Hostile
The word hostile as described by the Webster’s online dictionary means:
of or relating to an enemy,
marked by malevolence: having or showing unfriendly feelings
openly opposed or resisting,
not hospitable; having an intimidating, antagonistic or offensive nature
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“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,
8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Try reading through verse 7 above, but using one of the meanings for the word hostile:
“…the mind set on the flesh is an enemy of God…”
“…the mind set on the flesh is openly opposed to God…”
“…the mind set on the flesh is inhospitable, intimidating, antagonistic or offensive towards God…”
Obviously, God can not be intimidated, but the idea is, a mind set on the flesh is not interested in what God is interested in. If we take a quick look at the world around us, we will see a lot of opposition and antagonism towards God. Let’s look at a few other verses where the word hostile is used.
“21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,
22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach”
The above two verses follow immediately after the passage discusses our reconciliation through Christ Jesus. Verse 21 says we were “formerly alienated and hostile in mind”. Who were we hostile towards? Towards God. There would be no need for Christ to reconcile us to the Father, if we were not alienated and hostile towards Him. The verse continues saying we were “engaged in evil deeds.” Hostility and evil go hand in hand.
Note, the hostility is connected to the mind. The mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God. The mind set on the flesh is evil. Wow! There is a definitely a correlation between what goes into our mind and how we behave and think. Our minds are a battle ground between what is true and right and what is evil and a lie. Joyce Meyer devoted a whole book to this theme. Here are a few quotes:
“When a person is going through a hard time, his mind wants to give up. Satan knows that if he can defeat us in our mind, he can defeat us in our experience. That’s why it is so important that we not lose heart, grow weary and faint.”
“We are not walking in the Word if our thoughts are opposite of what it says. We are not walking in the Word if we are not thinking in the Word.””
“If our thoughts are going to affect what we become, then it should certainly be a priority that we think right thoughts.”
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Our verses in Romans say that if we are hostile towards God, with our mind set on the flesh we will not subject ourselves to Him and are, in fact, unable to do so. The final outcome is that we cannot please God.
We are definitely in a battle and the battle is for our minds and our hearts. If we set our minds on the flesh; what we can get, feel, see, experience, we will not please God. In fact, we will probably be so absorbed in pleasing ourselves that we will turn away from what is right and true.
“DON’T GIVE UP! When the battle seems endless and you think you’ll never make it, remember that you are reprogramming a very carnal, fleshly, worldly mind to think as God thinks. Impossible? No! Difficult? Yes! But, just think, you have God on your team. I believe He is the best “computer programmer” around. (Your mind is like a computer that has had a lifetime of garbage programmed into it.) God is working on you; at least, He is if you have invited Him to have control of your thoughts. He is reprogramming your mind. Just keep cooperating with Him—and don’t give up!”
Next week we will look at the hope we have because we are in Christ Jesus. Until then, keep setting your mind on Him.