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Romans 8:1-11 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. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (3) For what the law 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, (4) that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (5) For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (8) So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (9) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (10) And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (11) 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.
Romans 8:1-11 deals with the issue of living and walking in the Spirit. How does our relationship with the Holy Spirit impact the way we think? How do we fulfil God's righteous requirements without lapsing back into the law? What happens is we live according to the Spirit?
These are questions that Paul looks at in this passage of Scripture.
Verse 1-2: There is no condemnation for those in Christ. Condemnation is what happens when a judge finds a person guilty of the crimes with which they have been charged and they are sentenced to death. That no longer applies to the person in Christ because they are no longer subject to the law of sin and death, but have been set free by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Compare this with what Jesus said in John 5:24,29.
Verses 3-4: The law wasn't weak of itself, but sinful human flesh, because of its own weakness, was unable to live up to the law's righteous requirement. (Compare this with what Jesus said in Matthew 26:41.) God's remedy was to send Christ. Through Him, the sentence of death was carried out on our sinful flesh. (See Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20.) Those who are now in Christ walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh, and so fulfil all the law's requirements for righteousness.
Verse 5: Those who live according to the Spirit think about the things of the Spirit. The original Greek takes this even further in that the phrase "to set your mind on" actually means to be on the side of. God wants us to take the Spirit's side against the flesh, which means to allow our lives to be dominated by the Holy Spirit, His desires and interests. Alternatively, to allow our lives to be dominated by the flesh means to take the side of the flesh against the Spirit. The implication is that the choice is ours.
Verse 6: Literally, the phrase "carnally minded" is "mind of the flesh," and "spiritually minded" is "mind of the Spirit." The person whose choice is to be dominated by the Holy Spirit and is thus on the side of the Spirit, partakes of the mind of the Spirit. The outcome of that person's choice is life and peace.
However, the person who chooses to be dominated by the flesh, and is thus on the side of the flesh, partakes of the mind of the flesh. The outcome of that person's choice is death.
Verses 7-8: The mind of the flesh is God's enemy and is not even capable of being subject to God's laws. It has no allegiance to Him, and only to asserting its own will. It is utterly incapable of pleasing God. Because of this, it is under the sentence of death.
Verse 9: A genuine believer has the Spirit of Christ. Notice in this verse, that Paul uses the phrases "Spirit of Christ" and "Spirit of God" interchangeably, supporting the view that God is a Trinity. Since God's Spirit inhabits genuine believers, they are now "in the Spirit" and not in the flesh. this is no guarantee that a person who is in the Spirit will live according to the Spirit and allow the Spirit to be in control. But at least the option is there.
Verses 10-11: If Christ is in us, even though the body is still subject to death, the Holy Spirit will be life to us because of the righteousness that was given to us through Christ. This is looking ahead to the resurrection when exactly the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies and raise us from the dead too.
How does it impact your life, no longer being a condemned person?
How does a Christian fulfil the righteous requirements of the law?
In what way do you allow your life to be dominated by the Holy Spirit, His desires and interests?
If you do not experience life and peace what does that tell you about your allowing the Holy Spirit to dominate your life?
The mind of the flesh is God's enemy. In what way does that hostility manifest itself against God?
The resurrection is the great hope of all Christians. Are you looking forward to it?
If you like these Expository Bible Studies, don't forget to check out our Topical Bible Studies too.