Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.” vs5-6

There is life and peace in the gospel; it is the guarantee of God’s inheritance. Many pursue carnal things but these spiritual things of God’s grace are real, evidence election, and will bring us to Paradise. It is sad that peace is SO DISREGARDED, but they rejected it in our Lord’s day! They didn’t care about the spiritual kingdom; they wanted a kingdom of this world in loaves and fish, manna and miracles, and they despised the Bread of Life, reconciliation with God, and the peace that surpasses understanding.

We’ve been taught by God, however, and we know that peace and life are vital. Without life, we cannot serve God. Without peace over our sins, we are miserable!

This peace is through atonement and help from the Spirit. Christ died, so we are free from condemnation, though guilty, and He will help us as justified people. We are highly favored in the Beloved and blessed by Christ’s work, so the Spirit comes in power to deliver us from sin’s dominion.

We’ve tried hard and failed: We CANNOT get sin out of us, but as we look to Christ, He delivers. This is the method of grace: Look to the Beloved Son, always, taking away your sins, and the Spirit will help you live for God’s glory! It cannot fail. It can’t be stopped by Satan. It is beyond the power of the flesh! God is on our side, and we have peace and obedience - true spiritual life - because of it.

Secondly, there are sufferings attached to this peace [vs17-24]. “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.” It is not peace without war but in the midst of battle. Satan still accuses, the flesh rages, and the world oppresses. You will be hated, slandered, and rejected. You will face many trials, even as our Lord promised us persecutions. “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life [Mark 10:29-30].” It is not possible to live godly and avoid tribulation. It must come, but as we keep our eyes on Christ, He delivers us.

We are going to endless peace, joy, and pleasure, where every thought is pleasure, every desire pleases God, and nothing will cause us to offend. Heaven is a beautiful place - hard to imagine because of its goodness, kindness from God, and eternal enjoyment - but it is real. Set your mind on the goodness of God in bringing us to Himself, as you suffer the trials now. “For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.”

Don’t let trouble fool you; it is only a little while that we suffer, and then we enter glory. Heavenly hope is mandatory for earthly peace: We have a reward. We get peace now and forever. We get joy everlasting and the downpayment on earth. We get God fully then and through a dim view now. We get it all.

“If God be for us, who is against us?”

Finally, this is the essence: God is on our side, so let us not fear [vs28-39]. “What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” He elected us, predestined us, justified us, and called us, and He will bring us into glory. He saved US because of His great love, and we walk at peace because of it. God is our Father, and He is wise, gracious, and loving. He chose us particularly, helps us, and all works together for our good.

Let us not fear or fret as if we have no inheritance - as if we’re on our own. Let us keep in mind ALL THAT WE HAVE and walk in peace afforded to us by the gospel. You are an heir of greatness, even likeness to Christ Himself in the heavenly family! This ought to encourage us. Let it do its work.