For 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. 
(Romans 8:5)

Take a moment to look closely at the first part of that verse once again — those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh.

In other words, the neo-Gnostic evangelicals involved in the stupid spiritual disciplines of corrupt Counter Reformation Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism are wrong about some supposed “true self” down inside all of mankind where there’s “a spark of the divine.”

Of the above Scripture the King James Version of the Bible reads — For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. You see, they are wanting to follow the desires of the flesh.

Our text is telling us in no uncertain terms that those in the flesh (Greek: sarx), refers to our fallen sinful nature, are about doing the things which that sinful antichrist nature—that is our true self—desires.

What these mystic dreamers, who judge by mere appearances (cf. John 7:24), don’t realize is human nature is often quite pious. Take for example those in the New Spirituality e.g. New Age priestess Marianne Williamson.

I don’t know anyone who is critical of her character or her sincerity; she appears quite spiritual as far as I can see. However, this isn’t the proper way to assess the fruit of someone’s doctrine of God.

Yet this is what’s happening within evangelicalism concerning many Roman Catholics. This begs a question: What are we to make of devout Mormons like Glenn Beck? For some like James Robison, he’s considered Christian.

However, having a godly-looking life doesn’t change the fact of a corrupt heart. The deeper you go into your own human nature the more you find out how true God’s Word is that:

  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9).

Sadly, today people are looking at themselves and trying to see into, and to understand their own nature apart from the Bible. However, the fact is, you can sit cross-legged on the floor and have all the late night pseudo-intellectual conversations that you want to.

You can study all the philosophy you want, and contemplate pools of water or spiders spinning webs. Hey, you can contemplate an old sack of potatoes if you want to, whatever it is you want to concentrate on.

But the truth is you are never really going to understand what’s wrong with you, and why you keep doing things that hurt others, and that hurt yourself, until you recognize that man fell from his state of fellowship with God in the garden of Eden.

And that this fall is not remedied by looking inside yourself; here’s the bad news you need to understand and the question it produces as God calls to you:

 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24)

The fall is remedied by looking outside yourself to a merciful God, Who in Jesus Christ on the Cross reconciled people back to Himself — Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:25)

I encourage you, seek God as to whether what I’ve told you is true. Read the Bible; pray, do what it says.

See also:

RICHARD FOSTER’S RENOVARE PROMOTING EMERGING HERETIC TONY JONES

SBC’S BETH MOORE MERELY PRETENDING TO BE PROTESTANT

SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION USING MORE COUNTER REFORMATION CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY