‘Put Mind for the Spirit Make You Enjoy Life and Peace’

1, 2. Why Romans chapter 8 dey special for Christians wey dey go heaven?

YOU read Romans 8:15-17 for Memorial time? E fit be sey you read am. That place explain how God dey use im spirit dey make correct Christians know whether dem dey go heaven. The first verse for that chapter talk about ‘people wey be one with Jesus Christ.’ E come mean sey Romans chapter 8 concern only people wey dey go heaven? Or e still concern people wey go stay for this earth?

² Na people wey dey go heaven Romans chapter 8 really dey talk about. As people wey dey ‘wait to be son, to release dem from [their human] body,’ God give dem im spirit. (Rom. 8:23) True true, dem go be God children for heaven. That one go fit happen because dem don baptize, and God use the ransom (wey be Jesus sacrifice) take forgive their sin. E still talk sey dem righteous as im children.​—Rom. 3:23-26; 4:25; 8:30.

3. Why we talk sey Romans chapter 8 still concern Christians wey go stay for earth?

³ But Romans chapter 8 still concern Christians wey go stay for earth because for God eye we fit talk sey dem dey righteous too. This na because of wetin Paul write for chapter 4. E talk about Abraham for there. This man wey live before Jehovah give Israel people the Law and before Jesus die for our sin, na person wey get faith. Jehovah still see the kind strong faith wey Abraham get and talk sey im na righteous man. (Read Romans 4:20-22.) Like Abraham, Jehovah fit see im servant today wey get hope to live forever for earth as righteous people wey get faith. So, wetin dey Romans chapter 8 go still help dem, since na for righteous people.

4. Which question Romans 8:21 fit make us think about?

⁴ Romans 8:21 make us dey sure sey the new world go come. This verse talk sey ‘the things wey God don make go free from sin, and dem go get the freedom wey God children get.’ But the question be sey, you dey sure sey you go dey for that new world? Wetin dey Romans chapter 8 go help you dey sure.

‘TO DEY PUT MIND FOR THE FLESH’

5. Which serious matter Paul talk about for Romans 8:4-13?

⁵ Read Romans 8:4-13. Romans chapter 8 show sey people wey dey do ‘the things wey the flesh want’ and people wey dey do ‘the things wey the spirit want’ dey different. Some people fit dey think sey this two group na people wey dey serve Jehovah and people wey no dey serve Jehovah, or people wey be correct Christian and people wey no be correct Christian. But, Paul write this book to people ‘wey dey Rome, wey God love, wey e call to be holy people.’ (Rom. 1:7) So, Paul dey talk sey Christians wey dey do the things wey the flesh want different from Christians wey dey do the things wey the spirit want. Wetin make dem different?

6, 7. (a) Wetin be the different different meaning of ‘flesh’ for Bible? (b) Wetin the ‘flesh’ mean for Romans 8:4-13?

⁶ Wetin the ‘flesh’ wey Paul talk about mean? ‘Flesh’ get different different meaning for Bible. Sometimes, na person body e mean. (Rom. 2:28; 1 Cor. 15:39, 50) E fit still mean person family member. For example, Bible talk sey Jesus ‘come from David pikin for flesh,’ and Paul take Jew people as im ‘family people for flesh.’​—Rom. 1:3; 9:3.

⁷ But wetin Paul talk about for chapter 7 help us understand wetin the ‘flesh’ for Romans 8:4-13 mean. E talk for there sey na the same rope tie person wey dey ‘do wetin the flesh want’ and person ‘wey sin dey hungry to do.’ E sey this things dey ‘work for their body’ before. (Rom. 7:5) This one make us understand wetin e mean for people to ‘do wetin the flesh want.’ Na still this kind people Paul talk about sey, dem dey ‘put their mind for the things wey the flesh want.’ E dey talk about people wey dey do anything wey their mind and body tell dem. So, dem dey do the bad things wey their mind and body want, whether na for sex matter or other matter.

8. Why e good as Paul warn Christians wey dey go heaven sey make dem no ‘dey put mind for the flesh’?

⁸ Why Paul warn Christians wey dey go heaven sey make dem no dey ‘do the things wey the flesh want’? This kind thing fit still happen to people wey God don make im friend and wey e see as righteous people? E no good make any Christian start to do the things wey the flesh want. But, e fit happen. For example, Paul talk sey some brothers for Rome na ‘slave of wetin dey hungry dem.’ E fit be sex matter wey no clean for God eye, food, drink, or other matter. Some of this brothers ‘dey deceive people wey dey quick believe.’ (Rom. 16:17, 18; Phil. 3:18, 19; Jude 4, 8, 12) And Bible still talk about one time wey one brother for Corinth ‘collect im papa wife.’ (1 Cor. 5:1) No wonder God use Paul warn Christians that time sey make dem no ‘dey put mind for the flesh.’​—Rom. 8:​5, 6.

9. Wetin Romans 8:6 no mean?

⁹ Wetin Paul warn dem about still concern us today. After person don dey serve God for many years, e fit come dey ‘put mind for the flesh.’ Sometimes, person fit think about food, work, play, or love matter. No be wetin Paul dey talk be that, because all this things na part of life. For example, Jesus enjoy food and e give other people food. E do wetin sweet people mind. And Paul even write for Bible about love wey husband and wife dey enjoy.

10. Wetin the Greek word, to ‘put mind for’ something wey dey Romans 8:5, 6 mean?

¹⁰ Wetin Paul come mean when e talk about people wey ‘dey put mind for the flesh’? The Greek word wey Paul use, dey talk about person wey put all im mind for something sotey na only that thing e dey think about and plan. People wey dey do wetin the flesh want dey let the sin wey dey their body dey control their life. One man wey study Greek language talk about this Greek word wey dey Romans 8:⁠5. E sey the people wey the place dey talk about na ‘people wey too like the things wey the flesh want, wey dey always talk about am, and to do am dey sweet dem reach bone.’

11. Wetin be some things wey we fit dey think about pass?

¹¹ E dey good make Christians for Rome that time think about wetin dem dey always put for mind. Na the ‘things wey the flesh want’ dem dey like to do? E good make we still think about our own life today. Wetin we dey like pass, and wetin we dey always want talk about? Wetin dey sweet us to do every time? Some people fit see sey dem dey use too much time dey watch sport or film, to design their house, dey find new new style of cloth, dey put money for different different business, dey think about how dem go take taste different different drink, and other things. This things fit no bad; because dem be normal things for life. For example, e get one time wey Jesus turn water to wine, and Paul tell Timothy make e ‘drink small wine.’ (1 Tim. 5:23; John 2:3-11) But, you think sey Jesus and Paul ‘dey always talk about wine,’ or ‘you think sey to drink wine dey sweet dem reach bone’? Wine na wetin dem too like? No. What of us? Wetin we fit dey think about pass?

12, 13. Why e be sey na serious matter to think about wetin we dey put for our mind?

¹² E good make we check ourself well. Why? Paul write sey: ‘To dey put mind for the flesh dey bring death.’ (Rom. 8:6) Na serious matter be that; person fit leave Jehovah now and e fit later die. But Paul no mean sey if person start to ‘put mind for the flesh’ the person must die. Person dey change. Remember the man for Corinth wey collect im papa wife. E do wetin ‘the flesh’ want and congregation disfellowship am. But, e fit change, and e really change. E stop to do wetin the flesh want and start to do wetin good.​—2 Cor. 2:6-8.

¹³ If that man wey collect im papa wife fit change, e mean sey any Christian today fit change, especially if wetin e dey do no reach wetin this man do. True true, wetin Paul warn Christians about for Romans 8:6 suppose make dem change!

‘DEY PUT MIND FOR THE SPIRIT’

14, 15. (a) Instead of us to ‘put mind for the flesh,’ which better thing Paul sey make we do? (b) Wetin to ‘dey put mind for the spirit’ no mean?

¹⁴ After apostle Paul don warn us make we no ‘dey put mind for the flesh,’ e talk about one better thing. E sey: ‘To dey put mind for the spirit dey bring life and peace.’ To get life and peace na really better thing! How we go take get am?

¹⁵ To ‘dey put mind for the spirit’ no mean sey person no go dey talk or do anything apart from Bible matter and the hope wey e get. Make we no forget sey Paul and other people wey serve God well for im time live normal life. Dem eat and dem drink. Many of dem marry, dem get family and dem get work.​—Mark 6:3; 1 Thess. 2:9.

16. Even if Paul dey do the normal things for life, wetin be the main thing wey e do?

¹⁶ But, that one no mean sey Paul and other Christians for im time let the normal things for life come be the main thing for their life. As Bible talk, Paul work na to dey make tent. But no be that one be the main thing for im life. The main thing for im life na to dey preach and teach people. (Read Acts 18:2-4; 20:20, 21, 34, 35.) And that na the main thing wey Paul want make the brothers and sisters for Rome dey do. True true, na God work Paul like to do pass for life. The brothers and sisters for Rome need to follow Paul example. Make we self dey do like Paul.​—Rom. 15:15, 16.

17. If we ‘dey put mind for the spirit,’ which kind life we fit get?

¹⁷ Wetin go happen if we follow Paul example? Romans 8:6 talk sey: ‘To dey put mind for the spirit dey bring life and peace.’ That one mean sey we go let holy spirit dey control wetin we dey think, so that wetin we dey think go be wetin God want. We dey sure sey if we ‘dey put mind for the spirit,’ the life wey we dey live now go better and we go dey happy. Another thing be sey, we go get life wey no go end, whether for heaven or earth.

18. How we take dey get peace when we ‘dey put mind for the spirit’?

¹⁸ Make we talk about wetin Paul mean when e sey ‘to dey put mind for the spirit dey bring peace.’ Today, many people dey try to get peace for their life. But we don already dey enjoy this peace wey dem dey try get. One way wey we take dey get am na when we no dey quarrel with people—our family or brothers and sisters for congregation. E good make we know sey all of us dey make mistake. Because of this one, problem fit happen sometimes. If e happen, make we do wetin Jesus talk. E talk sey: ‘Make you go settle with your brother.’ (Matt. 5:24) E no go hard us to do am when we remember sey the brother or sister dey follow us serve the ‘God wey dey give peace.’​—Rom. 15:33; 16:20.

19. Which special peace we fit get?

¹⁹ When we ‘dey put mind for the spirit,’ we dey enjoy peace with Jehovah. This peace na im better pass. Prophet Isaiah write about wetin happen for im time, and wey still dey happen for our time. E write sey: ‘You [Jehovah] go protect people wey trust you well well; you go continue to give dem peace, because na you dem trust.’​—Isa. 26:3; read Romans 5:1.

20. Why you thank God for the advice wey dey Romans chapter 8?

²⁰ So, whether we get hope to go heaven or to stay for this earth, wetin dey Romans chapter 8 fit help us. We thank Jehovah wey tell us sey make we no let ‘the flesh’ be the main thing for our life! We don see sey sense dey wetin Bible talk, when e sey: ‘To dey put mind for the spirit dey bring life and peace.’ If we do wetin Bible talk, the better thing wey we go get no go end. Paul write about am, e sey: ‘Wetin sin dey pay na death, but God use Jesus Christ, our Lord, take give us life wey no go end for free.’​—Rom. 6:23.