More Than Conquerors

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

No Condemnation for Believer

Condemnation: Judge striking gavel

Why?

As a result, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Condemnation is the point at which the judge strikes the gavel and pronounces a person guilty along with their sentence. That is what it means to be condemned. That no longer happens to one who is in Messiah Jesus. Why?

Law/Principle of Life in Jesus

Go back to

Because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set you free (aorist indicative) from the law of sin and death. Just as there is a principle of sin and death in our members, there is a principle of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This principle is Spiritual and it has to do with having life in Christ Jesus. We know what it means to be in Christ Jesus from . In essence, we were baptized in death with Him and resurrected in Him. Therefore, we are now found in Him.

How does this help?

Jesus’ perfect life

How does this principle set us free from the principle of sin and death that we were just talking about? Because God has done what the Law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. We already spoke about why the Law cannot bring life, because it is weakened by the sinful flesh. So, God has done what the Law could not do, weakened by the flesh. By sending His very own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh (exactly like ours) and for sin, He condemned (pronounced guilty and sentenced) sin in the flesh. We were/are in such a desperate condition (as seen by ) that only God could do this. Only God could fulfill this Law. But how could He fulfill it for us? He had to come in the same, weak flesh that we live in and condemn sin in the flesh. It took deity in flesh to fulfill the Law and condemn sin. Jesus did what you and I could not do in the flesh, namely, keep the Law in the flesh. The Spirit of Christ overcame His flesh in order to condemn sin in the flesh.

The Purpose: Law fulfilled in us

What Jesus did was all for one purpose - so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Since we have been united with Christ, we take on His perfect, under-the -Law life that He lived. So now, we delight in the Law of God in our new, inner man, and in our flesh, the righteous, perfect requirement of the Law has already been fulfilled, because of the life of Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is now no condemnation whatsoever for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Paul now begins to use the language of walking. What exactly does it mean to walk in this verse? To come to a proper understanding of this, one must determine what this word would have meant to the original audience which was reading this letter. The word in question in the original Greek is περιπατεῖτε which is the inflected form of περιπατέω meaning “to conduct one’s life, comport oneself, behave, live as habit of conduct.”[1] It is a compound of “peri” (which means about or around) and “pateo” (which means to walk). Now, compound words don’t always mean exactly what the individual words imply (e.g. butterflies aren’t flies made from butter), but in this case, the formation of this word does mean to walk around, literally.

How did this come to be used as a form of speaking about the way one conducts one’s life in Paul’s time? Per Heinrich Seesemann, the usage of περιπατέω in this manner does not occur in classical Greek outside of the LXX. He says, “There are no parallels in classical Greek.”[2] Furthermore, the specific word does not occur often in the LXX, but this specific idea of walking does occur in the original Hebrew OT. For instance, says, “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless” (emphasis mine). says, “Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.” says of wisdom, “I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice.” It is obvious, then, that the idea of walking as a way of signifying lifestyle was a use common in Hebrew literature. Stutzman quotes the NIC and says, “‘Walking’ is a common Hebraism for ‘conducting one’s life’ and thus is synonymous with ‘living’ [NIC].”[3] James Dunn agrees with this sentiment and says, “For the metaphor is typically Jewish (e.g. ; ; ; ; the repeated use of the metaphor in 1QS iii.18–iv.26 makes a fascinating comparison with Paul here) and untypical of Greek thought (TDNT v.941).”[4] This makes sense as Paul is writing to a church that is being influenced by Judaizers.[5] If they were attracted to Judaism, Paul would show them the true Judaism which pointed to Christ.

The Apostle Paul, being a man who was well educated in all the Scriptures (), would have been very familiar with this kind of language. In fact, he is the one to look to specifically for the NT use of περιπατέω in this manner for he uses it the most. Running a quick search of Paul’s use of this word, we see that he uses it 32x, and every single time it is used as a metaphor for the way in which one lives or conducts himself (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; , ; ; ; , ; , ; , , ; , ; ; ; ; ; ; , ; , ). So then, in Paul’s usage of the word, he is envisioning not just living as existing, but the whole scope of our thoughts, beliefs, desires, and actions. He uses the word walk to envisage all the actions, both internal and external, of a person’s life. The NAC says this of the usage: “Although this is the only place in Galatians where the word ‘walk’ is used in this sense, it is a common Pauline designation for one’s daily conduct or lifestyle.”[6]

Per Paul’s use of the verb, it can be said that a person’s faith can be seen in their walk. In other words, one can see whether a person is a believer or non-believer by the way that that person walks. Furthermore, Paul’s usage of walking is not just referring to spiritual life versus physical life, as he says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (). Although they are closely related, in Paul’s mind, life by the Spirit and walking by the Spirit are categorically distinct.

Let us further consider the concept of walking. Walking is appropriate as a metaphor for living, because it is not just something that occurs once. It indicates a constant movement. And so is a lifestyle. A lifestyle or conduct is not a one-time occurrence. For instance, one would not say that he has a surfer’s lifestyle if he only surfed once in his life. However, if a person surfs regularly, then that person is considered to have a surfer’s lifestyle. In Paul’s terminology, he would say that that individual walks as a surfer.

He will now further explain what it means to walk by the Spirit.

The Mind

Romans 8:5–8 NASB95PARA

5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Paul begins to differentiate what someone who is in the flesh looks like versus someone who is in the spirit. Why? He just argued how there is no condemnation for those who are walking not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit because the righteous requirements of the Law have been fulfilled in them because they are in Christ Jesus. In essence, he is going to begin to show what these two lives look like so that could be assured that they are in the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh (they don’t have the life of the Spirit within them) set their minds on the things of the flesh. There is nothing else that drives their thought life other than the flesh. Paul actually does seem to make a distinction here between the mind of man and the flesh. Was the mind of man corrupted in the fall? I’m not too sure. It could be argued that it wasn’t, necessarily, or maybe to the same degree that nature was. That is why we can still think, create, love, laugh, etc. However, someone who is in the flesh only, who only lives according to the flesh, can only be driven by the flesh. The flesh and sin is their master, because they have nothing else to drive them. There is a part of them that is literally dead, namely, the spirit. So, every bit of their reasoning revolves around the desires of the flesh.

But, those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. When it says “live” here, Paul is actually not using the word “zoe” but ὄντες, from which we get “ontology.” Paul is talking about the very essence of a person’s being here. We are according to the spirit. I disagree that Spirit should be capitalized here, given the immediate context. I don’t want to take away from the work of the Holy Spirit at all, but these verses are referring to our ontology as human beings. Does it ultimately point to the Holy Spirit? Absolutely, but I believe our spirit is still distinct from the Holy Spirit. It would be strange to say that we are all just different organisms within the one organism of God. I would say that that is some form of pantheism or panentheism. Our spirit cannot exist apart from the Spirit, but it is still distinct from it.

All that to say that Paul is referring to those people here. And those people, those whose ontology is defined as spiritual, set their minds on the things of the spirit. Is this true in my life? Absolutely. The question is not whether I am perfect or whether I am always in this meditative, spiritual state. Rather, the question is whether I am thinking about spiritual things. Whether I’m being good or bad is not the question. Just as the flesh has its desires, so does the spirit have its desires, and Paul says that those who live according to the spirit set their minds on those desires - spirit filled desires/activities.

Is grounds for or for ? If were grounds for , then Paul would literally be saying that the reason that those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh is because setting their minds on the things of the flesh is death. Nobody would purposely set their minds on something that would bring them death. Rather, it is another reason as to why the purpose of Jesus condemning sin in the flesh was for those who walk in the spirit. Paul is showing how much better it is to be in the spirit. Jesus didn’t condemn sin in the flesh so that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled for those who walk according to the flesh. No, He did it for those who walk according to the spirit. Because those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. Because the mind set on the flesh is death. Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, because it does not submit to God’s laws, and indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

On the other hand, Jesus Christ condemned sin in the flesh so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit. Because those who are according to the spirit set their minds on the things of the spirit. Because the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. Because it is not hostile to God, because it does submit to God’s Law, because it can. Because those in the Spirit can please God.

Let’s look at verse 6-8 a little more closely. Paul says that the mind set on the flesh is death and the mid set on the Spirit is life and peace. Why? Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God. It is in enmity toward God. Why? Because it does not and cannot submit to God’s law. If you did not submit and could not submit to the laws of the United States of America while being here, you would be considered and enemy of the state. However, the mind that is set on the spirit is life (as we know from ) and it is peace, because it fulfills the law of God. So, being in hostility towards God is death. Why? Because whoever breaks the law of God deserves death.

Paul adds one last thing. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. If you are according to the flesh, then you cannot please God because you cannot keep His commandments. There is absolutely no way that someone who is of the flesh only can ever do something that will bring pleasure to God. That person is only living according to the corrupted flesh. None of what non-believers do, whether it be philanthropic, heroic, “loving”, brings pleasure to God. He is displeased with all of it!

Romans 8:9–11 NASB95PARA

9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

However, you (plural) are not being in flesh but in spirit, if indeed spirit of God dwells in you. Paul is speaking to a church of believers, they don’t find their being in the flesh, but in spirit. It is everything we have just been talking about. However, it is qualified. This is only the case if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in them. Is the spirit referred to in the same as the Spirit in ? I don’t think so. In the immediate context, is speaking about the two different natures in which one could operate - the nature of the flesh or the nature of the spirit. However, of necessity, one can only be in the nature of the spirit if the Spirit of God dwells within oneself. We like to think of the power that comes with the Spirit of God dwelling in you. Is this part of it? Maybe. But what the Bible actually places an emphasis on is the changed nature. If we have the Spirit of God within ourselves, we become children of our Father. We like to think that we will have some special abilities if the Spirit of God dwells in us, but that is not quite what the Bible points to. The miracles that occurred with Spirit filled men were not wrought by them, rather, they were wrought by God. What the Spirit of God in them did was to give them faith in God to ask for these things. The Spirit of God in them led them to even think about doing these things. The Spirit of God in them gave them the compassion to look at a crippled man and desire for him to be healed. The Spirit of God in them gave them wisdom to be able to direct all the glory to God for this healing. “But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, ‘Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?’ ().” “‘And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all’” (). Would the flesh ever have desired to have faith in God to ask Him to heal a man? No! The thought wouldn’t even cross the mind of someone who is in the flesh. It wouldn’t even be an option.

So then, having the Spirit of God entails Him dwelling in you and this produces His character and mind within us. In a loose sense, we can compare it to phrases like, “A spirit of jealousy came over him.” This is very loose, because it doesn’t entail the ontological aspect of what it means to have the Spirit of God dwelling in you. However, it does show us what it means to take on all of the characteristics of that thing or person. In the believer, we begin to see the fruit of the Spirit in him.

But Paul then gives a contrast. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. This is just a plain fact. Again, we cannot possibly see into the spiritual realm to see if someone is in Christ. However, we should be able to see the fruit of being in Christ, if they really have His Spirit in them.

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead (adjective) because of sin, yet the spirit is life (nominative) because of righteousness. Sin causes death, but righteousness causes life. Can Christian experience death? I think so. If the fruit of the Spirit is what it truly means to live, then the diminishing or loss of that fruit is a certain kind of death. The Spirit brings us life because of the righteousness that He brings to us. Our spirit is life because of the righteousness we now have in Christ. Furthermore, the spirit inside of us desires to do righteousness, and this brings life. Do you remember all the promises that the books of poetry made for those who walk in righteousness?

Proverbs 10:16 NASB95

The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment.

Proverbs 12:28 NASB95

In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.

Proverbs 21:21 NASB95

He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor.

Did you think these were just cute promises? No. They are facts of life! And now you have the ability to find life this way. Yet, the body is still dead.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead (God) dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead (God) will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Now, the question arises as to whether Paul meant God the Father giving spiritual life to our mortal bodies now or if he meant at the resurrection. Well, given the context of raising Jesus from the dead, I would say that this is talking about the future life that our mortal bodies will receive. Paul wants us to know that it is not just the spirit within us that will have life and live forever. No. God meant us to be a union of body and spirit from the very beginning. Therefore, He will give life to our mortal bodies at the resurrection, just as He did to Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:12–13 NASB95

12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

So then, if our spirit is life because of righteousness, and even our mortal bodies will be made alive by God at the resurrection, what obligation do we have to the flesh? None. We are not under obligation to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. We now have the option of living by the Spirit, whereas we did not have that option before. However, it still seems to be a choice, the way that Paul puts it. And we also know from experience that we still have a choice. However, it is no longer an obligation. It used to be, but it is no longer.

Because, if you are living according to the flesh, you must (destined to, will certainly) die, but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. It’s not even possible to truly “live” by the flesh, because it, of necessity, leads to death. But the sign that you will live is if you are putting to death the deeds of the body by the spirit. It takes a spirit enabled and empowered person to put to death the deeds of the body. It is not something that we conjure up. Rather, it is a byproduct of the new life in Christ. And to these, there is nothing but life promised.

Romans 8:14–17 NASB95

14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Is grounds for putting to death the deeds of the body or for the promise of life? Given the pattern of reasoning in these verses, it seems that it is reasoning for the living of those who are putting to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit. The reason that those people will live is because all who are being led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. They take on the nature of their Father. Not only that, their is a promise involved with those who are children of God (). But, it is only those who are being led by the Spirit of God and part of what it means to be led by the Spirit of God is to be putting to death the deeds of the body. The Spirit leads us into righteousness, whether it be doing something good or not doing something bad.

Why are these the sons of God? Because they have not received a spirit of slaver leading to fear again, but a spirit of adoption as sons by which they cry, “Abba! Father!”. We didn’t receive a new inner man that testifies of slavery which leads to fear. What does Paul mean by again? In what way did our old nature lead us to fear? I know how it was a spirit of slavery, but how did that lead us to fear? Is the fear a fear of judgment from God? Is it a fear of death? Paul actually doesn’t specify here. He just calls it a spirit of slavery to fear again. There is much fear in this world. There is fear of judgment deserved, which we see in everybody trying to get rid of their guilt. There is fear of death and controls people’s every decisions. There is a fear of losing what we have. There is fear of impending war. There is fear of rejection. There is fear of failure. When I look at the world, especially today, I see that it is filled with fear. And people truly are slaves to this fear, as their every decision is based off of this fear.

BUT we have not received this spirit of slavery to fear, rather, we have received a spirit of sonship/adoption by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”. We are no longer slaves, but sons. In this context (slaves vs. sons) it would seem that the fear is implied in the relationship we have with God. This means that we don’t have to fear judgment from God. We don’t have to fear the judgment that will come upon the world that we are reading about in Revelation. No; we are sons. This is what our inner man tells us and shows us. And by this spirit we cry out to our Abba, our Father! We don’t need to fear His wrath upon us, rather, we look to Him as our Father. He isn’t the One who is gong to hurt us; He is the One who’s going to save us. We don’t need to fear the collapse of our economy; we have a rich Father. We don’t need to fear death; we have a Father who resurrects. We don’t need to fear pain; we have a Father who heals. We don’t need to fear war; we have a Father who brings peace. We don’t need to fear failure; we have a Father who conquered all. We don’t need to fear the coming wrath; we have a Father who gave His Son to pay the full price of that wrath for us. The new man desires to cry out to our Father in any and every situation. We are not slaves, but sons.

Even the Holy Spirit Himself testifies/witness to our spirit that we are children of God. In what ways does He do this? Is it something mystical? I know that one very real example to me is the countless times I have been hungry on my way in to work and I tell God. Then, when I get to work, there is some sort of breakfast there. So, answered prayer is one way. We see it through the peace which He brings us in every situation. We see it through our changed lives as we take on more of the nature of our Father. We see it through changed desires. Then, there really is something in us that just tells us that we are sons of God. There is a spirit of love for our Father that allows us to pray to Him in a personal way. But most importantly and obviously, it is the inclination to cry out to our Father in every trouble that shows us that we are sons of God. What would even give us that inclination, if it weren’t for the spirit of God? Really? We just, out of the blue, had an urge to cry out to a being we can’t see? No; it is not out of the blue. It is the new man, testified to by the Spirit, which urges us to cry out to our Father in every situation.

Romans 8:17 BTX

17 Y si hijos, también herederos: por una parte, herederos de Dios, y por la otra, coherederos con Cristo, ya que juntamente padecemos para que juntamente seamos glorificados.

And if we are children, we are heirs also. Heirs of what? What will we receive? We are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. First of all, our inheritance is God.

Psalm 16:6 NASB95

6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

Psalm 16:5–6 NASB95

5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

Paul is steeped in the Old Testament. Our first, and primary inheritance is God. He is our treasure. He is our portion. Why? He is of infinitely more value than anything in heaven and earth. If He offered us anything less than Himself, He would not be a good Father. Inheritance here does not imply ownership; that would be blasphemy. Rather, we inherit a privilege of being with God, knowing God, and seeing God. We inherit a relationship. We inherit a Father. That is on the one hand. On the other hand, we are fellow heirs with Christ, the Messiah. What does He inherit? Everything! All things are yours, as Paul would say in another letter.

However, this inheritance with Christ has a condition - if we suffer with Him. In what ways do we suffer, and, more importantly, suffer with Him? First of all, does the putting to death of the body sound fun to anyone? No. It causes us suffering in some way to put to death these deeds. Paul suffered hunger, shipwreck, persecution, slander, thirst, sleepless nights, anxiety for the churches. We will have much suffering in this lifetime. Many times, it will look just like the suffering of our Lord.

That is on the one hand. On the other hand, we are fellow heirs with Christ, the Messiah. What does He inherit? Everything! All things are yours, as Paul would say in another letter.

However, there is a purpose to this suffering - so that we may also be glorified with Him. Jesus suffered in the flesh. But He now sits at the right hand of the Father, glorified. He is in a body that will never suffer again. He is in perfection. He is in a radiant glory of holiness that shines brighter than the sun. We too will receive a glory like this someday. There is a day where we will shed off this body of death and be resurrected to glory - no more sin, no more pain, no more hunger, no more sorrow, no more death, only glory. This is the hope of our lives now. The sufferings we face now don’t even compare to what we will receive. If we weighed them in a balance, the suffering would be far wanting. It can’t hold a candle to the glory that will be revealed to us.

[1] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 803.

[2] Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 944.

[3] Robert Stutzman, An Exegetical Summary of Galatians, 2nd ed. (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2008), 210.

[4] James D. G. Dunn, The Epistle to the Galatians, Black’s New Testament Commentary (London: Continuum, 1993), 295.

[5] Ibid., 295

[6] Timothy George, Galatians, vol. 30, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 386.

Related Media

Related Sermons