Romans 8:6

For The reference of this "for" is not clear at first sight. Probably the sequence of thought is that the difference of carnal and spiritual preferences is profoundly real; forthe former involves death, the latter, life and peace. And it is implied that the respective persons cannot possibly therefore interchange their preferences.

to be carnally minded Lit. the mind of the flesh. The noun rendered "mind" is cognate to the verb rendered "do mind" in Romans 8:5. See note there. The idea includes choice, engrossment, affection towards a congenial object. See Art. IX. of the Church of England, where "the wisdomof the flesh" is the only phrase notadmissible in a strict explanation. The E. V. here gives the sense as well as is possible, perhaps, in a brief form.

death Is this legal or moral death? On the whole, we explain it of legal death, i.e. of doom. This idea implies the other, for the soul which is incurring the Divine Sentence cannot be morally"alive to God" in the sense of peace, love, and purity. But the connexion makes the idea of doommore prominent: see Romans 8:7, where antagonism to the Lawis specified as the inevitable state of the "carnal mind." Thus the words here mean that to have the choices and affections of unregenerate humanity is to lie under God's sentence, and to be on the way to its infliction.

to be spiritually minded Lit. the mind of the Spirit. See last note but one.

life and peace This (by analogy with the view of "death" just above) means a state of acceptance, in its aspect (a) of pardon and consequent glory; (see last note on ch. Romans 5:18;) and (b) of secure and loving intercourse with God, with all its attendant blessings. See on ch. Romans 5:1. Here of course, in view of the argument of cch. 3 and 4 especially, we must note howthe being spiritually minded "is" life and peace; viz. not as the procuring cause of these blessings, which cause is the Propitiation (accepted by faith) alone; but as the state of mind in which only they can be realized and enjoyed.