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Romans Commentary Chapters 1-8  /  Romans 8:1-5 Those in Christ No Longer Walk After the Flesh  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 10
Origen describes people who “come to church,” honor leaders, and give offerings, yet show “no inclination to also improve their manner of life,” concluding “they are not in Christ Jesus” because they “live after the flesh”; in what concrete ways can a churchgoing life become “minding the things of the flesh,” and what would it look like this week to deliberately “mind the things of the Spirit” instead?
Another way to ask: How can someone go to church, give money, and respect leaders but still live focused on the flesh? What would it look like for you this week to choose to focus on the Spirit instead?

Direct Answer According to the transcript, churchgoing can still be “minding the things of the flesh” when it becomes outward respectability without real moral change—continuing to follow fleshly desires and earthly priorities. “Minding the things of the Spirit” means actively trampling wrongful desires and pursuing the Spirit’s works and values as your focus.

Support from Transcript:

  • Romans 8:5 is interpreted: those after the flesh “do not focus on spiritual things, but on the things that are earthly and corrupt.”
  • Ambrosiaster: one who follows “enticements of the flesh focuses on the things of the flesh,” pursuing “practices and erroneous reasonings of the flesh.”
  • Origen’s example: people who “come to church,” bow to elders, show courtesy, honor servants, and “bring some gift,” but have “no inclination to also improve their manner of life.”
  • Origen concludes such people “cannot claim the promise…they are not in Christ Jesus…they live after the flesh.”
  • Ambrosiaster on living after the Spirit: they “trample on the wrongful desires of the flesh,” “set the world behind them,” seek glory “from God,” and “march according to His orders.”
Discussion Follow-ups What “respectable” church habits might hide unchanged desires? What one concrete decision this week would show you are setting “the world behind” and choosing to “march according to His orders”?

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