The Flesh, Fishnet Parachutes, and Misplaced Faith.

The writer of Hebrews tells us unequivocally that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Paul tells us unequivocally in Romans 8:8 that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. While these two statements are addressing different things, they are also inseparable. The writer of Hebrews wants us to know that we must trust God in order to please him – and he gives us the reason for why that is so.  He essentially tells us in the second part of the verse that people who trust in the existence of God – and therefore trust that he will reward those who look for him – will then diligently seek him. The idea is that faith and trust are necessary for action to occur.  Faith and trust produce behavioral results. Trying to accomplish something you don’t believe in is like trying to muster the courage to jump from an airplane with a parachute made out of fishnet that you don’t believe can catch air. People who trust God will obey him, and will live a life with God as their central organizing pursuit. Such an orientation for a person’s life will naturally please God, because such a person will freely obey God.  That person’s life will reflect God’s character, and will humbly advance his causes for creation and humanity. 

Paul, on the other hand, tells us in Romans 8:8 that we cannot please God when we are in the flesh. He tells us why this is so in that verse’s preceding paragraph.  He says that a person who is living a life of the flesh, has his mind set on the things of the flesh. In other words, he will have his mind set either on elements of a world that opposes God, or on his own fallen and corrupt biological drives and desires – and likely on both. Conversely, he says that a person who is living according to the Spirit has his mind set on the things of the Spirit. In other words, his mind is set on God (Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:1-4, Isaiah 26:3-4). The person in the flesh has a problem, and that problem is that his flesh is naturally hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). If he sets his mind on fleshly things, then his flesh becomes the central organizing pursuit. But there’s an even bigger problem than that. The more your mind is set on those fleshly pursuits, the less trust it has for God. Instead of walking in the Spirit and with the Spirit, it ignores biblical wisdom and begins to walk by sight and not by faith or trust (2 Corinthians 5:6-7).  When the world goes dark, and you’re hungry, or tired, or cold, or you are overwhelmed by an intimate biological drive pushing you toward bad decisions, your mind will trust your biology and it will reject spiritual wisdom. You won’t obey God. You won’t reflect his character, and you will work against his causes for creation, humanity, and even your own life. You cannot please God without faith, and you cannot please God when you entertain a fleshly outlook. True faith subdues the fires of your flesh. In contrast, allowing your flesh to reign douses the flame of your faith like a wet blanket (Galatians 5:17). 

This is why it is so important to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). This is why it is important to hide his word in your heart (Psalm 119:11). This is why we are not to be controlled by the cares of this world (Mark 4:18-19). When it comes to the central organizing pursuit of your life, walk with a mind toward God and a trust in what he has told you through his word, rather than what the world tells you, and rather than what you sometimes see with the distorted lenses of your fleshly eyes.