Romans 8:7
Romans 8:7 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.The rattlesnake in the above photo is hostile to humans and does not submit to human ethics and in fact cannot. It is at enmity with mankind and would need an entirely different nature to act as a domesticated animal. In a similar manner, the person who is in the flesh cannot submit to God’s law. Such a person is hostile to God and lacks the ability to submit to God because of their slavery to the power of sin. Such a person is spiritually dead with no hope apart from God’s saving grace. Therefore, as verse 2 pointed out, God through the quickening power of the Holy Spirit sets sinners free from the slavery of sin. This regenerating work of the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life and a new nature into a sinner that enables them to set their minds on the things of the Spirit. What cannot be done for the rattlesnake, God does for lost sinners. Praise God for this grace.
Photo by son of W.H. on hunting trip to N.M.
7 comments:
You know, when the Sigfried & Roy act had the tiger attack, I had some thoughts about untamed creatures but never wrote about it. I like what you've done here.
Craver,
Thanks. Finding photos to illustrate points is difficult, but I think this one fits nicely.
My son said he saw two or three rattlesnakes on his trip. One was behind him when got up from sitting a while. He said he did not shoot any of them. Even if I were a deer hunter, I think I would have been ready to pack it in after that.
Oh Wayne, excellent post. What a vivid analogy to drive home the point.
"It is at enmity with mankind and would need an entirely different nature to act as a domesticated animal."
This really spells it out - it needs A DIFFERENT NATURE. Yes.
The snake would and so do we.
I can't help but think of my own post from yesterday - we cannot appeal, with Scripture, to lost people whose very natures are at enmity with God! Means nothing, just as we can't appeal to a rattlesnake to be our pet.
Very, very good, Wayne.
And...um...your son took this picture?? Yikes! I would have run far, far away!
Gayla,
I would have run fast myself. It would have ruined my interest in deer hunting in that location for sure. Thanks for the comments. I really enjoy illustrating with photos.
Excellent post. Taken from the kingdom of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His Dear Son. Slaves of sin one minute, slaves of God the next. Sinners by nature, now priests of God.
Praise God for His saving and changing power!
Dawn,
Thanks.
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