuine, from an internal spring of Grace .
for these causes it is, that the thoughts of spiritual things are with many, as guess that coming to an end, and not like children that dwell in the house.
They enter occasionally, and then there is a great stir about them, to provide meet entertainment for them in a while they are disposed of, and so the part being neither look nor inquired after any more things of another nature to attend to come new occasions bringing new guests for a season.
Children are owned in the house and missed if they are out of the way.
They have their daily provision constantly made for that so what is with these occasional thoughts about spiritual Things. By One means or other they enter the mind, and they are entertained for a season ,then suddenly they depart, and men here of them no more.
But those that are natural and genuine, arising from a living Spring of Grace in the heart disposing the morning unto them are the children of the house they are expected in their places and at their season if they are missing there are inquired after .
The heart calls itself to an account where it is that they have been where have they been for so long without them and calls them over to converse with them.

 

[amigo de christo]

What is the best way we can praise Jehovah Amigo?

Just lift those hands up and let the LORD be praised my friend .

 

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We all profess that we are bound for heaven,immortality and glory ;
But is it any evidence we really design it,if all our thoughts are consumed
about the trifles of this world, which we must leave behind us and have only occasional thoughts of things above?
Mt.6:31-34.
There are a multitude of thoughts in the minds of men which are vain usessand altogether unprofitable .
These ordinarily through a dangerous mistake are looked upon as not sinful because is supposed the matter of them is not so;
therefore men rather snake them off for their folly and their guilt
They arise from a corrupt fountain and woefully pollute both the mind and conscience
They are vain thoughts Jer.4:14.

 

[GRACE ambassador]

To be spiritually minded is the great distinguishing character of True Believers from all unregenerate persons. As such it is here asserted by the Apostle ,all those who a Carnally minded, who are in The Flesh they are unregenerate, they are not born of God, they please him not, nor can do so, but must perish forever.

Precious friend, you are going to have a problem with Paul about "the UNfaithful, the carnally-minded babes In CHRIST!" (1_Corinthians):

1Co_3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co_3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co_3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

And a problem With God, who Gave ALL {whether "spiritually FAITHFUL" OR "carnally UNfaithful"} In The Body Of CHRIST, HIS FREE Gift Of ETERNAL Life! They are ALL "born Of God," and Will NOT perish forever:
God's OPERATION On All HIS New-born babes In CHRIST!
God's Eternal Assurance

Please Be Richly Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, and Edified!
God's Simple Will!

 

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Precious friend, you are going to have a problem with Paul about "the UNfaithful, the carnally-minded babes In CHRIST!" (1_Corinthians):

1Co_3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co_3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co_3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

And a problem With God, who Gave ALL {whether "spiritually FAITHFUL" OR "carnally UNfaithful"} In The Body Of CHRIST, HIS FREE Gift Of ETERNAL Life! They are ALL "born Of God," and Will NOT perish forever:
God's OPERATION On All HIS New-born babes In CHRIST!
God's Eternal Assurance

Please Be Richly Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, and Edified!
God's Simple Will!

Not at all. There is no such thing as a carnal Christian.
That is an easily proven falsehood.
Paul is rebuking these people for "acting"as unsaved carnal people do.
They are being corrected.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Just lift those hands up and let the LORD be praised my friend .

That would be nice for sure, but I think the best way is found at 1 Jn 5:3

 

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pg8

FIRST, That they be natural, arising from ourselves, and not from outward occasions. The psalmist mentions the "inward thought" of men, Psalm 49:11, 64:6;

Such in wicked men are those actings of their lusts whereby they entice and seduce themselves, James 1:14.
Their lusts stir up thoughts leading and encouraging them to make provision for the flesh. These are their "inward thoughts." Of the same nature are those thoughts which are the "minding of the Spirit." They are the first natural egress and genuine acting of the habitual disposition of the mind and soul.

"The vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity," Isaiah 32:6;

and this he doth as the "liberal deviseth liberal things," verse 8. From his own disposition and inclination, he is contriving in his thoughts how to act according to them. So the unclean person hath two sorts of thoughts with respect unto the satisfaction of his lust:
— First, such as are occasioned in his mind by the external objects of it. Hereunto stage plays, revelings, dancings, with the society of bold persons, persons of corrupt communication, do contribute their wicked service. For the avoidance of this snare, Job "made a covenant with his eyes," chap. 31:1; and our Savior gives that holy declaration of the evil of it, Matthew 5:28. But he hath an habitual spring of these thoughts in himself, constantly inclining and disposing him thereunto. Hence the apostle Peter tells us that such persons

"have eyes full of an adulteress, that cannot cease from sin," 2 Peter 2:14.
But it is their own habitual disposition which carries them unto pleasing thoughts of the satisfaction of their lust; which he describes, Proverbs 23:33-35. So is it in other cases. The thoughts of this latter sort are men’s inward thoughts;

 

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In contrast we see this;
such must these be of spiritual things, whence we may be esteemed spiritually minded.

Psalm 45:1, saith the psalmist,


"My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the King."

He was meditating on spiritual things, on the things of the person and kingdom of Christ. Hence his heart "bubbled up" (as it is in the original) "a good matter." It is an allusion taken from a quick spring of living waters: from its own life and fullness it bubbles up the water that runs and flows from it. So is it with these thoughts in them that are spiritually minded. There is a living fullness of spiritual things in their minds and affections that springeth up into holy thoughts about them.

From hence doth our Savior give us the great description of spiritual life.
It is "a well of living water springing up into everlasting life," John 4:10,12. The Spirit, with his graces residing in the heart of a believer, is a well of living water. Nor is it such a well as, content with its own fullness, doth not of its own accord, without any instrument or pains in drawing, send out its refreshing waters, as it is with most wells, though of living water; for this is spoken by our Savior in answer and opposition unto that objection of the woman, upon his mention of giving living water, verse 10: "Sir," saith she, "thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; whence wilt thou have this water?" verse 11. "True," saith he, "such is the nature of this well and water, dead, earthly things, — they are of no use, unless we have instruments, lines and buckets, to draw withal. But the living water which I shall give is of another nature. It is not water to be kept in a pit or cistern without us, whence it must be drawn; but it is within us, and that not dead and useless, but continually springing up unto the use and refreshment of them that have it." For so is it with the principle of the new creature, of the new nature, the Spirit and his graces, in the hearts of them that do believe, — it doth of itself and from itself, without any external influence on it, incline and dispose the whole soul unto spiritual act-ings that tend unto eternal life. Such are the thoughts of them that are spiritually minded. They arise from the inward principle, inclination, and disposition of the soul, — are the bubblings of this well of living water; they are the mindings of the Spirit.

So our Savior describes them, Matthew 12:35,

"A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things."
First, the man is good; as he said before, "Make the tree good, or the fruit cannot be good," verse 33. He is made so by grace, in the change and renovation of his nature; for in ourselves we are every way evil. This good man hath a treasure in his heart. So all men have; as the next words are, "The evil man out of the evil treasure of the heart."

And this is the great difference that is between men in this world. Every man hath a treasure in his heart; that is, a prevailing, inexhaustible principle of all his actings and operations. But in some this treasure is good, in others it is evil; that is, the prevailing principle in the heart, which carries along with it its dispositions and inclinations, is in some good and gracious, in others it is evil. Out of his good treasure a good man bringeth forth good things. The first opening of it, the first bringing of it forth, is by these thoughts. The thoughts that arise out of the heart are of the same nature with the treasure that is in it.

If the thoughts that naturally arise and spring up in us are for the most part vain, foolish, sensual, earthly, selfish, such is the treasure that is in our hearts, and such are we; but where the thoughts that thus naturally proceed from the treasure that is in the heart are spiritual and holy, it is an argument that we are spiritually minded.

Where it is not thus with our thoughts, they give no such evidence as that inquired after. Men may have thoughts of spiritual things, and that many of them, and that frequently, which do not arise from this principle, but may be resolved into two other causes; —

1. Inward force;

2. Outward occasions.

 

[marks]

Precious friend, you are going to have a problem with Paul about "the UNfaithful, the carnally-minded babes In CHRIST!" (1_Corinthians):

1Co_3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co_3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co_3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

And a problem With God, who Gave ALL {whether "spiritually FAITHFUL" OR "carnally UNfaithful"} In The Body Of CHRIST, HIS FREE Gift Of ETERNAL Life! They are ALL "born Of God," and Will NOT perish forever:
God's OPERATION On All HIS New-born babes In CHRIST!
God's Eternal Assurance

Please Be Richly Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, and Edified!
God's Simple Will!

Amen! We are not to be judging each other's salvation.

Much love!

 

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1. Inward force, as it may be called. This is by convictions. Convictions put a kind of a force upon the mind, or an impression that causeth it to act contrary unto its own habitual disposition and inclination. It is in the nature of water to descend; but apply an instrument unto it that shall make a compression of it and force it unto a vent, it will fly upwards vehemently, as if that were its natural motion. But so soon as the force of the impression ceaseth, it returns immediately unto its own proper tendency, descending towards its center. So is it with men’s thoughts ofttimes. They are earthly, — their natural course and motion is downwards unto the earth and the things thereof; but when any efficacious conviction presseth on the mind, it forceth the egress of its thoughts upwards towards heavenly things. It will think much and frequently of them, as if that were their proper motion and course; but so soon as the power of conviction decays or wears off, that the mind is no more sensible of its force and impression, the thoughts of it return again unto their old course and track, as the water tends downwards.

This state and frame is graphically described, Psalm 128:34-37,

"When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant."


Men in troubles, dangers, sickness, fears of death, or under effectual conviction of sin from the preaching of the word, will endeavor to think and meditate on spiritual things; yea, they will be greatly troubled that they cannot think of them more than they do, and esteem it their folly that they think of any thing else: but as freedom and deliverance do approach, so these thoughts decay and disappear; the mind will not be compelled to give place unto them any more. The prophet gives the reason of it, Jeremiah 13:23,

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."
They have had another haunt, been taught another course, the habit and inclination of the mind lies another way, and they will no longer tend towards spiritual things than an impression is on them from their convictions.

And it is an argument of very mean attainments, of a low and weak degree in this frame of heart, or in our being spiritually minded, when our thoughts of spiritual things do rise or fall according unto renewed occasional convictions. If when we are under rebukes from God in our persons or relations, in fears of death and the like, and withal have some renewed convictions of sin in commission, for omission of duties, and thereon do endeavor to be more spiritually minded in the constant exercise of our thoughts on spiritual things, which we fail in, and these thoughts decay as our convictions in the causes of them do wear off or are removed, we have attained a very low degree in this grace, if we have any interest in it at all.

Water that riseth and floweth from a living spring runneth equally and constantly, unless it be obstructed or diverted by some violent opposition; but that which is from thunder-showers runs furiously for a season, but is quickly dried up. So are those spiritual thoughts which arise from a prevalent internal principle of grace in the heart; they are even and constant, unless an interruption be put upon them for a season by temptations. But those which are excited by the thunder of convictions, however their streams may be filled for a season, they quickly dry up and utterly decay.

2. Such thoughts may arise in the minds of men not spiritually minded, from outward means and occasions. Such I intend as are indeed useful, yea, appointed of God for this end among others, that they may ingenerate and stir up holy thoughts and affections in us. But there is a difference in their use and operation. In some they excite the inward principle of the mind to act in holy thoughts, according unto its own sanctified disposition and prevalent affections. This is their proper end and use. In others they occasionally suggest such thoughts unto the minds of men, which spring only from the notions of the things proposed unto them. With respect unto this end also they are of singular use unto the souls of men. Howbeit such thoughts do not prove men to be spiritually minded.

 

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JOHN OWEN
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 — Preaching of the word — Exercise of gifts — Prayer — How we may know whether our thoughts of spiritual things in prayer are truly spiritual thoughts, proving us to be spiritually minded.


1. SUCH a means is the preaching of the word itself. It is observed concerning many in the gospel, that they heard it willingly, received it with joy, and did many things gladly, upon the preaching of it; and we see the same thing exemplified in multitudes every day.
But none of these things can be without many thoughts in the minds of such persons about the spiritual things of the word; for they are the effects of such thoughts, and, being wrought in the minds of men, will produce more of the same nature: yet were they all hypocrites concerning whom these things are spoken, and were never spiritually minded.

The cause of this miscarriage is given us by our Savior, Matthew 13:20, 21,

"He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while."
The good thoughts they have proceed not from any principle in themselves. Neither their affections nor their thoughts of these things have any internal root whereon they should grow.
So is it with many who live under the present dispensation of the gospel. They have thoughts of spiritual things continually suggested unto them, and they do abide with them more or less, according as they are affected: for I speak not of them who are either despisers of what they hear, or wayside hearers, who understand nothing of what they hear, and immediately lose all sense of it, all thoughts about it; but I speak of them who attend with some diligence, and receive the word with some joy. These insensibly grow in knowledge and understanding, and therefore cannot be without some thoughts of spiritual things.