the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Christian Standard Bible ®
Romans 8:7
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
Our sinful nature is an enemy of God.
because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
Because the mind of the flesh is opposite to God; it is not under the law of God, and is not able to be:
Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God; for neither indeed can it be:
because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Abandonment to earthly things is a state of enmity to God. Such a mind does not submit to God's Law, and indeed cannot do so.
Because the carnall minde is enmitie against God: for it is not subiect to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards God; for it is not being subjected to the Law of God, for neither can it be .
For to be fleshly mynded is enemyte agaynst. God, syth it is not subdued vnto ye lawe of God, for it can not also.
because a sensual disposition of mind is averse to God: for it is not subject to the divine law, nor indeed can it be.
the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God's law, since it cannot,
because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot;
Because that the flesshly mynde is emnyte agaynst God: for it is not obedient to the lawe of God nether can be.
because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:
Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
because the mind of the flesh [is] enmity to God, for to the law of God it doth not subject itself,
When people's thinking is controlled by the sinful self, they are against God, because they refuse to obey God's law and really are not even able to obey God's law.
because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.
because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God's laws.
For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God's Torah — indeed, it cannot.
For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
Because the wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God: for it is not subiect to the Lawe of God, neither in deede can be.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, because it cannot be.
because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.
That is why the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile toward God. For it refuses to submit to the authority of God's law because it is powerless to do so.1 Corinthians 2:14; James 4:4;">[xr]
Because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards Aloha; for to the law of Aloha it is not subject, for it cannot be;
Because minding the things of the flesh, is enmity towards God: for it doth not subject itself to the law of God, because it is not possible.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will.
The mind that thinks only of ways to please the sinful old self is fighting against God. It is not able to obey God's Laws. It never can.
because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:
For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law—indeed it cannot,
Inasmuch as, what is preferred by the flesh, is hostile towards God, for, unto the law of God, it doth not submit itself, neither in fact can it. -
Because the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God. For it is not subject to the law of God: neither can it be.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
because the mindset of the flesh is enmity toward God, for it is not subjected to the law of God, for it is not able to do so,
Because that the fleshly mynde is enmitie agaynst God: For it is not obedient to the lawe of God, neither can be.
Why is this true? Because anyone whose thinking is controlled by their sinful self is against God. They refuse to obey God's law. And really they are not able to obey it.
because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
And so people become enemies of God when they are controlled by their human nature; for they do not obey God's law, and in fact they cannot obey it.
For the wisdom of the fleisch is enemye to God; for it is not suget to the lawe of God, for nether it may.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the carnal mind: Gr. the minding of the flesh, Romans 1:28, Romans 1:30, Romans 5:10, Exodus 20:5, 2 Chronicles 19:2, Psalms 53:1, John 7:7, John 15:23, John 15:24, Ephesians 4:18, Ephesians 4:19, Colossians 1:21, 2 Timothy 3:4, James 4:4, 1 John 2:15, 1 John 2:16
for it: Romans 8:4, Romans 3:31, Romans 7:7-14, Romans 7:22, Matthew 5:19, 1 Corinthians 9:21, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:23, Hebrews 8:10
neither: Jeremiah 13:23, Matthew 12:34, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Peter 2:14
Reciprocal: Genesis 8:21 - the imagination Leviticus 26:15 - soul Leviticus 26:43 - their soul Deuteronomy 1:43 - but rebelled Deuteronomy 32:41 - them that hate Job 15:13 - turnest Job 21:14 - they say Psalms 81:15 - The haters Proverbs 28:26 - that Isaiah 1:4 - gone away backward Isaiah 30:11 - cause Jeremiah 42:6 - it be good Ezekiel 14:5 - estranged Amos 5:15 - Hate Amos 8:5 - and the Matthew 15:19 - out Matthew 22:37 - General Matthew 25:24 - I knew Mark 7:21 - out Luke 16:25 - thy good Luke 19:21 - because John 5:42 - that John 5:44 - can John 6:44 - man John 8:23 - Ye are from John 8:43 - ye cannot Romans 3:11 - seeketh Romans 7:9 - sin Romans 8:5 - mind Romans 8:6 - to be carnally minded 2 Corinthians 3:18 - from Galatians 3:10 - as many Ephesians 2:3 - fulfilling Ephesians 2:16 - having Philippians 1:10 - ye 2 Thessalonians 2:12 - but James 4:1 - come they 1 John 3:13 - if
Cross-References
every kind of raven,
You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there."
The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and he drank from the wadi.
Who provides the raven's food when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?
He provides the animals with their food, and the young ravens, what they cry for.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God,.... These words contain a reason why the issue of carnal mindedness is death; because the carnal mind, the wisdom of the flesh, is not only an enemy, but enmity itself against God: against his being; it reasons against it; it wishes he was not; it forms unworthy notions of him; thinks him such an one as itself; and endeavours to bury him in forgetfulness, and erase out of its mind all memorials of him: it is at enmity against his perfections; either denying his omniscience; or arraigning his justice and faithfulness; or despising his goodness, and abusing his grace and mercy: it finds fault with, and abhors his decrees and purposes; quarrels with his providences; it is implacable against his word and Gospel; especially the particular doctrines of grace, the Father's grace in election, the Son's in redemption, and the Spirit's in regeneration; and has in the utmost contempt the ordinances and people of Christ. This enmity is universal, it is in all men in unregeneracy, either direct or indirect, hidden or more open; it is undeserved; it is natural and deeply rooted in the mind, and irreconcilable without the power and grace of God. It shows itself in an estrangedness from God; in holding friendship with the world, in harbouring the professed enemies of God, in living under the government of sin and Satan; in hating what God loves, and in loving what God hates; in omitting what God commands, and committing what he forbids; it manifests itself in their language, and throughout the whole of their conversations.
For it is not subject to the law of God; carnal men are subject to the law's sentence of condemnation, but not to its precepts, by obedience to them; there may be an external, and which is a servile obedience to it, but not a free, voluntary, internal one, and still less a perfect one: the carnal mind is so far from an obedient subjection to the law, that it is far off from the law, and the law from that; it hates and despises it, thwarts and contradicts it in every instance, and, as much as in it lies, makes it void; which fully proves the enmity of the carnal mind against God; for hereby his being is tacitly denied, his sovereignty disputed, his image defaced, his government withdrawn from, and these persons are declared, and declare themselves enemies to him:
neither indeed can be; without regenerating grace, without the power and Spirit of God, unless it is written upon the heart by the finger of God; for carnal men are dead in sin, and so without strength to obey the law; and besides, the carnal mind, and the law of God, are directly contrary one to another. Where is man's power and free will? no wonder the carnal mind do not stoop to the Gospel of Christ, when it is not, and cannot be subject to the law of God. Hence we see the necessity of almighty power, and efficacious grace in conversion. It is Christ's work to subject men to the law, and which is done when he justifies by his righteousness: agreeably to which the Targum on Isaiah 53:11; paraphrases it thus:
"in his wisdom he shall justify the righteous, that לאוריתא
לשעבדא סגיאין, "he may subject many to the law".''
And in Isaiah 53:11, the transgressors he hath subjected to the law.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Because - This is given as a reason for what is said in Romans 8:6. In that verse the apostle had affirmed that to be carnally minded was death, but he had not stated why it was. He now explains it by saying that it is enmity against God, and thus involves a sinner in conflict with him, and exposes to his condemnation.
The carnal mind - This is the same expression as occurs in Romans 8:6 τὸ φρόνημα τὴς σαρκός to phronēma tēs sarkos. It does not mean the mind itself, the intellect, or the will; it does not suppose that the mind or soul is physically depraved, or opposed to God; but it means that the minding of the things of the flesh, giving to them supreme attention, is hostility against God; and involves the sinner in a controversy with him, and hence, leads to death and woe. This passage should not be alleged in proof that the soul is physically depraved, but merely that where there is a supreme regard to the flesh there is hostility to God. It does not directly prove the doctrine of universal depravity; but it proves only that where such attention exists to the corrupt desires of the soul, there is hostility to God. It is indeed implied that that supreme regard to the flesh exists everywhere by nature, but this is not expressly affirmed. For the object of the apostle here is not to teach the doctrine of depravity, but to show that where such depravity in fact exists, it involves the sinner in a fearful controversy with God.
Is enmity - Hostility; hatred. It means that such a regard to the flesh is in fact hostility to God, because it is opposed to his Law, and to his plan for purifying the soul; compare Jam 4:4; 1 John 2:15. The minding of the things of the flesh also leads to the hatred of God himself, because he is opposed to it, and has expressed his abhorrence of it.
Against God - Toward God; or in regard to him. It supposes hostility to him.
For it - The word “it” here refers to the minding of the things of the flesh. It does not mean that the soul itself is not subject to his Law, but that the minding of those things is hostile to his Law. The apostle does not express any opinion about the metaphysical ability of man, or discuss that question at all. The amount of his affirmation is simply, that the minding of the flesh, the supreme attention to its dictates and desires, is not and cannot be subject to the Law of God. They are wholly contradictory and irreconcilable, just as much as the love of falsehood is inconsistent with the laws of truth; as intemperance is inconsistent with the law of temperance; and as adultery is a violation of the seventh commandment. But whether the man himself might not obey the Law, whether he has, or has not, ability to do it, is a question which the apostle does not touch, and on which this passage should not be adduced. For whether the law of a particular sin is utterly irreconcilable with an opposite virtue, and whether the sinner is able to abandon that sin and pursue a different path, are very different inquiries.
Is not subject - It is not in subjection to the command of God. The minding of the flesh is opposed to that law, and thus shows that it is hostile to God.
Neither indeed can be - This is absolute and certain. It is impossible that it should be. There is the utmost inability in regard to it. The things are utterly irreconcilable. But the affirmation does not mean that the heart of the sinner might not be subject to God; or that his soul is so physically depraved that he cannot obey, or that he might not obey the law. On that, the apostle here expresses no opinion. That is not the subject of the discussion. It is simply that the supreme regard to the flesh, t the minding of that, is utterly irreconcilable with the Law of God. They are different things, and can never be made to harmonize; just as adultery cannot be chastity; falsehood cannot be truth; dishonesty cannot be honesty; hatred cannot be love. This passage, therefore, should not be adduced to prove the doctrine of man’s inability to love God, for it does not refer to that, but it proves merely that a supreme regard to the things of the flesh is utterly inconsistent with the Law of God; can never be reconciled with it; and involves the sinner in hostility with his Creator.
(Calvinists have been loudly accused of “taking an unfair advantage of this language, for the support of their favorite doctrine of the utter impotency of the unregenerate man, in appreciating, much less conforming to the divine injunctions.” It is alleged that φρονημα της σαρκος phronēma tēs sarkos refers to the disposition of the mind, and is properly translated, “the minding of the flesh.” Therefore, it is this disposition or affection, and not the mind itself, that is enmity against God. But the meaning of the passage is not affected by this change in the translation. For the apostle affirms that this minding of the flesh is the uniform and prevailing disposition of unregenerate people. “They that are after the flesh,” that is, unregenerate people,” do mind the things of the flesh.” This is their character without exception. Now, if the natural mind be uniformly under the influence of this depraved disposition, is it not enmity to God. Thus, in point of fact, there is no difference between the received and the amended translation. To affirm that the mind itself is not hostile to God, and that its disposition alone is so, is little better than metaphysical trifling, and deserves no more regard than the plea which any wicked man might easily establish, by declaring that his disposition only, and not himself, was hostile to the laws of religion and morals. On the whole, it is not easy to conceive how the apostle could more forcibly have affirmed the enmity of the natural mind against God. He first describes unrenewed people by their character or bent, and then asserts that this bent is the very essence of enmity against God - enmity in the abstract.
To anyone ignorant of the subtleties of theological controversy, the doctrine of moral inability would seem a plain consequence from this view of the natural mind. “It is,” says Mr Scott, on the passage “morally unable to do anything but revolt against the divine Law, and refuse obedience to it.” We are told, however, that the passage under consideration affirms only, that unregenerate people, while they continue in that state, cannot please God, or yield obedience to his Law, and leaves untouched the other question. concerning the power of the carnal mind to throw off the disposition of enmity, and return to subjection. But if it be not expressly affirmed by the apostle here, that the carnal mind has not this power, it would seem at least to be a plain enough inference from his doctrine. For if the disposition of the unregenerate man be enmity against God: whence is the motive to arise that shall make him dislike that disposition, and throw it aside, and assume a better in its stead? From within it cannot come, because, according to the supposition, there is enmity only; and love cannot arise out of hatred. If it come from without, from the aids and influences of the Spirit, the question is ceded, and the dispute at an end.
A very common way of casting discredit on the view which Calvinists entertain of the doctrine of man’s inability, is to represent it as involving some natural or physical disqualification. Nothing can be more unfair. There is a wide difference between natural and moral inability. The one arises from “some defect or obstacle extrinsic to the will, either in the understanding, constitution of the body, or external objects:” the other from “the want of inclination, or the strength of a contrary inclination.” Now the Scriptures no where assert, nor have rational Calvinists ever maintained, that there is any physical incapacity of this kind, apart from the corrupt bias and inclination of the will, on account of which, the natural man cannot be subject to the Law of God. But on the other hand, the Scriptures are full of evidence on the subject of moral inability. Even were we to abandon this passage, the general doctrine of revelation is, that unregenerate people are dead in trespasses and in sins; and the entire change that takes place in regeneration and sanctification, is uniformly ascribed not to the “man himself,” but to the power of the Spirit of God. Not only is the change carried on and perfected, but begun by him.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Romans 8:7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God — Because it is a carnal mind, and relishes earthly and sinful things, and lives in opposition to the pure and holy law of God: therefore, it is enmity against God; it is irreconcilable and implacable hatred.
It is not subject to the law of God — It will come under no obedience; for it is sin, and the very principle of rebellion; and therefore it cannot be subject, nor subjected; for it is essential to sin to show itself in rebellion; and when it ceases to rebel, it ceases to be sin.
From this we learn that the design of God in the economy of the Gospel, is not to weaken, curtail, or lay the carnal principle in bonds, but to destroy it. As it is not subject, and cannot be subject, to the law of God, it must be destroyed, else it will continue to rebel against God. It cannot be mended, or rendered less offensive in its nature, even by the operations of God; it is ever sin, and sin is ever enmity; and enmity, wherever it has power, will invariably show itself in acts of hostility and rebellion.
