"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." (v. 12-14)
Like most parents, my parents asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. When I was very young, my first response was a mailman, and my cousin, who was like a brother to me, answered that he wanted to be a truck driver. Our parents laughed at our response, but I guess both of us was fascinated by the fact that they were able to get around without any boundaries. As I grew older, my ambitions grew as well... sometimes maybe faster. Like most, I wanted to be famous and rich. Famous not like an actor, but in terms of developing something important or perhaps being the Director of the CIA. The short-lived TV show Doogie Howser was fascinating, because it was a young teenage boy who had an extraordinary intelligence who achieved his MD by high school and was practicing medicine. That was the level of ambition that grew... unfortunately, my IQ did not grow as quickly as my ambitions.
It is very easy to get caught up in our dreams, especially when the world advertise how important it is. Even at a young age, we are indirectly being "encouraged" of how important it is to be either a doctor, engineer, lawyer, or teacher (although the last two are now not as encouraged). We are constantly being filled with ideas of how important it is to be someone, have something, or be somewhere to live a good life. In some cases, these are good. However, how does this line up with our new self as a Christian? More importantly, how does it line up with God's vision for our lives?
As children's of our Heavenly Father, we have become a "new creature." Our sinful nature needs to die, and we must be led by the Spirit. Although this Scripture is focused on our nature which primarily translates to our being, it also describes our place value in our lives. Our pursuits in life should also be changed. How its value is measured should also change. Therefore, what we pursue, whether it be what we become, what we do, what we have, where we are, and how we do must be valued differently. Let us therefore focus on God and pursue heavenly things.
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