For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 8:6 (KJV)

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6 (New International Version, NIV)

Carnal means fleshly, or of the five senses. Carnally minded is to think after the dictates of the flesh, sinful appetites, and desires. This brings death. Death is estrangement, or separation, from God. We can set our minds on fleshy things, such as becoming hurt and taking offense when someone hurts us. Carnal Christians are those whose minds are not renewed by God’s Word, and so they walk in the flesh, living by their fives senses.

You can actually think things to death when you have wrong thinking. When you let your flesh dictate and control your thinking instead of the Holy Spirit. When a mind is unrenewed to the Word, it remains carnal. Such a mind is filled with negativity, defeat, and wrong thinking, which then brings death to things, situations, and relationships.

As we renew our minds to God’s Word, Holy Spirit will correct our thinking, helping us think correctly. We’ll control our thoughts and our thoughts will not control us. He’ll help us control our thoughts so we have a spiritual mind as opposed to a carnal one. This produces life and peace in us and in our lives. We won’t be separated from God’s life and what He has for us. Peace is wholeness, being reconciled to the Lord.

Thinking contrary to God’s Word will produce death, but thinking in alignment with His Word brings life and peace. So, don’t think things to death by having a carnal mind.