Romans 8:1-4
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.
Paul had just thanked God for delivering him from this ‘body of death,’ (slavery to sin), and had mentioned that living life being led by the flesh would result in sin, but if we decided (using our minds) to be led by the Holy Spirit, then we could serve God the way He expects us to. He then goes on to elucidate further, what it means to serve God with our minds.
Paul says that a believer in Christ is not under condemnation provided we don’t continue to be led by our flesh (sinful nature), but rather (choose with our minds to be) led by the Holy Spirit. We are now delivered from the bondage of the written code to lead our lives, as it couldn’t provide us with the freedom from sin, and now we have the privilege to be filled with, and led by the Holy Spirit of God, so that we can lead holy lives, pleasing to Him in every way.
Paul just explained how he desired to live a good life pleasing to God, but could not, but then continues to explain how he can now live a life pleasing to God, being filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s the same for every believer in Jesus – we are able to not only decide to live odly lives, but also to actually live Godly lives, and this is only possible because of God’s Holy Spirit who indwells us now.
Paul then goes on to say that when we are led by, what he refers to as ‘the law the Spirit of life in Christ,’ we are free from the law of sin and death. He uses the word, ‘law of the Spirit of life,’ to mean the submission to the Holy Spirit. It’s not a non-volitional slavery to the Holy Spirit, but a willing submission to be led by the Holy Spirit. When we make that volitional decision to be led by the Holy Spirit, we are no longer controlled, or in bondage to the law, which resulted in us committing more sin, which led to death.
He goes on to say that the law could not free us from sin since it was weak on account of our sinful nature which kicked in, and increased our sinful living. But God sent His own Son Jesus to live as a human just like us sinful people, though He Himself was sinless. He came to deal with sin, and instead of being becoming a sinner and being condemned by sin, He lived a sinless life, and thereby condemned sin in the flesh (in human likeness). By Jesus living the righteous life, and then serving as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, He was the only One who was righteous. He then offers this righteousness to all of us who believe in Him. We are now made righteous, and we need to walk, not being led by our sinful nature, but by being led by the Holy Spirit. If we do so, we will continue to live life not being condemned by God.
Romans 8:5-8
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.
Paul goes on to say that those who live their lives being led by their sinful nature, do so because that’s what they set their minds on (think about all the time). Just a short while back, Paul had said in Romans 7:25, “So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” He seems to be saying the same thing in a slightly different way here. He says that how we live our lives depends on what we set our minds on. If we set our minds on sinning, that’s what we will do, but if we set our minds on the things of the Spirit (pleasing God and living holy lives), then that’s what we will do. He isn’t saying that it’s all in the mind, but he is saying that we can decide what or who we follow – the flesh or the Holy Spirit.
He goes on to say that if we are to set our minds on earthly, sinful, selfish ways of living, then it will once again result in death – the thing we were freed from earlier. But if we are to set our minds on being led by the Holy Spirit, we will have life and peace. When we live our lives just to please ourselves and our sinful desires, life will be miserable. We may have all the desired pleasures in life, but deep down we’d be empty and dead. But when we decide to, and be led by the Holy Spirit of God, we come alive and live life to the full, pleasing God in every way and enjoying His peace in a way that is indescribable.
He says that if we think on carnal (earthly, sinful, sensual) things, then we are seeking what God hates – sin. We’d then be choosing to live in rebellion of God’s ways. Such thinking is not, and cannot be according to God’s law. Earlier, we could not live according to God’s law, but now that we are saved, and if we are led by God’s Holy Spirit, we can live according to God’s law, and we can go beyond merely obeying the commandments – we can take love and life to a whole new level of pleasing God, just as Jesus said in Matthew 5 and 6.
Paul then makes a very powerful statement when he says, “those who are in the flesh cannot please God,” meaning, that a person who lives his life, led by his sinful desires, cannot please God. One can’t move in two directions at the same time – we either live according to the flesh or live according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:9-11
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.
He goes on to remind his readers (and us), that if the Holy Spirit dwells in us then we are no longer in the flesh (led by the sinful nature) but rather in the Spirit (led by the Holy Spirit). Earlier, we were led by our fleshly desires, but now, after we’ve come to know Christ, we are no longer to be led by that sinful nature, but rather by the Holy Spirit of God.
He says that if someone does not have the Holy Spirit in their lives, they do not belong to Christ. When we commit our lives to Christ, He comes to dwell in us by His Holy Spirit, so if one has not yet committed their life to Christ, they don’t have His Holy Spirit living in them. And if that’s the case, then there can’t be any change in the way they live their lives.
He says that if Christ is in us, though our bodies will eventually die, as a result of sin that came into the world through Adam, the Holy Spirit will give us life eternal, because we have now been made righteous and live out this righteous life.
If the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, we can be assured that when we die, we will be raised to life again by the same Holy Spirit, who now dwells in us.
Romans 8:12-17
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation – but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
He goes on to explain that we now have an obligation to live a life that is led by the Holy Spirit, and not one that is led by the sinful nature. If we are led, and live by the sinful nature, we will die once again. But if we are led and live by the Holy Spirit, and put to death the sinful nature’s deeds, we will live forever.
Those who are led by the Holy Spirit are God’s children – that’s one of the evidences that we belong to God – His Holy Spirit leads us every day. That’s the greatest privilege we have as believers in Jesus – that His Holy Spirit indwells us, and leads us in our daily walk with God and in the way we live our lives – the choices we make, and the decisions we take.
The Holy Spirit we received from God into our lives from God was not given to us so that we could once again become slaves to sin, and therefore continue to live in fear again, as we used to. But the Holy Spirit we received from God causes us to be adopted into God’s own family as His children. God is now our Father, and therefore we can call him ‘Daddy.’ This leaves no room for slavery to anyone, or anything again, and certainly no room for fear. We now have confidence to come to God as ‘Father’ or even better still, ‘Daddy.’ The Holy Spirit assures our own spirit that we are God’s children. What better assurance do we need, than from the Holy Spirit, straight to our spirit?
If we are children, then it also means that we are heirs of all that God has in store for us. Not only are we heirs, but we are also co-heirs with Christ, which means we will receive all the inheritance that Christ has for us, at His return. But it first requires that we be willing to share in suffering for the name of Jesus while we are here on earth. If we are willing to suffer for his name here on earth, we can be assured that we will also share in His glory when He returns.
Paul seems to be telling his readers, and us, that now that we are saved / made righteous / justified, and have the Holy Spirit in our lives, we need to be led by His Holy Spirit, and not be led into sin by our old sinful nature any longer. If we allow ourselves to be led by the sinful nature, then we will die all over again. But if we are led by God’s Holy Spirit, we will have both life and peace here on earth and we can also be assured that we will be raised again to life, by the same Holy Spirit that raised Him from the dead. Further, we don’t need to live in slavery / bondage to sin or to live in fear either, because we are now children of God, and can call God ‘Daddy.’ Not only are we children of God, but we are also heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ – if we are willing to suffer for Him, so that we may also share in His glory when He returns.
