Well, we want to say shalom to everyone. God bless you. Welcome to the Bible classes of the Holy Scriptures in Israel, where we study the Word of God from a Hebrew messianic perspective and seek to communicate the message of the Word of God both to our Jewish people, the people of Israel, and to all who are willing to learn and to study from the Word of God. We have arrived to Romans chapter 8. Hopefully you have a Bible in your hand and please turn it to the book of Romans in the New Covenant, Brit Chadasha, in Romans chapter 8, where we are going to read from verse 5 onward.

But before we begin, let's just ask the Lord to bless the meeting today. Thank you for your word. Bless your word to our hearts, we pray, as we ask it in Yeshua, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. So, please, everyone, turn with me to Romans chapter 8. In our previous meeting, we have covered the first four verses of Romans chapter 8. I would like to read today from Romans chapter 8, verse 5, verse 17 so i'm reading Romans chapter 8 and verse 5 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 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.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if or since so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, of Mashiach, he is none of his. And if Christ, if Messiah, be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raise up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, your mortal body by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 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. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, with Mashiach. If so be that we suffer with him, we may also be glorified together.

And I'm stopping here with these verses. We just read, beloved brothers and sisters, the first from verse 5 to verse 17, really the first 17 verses of Romans chapter 8. Now, we have already covered many times this truth that the Apostle Paul, the theme of the book of Romans is the righteousness of God. In other words, every believer in the Lord Jesus is justified. He or she are already declared righteous by God. Why? Because Christ, the Messiah, paid for our sins. The believer in the Lord Jesus the Messiah is righteous you see the diako or how do you say d-i-k-a-i-o-s-y-n-e that the the word righteousness or justification in Hebrew is mentioned in the book of Romans some 30 times in fact throughout God's word it is mentioned over 306 times from Genesis 15 6 to Revelation 19 and verse 11 we have been declared righteous by God but now that we are those who belong to the Lord Jesus the Messiah declare righteous we are we are we are studying the portion in Romans chapter 6 and 7 and 8 the portion of the book of Romans that is not only that we are declared righteous because of our faith in the Lord Jesus the.

We are now to seek to live a righteous life for the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. That's why Romans 6:1 to Romans 8 and verse 39, we have this amazing theme of sanctification. And therefore we have studied so far chapter 6 and chapter 7. We have already learned that the truth of the sanctification, that you and i are called to to be set apart in a practical way for the Lord in our life we'll already learn from chapter 7 that the law authority and ministry over God's people the law cannot do the law in other words the law cannot anymore have any power over us because we are now belonging to the Lord Jesus who died and kept the law on our.

Behalf because we have all sinned and we fall short of the glory of God and therefore when the law could condemn us now it cannot condemn us anymore because we believe on the Lord Jesus the Messiah who fulfilled the law on our behalf. But now that we have arrived to Romans chapter 8 we learn about the truth of no condemnation in these 17 verses of Romans chapter 8. And you notice this, beloved brothers and sisters, that in these verses that are found here in the book of Romans in chapter 8, we have these truths that we learn, these four facts that we learn that there is no condemnation, no obligation, no frustration, and no separation for those that are in Christ Jesus.

No judgment for the believer anymore, no obligation to live in sin anymore, no obligation to live under defeat as believers because we have the Holy Spirit of God. We also will learn that there is no frustration up to being alive if we are walking in the power of the Spirit of God and therefore there is no need to be discouraged when we are right with the Lord And ultimately, there is no fear because there is no separation. Because we are washed by the blood of the Lamb and we belong to God because of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who gave his life for us. So in verses 1 to 4, which we have already covered in Romans chapter 8, we have free from the judgment of God.

There is no condemnation. As we read already in Romans 8 and verse 1 there is therefore now no condemnation for them which are in Christ Jesus in the Messiah Yeshua this expression in Christ in Mashiach in Messiah is mentioned many times in the word of that we belong to him we are in him God have accepted us in the beloved one the Messiah Jesus himself we are accepted in the beloved and therefore God will no longer judge us because our sins are washed away once and for all when we have accepted the finished work of the Lord Jesus who died for our sins who was buried who was raised for our justification and is ascended and seated now at God's right hand but we're here we're still here on earth and as believers in the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah here on earth we need the help of the Spirit of God to lead us to walk in a way that it is pleasing to the Lord.

Fulfill the lust of the flesh and the desires of the flesh, but to fulfill the will of God here upon the face of this earth. Yes, we stumble. Yes, we fall. Yes, we at times dishonor the Lord, but we are not called to do so. We are called to live for God. Longer we are no longer a call to to please the flesh but we are called to please the Spirit of God to please God notice in verse 8 i'm just jumping Romans 8 verse 8 so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God but you are not in the flesh verse 9 but you are not in the flesh you are in the Spirit you belong to the Lord you have the holy Spirit of God indwelling in you and therefore you can please God here upon the face of this earth.

So verses 1 to 4, there is freedom from judgment, no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. This was already covered in our previous meeting together. Now, beloved brothers and sisters, we read Romans 8 verses 5 to 17. And verses 5 to 17 gives us the second important fact in the 8th chapter. Of Romans that we are not only free from judgment because of our faith in Christ, in the Messiah, but we are also free from defeat. In other words, as long that we allow the Spirit of God to lead us and to guide us, and we are not walking in the flesh but in the power of the Spirit of God, we can live a victorious life.

A life of victory here on earth even before we are going to be in heaven so positionally we're already victorious because the Messiah Jesus won the victory for us but here practically speaking a believer in Jesus the the things, all that which oppose him, oppose hell here in this world. So when Paul is expounding on these verses, verses 5 to 17, freedom from defeat, no obligation to live after the flesh anymore, he divided into three points. Notice what he says. In verses 5, 6, 7, and 8, the apostle Paul is presenting before us a contrast between a contrasting the saved individual, the believer, and the unsaved, unregenerated person. He is making a contrast between here is a believer and here is an unbeliever in verses 5 and 8.

He is contrasting the manner whereby the believer is called to live and the manner whereby the unbeliever. Or even the carnal believer live when he or she are not walking with the Lord. Then in the next verses, verses 9, 10, and 11, he makes another contrast. The second contrast is contrasting between the believer and he's emphasizing the fact that a believer has the Holy Spirit of God. And unlike the unbeliever who do not have the Holy Spirit of God, is different. He or she can walk with the Lord here in this world. And then thirdly, the Apostle Paul in verses 12 to 17, emphasizing the fact that the Holy Spirit of God is aiding, assisting, helping the child of God, which the unbeliever cannot have the help of the Spirit of God in walking here because he or she, first of all, need to repent.

Turn to the Lord and accept the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Savior and then the Spirit of God will come to indwell in him to indwell in here and he or she then can get the Spirit of God to help them to walk here in this world so let's go over these verses together beloved brothers and sisters freedom from defeat no obligation to live anymore after the flesh no obligation to live a you might say a disobedient life here on earth so in verses 5 6 7 and 8 here's a contrast between the believer and the unbeliever or the believer and the carnal believer so notice what he says here in verse 5 notice the contrast he says in verse 5 for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh.

They that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Notice that? Very clear. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. And they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit. He's making a contrast. Now notice he used this expression, they that are after the flesh and they that are after the Spirit. He does not only make a contrast between a believer and an unbeliever, or a child of God and the one who is not a child of God, but he's also making a contrast between two believers. The one believer walking in the Spirit of God, submissive to the Lord, and walking under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God.

And here's another believer, and they allow the flesh to draw them to live a life that is carnal, fleshly, not spiritual minded. And you know, it is very possible, isn't it? It doesn't mean that if you and I belong to the Lord, that it is always that we are walking in the power of the Spirit of God. Sadly, beloved brothers and sisters, many times, unfortunately. When we are not in fellowship with the Lord, when we are not confessing our sins, when we are not reading the Word of God, when we do not pray, when we do not have companionship with believers, when we allow the world and the devil and the flesh to attract us, we can sometimes look like we are walking just like unbelievers.

The manner of our behavior, the manner of our speech, conduct it can very well be in the life of God's people so he's explaining in verse 5 he says really he's saying to the to the brethren at Rome Paul is saying to them you know those that are after notice the word after they seek after oh yeah they are they are in Christ and they have the Spirit of God in dwelling them but in their day by day walk they are not occupied with the Lord and therefore. They are after the flesh they are after the things of the flesh that which is that which is contrary to God and so he said those that are after the flesh they do mind you know the word for mind they are thinking of things that are carnal and fleshly all the time they are occupied with the things of the flesh you for a moment if you turn to Galatians chapter 5 you know these verses but Galatians chapter 5 the apostle Paul shows us the contrast between the flesh and the Spirit the fruit of the flesh I should say the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit listen to this amazing great list of the works of the flesh Galatians 5 verses 19 20 and Let me read this to you.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are, notice, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, reviling, and such alike. In other words, Paul is saying, look, the people who live in the light of the sins of the flesh, if they are unbelievers, they cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Have not turned to the Lord, they don't have the Holy Spirit of God to indwell them, and they are still in the flesh. And Paul is emphasizing the fact that these are the works of the flesh. And that's why he says, for they that are after the flesh, they only mind those things that are of the flesh.

Of the flesh but then he makes a contrast in verse 5b they that are after the Spirit they mind the things of the Spirit now notice ago again go back to Galatians chapter 5 and there you notice beloved brothers and sisters he continued with the same with a list after in verse 22 of Galatians chapter 5 and Paul tells us but the fruit of the Spirit what is the fruit of the Spirit The fruit of the Spirit is love and joy and peace, shalom, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Again, such there is no law. You see, Paul is showing to us the contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

And you notice, beloved brothers and sisters, that in Romans chapter 8 in verse 5, there's a contrast. He says, really, they that are after the flesh. Now, again, he's speaking to believers. Remember, Romans was written to the believers in the city of Rome. They were already born from above. They belong to the Lord. But they were called to live a sanctified life for the Lord here on earth. Romans 6 7 and 8 the theme is sanctification to be set apart for God practically here on earth like to Israel God said be holy for I am holy Israel you belong to me you came out of the land of Egypt you were under the blood you are forgiven you are saved but now be holy because I am holy in your day-by-day living to the assembly saying the same thing you are washed by the blood of the lamb you came to me you are now indwelt by the holy Spirit of God and now walk in your day by day life in the power of the Spirit of God and not in the power of the all sinful flesh and so Paul is showing to the Roman believers here's the contrast the contrast is the flesh the flesh and the Spirit in other words.

The flesh mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit they mind the things of the Spirit you know that's why sometimes we can say about a brother or about a sister oh you know what this brother is a spiritual minded brother this sister is a spiritual minded sister they not only save they're going to heaven but they want to walk with the Lord here on earth is much more than just having the salvation having the you might say the assurance of salvation but they really want to have life of fellowship with the Lord they want to enjoy the Lord and all of us are called to enjoy it and it is only the Spirit of God that can help us to rise above that which is of the flesh and that's why he says them that are after.

The flesh they do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit they mind the things of the Spirit of God so when we allow the holy Spirit of God to lead us he will help us to walk here in a pleasing way to the Lord that's why go back for one more time to Galatians and i want to read verse Galatians 5 verse 16 us are called to walk in the power of the Spirit of God. Galatians 5:16: "This I say, then walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Every time we fall into the lust of the flesh, that simply means that we did not allow the Spirit of God to lead us.

And when we didn't allow the Spirit of God to lead us, we allowed the flesh to control us and to draw us, and we stumble and fall. And do not enjoy the Lord nor honor the Lord. We don't speak about salvation here because we have already dealt with it. The true believer is once and for all redeemed. Nothing will separate him. Nothing will separate him from the love of Christ, from the love of the Messiah. They belong to him, but we are not always walking in the power of the Spirit of God. We are not always pleasing the Lord. In the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Now go back to Romans 8:6 this time. Now he's making another contrast. What is he saying here? Well, if we are minding the things of the flesh, it will lead to deadness. If we will mind the things of the Spirit, it will lead to life. Notice that I'm reading now verse 6: for to be carnally minded this is fleshly minded carnally is enmity against God I'll read verse 6 again for to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life and peace chayim v'shalom in Hebrew life and peace what does that mean? You see again just remember the context deals so much here with sanctification of the believer the believer is already have everlasting life but when the believer in the Lord Jesus the Messiah allow himself or herself to be influenced by the flesh it will lead to spiritual deadness spiritual deadness means that they cannot bring fruit for God.

Cannot please God. It's deadness, just like as if the unbeliever who is already dead in trespasses and sins, the believer who is carnal-minded cannot please God because he or she behaves just like the unbelieving world. And that's why he's saying in verse 6, you understand, to be carnally minded is really bring about spiritual deadness in order but but to be spiritually minded is life and peace chayim v'shalom life and peace this is very important beloved brothers and sisters now you and i might say well how is it possible well the proof is in the pudding Believers today, and we can search our own hearts, we are not always walking in the power of the Spirit of God.

We're not always submissive to the Lord. Many times, sadly, it is our fault we allow the flesh to be active. That's why there are friction, there are divisions among believers. Like the world. That's why when we studied the book of 1 Corinthians, the Corinthians called saints in chapter 1, but the whole letter that Shaul Paul wrote to them is filled with carnality, divisions, immorality, abusing of the gifts of God, divorces, taking one another to court, that happened in the city of Corinth among the believers who were carnally minded. It doesn't mean because you and I are saved and forgiven that we are always walking in the power of the Spirit of God, but no wonder why sometimes we are spiritually dead.

No life, you might say no evidence of spiritual growth. Brothers and sisters that's why we are called to be awakened from such a condition as believers and we are called to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord that's why the apostle Paul is really a challenge if you go back for a moment to the book of Ephesians and in Ephesians chapter 5 the apostle Paul said to the believers at Ephesus with all the that they have had he said to them in chapter 5 he said to them have no verse 11 have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them verse 12 of chapter 5 of Ephesians for it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret verse 13 and 14 he says but all things.

That are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever does make manifest his light so he tells them in verse 14 therefore he says awake wake up he's saying to the believers there awake thou that sleepest he doesn't say awake thou that is unsaved they were believers he said but you that are asleep you are living not a godly life and then wake up and arise from the dead and Christ will give you light And then verse 15, see that you walk circumspectly, or in other words, walk if very careful, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. So it is so important, beloved brothers and sisters, to distinguish between the believer and the unbeliever on the one hand.

Believer and the carnal believer on the other hand the believer the christian the Messiah follower and the one who is not christian the not believer they are different because the one have only the flesh the other one have both the flesh and they are indwelt by the Spirit of God they have new life new nature divine nature but the believer that walk in the power of the Spirit of God please God and the believer that walk in the power of the old nature the flesh do not please God that's what he's really saying in verses five and six he's making a contrast between the believer who walk with the Lord and the and and the believer who do not walk with the Lord so i'm reading verse five and seeing 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 verse six.

For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace and then he is explaining this in verse 7 and in verse 7 he is explaining what happens when the believer is walking in the way that he or she should not walk they become as it says here they live in animosity against God you see it says in verse 7 because the carnal minded is enmity against God you see before we have accepted Yeshua Jesus the Messiah as our Lord and Savior we were enemies now that we have accepted him as our Messiah Lord and Savior we became children of God but when we don't walk as led by the Spirit of God, and we walk in the power of the old nature, we don't please God.

It's just not possible. So what happens is that we are acting as enemies of God, because it's an enmity against God. Because God is holy, and God's people are called to be holy, be sanctified, set apart to God. Way it says in verse 7 the carnal mind that is enmity against God notice it says in verse 7 for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be is it a carnal the old nature can never be subject to the holy requirements of God that's why we needed the holy Spirit of God to help us us is only when we have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah as our Lord and Savior and now that he the Spirit of God that he's came to indwell us now we have the ability because of the person of the holy Spirit of God we have the ability to please the Lord beloved brothers and sisters now let's for a moment speak about the person of the holy Spirit of God right as we are here today.

Now, you see, the person of the Holy Spirit of God is a divine person. Let me just make a point here. Because, you see, we have the attributes of the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God is a divine person. He is God, the Holy Spirit. He is God, the Spirit. In other words, in the triunity, within the triunity of the Godhead, remember, there's only one God. Three gods, we as believers, just like our forefathers, the Jewish people, we can say, Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad, Hero Israel, the Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. There's only one God.

Not three. But within the Godhead, there are three persons within the Godhead. Ha'Abba, the Father. Ha'ben, the Son. The Spirit one God which is consisting and existing in the three persons of the Godhead so the holy Spirit of God is one of the persons of the of the God that he is divine he's God John chapter 14 tells us that and actually Genesis 1 verse 2 in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and you remember was without void and without form, and the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. In John 14, we do read, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 26, concerning the person of the Holy Spirit of God, we do read, listen, John 14 and verse 26, we do read, but the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit from the Father.

Will the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever i have said unto you notice the Lord said he shall teach you all things the holy Spirit of God is a person not an it but a he he is divine person but not only that he is divine person that he is God, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God is eternal. According to Hebrews 9 and verse 14, he is called the eternal Spirit. Just like the Son is the eternal Son, Yeshua, the eternal Son, just like God the Father is the eternal God, is eternal God the Father, well, the eternal Godhead, the eternal person of the Holy Spirit of God.

Eternal, but he is holy. Kadosh. That's why the Scripture teaches us that the Holy Spirit of God is called the Holy Spirit of God. He is holy. He cannot look upon sin, and therefore he is God, the Holy Spirit. He is the person, one of the persons of the Godhead. According to Luke 11 and verse 13, do read beloved brothers and sisters if the son shall ask bread of any of you notice that John Luke 11 I'll read verse 13 if ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him he is called in the word of God Luke 11 verse 13 the holy Spirit he is called elsewhere as well the holy Spirit of God David says take take not die holy Spirit of God away from me in Psalm 51 and verse 11.

Not only that the Spirit of God is divine he is eternal he is holy but his life. He is leading us in our life to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. He is the Holy Spirit of God who is life. According to Romans 8 and verse 2, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. He is life. Just like the Lord Jesus the Messiah who said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, of God is divine he is eternal he is holy he is light but he is also truth in John 14 verse 17 he is called the Spirit of truth in Hebrew the Spirit of truth and also we learn from Scripture that he is omnipotent he can do all things He is omniscient.

He knows all things. Psalm 139 verses 1 to 6. And He is omnipresent. He is everywhere. Psalm 139 verses 7 to 12. He knows everything. He can do all things and He is everywhere. That's why, beloved brothers and sisters, as we learn together concerning the. Person of the Holy Spirit of God, we learn that when we walk in the flesh, back to Romans chapter 8 and verse 7, we learn that to be carnally minded is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, because how can we be subject to the law of God? We cannot do it in the power of the old nature, the flesh.

Can only do it in the power of the Holy Spirit of God. And that's why we are called, beloved brothers and sisters, to please the Lord and not to be carnal-minded. Notice now as we are moving along in this chapter that now that in verse 7 to be carnally minded is animosity against God, And that means that we are not at shalom, at peace, in a peaceful way living for the Lord. Now in verse 8, he continued, Apostle Paul, and he's saying, he's making a contrast between pleasing ourselves and pleasing God. When we walk in the light of his word, allowing the Holy Spirit of God to lead us, to lead the believer, will be pleasing God and not pleasing the flesh and so we read in verse 8 so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God but notice now using the word in the flesh you remember earlier he says after the flesh now he's saying in the flesh so what we really learn that the unbelievers who are in the flesh cannot please God.

And the believer that is walking after the flesh also cannot please God. The only way to please God, and the only way that we will be living a life that is pleasing to the Lord, to be freed from defeat, is when we are led by the Spirit of God. And therefore, verses 5 and 6, and seven and eight, you have this contrast. A believer that walk with God and a believer who walking carnally. That's why to be sanctified, practical sanctification, simply means that we are to be spiritually minded believers. And we had these four points in these verses. Contrast between the flesh and the Spirit. Walking in the flesh leads to deadness.

Walking in the flesh is an enmity against God. Walking in the flesh is pleasing ourselves, not pleasing God. On the other hand, the contrast is walking in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit will lead us to live life, spiritually enjoying life, pleasing to the Lord. Walking in the Spirit will lead us to have shalom, peace with God, not to be at war against God. Walking in the Spirit, allowing the Spirit of God to lead us, will end up to cause us to be pleasing to the Lord. That's why verses 5, 6, 7, and 8, is walking with the Lord, who is walking after the Spirit, who produces in his life things that are pleasing to God, who is living with a peaceful relationship with the Lord and pleasing the Lord.

On the other hand, the carnal-minded believer, he or she cannot produce life but death. With the Lord but an enmity with the Lord cannot be pleasing the Lord but really pleasing the flesh and that is the contrast that apostle Paul is presenting before us in these verses now if you go with me for a moment to first Corinthians chapter 2 i want you to notice that it's in first Corinthians the apostle is Representing before the Corinthians, we might say threefold. Notice that Romans, 1 Corinthians chapter 2, we have the three states of the human race. Within the human race, we have these three, we might say three distinctions.

The first distinction is the distinction between a believer, and an unbeliever. And if you notice, the apostle called the unbeliever in 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 14, he is calling him the natural man. Men, women, people who were born by nature to Adam. Verse 14 of 1 Corinthians 2, the natural man received. Not the things of the Spirit of God. Why? For they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them. Why? Because they are only spiritually discerned. The natural man is the unregenerated person, the unbelievers. According to the Word of God, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Paul called the believers, natural men or natural women. That means that they were born naturally like all of us were born here into this world.

We were born by nature. We have inherited the Adamic nature and we are sinners by nature. We are separated from God. We are at enmity with God. We are enemies of God. This is the natural man. That state of the natural person, we can say, men and women. The natural person does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. But now he continues in verse 15 and 16, and he speaks about another man or another person. He speaks about the spiritual person. That means the believer now. That's why in verse 15 and 16, notice he speaks about the believer and he's calling him, the saved men, the spiritual men.

And when it says men, it doesn't speak only about masculine. It's men and women, the spiritual person. And so in verse 15 and 16, Paul is saying, but he that is spiritual, in other words, he that is born from above and have the Spirit of God, he judge all things, yet he himself is not a judge of anyone, of men. Why? For who has known the mind of the Lord? That he may instruct him but we have the mind of Christ the believer in the Lord Jesus we have the mind of Christ we have a new life we have a new nature 2nd Corinthians 5 17 them that are in Christ Jesus are new creation all things that pass away all become new so the spiritual he that is spiritual or he or she that things they can evaluate all things on the basis of the word of God and no one can judge that person because he or she are belonging to the Lord and who knows the mind of the Lord who can instruct him and he says we have the mind of the Lord we belong to the Lord we have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah so notice the difference verse 14 the natural man the unregenerated person.

Verse 15, the spiritual man, the born-again believer, who have accepted the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, as his or her Lord and Savior. They are now possessing the Holy Spirit of God. But then notice in chapter 3, just the next verse, in verse 1, he is speaking about the third person. And the third person he is calling that person the carnal man, not the natural man. But the carnal man. You notice that? Another translation called the fleshy man. The believer who is walking in the flesh. He's applying now to a Christian, to a Meshichi in Hebrew, Messiah follower, but he or she are not spiritual minded. They are walking carnally.

And so he's saying in verse 1 of chapter 3, notice he says, brethren, he's calling them brethren to the Corinthian, they're believers, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual. In other words, I cannot speak unto you as unto spiritual minded individual, but as unto carnal. Why unto carnal? Because he says even as unto babies in Christ, in the Messiah. Why? Because I have fed you with milk and not with meat for because hitherto you were not You are so occupied with the things of the world, the things of the flesh, with yourself and with your own glory, what you will have. And instead of being occupied with the Lord, you are still occupied.

You are minding the things of the flesh. You are not spiritual minded. And he's calling them carnal. You are like babies. A baby that was born he or she belonged to his mother and father they are children they belong to the parents but they're not yet mature and growing they're still you know as children fighting and they give me that give me that and you know constantly i want my way i want to do my own thing this is exactly when baby Christians or baby believers behave he says i couldn't call you brethren notice he calling them brethren brother and i could not call you spiritual minded because you are not walking with the Lord you are like children i did not feed you with meat mature food from the word of God because you were not able to take it because you are still carnal minded and then he explained to them look what's going on verse 3.

And divisions? Are you not carnal and walk as men? While one says I am of Paul and another says I am of Apollos, are you not carnal? Notice he used the word carnal. Carnal simply means fleshy. You just walk in the power of your old sin nature. You are not walking led by the Spirit of God. The works of the flesh that are mentioned in Galatians chapter 5 and in the context of Galatians chapter 5 beloved brothers and sisters that the list that we have there the works of the flesh in the context here is envying and you mention strife and so on a heresies a variance a hatred they had all these things evident in the local assembly.

And so they were not being set apart practically for the Lord because they were walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit of God. And not to point to the Corinthians, you and I, when we are not allowing the Spirit of God to lead us, we are no different than them. The only way to be able to please the Lord and to be able to win victory is when we. Allow the Spirit of God to lead us. The fruit of the Spirit of God will be evident in the life of God's people as they allow the Spirit of God to lead them. So you notice the spiritual person, let me put it differently, the natural person, the spiritual person, and the carnal person.

The natural person is the unbeliever. The spiritual person is the child of God. Person is the believer the child of God who is walking in the flesh and not allowing the Spirit of God to lead them here in this world. So go back to Romans chapter 8 just as we can conclude for the meeting today we learn from Romans chapter 8 verses 5 6 7 and 8 the contrast between the flesh and the Spirit which bring to death or life which is war against God or peace with God or his pleasing self and pleasing God. Those that are walking in the Spirit of God, it will lead them to life, progress, peace with God, pleasing God.

Those that are walking in the flesh will lead to deadly kind of a life. Enmity with God and will be nothing but self-pleasing and no reward from the Lord for this kind of lifestyle. Understand it. And it's very challenging to us because he's saying to the believer, he says, well, where are you at in your walk with the Lord? Are you growing spiritually? Are you growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus the Messiah? Are you living for God? How is your life? He's saying to the Romans. Are you really having a sanctified life? 17, freedom from defeat. Do you live a defeated Christian life?

A messianic life, is it a defeated or are you living in victory, a victorious life? Unsaved persons live the lowest level of life here below. Higher standard. And the only way to be able to live life that is pleasing to the Lord and not to live a defeated life is when we're submissive to the Lord, allow the Spirit of God to lead us. You notice there's one verse in verse 12, and I'm going to read that. We will stop with that. In Romans 8 and verse 12, it says, Therefore, brethren, we are not debtors. We are debtors not to the flesh. We are not debtors to the flesh.

We don't have to live in the flesh. We are not debtors. We don't have to live after the flesh. We can live after the Spirit of God if we only. Will allow the Spirit of God to help us and to lead us. And you know, brothers and sisters, what do you think the person of the Holy Spirit of God do in our life? You know what He does? The Lord Jesus, Yeshua said in John 14, 15, and 16, He said, He will not speak of Himself. He will take of Mine, Yeshua said. He will take of Yeshua, of Jesus, and He will show it unto you. The ministry of the Spirit of God is to direct the attention of the people of God to the person of our Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah.

The moment we allow Him to direct us to Him, to the Lord Jesus the Messiah, and when we look at Him by faith, we get encouraged. He's drawing our hearts to live for Him. He's speaking to our hearts. He helps us. He helps us to be occupied with the things that are eternal, with the things that are special, with the loveliest person that ever lived, who lived here in this world and pleased God from the moment that he was born until the moment that he was taken to glory, to heaven. And beloved brothers and sisters, may the Lord help us a victorious life. We are called to understand that there is a way for us as believers in the power of the Spirit of God to live a godly life.

And may the Lord help us to do so. And by the way, when we don't and we fail, thank the Lord for the throne of grace. If we confess our sins, 1 John 1, 9, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Because we are here, we've failed the Lord many times. Sin has easily beset us. But we can always go to the Lord, repent of it, confess it, and He will restore us, restore us into fellowship. And then we can live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. May the Lord help us to do so as we walk here in this world.

Well, dear brothers and sisters, we are thankful to the Lord for giving us this portion of Scripture for today. I was hoping to cover a lot more ground today, but somehow we stopped here in verse 8. And in the will of the Lord, our next meeting will continue from Romans chapter 8 and verse 9. So, our God and our Father, we just want to thank you once again for these verses that we have studied together. Bless us encourage us help us to to be led by the Spirit of God and to be pleasing to you Abba Father we pray in Yeshua's name Amen Amen well my dear friend until the next time we say Shalom Shalom God bless you