Our Bible Reading

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 27, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 33.

Our Bible Reading

How Men Obey the Law

1. What is the attitude of the carnal mind to the law of God?

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Rom. 8: 6, 7.

2. What is further said in regard to living according to the flesh, or the “carnal mind”?

“So then they that are in the flesh can not please God.” “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” Rom. 8: 8, 12, 13.

3. How do we escape this fleshly or carnal mind, that is not in harmony with the law of God, and that brings death?

“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. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Rom. 8: 9-11.

4. When admitted into the heart and life of the individual, what does the Spirit of God bring with Him, to give us victory over the carnal mind?

“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1: 8.

5. For this work of witnessing to the ends of the earth, how extensive is the power that the Saviour promises?

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28: 18-20.

6. What is the channel through which the Spirit of God, with His mighty power, operates?

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Eph. 6: 17.

“It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6: 63.

7. Then since it is the spiritually minded that are to have power over sin, what mind are we exhorted to have?

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 2: 5.