“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…” Romans 8:7

Enmity against God, O awful thought!

Enmity to the best of beings, the dearest of friends!

Enmity to Him whose nature and whose name is love!

Enmity to Him who is holy, yes, holiness itself!

Enmity to Him who is good, yes, goodness itself!

Enmity to Him who is true, yes, truth itself!

Enmity to Him, outside of whom nothing

is good, nothing holy, nothing true!

Enmity to Him, who gave His Son to die for sinners!

Enmity to Him who died for His enemies!

Enmity to Jesus who thus died; who ‘flew on wings

of love’ to the rescue and the redemption of fallen

man; who took the place, bore the sins, endured

the curse; who gave His life, His obedience, all He

could give: Himself! All this for the poor, the vile,

the worthless; He suffered, bled and died!

All this for sinners, for rebels, for enemies!

Was not this enough?

Could He have done more?

Son of God, is it for this they hate You, despise You, reject You?

Oh, the enmity of the carnal mind!

– Octavius Winslow, “The Soul Before Conversion”