“Setting the Mind on the Spirit”—the Vanishing Verb

By Nigel Tomes, February 2013

I. Introduction

In the past some of us were taught to “set our mind on the spirit (not the flesh).” Romans 8:6-7 was the crucial passage regarding this; it was rendered, “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. Because the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God…” (Rom. 8:6-7a, RcV). The verb, “set” played a crucial role; believers were exhorted to “set your mind on the spirit,” and to “turn to your spirit.”² This phrase also legitimized practices like “calling on the Lord,” and “pray-reading.” 

Other Bible translations render Rom. 8:6 differently. The NKJV has “To be carnally [fleshly] minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom. 8:6). The NIV says “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” These versions have no equivalent to “set.” So, which translation better reflects the Greek original? Is the call to “set your mind on the spirit” justified?

Rom. 8:6 was interpreted within the paradigm of man’s 3-parts—body, soul (including mind) and spirit. One commentary states, ³ “the crucial item is the mind…The mind may have two different actions…it can cause us to be either in the spirit or in the flesh.” Hence believers are told to take⁴ “care of our mind, always setting it in the right direction...If you set your mind on the spirit, you will walk according to the spirit.…It is a constant daily exercise.…turning our mind to the spirit and setting it on the spirit.” The operative word is the verb, “set,” believers are exhorted to “set their mind on their spirit,” not their flesh. We ask: Is this interpretation valid or is it spurious? We focus on “setting the mind on the spirit.” Since the key Greek word— phronema —appears only four times in the New Testament, all of them in Romans 8 (vv 6-7, 27), this focus seems appropriate. 

Vanishing Verb

The original Greek text of Romans 8:6-7 reveals a striking fact—it contains no verb! A literal translation yields, “For the mind of the flesh [is] death, and the mind of the Spirit--life and peace.” [Rom. 8:6 Young’s Literal Translation]. The verb “is” has been supplied by the translator; it is absent in the original Greek text. Hence, moving from English back to the Greek original—the verb vanishes! This is important since the view we’re considering centers on the verb, “set”—“set the mind on the spirit (not the flesh).”  This “vanishing verb” raises a “red flag.” We ask—how can this interpretation, centered on the verb, “set” (nonexistent in the Greek text) be valid? If the Apostle Paul intended to charge us to “set our minds on the spirit,” wouldn’t he explicitly tell us to do so? Below we outline this teaching in more detail (section II) and then examine its validity (Section III). 

II. The teaching about “Setting the Mind”

A Major Focus

Those holding this view say that “setting the mind on the spirit (or flesh)” is the focal point of Romans 8:6-7. One asks rhetorically,⁵ “What then is the major point in [Rom. 8] verse 6? The major point is the setting of the mind.…The major thing in verse 7 is a mind set on the flesh.” This leads to a call to action, not in terms of outward activity, but in terms of interior orientation—believers are exhorted to “set their mind” on their innermost spirit, rather than their outer flesh. Hence, this expositor says,⁶ “The mind should not be turned outward, but inward…on the spirit inwardly.” The right inner orientation is presented as a prerequisite for Spirit-led living. He says,⁷ “To set our mind on our spirit is the first step…The second step is to walk according to spirit (Rom. 8:4). First, we must set our mind on the spirit. Then we must walk according to spirit.” 

Constant Daily Exercise

This view’s proponents admonish us to constantly “set our mind on the spirit.” They exhort,⁸ “Day by day and even moment by moment, we need to set our mind…on the mingled spirit.”Also,⁹ “All day long we need to set our mind on nothing but our spirit.…learn to practice setting our mind on our spirit all the time. This…produces the growth of life.” 

Instantly Spiritual

Advocates assert that believers become instantly spiritual by “setting their mind on the spirit”. Apparently becoming “spiritual” is not the outcome of growth in the Christian life or passing through life-changing experiences. Instead it is a condition that can be attained instantly. One proponent calls this “the secret to being spiritual,” saying,¹⁰ “For many years I have been trying to practice being spiritual and to find a way or a secret to be spiritual.…After many years of experience I would say that the way to be spiritual is to set your mind on the spirit, making your mind one with the spirit. This is to be spiritual.” He also states,¹¹ “the way to be in the spirit is to set your mind on the spirit...Then you are in the spirit. When you are in the spirit, you are spiritual. When you are in the flesh, you are fleshly, or even fleshy.” This suggests a believer can switch from being “spiritual” to “fleshly,” and back again, in a moment. We ask: Couldn’t this teaching produce schizophrenic Christians, with “Jekyll and Hyde” oscillations between being “spiritual” and “fleshly”?  

“Your Mind is the Switch”

The analogy of the mind as a “switch” is used. An advocate says,¹² “Electricity is an excellent illustration of the Spirit of life. Electricity is invisible…The Spirit of life is the same…It must be first installed in our home, and then we need to use a switch…The divine Spirit as the heavenly electricity has been installed in our spirit.” Applying this, he says,¹³ “It is easy to move from death to life or from life to death…to move from one realm to another…We can just as easily switch on an electric light as we can switch it off. It is the same with death and life. We can switch on to the spirit and be in life, or we can switch off and be in death.” The key, he asserts, is the mind,¹⁴ “Your mind is the switch. When you set your mind on the spirit, you switch on.” He expounds further, asking,¹⁵ “Why then do you have some problems? It is because your mind goes to the wrong place. Your mind takes the wrong way. Instead of being set upon the spirit, it is set upon the flesh.…For e.g., when you turn on the switch the entire building enjoys the electricity. But when you turn off the switch, the entire building loses the enjoyment of the electricity. In like manner, when your mind goes to the spirit, you get…the enjoyment of the divine Spirit. But when your mind comes to the flesh, you get into the fall, into hell.” Again the focus is “switching on,” instantly “turning to the spirit,” by setting the mind on the spirit. He says,¹⁶ “We need to cooperate by turning on the ‘switch.’ If we turn on the switch by setting our mind on the spirit…the saving law will operate to set us free from the bondage of sin. If we do not turn on the switch, the law of the Spirit of life will not work.”

Mechanical View

The “switch” metaphor is striking. Yet it produces a mechanical view the Christian’s inner life and the believer’s relationship with God. The Holy Spirit is not viewed as a Person, but a “Force” or Power. Hence, its proponent states,¹⁷ “The divine Spirit as the heavenly electricity has been installed in our spirit.” Plus, the believer’s mind has no role or function in and of itself; it is just a switch. The implicit depreciation of the believer’s mind was reflected in the 1970's song “get out of your mind get your spirit in gear.” This writer recalls being told, “Get out of your mind, brother!” Within this paradigm the believer’s mind is merely a “switch,” oriented either to the flesh or spirit. In this view, there are only two options¹⁸—connect with the “divine electricity from the throne in heaven” or “get into the fall, into hell.”

III. PHRONEMA [φρόνημα]—Mentality, Mind-set, ‘Frame of Mind’

• Having outlined this teaching about ‘setting the mind on the spirit,’ we turn to New Testament scholars’ analysis of the Greek text of Romans 8. The key Greek word here is Phronema [φρόνημα]. It occurs only four times in the New Testament, all of them in Romans 8. The crucial passage reads: “for the mind [phronema] of the flesh [is] death, and the mind [phronema] of the Spirit–life and peace; because the mind [phronema] of the flesh [is] enmity to God...and He who is searching the hearts knowns what [is] the mind [phronema] of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:6-7, 27). Theological dictionaries (e.g. DNTT) define Phronema as¹⁹ “way of thinking, mentality.” 
• Concerning Romans 8, Dr. Douglas J. Moo, New Testament Prof. at Wheaton College, says,²⁰ “The word for ‘mind’ in these verses is…phronema, perhaps better translated as ‘mindset,’ or ‘frame of mind.’ Paul is contrasting two kinds of consciousness and intentionality ([Rom. 8] verses 6-7, 27). Outside of the four times here in Romans 8, phronema is not found in the New Testament…Phronema which can be rendered ‘mind-set’…denotes the basic direction of a person’s will.” He also says,²¹ “Phronema is our fundamental orientation, the convictions and heart attitude that steers the course of our life.” Reflecting this, the Holman Christian Standard Bible renders Rom. 8:6 as: “For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6, HSCB, 2009). Similarly, the Lexham English Bible translation has, “For the mindset of the flesh [is] death, but the mindset of the Spirit [is] life and peace” (Rom. 8:6, LEB, 2010).

Prof. James D. G. Dunn renders Rom. 8:6 as, “For the flesh’s way of thinking is death, but the Spirit’s way of thinking is life and peace.” Regarding, “way of thinking,” he states,²² “the modern composite ‘mindset’ probably comes closest to the sense, including both a fixed and resolute way of thinking…The mindset of the flesh is…under the rule of death and inexorably heading for death…” These New Testament scholars contradict the teaching about ‘setting the mind on the spirit.’ 

Description, Not Exhortation

Bible scholars agree that Phronema is a noun and not a verb; it describes a person’s settled way of thinking, mindset, mentality, or frame of mind. It is not a verb, indicating an action, such as “setting the mind.” Hence it doesn’t provide the basis for a spiritual exercise or practice. I haven’t found one reputable Bible scholar who endorses the teaching of ‘setting the mind on the spirit.’ Plus, scholars assert that this part of Romans 8 is a description, not an exhortation. Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says emphatically,²³ “Romans 8:5-7 constitutes not an exhortation but a description of the mindset of those in the flesh and those in the Spirit. An exhortation to live according to the Spirit is not present in Rom. 8:5-8. Paul describes the actual mindset of those who are according to flesh and Spirit.” Scholars conclude that Paul is not exhorting the believers to ‘set their mind on the spirit.’

Dr. Douglas Moo concurs, saying,²⁴ “[In] Romans 8 vv5-8…Paul’s overall intention is clear: to show that sarx [flesh] brings death while the Spirit gives life. Paul leads up to this key claim by tracing people’s manner of life to their underlying way of thinking. The lifestyle of the flesh flows from a mind oriented to the flesh, whereas the lifestyle of the Spirit comes from a mind oriented to the Spirit…”  Thus phronema describes a person’s “underlying way of thinking,” which is oriented either towards the flesh or Spirit. It is a person’s fundamental orientation, their settled convictions and attitudes which steer the course of their life (Moo).  Hence, it is not something which can be changed instantly, by “switching on or off.” Prof. James Dunn agrees, saying,²⁵ “What Paul has in mind must be opposing patterns of mind-set and lifestyle—two alternative types…of humanity, the two basic levels on which individuals can operate.” Along the same lines, Byrne and Harrington write,²⁶ “Paul spells out the contrast between two actual ways of living in terms of the outcome (death or life) to which each, respectively, leads. As a middle term…he introduces (vv. 5-6) the idea of the mind-set (phronema) characteristic of each.” Thus two alternative mind-sets issue in two ways of living with differing results (life vs. death). Romans 8 does not describe an action or exercise, using the mind as a “switch” between flesh and spirit. 

Phronema—the inclination of our inner being—Bill Freeman

A less academic exposition is offered by Bill Freeman. He says:²⁷

“To be carnally [fleshly] minded or spiritually minded is to be inwardly inclined. Many translations have attempted to capture this thought in different ways. The ASV says, ‘For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.’ The Concordant Literal NT translates it, "For the disposition of the flesh is death, yet the disposition of the spirit is life and peace." The Emphasized Bible by Rotherham says, ‘For what is preferred by the flesh is death, whereas what is preferred by the spirit is life and peace.’ All of these translations attempt to capture the depth of the Greek word phronema used here by Paul. 

This New Testament word phronema, according to the Greek lexicons, means the bent or direction of the mind, emotions, and will. In other words, it refers to the inclination of all the faculties of our inner being. Romans 8:6 tells us that the very source of the bent and inclination toward life and peace is the Spirit. It is the Spirit that produces a Spirit-inclined disposition in us that registers the consciousness of life and peace. In fact, this is one of the major things the Spirit accomplishes in us— inclining our inner being toward the things of God.” [Bill Freeman, The Supplied Life.] 

It is significant that Bill Freeman’s exposition contains no echo of ‘setting the mind.’ He is familiar with that exposition, yet Bill Freeman doesn’t mention it. Rather he states that phronema means the “the bent or direction…the inclination…of our inner being.” Moreover, he suggests the causation runs from the Spirit to the mind/thinking, not vice-versa as in the view considered above. He asserts that, “It is the Spirit that produces a Spirit-inclined disposition in us.” Thus Bill Freeman views the Holy Spirit as the source or cause of the believer’s mindset which inclines towards the things of God and, consequently, issues in life and peace. In support of this view, Brice L. Martin writes,²⁸ “It is not my phronema [way of thinking, mindset] but the Spirit’s (cf. Rom. 8:27)….” This understanding is reflected in the NIV rendering “the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom. 8:6b, NIV) and the TNIV translation, “the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6b, TNIV)

Conclusion

The Recovery Version gives a unique interpretation of Romans 8:6-7. It emphasizes the believers’ exercise to “set their mind on their spirit, rather than their flesh.” Christians are exhorted to constantly use the “switch” of their mind, to turn from the flesh to the spirit, by calling on the Lord’s name or pray-reading. In this way they were assured of becoming instantly spiritual, of being qualified for the Body life, of defeating Satan and giving God the victory. Romans 8:6-7 plays a pivotal role in this teaching. In the past brothers and sisters, discouraged perhaps by personal health, job or relationship issues, were simply charged to “turn to your spirit”²⁹ as the solution for every difficulty, the panacea for all ills. 

When examined against the Biblical Greek text, this teaching about “setting the mind on the spirit” is built on “sinking sand.” It lacks a solid biblical basis. This teaching relies on English translations of Rom. 8:6-7 which render the Greek noun, phronema as the verb, “set.” However, there is no verb in the original Greek text; going from English translations back to the original Greek, the verb vanishes. Rather than translating the crucial phrase, “the mind set on the spirit,” with the verb, “set,” Bible scholars suggest the Greek term phronema ought to be rendered, “mindset, mentality, frame of mind, or resolute way of thinking.” Plus, they point out this passage is a description, not an exhortation. This contradicts the view outlined above. We conclude this idiosyncratic interpretation of Rom. 8:6-7 is not substantiated by this Scripture. Whether this teaching about “setting the mind on the spirit,” can be sustained based on other Scriptures is another question, which goes beyond the scope of this piece.

As always, the views and opinions expressed here are those of the author alone. They do not reflect the views of the believers, elders and/or churches with whom he is associated.

Notes:

1. W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 34, Section 4
2. The phrase “turn to your spirit” was used as a short-form for “turn your mind from the flesh to the spirit” and equivalent to “set your mind on the spirit.” W. Lee employs the phrase in this way when he says, “When your temper or any other negative thing rises up in you, do not attempt to suppress it. Instead, turn your mind, your being, to the mingled spirit and call on the name of the Lord Jesus.” [W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 40, Section 3, emphasis added.] Similarly he says, “Whenever we say, ‘O Lord,’ right away we turn our mind to the spirit. By continually calling on His name, we set our mind on the spirit, and that is life and peace. But when we turn our mind to the flesh, right away that is death.” [W. Lee, Fulfillment of God's Purpose by the Growth of Christ in Us, Chapter 10, Section 3, emphasis added]
3. Note 1, Rom. 8:6, LSM’s Recovery Version of the Bible [RcV]
4. W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 16, Section 5
5. W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 38, Section 1
6. W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 16, Section 5. We note here that W. Lee interprets “spirit” as the “mingled spirit,” combining the Holy Spirit with the human spirit. He says, “We have mentioned previously that spirit in this verse is not capitalized, indicating that it refers to the mingled spirit. It is not merely our human spirit nor merely the Holy Spirit, but the two spirits mingled together as one.” [W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 46, Section 1] That being the case, it is irrelevant (for our purposes) whether expositors capitalize the word “Spirit” or not (“spirit’), since both are involved.
7. W. Lee, Triune God to Be Life to the Tripartite Man, Chapter 6, Section 6. Along the same lines W. Lee says, “Probably the setting of the mind on the spirit comes first; firstly the mind is set upon the spirit, and then you walk according to the spirit.” [W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 46, Section 1, emphasis added]
8. W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 39, Section 3
9. W. Lee, Experience and Growth in Life, Chapter 6, Section 2 “Along the same lines, he says, “every minute in the day you set your mind upon the spirit” [W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 27, Section 2]
10. W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 38, Section 2, emphasis added
11. W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 38, Section 3, emphasis added. W. Lee also writes, “…to be spiritual means to be in the spirit. Likewise, to be carnal means to be in the flesh. When you act in the flesh, you are fleshly, but when you walk and act in the spirit, you are spiritual.” [W. Lee, How to Meet, Chapter 9, Section 1, emphasis added] Elsewhere he asks, “Do you know what it means to be spiritual? To be spiritual is to have the two spirits mingled together in your being. To be spiritual is to have your spirit, the regenerated human spirit, mingled with the Spirit of God to become one spirit. Spiritual persons live in this mingled spirit. Whenever you are in the mingled spirit, you are spiritual, and you have spiritual discernment, spiritual knowledge, and spiritual communication. You are able to discern spiritually both the things of man and the things of God.” [W. Lee, Life-Study of 1 Corinthians, Chapter 18, Section 3, emphasis added]
12. W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 38, Section 3, emphasis added 
13. W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 39, Section 3, emphasis added
14. W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 37, Section 3
15. W. Lee, Perfecting Training, Chapter 39, Section 2, emphasis added
16. W. Lee, Triune God to Be Life to the Tripartite Man, Chapter 6, Section 6, emphasis added
17. W. Lee, Life-Study of Romans, Chapter 55, Section 3, emphasis added
18. Elsewhere W. Lee acknowledges the possibility of a “neutral mind.” He says,” In Romans 8 the mind is set either on the flesh or on the spirit. Where then is the neutral mind? The neutral mind is found in Romans 7:25. There Paul says, “With the mind I myself serve as a slave the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” The mind in this verse is a kind of independent mind, subject neither to the flesh nor to the spirit. We may consider that independent mind as being in the color of gray. It is neutral. Many Christians have such a neutral mind. The neutral mind will just make you a wretched man. It will make you a miserable, pitiful man. The neutral mind in chapter seven is not bad; it serves the law. But the mind in 8:7 which is set on the flesh is against the law. In other words in 7:25 there is a gray mind, but in 8:7 there is a black mind. Now the question is: How to make your mind black? Or how to make your mind white? It all depends what you set your mind on. If you set your mind on the flesh, you make your mind black. If you set your mind on the spirit, you make your mind white. Not many can have a gray or a neutral mind. It is not so easy to keep your mind independent.” [W. Lee Perfecting Training, Chapter 38, Section 2, emphasis added.]
19. Colin Brown (ed.), Dictionary of NT Theology, [DNTT], Vol. 2, p. 616
20. Douglas J. Moo, NIV Annotated Commentary: Romans, p. lxi
21. Douglas J. Moo, NIV Annotated Commentary: Romans, p. lxiii
22. James D. G. Dunn, Romans, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 38A, p. 426. Dunn also states regarding the suffix of phronema, that “As is usual with –ma suffixes, the resulting noun denotes the result of the action.” [Dunn, Romans, p. 426.] Thus, Dunn says, phronema is not an action or exercise, it is the result of an action. It will not do for LSM to simply assert that the underlying ‘action’ is “setting the mind on the spirit;” this illegitimately assumes the answer which ought to be derived from the text.
23. Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, Baker Exegetical Commentary of NT, p. 411, emphasis added
24. Douglas J. Moo, Romans, NIV Application Commentary, p. 55
25. James D. G. Dunn, Romans, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 38A, p. 442
26. Brendan Byrne & Daniel J. Harrington, Romans, Liturgical Press, p. 239
27. Bill Freeman, The Supplied Life.
28. Brice L. Martin, Christ and the Law in Paul, E. J. Brill (1989) p. 107. Certainly both Bill Freeman and Brice Martin would acknowledge that the Holy Spirit needs our cooperation. Nevertheless they emphasize that the ultimate source producing the “mind of the Spirit” with the believer is God’s Spirit. In contrast, LSM’s exposition places the entire emphasis on the believer’s role in “setting their mind on the spirit.”
29. See note 2 above.