LIFE IN THE SPIRIT (ROMANS 8:1-11)
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A Chinese student at a local university asked me to explain the Trinity, so I did my best at a subject no one passes. I began by telling him that Father plus Son plus Spirit do not mean three Gods, but that God is three in one. Adding 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, but multiplying 1 three times is also 1, so Trinity is not 1+1+1 but 1 x 1 x 1+ 1, three Persons in one. At this he was taken by surprise. He said, The Spirit is a person. I answered, “Yes, the Spirit is a person, not a force or a thing.” He cannot be controlled, cornered or converted.
The Holy Spirit (Matt 12:31), also known as Spirit of God (Matt 3:16), the Spirit of your Father (Matt 10:20), the Spirit of the Lord (Luke 4:18) and the Spirit of Christ (Rom 8:9). The Father is the Sender, Christ is the Savior, and the Spirit is the Sanctifier. He is the eternal Spirit (Heb 9:14), the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29), the Spirit of glory (1 Peter 4:14), the Spirit of life (Rev 11:11) and Spirit of truth (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13). In Him there is power (Rom 15:13, 19), sanctification or holiness (Rom 15:16), love (Rom 15:30), liberty (2 Cor 3:17), communion (2 Cor 13:14), fruit (Gal 5:22) and joy (1 Thess 1:6-7).
The person of the “Spirit” occurs 21 times in the chapter, the most for a chapter in the Bible.
Who is the Spirit? How is He active in us? Why is the Spirit an unmistakable part of our lives?
Let Go the Slavish Past
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
An Indian and a white man were brought under deep conviction of sin by the same sermon. The Indian was immediately led to rejoice in pardoning mercy. The white man was in distress for a long time, almost to despair. But at last he was brought to a joyous sense of sins forgiven.
Sometime after, while meeting his Indian brother, the white man said to him, “How is it that I should be so long under conviction, when you found peace at once?” “Oh, brother,” replied the Indian, “I will tell you. There comes along a rich prince. He proposes to give you a new coat; you look at your coat and say, ‘I don’t know; my coat looks pretty good; it will do a little longer.’ He then offered me a new coat. I look at my old blanket; I say, ‘This is good for nothing,’ and accept the beautiful new garment. Just so, brother, you try to keep your own righteousness. You won’t give it up; but I, poor Indian, could see that I had none, so I was glad at once to receive the righteousness of God—the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Illustrations of Bible Truths # 714)
The word “condemnation” is a theological word that occurs nowhere else but in Romans. Previously twice in the book it is bound with the word “judgment,” (Rom 5:16, 18), specifically the judgment that came upon all men to condemnation (Rom 5:18). The condemnation is not the judgment; it is the consequences, the close and conclusion of judgment. The judgment leads to or results in condemnation. Condemnation means to be judged “against” (kata) literally. The results are counter, contrary, not in the favor of the person, not friendly or fun. The condemned person has no recourse, no reprieve, no release, no rescue and no remedy. It is a detrimental, damaging and damning decision or decree.
The biblical phrase “in Christ” is a phrase debuted in Romans by Paul. It is always positive in its 48 occurrences in the Bible, and this is the only negative connotation with the word “condemnation” associated with the phrase “in Christ Jesus” but it end up positive because of the negation “no.” The negation “no” is not the common “no” (ouk) that appears 124 times in Romans, but “oudeis”–the first instance of its mere four times in Romans, translated as nothing (Matt 5:13), neither any (Mark 5:4) and none (Luke 1:61) in the Bible. Literally it means not even one (ou = not; eis – one), implying none whatsoever, not the remotest possibility or not by a long shot.
The reason for Paul’s assertion is introduced by a reason “because” – because the law of the Spirit of life has freed us from the law of sin and death. The verb “free” can also be translated as “deliver” (Rom 8:2). The noun “free” is usually contrasted with bondage (John 8:33), servant (Rom 6:20, 1 Cor 7:21-22, 9:19, 1 Peter 2:16), and bond (1 Cor 12:13, Gal 3:28, Eph 6:8, Col 3:11, Rev 13:16, 19:18), including bondmaid (Gal 4:22), bondwoman (Gal 4:23, 30, 31) and bondman (Rev 6:15). The words “life” and “death” are contrasted, and the law of sin and death derives its name from sin that leads to death. In Paul’s theology sin and death are inseparable (Rom 5:12 - death by (through) sin, 5:21 - sin hath reigned unto (in the) death, Rom 6:16 - sin unto death, Rom 6:23 - the wages of sin is death, Rom 7:13 - sin working (produce) death in me, 1 Cor 15:56 - the sting of death is sin).
The purpose (hina subjunctive) of condemning sin in the flesh is that the righteousness of the law might be “fulfilled” (pleroo) or realized in us who walk after the Spirit (v 4). Now the Spirit helps to understand and uphold the righteousness of the law, that the law is blessed and beneficial, not burdensome or bondage. The law is mentioned a record-breaking 75 times in Romans. This means completion in testimony rather than time. It is fulfilled rather than finished, complete rather than concluded, triumphed rather than terminated, realized rather than removed.
There are three reasons (“gar” is introduced in the beginning of verse 5 and 6, “nor” in verse 7) in the Greek text, all connected by the “mind” or disposition, in verb (phroneo) or noun (phronema) form, alluding and attesting to a person’s intents and purposes. One is the waywardness of the flesh (v 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their “minds set” on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires).Second its warfare against God (v 7 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law…). Third is its weakness. First is conduct and choice, second is the conformity and consequence, and third is the condition and collapse.
Live in the Sanctified Present
8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
A famous professor of surgery died and went to heaven. At the pearly gate he was asked by the gatekeeper: “Have you ever committed a sin you truly regret?”
“Yes,” the professor answered. “When I was a young candidate at the hospital of Saint Lucas, we played soccer against at a team from the Community Hospital, and I scored a goal, which was off-side. But the referee did not see it so, and the goal won us the match. I regret that now.”
'”Well,” said the gatekeeper.' “That is a very minor sin. You may enter.”
“Thank you very much, Saint Peter,” the professor answered.
“I am not Saint Peter,” said the gatekeeper. “He is having his lunchbreak. I am Saint Lucas.”
All of us have told a great sin and a small one, intentional or unintentional, casual or costly sin, sin of commission and omission before in our lifetime. The fleshly person cannot please God. To please (v 8) means to meet God’s righteousness, His requirements and requests. It means to be accepted, acknowledged or approved in God’s sight. We could not please God for the reason God is holy, righteous, light (1 John 1:5), perfect and good, but we are were unclean, ungodly, unrighteous, unlawful and unworthy. The flesh is qualified (in the genitive “of the flesh”) as the infirmity of your flesh (Rom 6:19), carnally (phronema) minded (Rom 8:6), filthiness of the flesh (2 Cor 7:1), the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16), the works of the flesh (Gal 5:19), the desires of the flesh (Eph 2:3) the sins of the flesh (Col 2:11), the uncircumcision of your flesh (Col 2:13), fleshly (nous) mind (Col 2:18), and the filth of the flesh (1 Peter 3:21). The flesh is dust, dirt, depraved, deceptive, and defiled, consequently disobedient and dead.
Only a person converted, changed and controlled by the Sprit can please God because He “dwells in” us (Rom 8:9, 11, 1 Cor 3:16). The noun “law” is repeated 63 times before chapter 8, the law of sin makes its debut in the last chapter (Rom 7:23, 25), but the law of the Spirit makes its debut in verse 2. The noun form for dwell - “house” (oikos) - occurs 114 times in the Bible, whereas the verb form “oikeo” occurs a mere nine times in the Bible. The word “dwells” is a late word that debuts in Romans 7, where “sin” and “nothing good” dwells “in” us (Rom 7:17, 18, 20). The verb “dwell” means to inhabit, occupy, reside and remain, not just improve, organize, renting and retreating. It is permanent residence, under new management, The Spirit’s dwelling in us changes our attitude, being, conduct, discernment and emotions. There is no substitute or standby for the Spirit’s dwelling because God can only accept and acknowledge the coequal, coexisting and co-eternal Spirit who dwells in our hearts (2 Cor 1:22).
Look to the Splendid Future
10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
A week after I prepared this message I had a major back paint that erupted on Sunday morning before church. Turning around to talk the special guest preaching that morning or hand him tissues when he sneezed was best avoided. Walking up the podium to do Benediction that day was difficult. I had to squeeze the left part of my hips to move.
I walked like a crab and I could not sit long and had to puta pillow behind my back when I sit. The worst were putting on socks and pants, rising from the bed, and using the toilet when you have to sit, rise bend, hold and clean.
Is the body easily maintained?
The body needs water, food (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals), oxygen, exercise, sleep, sun, cleanliness, spiritual intake, emotional interaction and social involvement.
Now Paul changes from the aorist tense (v 2 the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you “free(d)” from the law of sin and death) to the present tense (v 9 You, however, “are” not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit) before climaxing with the future tense - “will give life” in verse 11.
In Scripture the verb “give life” or “quicken” (zoopoieo) means to impart life or to make life or to cause to live,” “to be made alive.” It is to do life, produce life, create life, yield life, and provide life.
What is the adjective “mortal” (thnetos) mean? It occurs only six times in the Bible and is derived from the noun “thanatos” (death), which is “dead.” The body is dead because of its obedience to lusts (Rom 6:12). It shall be raised incorruptible and put on immortality (1 Cor 15:52-54) in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. Incorruptible means the nature of the body immortality refers to the longevity. One is the morality and the other is mortality.
To make alive does not mean make it out alive.
What kind of body do we have? Our bodies are dead (Rom 4:19, 7:24, 8:10), sinful (Rom 6:6), celestial or earthly bodies (1 Cor 15:40), a natural body (1 Cor 15:44), vile (Phil 3:21).
1 Cor 15:42 perishable imperishable
1 Cor 15:43 It is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory.
It is sown in weakness it is raised in power.
1 Cor 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
dead (Rom 4:19, 7:24, 8:10) Give life (Rom 8:11)
sinful (Rom 6:6), Spirit (Rom 8:10)
vile (Phil 3:21). Glorious (Phil 3:21)
Conclusion: Is your life and heart given to the Lord, guided by the Lord and grateful to the Lord? Are you filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18)? Are you led by the Spirit (Rom 8:14, Gal 5:18)? Do you walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16)?
