Romans 8 - Part 1

Romans 8:1–17 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 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. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 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. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Life in the Spirit

Romans 8:1–11 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 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.

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Again, therefore changes the flow from Chapter 7, the struggle between the law and binding judgment from the law, and the constant burden that came with it until death. When God redeemed us through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He knew sin would remain in the flesh. He could have dealt with this problem by bringing about the immediate judgment of the ungodly and the bodily redemption of believers, just as we expect will happen in the future “day of the Lord.” Instead, God relied on the very same model that Jesus used to resist the sinful longings of His flesh. He gave us His Spirit to dwell in us and help us live in humble submission. Paul continues with his dissertation on the RELEASE from the law that has come to those of us who are in Christ Jesus.

What does it mean to be “in Christ Jesus”?

For us to follow God, we had to be free from slavery to sin and its penalty—that was just the beginning. To build on this foundation, we must actively submit to the Spirit’s ministry in our lives. God’s indwelling Spirit enables us to be “saved by His life” (5:10); His life is lived out through us as His instruments for righteousness.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son nin the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,3 he condemned sin in the flesh,

The word for introduces the reason there is no condemnation for the believer; the Spirit has replaced the law that produced only sin and death with a new, simple law that produces life: the law of faith. The law of faith comes through the message of the gospel. By faith, we are released from sin and death, and since sinful mankind could not do this themselves, Jesus came as a substitute - in our place. He delivered sinners from the penalty of sin. As Christ became fully man, he took on the appearance of each of us in the sinful flesh, yet lived a sinless life - one that could be looked upon as acceptable in the eyes of God. It was though this sinless life that the substitution could be perfectly made and we, also, are fight righteous (acceptable) in the eyes of God.

4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

in order that - there is a REASON Christ did this - so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.

What does it mean for the righteous requirement being fulfilled?

The Law cannot produce holiness, it only reveals sin. But, the Holy Spirit enables us to walk in obedience to God’s will. The righteousness that God demands in His Law is fulfilled in you through the Spirit’s power.

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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

“For” starts into Paul’s comparison between those who live in the Spirit vs/ the flesh. The carnal minded person follow after the things that make them happy - they rely on nature and their natural mind. In contrast, the one living in the Spirit is guided away from sinful nature and their mind is influenced by God. It brings about the sheep vs goat image provided by Matthew 25:32 “32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

Joshua 24:15 “15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” We choose whether we follow our own sinful nature, or whether we submit to the indwelling Spirit.

6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

How do we differentiate the mind of the flesh and the mind of the Spirit?

There is the carnal mind vs. the spiritual mind. The carnal mind is the mind of man’s flesh or body. It is the mind with which man is born, the fleshly mind which he inherits from his parents. A carnal mind means any mind that does not find its basis in God, any mind that is not focused upon God first. A carnal mind may focus upon a moral, upright, and cultured life and still ignore, neglect, and exempt God. A carnal mind may also focus upon religion and still exempt God. A carnal mind is a mind that finds its basis in this world, that focuses its thoughts upon the physical and material instead of God.

The unsaved person is alive physically, but dead spiritually. The inner man is dead toward God and does not respond to the things of the Spirit. He may be moral, and even religious; but he lacks spiritual life. The fate of the carnal mind is death. By death is meant spiritual death, being separated and cut off from God eternally. It means the soul is dead now, while the man lives on this earth. It also means that the soul remains dead (separated and cut off from God) even when the man enters the next world.

The Spiritual mind is the natural mind of man that has been renewed by the Spirit of God, possessed by the Spirit or controlled and dominated by the Spirit. It means that the man who walks after the Spirit minds “the things of the Spirit” day by day. And note: it is the Spirit of God who draws the believer’s mind to focus upon spiritual things. The Spirit of God lives within the believer. He is there to work within the believer, both to will and to do God’s pleasure. He is there to keep the mind and thoughts of the believer focused upon spiritual things. The fate of the spiritual mind is life and peace. It is the very opposite of death. The spiritual mind is a state of mind, a mind that is filled with life and peace, with thoughts of life and peace. The spiritual mind dwells in life; it lives all that life was intended to be and lives it eternally.

In the study of Romans 7, we have seen that the old nature rebels against God and will not submit to God’s Law. Those who have trusted Christ enjoy “peace with God”, while the unsaved are at war with God. “ 

‘There is no peace,’ saith the Lord, ‘unto the wicked’ ” (Isa. 48:22).

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

How do we know the Spirit dwells in us?

The power of the Spirit is seen in the word dwell. The word dwell gives the picture of a home. The Holy Spirit dwells within the believer: He makes His home, takes up residence, and lives within the believer just as we live in our homes. Now, can we get comfortable where we live and neglect what is around us? Just because we have neglected to LOOK for (or commune with) the Spirit does not mean He does not live in us.

Note how the deity of Christ is being proclaimed. The “Spirit of Christ” is said to indwell the believer the same as the “Spirit of God.” Both are said to be equally within the believer. The power of the Spirit removes the believer from being “in” the flesh and places him within Himself, within the Spirit of God. The power of the Spirit identifies the believer as being “in” Christ. This is easily seen. Whatever spirit dwells within a man, it is that spirit to whom man belongs. If he has the spirit of selfishness within, he belongs to the spirit of selfishness and is known as being selfish. If he has the spirit of complaining, he belongs to the spirit of complaining and is known as being a complainer. If he has the spirit of evil, he belongs to evil and is known as an evil person. If he has the spirit of caring, he belongs to the spirit of caring, and he is known as a caring person. If he has the Spirit of Christ, he belongs to Christ and is known as a follower of Christ.

10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 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.

The idea of the Greek makes this verse clear: “If Christ be in you, although the body is to die because of sin, the spirit shall live because of righteousness.” Very simply stated, the body of man does die, but his spirit can live forever if Christ is “in” him.

Man’s body is to die because of sin: the body is corruptible, aging, deteriorating, decaying, and dying. It is in a process of dying—in such a rapid movement toward death—that it can actually be said to be dead. The body is dying; therefore, its death is inevitable. However, it is in the midst of death that the Spirit of Christ enters. He enters and converts the spirit of man from death to life.

Heirs with Christ

Romans 8:11–17 ESV

11 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. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 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. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 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.

“So then” has all the great truths in mind from Chapter 6:1 to this verse! Identified with Christ, our old man was crucified with Him, our connection with Adam the first being thus broken by death. Next we share His newness of life as being in Christ Risen. Next the Spirit of life is caused to indwell us, by His almighty power setting us free from the law of sin and of death—because all rights of sin as connected with flesh were cancelled at the cross. Finally, although our body is still dead to God, yet the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus personally dwells within us, guaranteeing that He who raised Christ federally and caused us to share His risen life will make our bodies also alive toward Him when Christ returns. And meanwhile the indwelling Spirit becomes an “earnest” of the coming redemption of our bodies. “So then”—let the power of all these mighty truths govern our thoughts here.

Why are we compared to debtors?

We are debtors to God, to Christ, and to the indwelling Holy Spirit. God formed man’s body first, breathed life (pneumos) into him, and man became a living soul. His soul-life put him in touch with the world into which by Divine creation he had now been introduced, but man was essentially a spirit, living in a body, possessing a soul.

It was with his spirit that God communed and in which alone man was God-conscious. Now when man sinned, all was overthrown! The body, that was to be the tabernacle of this Divinely created spirit, took immediate lordship. The life of God was withdrawn from man’s spirit. He had died to God! The spirit became the slave of the body; and the body (natural mind) which had been controlled before because the driving force of our existence. Now in the new birth the dead spirit (dead to God) is by Divine creation made alive, or given life by/with Christ; and the Holy Spirit becomes the sphere of man’s newly created spirit; for whatever the believer’s progress may be, he is no longer in flesh but in Spirit!

What is the warning and promise given here?

Next comes a terrible warning: those who have received the knowledge of truth, but yet chooses a flesh-lifestyle—which involves the refusal of the Spirit—refusal to be led by Him (Holy Spirit), then eternal death - eternal separation from God - is their fate. But then the promise: the “doings” of the body are to be put to death. The evil deeds, lusts, passions, desires, and urges that lead to sin are done away with, put to death. We are to deny, subdue, and destroy the carnal minds evil. The power to mortify the evil deeds of the body comes “through the Spirit.” However, note this: we deny the evil deeds, and then the Spirit gives the strength to deaden and to subdue their strength.

Now note: the conquest of evil deeds is not an immediate, once-for-all thing. It is a continuous struggle as long as we live in the flesh. This is actually brought out in the tense of the verb “live.”

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

The Spirit leads the believer, identifying him as a son of God. Leading brings for the idea of carrying and bearing along. The Spirit leads the believer and carries him through the trials of this life. The Spirit leads and guides the believer along the way of righteousness and truth. The Spirit directs the believer where to go and how to get there, and He actually brings the believer to his destined end - heaven.

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

The Spirit adopts the believer. We are delivered from the spirit of slavery/bondage. The point is this: the Holy Spirit delivers the believer from the bondage of fear. How? By adoption, by actually adopting the believer as a son of God.

The Spirit gives access into God’s presence. The believer has access to God because he has been adopted as a son of God. Note: the Spirit is called “the Spirit of adoption.” Adoption is such a significant work of the Holy Spirit that it is called “the Spirit of adoption.” The believer actually receives the “Spirit of adoption” and the sense—the consciousness, the awareness, the knowledge—that he is a son of God. The believer is a son of God with all the privileges of sonship, especially the privilege of access—of entering God’s presence anytime and anyplace. It is this wonderful privilege that enables the believer to break the bondage of fear and to conquer the spirit of fear.

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Another power of the Spirit is the power to testify, bear witness with our spirit, showing us we are children of God. The Holy Spirit bears witness that we are the heirs of God. If God is truly our Father, then we inherit what He possesses.

We are heirs of eternal life.

We are heirs of salvation.

We are heirs of the promises made to Abraham, that is, the promises to inherit the world and to become the citizens of a great nation of people. The heirs of God shall inherit a great kingdom: the new heavens and earth.

We are heirs of glory.

We are heirs of righteousness.

We are heirs of the grace of life.

It is suffering for the Kingdom of God and His righteousness that is the point of the Scripture. If we suffer with Christ in the great cause of God and His righteousness, then we will be glorified with Him eternally.

The point is clearly seen. The person who is a true follower of Christ proclaims and stands for Christ; therefore, he suffers the persecution of the world even as Christ did. And because he does suffer with Christ, he will share in the glory of Christ as well.

The believer is a joint-heir with Christ. This is an astounding truth and promise. We shall inherit all that God has and all that Christ is and has. We will be given the privilege of sharing in all things with the Son of God Himself.

Leadership Ministries Worldwide. Romans. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996. Print. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.