In the last BLOG the attempt was to see a more biblical thought on what hatred toward God is. It is not necessarily a conscious hatred toward a Divine being. But according to the text above, it is a mind that is set on the things of the flesh (fleshly nature rather than the spiritual nature). The mind that is set on the flesh is death (spiritual death) because that mind that is set on the flesh is hostility toward God. The mind that is set on the flesh is by definition a mind that is hostile toward God and is engaged in evil deeds (Col 1:21). This mind is not subject to the law of God and has no ability to do so. It lives in constant hostility toward God.
The Greatest Commandment is to love God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength. This command is not limited to the time a person is in a church building. It is not limited to the time at home. There is never a time when a person is allowed to go on vacation from the Law of love to God. The Greatest Commandment is one that reaches the whole of the soul and of the entire being. There is not one aspect of the soul that escapes this command. There is also not one moment that the entire soul is free from this command. True love for God can only come from a spiritual nature and so the mind that is set on the fleshly nature is doing whatever it does (even strict religious actions) out of enmity and hostility toward God. The Law of God is to be obeyed 24 hours a day and seven days a week. This is the law of liberty and so the command of love is the law of true freedom.
From Romans 1:18-32 it is clear that a human being only pursues sin by casting out the knowledge of God that is in his or her heart.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper
The only way a person can pursue sin is by rejecting the truth of God. Each sin is not a simple matter of doing something that is wrong, but instead it is rejecting the knowledge of God. It is an exchange of the truth and glory of God for the desires of the flesh and self which is a lie. The mind set on the flesh pursues the things of self out of love for self. This mind set on the flesh is given over to love for self rather than God, yet the Greatest Commandment is to love God with all of the being. The person that is in the process of committing evil deeds (and that includes the very religious as well) is in the act of violating the Greatest Commandment each moment with the heart and with the actions. God, as the absolute Ruler and Lawgiver of the universe, is the One that each act of sin is against. If we violate His Law, our actions are acts of hostility against Him as Lawgiver. Each act that is in violation of the Law is also an act of casting out the knowledge of God and of utter disregard for the Ruler of the universe. There is far more evil in sin than the human mind can imagine. That means that with each act of the mind that is set on the flesh is also an act of hostility and hatred of God Himself. Perhaps we are not cognizant of it each moment, yet it is still there. The service of the self and flesh is hatred toward the living God in all ways.
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