For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  (Romans 8:5)

Having expounded on the doctrines of justification, sanctification and glorification, the apostle Paul now reaches a wonderful conclusion: for all who submit themselves to the authority of Jesus, there is no punishment, having been freed from prison of sin and death, which is the inevitable and inescapable fate of all humanity without divine intervention.

This means a new mindset, one that seeks to please Jesus as opposed to one set on self-gratification.  Paul’s Greek employs one noun, φρόνημα (phronéma) to cover the composite ‘mind-set’ of the translation (ESV) and it literally means being governed from within, impelled by personal insight, or more colloquially ‘going with your gut’. 

It is connate with φρόνησις phronesis, which has a much more positive sense of wisdom based on moral insight, here Paul is encouraging Ephesians to grasp the enormity of their new righteous status:

In (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight…  (Ephesians 1:7-8)

To the Romans believers, who are mature in comparison and equipped with sound doctrine, he makes the point that changing one’s mind once set on the world is imperative.  Jesus by the cross has made the way, but the believer must walk it.

Of course, Paul is echoing Jesus’ teaching on repentance.  Whatever word Jesus used in Aramaic, in the gospel Greek ‘repentance’ translates μετανοέω (metanoeó), which means to think differently or reconsider. And this is Jesus’ first command (at least, by Matthew’s account):

Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 4:17)

Implicitly, Jesus and his apostle, Paul, are highlighting that by default everyone is a worldly person completely lost in worldly pursuits.  And even with spiritual enlightenment, that remains the default – even for Jesus.

Being made wholly human necessarily meant Jesus was prey to every worldly desire.  The Gospels offer little of his early life between returning from Egypt up to the age of thirty.  He spent his teens and grew to adulthood in Nazareth quietly and unremarkably – until he began to teach, eliciting astonishment:

‘Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?’  (Mark 6:2-3)

Jesus was a nobody, living an ordinary life, making a living as a builder (tekton would have meant using wood and stone to build houses).  In all likelihood, he would have worked for Herod Antipas, either fortifying his stronghold at Sepphoris, a few miles to the north of Nazareth, or on building his new palace at Tiberius on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus would have seen unimagined wealth; moreover, he was subject to every yearning and sexual desire.  Yet he put all this aside, and he expects his followers to do the same, just as he did. 

And this expectation is binary in nature, and the action is not a one off, but one enacted minute by minute. Note what Paul says: you reset your mind, so it is fixed on God and not worldly things; if not you choose the world over God.  And this is important, there is no middle way.

Even so, throughout the history of the Church, believers have tried to find a middle way, as evidenced by Paul’s letters reproving worldly behaviour within the body of Christ.  And likewise, churches exist today and are very popular as they continue to peddle the gospel that Jesus allows you to fully indulge all the delights of this world without any eternal risk of forfeiting the next – yet nothing could be further from his teaching:

‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?’ (Matthew 16:24-26)

The doctrine of sanctification requires active decision-making to act against instinct.

‘Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.’ (Matthew 7:13-14)

The world continues to seduce, even after God’s indwelling spirit frees believers from its delusion.  To be clear, God is evident in the world’s natural magnificence, and as Paul explains that is important because it gives the non-believer a divine connection, should they seek after it.

 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)

But if the majesty of the world is no excuse to deny God’s majesty; neither is it an excuse for the believer to delight in the world.  The world is revealed to be nothing but a doomed ‘lifeboat’ occupied by those bound for a cursed eternity, while believers are the ones offering landfall and rescue as a beacon, through bringing the Gospel of Christ, as Jesus taught his disciples: 

‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.’ (Matthew 5:14-16)

This is only value of the world to a Christian, to be its light.

Yet Christians of the apostolic times and today still harbour hope to have the best of both worlds, this and the next; indeed, that is perfectly natural!  As Paul explains it is a spiritual act to deny natural inclination; to put that of the world aside requires both an act of the will and of faith.

Jesus could not be clearer: 

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  (John 12:25)

And the same apostle expands upon this later:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides for ever.  (1 John 2:15-17)

And to be clear, for those who believe this means relinquishing the attachment to things long treasured, chief among them personal autonomy.  It will feel like loss, even a sacrifice, and only by faith can any do this, believing that there is no real sacrifice, in fact.  By faith, all who believe God know everything they have received is as an act of his grace; even life itself is but a loan, one that may be redeemed (bought back) at any point by its true ‘owner’.  Secondly, anything of this world, including again mortal life, is not comparable to the true life of those redeemed; so once again, how can it be a sacrifice to give up something of little and limited value, for that which is immeasurable and durable.  But this takes faith and that faith is challenged daily, Jesus knows this, hence the disciples’ prayer to the heavenly Father to limit the exposure to worldly desire and temptation, ‘lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil’ (Matthew 6:13) and his promise to forgive time and again for true repentance (Luke 17:4).

Jesus says:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

So, the believer must take an audit, asking what of one’s life are you willing to give up, if God requires it (and he might – certainly he will of those caught in the Great Tribulation, see Matthew 24:21-22).  This will quickly reveal what you treasure of this world? Be it one’s home, belongings, a career, good-standing (in the eyes of the world and with one’s family), travel for recreation and ease, security… all these Jesus gave up, and more (see Matthew 8:20).  People are they only constituent of this world that Jesus did not give up on, and so it is for his followers.

And how then can this be achieved?  Paul offers this conclusion:

Finally, brothers (and sisters) whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practise these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

This is the rigorous and disciplined mindset that Jesus requires, and it is non-negotiable – and note this is a practice, an active exercise not an inherent and passive quality, rather acting against the rebellious nature.  There is a choice but Jesus has every right to make obedience conditional, as here:

‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments…’ (John 14:15)

And his first is repentance, the cultivating of a new mind, refreshed and freed from the world and set upon Jesus and his kingdom.