From Carnal to Spiritual (Part 2): Renewal Requires Forsaking

From Carnal to Spiritual (Part 2): Renewal Requires Forsaking

The process of renewing the mind is not simply about learning new things—it’s about letting go of the old. The carnal mind, as Paul teaches, is not just a sinful mindset; it’s the default operating system of every person born into this world. Before salvation, it’s all we know. And even after we’re justified, it remains our natural tendency unless we actively forsake it.

Paul makes it clear in Romans 8:7 (KJV):

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

That’s not a matter of effort or sincerity—it’s a matter of incompatibility. The carnal mind cannot please God. It doesn’t matter how well-meaning a believer is; if they’re still thinking with the old framework, they’re walking in opposition to the Spirit. And tragically, many believers are trying to live for God while clinging to the very mindset that opposes Him.

Renewal, then, is not just about acquiring biblical knowledge. It’s about forsaking the thoughts that once defined us. Isaiah 55 says:

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.”

That’s the heart of renewal. You don’t just add Scripture to your thinking—you replace your thinking with Scripture. You don’t just memorize verses—you surrender your old conclusions. You don’t just learn about heaven—you begin to mind heavenly things, as Colossians 3 instructs:

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

From Carnal to Spiritual (Part 1): The Mindset That Leads to Life and Peace

From Carnal to Spiritual (Part 1): The Mindset That Leads to Life and Peace

Paul’s words in Romans 8:6 (KJV) are not just a theological contrast—they’re a spiritual wake-up call:

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

This isn’t a message to unbelievers. Paul is speaking to the body of Christ, to those already justified by faith, and he’s urging us to recognize the ongoing battle within our minds. The carnal mind is our default—it’s how we all start. It’s shaped by the world, driven by fleshly desires, and completely incompatible with the things of God. Before salvation, it’s all we know. And even after we’re saved, it doesn’t just disappear. It must be replaced—intentionally, persistently, and scripturally—with the mind of Christ.

Paul doesn’t present this as a binary switch. It’s a scale. Every believer begins with 100% carnal thinking. Through the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2), we begin to move toward spiritual maturity. But this isn’t passive. It requires deliberate attention to the things of the Spirit. As Romans 8:5 says,

“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.”

To “mind” something is to pay attention to it, to heed it, to let it shape your thoughts and decisions. The more we mind the things of the flesh—our comfort, our reputation, our earthly concerns—the more we drift toward death. Not eternal separation, but the daily death of peace, joy, and clarity. The more we mind the things of the Spirit—God’s Word, our heavenly calling, the body of Christ—the more we experience life and peace.

Two Men, One Life: Choosing Spirit Over Flesh

Two Men, One Life: Choosing Spirit Over Flesh

Every believer lives with a strange tension—two men pulling in opposite directions within the same body. Not two identities, but two personas: the flesh man and the spirit man. The one is stubborn, self-preserving, and allergic to truth. The other is reborn in Christ, surrendered, and hungry for righteousness. This isn’t a metaphor; it’s reality. And the journey of sanctification is the daily decision to silence one and yield to the other.

Scripture teaches that the old man is already condemned. He cannot be rehabilitated. Romans 6:11 tells us to "reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The flesh can’t be improved—it must be starved, reckoned dead, and displaced by the life of Christ. You don’t fight the flesh with willpower; you deny it fuel and make space for the Spirit.

Transformation doesn’t happen because we feel like changing—it comes as the Word renews our mind. Romans 12:2 urges, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…" When truth gets into your heart, it rewires how you think, how you choose, and how you respond. The process is not instantaneous, but it is intentional. Without the Word, the default is always flesh. But with it, the Spirit gains influence—and the fruit of change begins to show.

Doctrine and Discernment (Intro): Balancing the Word

Doctrine and Discernment (Intro): Balancing the Word

Holding Truth and Heart Together

Truth matters. Grace matters. But too often, believers lean hard in one direction—either guarding doctrine with such precision that they forget the people it's meant to serve, or embracing relational kindness so freely that biblical clarity gets blurred. This series is an invitation to walk in both. Not one or the other. Both.

In Part 1, we’ll meet the Bereans of Acts 17:11—known not for their credentials, but for their consistency. They tested everything by the Word, daily and with care. It’s a picture of objective discernment, where conviction is built on Scripture, not assumption.

In Part 2, we’ll step into the tenderness of Romans 14, where Paul urges believers not to quarrel over disputable matters. Instead, he teaches us to honor the conscience, walk gently with the weak, and build each other up in love. It’s not compromise—it’s compassion.

Then in Part 3, we’ll bring it all together. Because maturity isn’t found in choosing between truth and heart—it’s found when we let Scripture shape both. That kind of balance produces believers who hold fast to what’s right but walk gently with those still growing.

In the next post we’ll start things off by walking alongside the Bereans in Acts 17—ordinary believers who searched the Scriptures daily with focus and humility. But this isn’t just about studying with precision. It’s about learning how clear doctrine can shape our love and deepen our walk with others. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold firm to truth while staying soft toward people, Part 1 will steady your convictions and stir your heart.

When Plans Trump Compassion: A Mirror to Our Faith

When Plans Trump Compassion: A Mirror to Our Faith

I had plans. Leave work. Hit the gym. Handle a few tasks. Kick up my feet and indulge in some well-earned rest.

But on that drive, I saw him—hands raised, desperation written across his face. His car had broken down. His wife tended to their child in the backseat. And me? I felt my heart close like a locked door.

I reasoned: “I’m not a mechanic.” I hoped my tinted windows would conceal my indecision. I didn’t stop. I didn’t even acknowledge him.

It took me days to realize I didn’t just ignore his problem—I ignored his humanity. Not because I lacked the ability to help, but because I didn’t want to risk my comfort. I could’ve offered five minutes of reassurance. Helped him make a call. Asked if he had someone en route. But I drove away, safeguarding my schedule instead of being a servant of grace.

We claim we live by a doctrine that edifies, uplifts, and reconciles—yet who are we edifying if we never pause to see, listen, or serve? How can we proclaim a self-sacrificing Savior while preserving our own agendas at all costs?

From Expectation to Dispensation: Peter’s Prophetic Shift

From Expectation to Dispensation: Peter’s Prophetic Shift

There’s a subtle but powerful dispensational insight in the way Peter’s letters frame the coming of the Lord. At first glance, 1 Peter and 2 Peter might seem like spiritual bookends—both speaking to suffering saints with hope—but a closer look reveals something far deeper: a prophetic shift, one that traces the unfolding of God’s plan from Kingdom expectation to grace dispensation.

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” —1 Peter 4:7 (KJV)

In 1 Peter, written during a time when the offer of the Kingdom was still fresh in Israel’s memory, Peter urged the Kingdom believers to live with urgency. His words echo the question posed in Acts 1:6, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” The apostles anticipated the imminent return of Christ in glory—to reign as King and fulfill the promises of Israel’s restoration. But Jesus answered, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons…” (Acts 1:7)—a subtle indication that something else was about to unfold.

As Israel’s national rejection of their Messiah deepened, that Kingdom expectation was deferred. Not abandoned—but postponed. And in that divine pause, God revealed the mystery kept secret since the world began: the dispensation of the grace of God, entrusted to Paul for the Gentiles (Ephesians 3:1-6). A new heavenly calling emerged—the Body of Christ—not born of Law, lineage, or national covenant, but by faith alone, through grace alone.

Fast forward to 2 Peter, and the tone shifts.