<p>8:5<b>&nbsp;</b><i>For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh</i>&ndash; Where our mind is becomes the crucial definition of whether we are in the Spirit status or that of the flesh. The definition of &lsquo;minding&rsquo; the things of God or of the flesh is therefore important. The Lord Jesus rebuked Peter for &lsquo;savouring&rsquo; the things of men rather than God (Mt. 16:23); Phil. 4:10 translates the word as &lsquo;to care for&rsquo;, Col. 3:2 as &lsquo;affection&rsquo;. Being spiritually minded isn&rsquo;t therefore a question of not sinning- for Romans 7 has made it clear enough that believers do continue sinning after baptism and yet can still confidently rejoice in hope of the final redemption. It&rsquo;s rather a question of wanting spiritual things, loving them, savouring them, having them in our heart, just as Paul could say that in his heart he loved and rejoiced in God&rsquo;s law, although in practice he continued sinning. This I believe is where most believers stand. So loving, admiring and delighting in spiritual things, but feeling bad because their flesh still so easily gives way to temptation. That failure isn&rsquo;t excusable, for Paul began Romans by pointing out that the perfect, sinless Lord Jesus all the same lived in our flesh.</p><p><i>But they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit</i>- As in &ldquo;after the flesh&rdquo;, the Greek word&nbsp;<i>kata</i>&nbsp;is used. This really means in this kind of context &lsquo;to be concerned with, to be around, in the sphere of&rsquo;. This is exactly the idea we have been trying to express- we are to be concerned with, have in our hearts, the Spirit rather than the flesh.</p>