Life (1–11). When God saved you, He gave you a new life, not a new law; as you yield to that life, you obey His law. Keep your mind centered on the things of the Lord (Col. 3:1–4) and seek to please God in all things. Let the Spirit live His life in you.
- Colossians 3:1-4 NIV Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. [3] For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
- Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Romans 8:1-11 is a profound passage in the New Testament that delves into the themes of life in the Spirit versus life in the flesh. This passage can be broken down into several key themes for commentary:
No Condemnation in Christ (Verse 1-2)
Romans 8:1-2 NIV 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.
Paul begins with a powerful declaration of the gospel’s promise:
- Those who are in Christ Jesus are freed from condemnation.
- The “law of the Spirit of life” refers to the new way of living empowered by the Holy Spirit, contrasting with the “law of sin and death,” which represents the Old Testament Law that, because of human weakness, could not save.
- This sets the foundation for understanding Christian identity as inherently connected to the life-giving Spirit of God.
- John 3:17 – “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Fulfillment of the Law Through Christ (Verse 3-4)
Romans 8:3-4 NIV 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.
- The law was powerless to save humanity due to the weakness of human flesh. However, God, sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemned sin in the flesh.
- This act fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law, so that those who walk according to the Spirit are not living according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
- This highlights the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice, not just to forgive sin but to enable a life that fulfills God’s righteous decrees.
- Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Life in the Flesh Versus Life in the Spirit (Verse 5-8)
Romans 8:5-8 NIV 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. [8] Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
- Paul contrasts two ways of life: one governed by the sinful nature (“the flesh”) and one governed by the Spirit.
- This distinction is not just about behavior but about the fundamental orientation of one’s life.
- To “set the mind on the flesh” is death, but to “set the mind on the Spirit” is life and peace.
- This emphasizes the transformative and guiding role of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life.
- Galatians 5:16-17 – “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”
The Spirit of God Living in Believers (Verse 9-11)
Romans 8:9-11 NIV 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. [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.
- This section underscores the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as the defining characteristic of being a Christian.
- The Spirit dwelling in believers means they belong to Christ and possess a new nature defined by life and peace.
- Furthermore, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to mortal bodies, pointing to the future resurrection and the ultimate hope of believers.
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 – “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
Application
Romans 8:1-11 calls believers to recognize their new identity in Christ, free from condemnation and empowered to live a life led by the Spirit.
- It challenges Christians to shift their focus from the flesh to the Spirit, ensuring their lives are marked by the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
- This passage offers profound hope, emphasizing the transformative power of the gospel and the promise of eternal life.