notes

Main point summary

Since God accepts us in Christ, we are debtors to live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.

Arc - NKJV

editing

NT

Romans 8:1-17

nkjv

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,

who do not walk according to the flesh ,

but according to the Spirit .

negativepositive

ideaexplanation

For the law {ie. power} of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law {ie. power} of sin and death .

For what the law {ie. God's commandments} could not do in that it was weak through the flesh ,

God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh , on account of sin : He condemned sin in the flesh ,

that the righteous requirement of the law {ie. God's commandments} might be fulfilled in us

who do not walk according to the flesh

but according to the Spirit .

actionpurpose

For those who live according to the flesh

set their minds on the things of the flesh ,

actionresult

but those who live according to the Spirit ,

the things of the Spirit .

alternative

For to be carnally minded is death ,

but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God;

for it is not subject to the law of God,

nor indeed can be.

progression

ground

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

inference

But you are not in the flesh

but in the Spirit ,

if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you .

conditional

Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ ,

he is not His.

And if Christ is in you ,

the body is dead

because of sin ,

but the Spirit is life

because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you ,

He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies

through His Spirit who dwells in you.

actionmanner

concessive

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh , to live according to the flesh .

For if you live according to the flesh

you will die ;

but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,

you will live.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear,

but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

and if children,

then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,

if indeed we suffer with Him,

that we may also be glorified together.

Why is it body..not flesh? How can the body be dead and still function as it is not dead?

Plural "you". Speaking about the Roman believers in Christ.

The reason for no condemnation for the one who is in Christ is: He is not in the flesh but in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in him. He is set free by the Spirit of life in Christ from the law of sin and death

What goes on in the mind is linked to the walk in the Spirit and the walk in the flesh. The person in the Spirit, deep down in his new identity, desires the things of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is committed to change the way we think. He works Gospel thinking in us. That is why we are commanded in chapter 6 to think ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. Also chapter 12 speaks of offering ourselves up to God and being renewed in the mind and by that transformed into the likeness of Christ.

The condition to be in the Spirit is to be indwelt by the Spirit of God. This happens at the moment of justification. The Holy Spirit is the gift the Lord gives at conversion. It is the seal of God's purchase possession (Ephesus 1).

To fear in the spirit of bondage is the death that comes from living according to the flesh.

How does suffering suddenly come in? And how does it relate? - Read Verse 18 and onward. It is the suffering from the bondage of corruption in our fallen world.

The purpose of suffering with Him is to be also glorified with Him.

discourse

Notes

8:1 Therefore The "therefore" includes all the 7 previous chapters in summing it up to that there is condemnation for those who trespassed, and there is no condemnation for the once in Christ Jesus. In Christ "in Christ Jesus" points back to Romans 6:1-11 which speaks of our union in Christ's death and resurrection through faith, displayed in baptism. Sanctification 1b-1c is the same as 4b-4c and can be confusing. Is condemnation now dependent on my walk according to the flesh or the Spirit? If so, than the status of being in Christ Jesus would also change. This would contradict Paul's teaching of salvation because we were empty, wicked enemies of God, who God Himself graciously reconciled to Himself. If it took God to reconcile me, it also takes God to keep me. Rather, Paul is teaching that being in Christ shows evidence of walking in the things that are of the Spirit, because the Spirit indwells us. Justification is the bases for Sanctification and not the other way around. No true, Spirit led, God honoring, heart change can happen without having that order right. Pride, guilt and the fear of man are dangerous, destructive and ensnaring motivators. 8:2 The law of sin Paul speaks here of the law in the sense of "power, force or attraction". The one who is in Christ has been freed through the power of the Spirit of life from the power of sin. This is difficult since Paul wrote in 7:25 that he serves with the mind the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin. I believe that, when Paul says freed from the law of sin, he speaks of it in view of final salvation, when even our bodies will be completely redeemed from sin 8:23. 8:3-4 Salvation and its purpose The commandments of God can only declare us guilty because of our weaknesses. Humans are selfish and self-righteous beings that are often willing to compromise moral standards if something can be gained (Be it statues, possession, acceptance, safety, etc). Our conscious bears witness of our wrong if it hasn't been suppressed. Now, God send His own Son to be born as a human but without sin, to condemn sin for us. Think of the Son as the one of infinite riches through whom everything was created (Heb 1:1-4). Before He came to earth, he was not a human, but completely separate of anything we can even start to imaging. He is the very essence of awesomeness. He left His riches to save His corrupted but loved creatures (Phil 2:5-11). He, the perfect, spotless God-man bore our sin and the condemnation on the cross. The purpose of this great work of Christ was to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law in us. The requirements of the law can be summed up as "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Rom 13:9). 8:8-11 Being in the flesh or in the Spirit Being in the flesh means to be still in sin. That person cannot please God because he does not have the Spirit of God. Being in the Spirit means to be forgiven in Christ and indwelt by the Spirit of God who does the transforming work of Christ-likeness in the believer. The one who is in the Spirit can walk at times in accordance to the flesh but will never be content in it because it is a walk that does not match his new identity. His walk goes against the deep knowledge and desire of who he is in Christ. The Spirit will be at work to get him back to walk in accordance to his new identity in Christ. 8:5-8; 8:12-17 Live/walk and our minds Paul teaches a clear link between the walk/live and what is going on in our minds. How does the one who lives according to the Spirit, set the mind on the things of the Spirit? What does it mean to be spiritually minded? Is that person trying to think about becoming a missionary all the time? Or how he might lead someone to Christ? How much money he might give to the poor? As good as theses things in itself are, I believe Paul is here not talking about that. (Certainly not if theses are works to get acceptance and peace with God) The context suggests that we think of the great debt we stand in regard to the grace of God: Our adoption into the heavenly family, and the access in Christ to our dear Father in heaven (8:14-17) The future without sin (8:24-25) The help of the Spirit in our weaknesses. (8:26) The goodness of God in how He ultimately works all things together for good, who called, justified and glorified us. (8:28-30) God is for us, nothing can ultimately be against us (8:31) In Christ, we freely received everything. Everything in light of the all-knowing God who knows to give only what is best for us (8:32) God justified us (8:33) No condemnation because Christ took it in full for us (8:34) Nothing can separate us from the love of God (8:35) We are more than conquerors in Christ (8:37) God doesn't owe us anything, we are completely indebted to Him. An interestingly positive debt though. It is an honor to stand in that debt. Too good to be true, if it were not from God.