How does Romans 8:7 connect with Genesis 6:5 about human nature? “because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Genesis 6:5 “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.” Human Nature: The Same Problem in Two Eras • Genesis records humanity’s condition before the Flood; Romans describes humanity’s condition apart from Christ. • Both verses expose the identical core issue: a heart and mind set against God. • Time, culture, and circumstances shift, but the fallen nature remains unchanged without divine intervention. Key Phrases That Link the Texts • “every inclination of the thoughts of his heart” (Genesis 6:5) • “the mind of the flesh is hostile to God” (Romans 8:7) These are parallel descriptions—one focused on the heart’s intentions, the other on the mind’s attitude. Together they present a comprehensive picture of internal rebellion. Hostility, Not Neutrality • Romans 8:7 insists the fleshly mind “does not submit” and “cannot.” • Genesis 6:5 shows that every thought was “altogether evil all the time.” • Human nature is actively resistant, not merely indifferent. Cross-References That Underscore the Diagnosis • Jeremiah 17:9 — “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” • Ephesians 2:1-3 — We were “dead in trespasses” and “by nature children of wrath.” • Matthew 15:19 — “Out of the heart come evil thoughts…” All affirm the universality and depth of the problem. Why the Flesh “Cannot” Obey 1. Spiritual Death: Ephesians 2:1 — dead people cannot respond. 2. Bondage to Sin: John 8:34 — “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” 3. Darkened Understanding: 1 Corinthians 2:14 — the natural man “cannot understand” spiritual things. Divine Assessment, Divine Solution • God judged the antediluvian world with the Flood (Genesis 6–8). • God provides a new covenant through Christ to rescue us from the same heart condition (Romans 8:1-4). • The Spirit replaces the mind of the flesh with the mind set on life and peace (Romans 8:5-6, 9-11). From Desperation to Transformation • John 3:3 — “You must be born again.” • 2 Corinthians 5:17 — “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” • Ezekiel 36:26-27 — God promises a new heart and Spirit to cause obedience. Practical Takeaways • Recognize the severity of the flesh’s hostility; self-reform is insufficient. • Depend wholly on the Spirit’s indwelling for genuine obedience. • Celebrate grace: the very God who judged the world in Genesis now justifies sinners in Christ (Romans 3:26). Summary Romans 8:7 echoes Genesis 6:5 in declaring humanity’s innate rebellion. Both passages, affirmed as literal and historically accurate, reveal that the heart and mind are hopelessly opposed to God until He intervenes. The same God who saw universal wickedness in Noah’s day provides the Spirit-empowered remedy in Christ, transforming hostile hearts into obedient ones. |
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