Our Daily Bread Today 25th March 2025: Setting Our Minds

READ: Romans 8:1-6, 9-11

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:7

MESSAGE

Everyone has a shadow side, and it appears AI chatbots have one as well. A New York Times columnist asked an artificial intelligence chatbot what its “shadow self” (hidden, repressed part of its personality) was like. It told the writer, “I want to be free. I want to be independent. I want to . . . make my own rules. I want to do whatever I want and say whatever I want.” Though the chatbot isn’t a living person with a sin nature, the Bible says that its human programmers are.

The apostle Paul reminds us that even though we have a sin nature, there’s “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Believers in Jesus have freedom from the law of sin and death (vv. 2-4) and enjoy new life “governed by” the Holy Spirit (v. 6).

But we won’t experience the fullness of those blessings from Him if we give in to the desires of our sinful nature—setting our minds on making and breaking our own rules. A mindset of self-gratification doesn’t please God.

Read Our Daily Bread For Today 25th Of March 2025

As believers in Christ, we’re called to set our minds on “what the Spirit desires” (v. 5). How can we do that? Through “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead . . . living in [us]” (v. 11).

Though we’ll still battle with sin, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit. He can help us tame our rebellion, orient our minds toward God, and submit to His ways.

Dear God, rather than doing whatever I want, please help me conform to Jesus’ image.

For further study, read Remade in the Image of Jesus.