I like black and white. Black and white is simple; it has no need for nuance. There is truth and there are lies. There is wrong and there is right. Paul pulls out another black-and-white issue in the eighth chapter of his letter to the Church in Rome (Romans 8:1-11). In these verses, Paul talks about how we all have one of two mindsets. We either have the mindset of life or the mindset of death.
That’s about as black and white as it gets. On the surface, the choice seems obvious: do you want life or death? While the choice on paper is easy, aligning our lives with that choice is much more challenging. Every decision you make feeds into your mindset, so we must be careful with every decision, big or small.
Paul teaches that the mindset of death is hostile towards God. The bad news is this is the default mindset of humans. We are born in sin (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23), and we will die in sin if we do not repent and call on the name of the Lord (Romans 6:23; Acts 2:21). Every sin you commit builds up your mindset of death. Brick by brick, we construct a daunting fortress that repels the things of God and grants entrance to the lies and illusions of Satan. Every day, with every word, thought, or action we choose, we decide if sin will rule in our hearts.
The other side of the coin is the mindset of life. We build this mindset with each decision as well. We can make it as strong as its opposite, and even stronger, because the Holy Spirit lives within it and will defend it on our behalf (John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 3:16). If your mindset is life, you never have to fear what tomorrow brings because Christ will see you through whatever may come (Philippians 4:13; John 16:33).
God provides a way for every human being to have eternal life with Him, but in His love for us, He allows us the freedom to choose if we will accept that gift or not. You get to decide which mindset you will cultivate. You can refuse to submit your life to God’s perfect laws and live your life for pleasure, success, and personal satisfaction (Romans 1:21-25; Philippians 3:18-19). If your mindset is that of death, your only life will be in this world, and this world is fading away (1 John 2:15-17).
Choosing a mindset of life is the only logical decision and the only choice that delivers you from the endless disappointments of the physical realm and into the eternal peace and joy of God’s Kingdom in Heaven. When you choose the life available only through God’s Son, Jesus will live in you for all eternity (Romans 8:10-11)! Today, remember everything you think, say, and do is building your mindset. Every word and deed comes with an enormous weight, and we must be mindful of what we are building in our hearts and minds. Careless words will ruin you, as will wayward thoughts and thoughtless actions (Matthew 12:36-37). Everything you do matters. Be sober-minded in all things, putting away the things of the flesh and choosing the mindset of life (1 Peter 1:13-16; Colossians 3:1-2).