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Romans 8:7-8 Romans 8:7-The Mind

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Romans 8:7-8 Romans 8:7-The Mind Romans 8:7-8 Romans 8:7-The Mind-Set Produced By The Flesh Is Antagonistic Toward God And Has No Capacity To Obey God’s Law The apostle Paul in Romans 8:7 teaches that the mind-set produced by the sin nature is antagonistic toward God and has no capacity to obey His Law. Romans 8:7, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” “Because ” is the conjunction dioti ( diovti ) (dee-ot-ee), which functions as a marker of cause introducing a statement that presents the reason for Paul’s last statement in Romans 8:6. In Romans 8:6, Paul taught that the mind-set produced by the sin nature is temporal spiritual death, i.e. loss of fellowship with God whereas the mind-set produced by the Spirit is life, i.e. experiencing eternal life and peace. Romans 8:6, “In fact, the mind-set produced by the flesh is, as an eternal spiritual truth temporal spiritual death. However, the mind-set produced by the Spirit is, as an eternal spiritual truth life as well as peace.” Now, in Romans 8:7, he uses the conjunction dioti to introduce a statement that presents the reason why the mind-set produced by the sin nature is temporal spiritual death whereas the mind-set produced by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind-set produced by the sin nature is temporal spiritual death whereas the mind- set produced by the Spirit is life and peace “because” the mind-set produced by the sin nature is hostile or antagonistic towards God and does not subject itself to God’s Law nor does it have the capacity to do so. We will translate dioti , “because .” Romans 8:7, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” “The mind ” is the articular nominative neuter singular form of the noun phronema ( frovnhma ) (fron-ay-mah), which refers to the Christian’s “mind-set” or “state of mind” or “mental attitude” and is used in relation to the sin nature. Thus, Paul is saying that the “mind-set” or “mental attitude” produced by the sin nature is hostile towards God. The articular construction of the word distinguishes it as a “nominative subject” and that the noun echthra , “ hostile ” is functioning as a predicate nominative. That phronema is functioning as the subject means that it is producing the action of the verb eimi , “ is ,” which is omitted by Paul deliberately due to his use of the figure of ellipsis, though it is clearly implied. We will translate phronema , “ the mind-set.” Romans 8:7, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1 “Set on ” does not translate a word in the Greek text of Romans 8:6 since the translators interpret that Paul is using the figure of ellipsis meaning that he deliberately omits the third person present active indicative form of the verb phroneo ( fronevw ) (fron-eh-o), though it is implied. However, the fact that the noun sarx , “ flesh ” functions as a “genitive of production” meaning that this mind- set is “produced by” the sin nature indicates that there is not need for the verb phroneo since the thought in the Greek text is complete. Romans 8:7, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” “The flesh ” is the articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun sarx (savrc ) (sarx), which refers to the sin nature from the perspective of its location in the Christian. The word’s articular construction is “anaphoric” meaning that the word was used in Romans 8:6 and that its meaning in verse 6 is being used again here in verse 7. Romans 8:6, “In fact, the mind-set produced by the flesh is, as an eternal spiritual truth temporal spiritual death. However, the mind-set produced by the Spirit is, as an eternal spiritual truth life as well as peace.” The noun sarx functions as a “genitive of production” meaning that it “produces” the noun phronema , “ the mind-set ,” to which it stands related. Therefore, the noun sarx as a “genitive of production” indicates that this “mind- set” or “state of mind” is “produced” by the sin nature. It is produced by the sin nature because Paul taught in Romans 8:5 that those Christians submitting to the sin nature are preoccupied in their thinking with the desires produced by the sin nature. Romans 8:5, “For you see those who at any time exist in the state of being in submission to the flesh are, as an eternal spiritual truth, preoccupied with the things produced by the flesh. However, those in submission to the Spirit, the things produced by the Spirit.” Therefore, the mind-set “produced by” the sin nature is the direct result of the Christian being preoccupied with the desires produced by the sin nature, which culminates in a loss of fellowship with God. We will translate sarx , “ produced by the flesh .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 8:7: “Because, the mind-set produced by the flesh…” Romans 8:7, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” “Is ” does not translate a Greek word but is correctly added by the translators since the third person singular present active indicative form of the verb eimi ( ei)miv) 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2 (i-mee) is deliberately omitted by Paul since he is employing the figure of ellipsis, though it is clearly implied. The word functions as a copula uniting the subject, which is the noun phronema , “ the mind-set ” and the predicate nominative, which is the noun echthra , “ hostile .” The present tense of the verb is “gnomic” used of a general timeless fact indicating an eternal spiritual truth or spiritual axiom. This indicates that the mind- set produced by the sin nature is, “as an eternal spiritual truth” hostile towards God. The active voice is “stative” indicating that the subject exists in the state indicated by the verb eimi . The subject is the mind-set produced by the sin nature. Therefore, the “stative” active voice indicates that the mind-set produced by the sin nature “exists in the state of being” hostile towards. The indicative mood is “declarative” presenting this assertion as an unqualified statement of fact and Bible doctrine. We will translate eimi , “ is, as an eternal spiritual truth .” Corrected translation thus far of Romans 8:7: “Because, the mind-set produced by the flesh is, as an eternal spiritual truth…” Romans 8:7, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” “Hostile ” is the nominative feminine singular form of the noun echthra ( e&xqra ) (ekh-thrah). In ancient Greek, this noun means, “antagonistic, hostile, enmity, hatred.” It suggests an active hatred in the sense of open hostility towards another person and it can suggest a passive hatred where there is a concealed hatred towards someone. It is the opposite of love and friendship. The word appears fifteen times in the Septuagint. One of its most famous uses is in Genesis 3 where God tells Satan that He will put echthra , “enmity, hostility, antagonism” between her Seed and his Satan. The noun echthra appears only six times in the Greek New Testament. The word is used to describe Herod and Pilates relationship with each other prior to their encounter with Jesus Christ in that before meeting Him they were “enemies.” Paul uses the word in Galatians 5:20 to describe one of the manifestations of the sin nature and means, “enmity.” He uses it again in Ephesian 2:15-16 where it means “enmity” and is used to describe the Mosaic Law in relation to sinful humanity. James employs the word in relation to the Christian’s relationship to God, which is “enmity” when the Christian is a friend of the cosmic system of Satan. Here in Romans 8:7, the noun echthra means, “antagonistic” and describes the relationship between the mind-set produced by the sin nature in relation to God. It 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3 is used in an active sense for the state of being openly antagonistic towards God. Therefore, the mind-set produced by being preoccupied with the desires of the sin nature is in a state of being openly antagonistic towards God. This is true of not only the unregenerate but also the Christian who is out of fellowship with God since he still possesses a sin nature. The noun echthra functions as a “predicate nominative” as indicated in that the nominative form of the noun phronema , “ the mind-set ” is articular, which signifies that it is functioning as the nominative subject. This indicates that the noun echthra is making the assertion that the mind-set produced by the sin nature is as an eternal spiritual truth, openly antagonistic toward God.
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