Life in the Spirit
Romans 8:1-17
Brief Commentary
Intro: I believe that the Spirit is mentioned only once in Romans 7 (7:6) because Paul wanted to demonstrate both in doctrine (7:1-13) and experience (7:14-25) that we will naturally give into our fleshly desires unless God does something radical.
So, just as Paul prepares the way for the gospel and justification (3:21-5:21) by highlighting our sin (1:19-3:20), he likewise, prepares the way for the Spirit (8:1-39) by highlighting our spiritual misery and mediocrity.
“What’s God’s plan for renewing our lives?” is the question that Romans 8:1-17 seeks to answer. A Life in the Spirit is God’s plan for renewing our lives. In the following passage (8:1-17), Paul highlights six truths for experiencing life in the Spirit (justification, obedience, a new mind-set, a new life, discipline, new spiritual identity).
8:1: Justification is truth #1. Because of our spiritual misery (Romans 7:13-25), Paul thought it important to remind us about justification (less we fall into a hopelessness stage). “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” because God has declared us righteous (8:1; cf. 3:21-31: see notes on justification). Justification is a work of the Spirit, who has spiritually regenerated us (Titus 3:1-8; cf. John 3:1-8) through the gospel (Romans 1:16).
We won’t experience renewal if we continue to spiral downward in the guiltiness of our sins. Justification encourages us to “walk out of God’s courtroom” with our heads held high and arms lifted up in praise, gratitude, and celebration.
8:2-4: Obedience is truth #2. The Old Testament law is also known as “the law of sin and death” because it could only reveal sin and pronounce spiritual death (7:7-11). But now, “the Spirit of life has set [us] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (8:2)
Stott notes that “to be liberated from the law of sin and death through Christ is to be no longer ‘under the law,’ that is, to give up looking to the law for either justification or sanctification.” (218) Because of the Spirit’s work in our lives, it’s now possible to live a life of obedience because the Spirit renews us from the inside-out.
Although the law was “holy and righteous and good” (7:12), it was powerless to bring ultimate spiritual renewal (cf. Ezekiel 36:25-27) because we were also “weakened by the flesh.” (8:3) Why are we “weakened by the flesh?” Because every person was “spiritually born in Adam” (5:12-21) we were slaves to sin (6:20; cf. 3:9-20). Therefore, God must do something radical to address our condition.
God sent His Son to solve our problem. What does it mean to be made “in the likeness of sinful flesh?” (8:3) According to Hughes, “[Paul] did not say Christ came ‘in sinful flesh’ because that would imply sin was in him. Nor did he say, ‘likeness of flesh’ because that might imply Christ only seemed to be in the flesh.” He said ‘“the likeness of sinful flesh” because Christ took on man’s flesh without becoming a sinner.” (143)
On the cross, Jesus became a sin offering for us (Romans 5:21) and “condemned sin in the flesh” (his victory over sin on the cross). Pate explains the significance: “Christ’s sacrificial death defeated sin and replaced it with obedience in the Christian.” (167; cf. Jeremiah 31:31-33; Ezekiel 36:25-27).
Hughes summarizes: “This new humanity, through its union with Christ, whose flesh never sinned, is infused with the power to live in a way that is pleasing to God….Through the Holy Spirit the virtue and perfection and power of Christ’s life is communicated to us. We actually do the Law of God from the heart.” (144)
8:5-8: A new mindset is truth #3. Perhaps the best way to understand our new mind in the Spirit is to simply compare it with our old mind (fleshly).
Because our minds are the gatekeepers of information it’s important to reflect on things that are pleasing to God (“whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise”- Philippians 4:8). Unfortunately, many of us use our minds for things of little substance.
In order to counteract this, we need to develop a Spirit-led mindset. What does a Spirit-led mindset look like? Let me suggest twelve things that are crying out for our focus and attention:
1. Renewing our minds with Scripture
2. God’s glory and greatness (His character); worship and praise
3. Prayer
4. The gospel and its blessings
5. Our marriages and families
6. Discipleship and Mentoring
7. Serving those who are needy, hurting, suffering injustices
8. Using your finances and resources for God’s kingdom
9. Faithfulness to our callings and fulfilling our destinies
10. Our church bringing renewal to our communities (personally, locally, globally)
11. Our mental and physical health
12. The fruit of the Spirit
8:9-11: A new life is truth #4. Our blessing of a new life is based on the indwelling of the Spirit (8:9, 8:10, 8:11). This new life in the Spirit consists of three things. First, we belong to Christ (8:9; cf. Galatians 5:24; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23; 7:22-23). Now that we belong to Jesus, we must cease from spiritual idolatry. Anything that falls short of the Lordship of Christ is not good enough.
Second, the Spirit unites us “with Christ’s righteousness and life.” (8:10; Pate, 168) This is nothing short of amazing because we were spiritually united with Adam’s sin, guilt, and judgment (Romans 5:11-21). Our new life of being spiritually united with Christ should lead us to praise, gratitude, and sharing the gospel.
Third, we will receive a resurrected, Spirit-empowered glorified body (8:11; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, 42-58). Jesus did not come to only save our souls, but he also came to redeem our bodies too. Thus, the indwelling of the Spirit is a down payment of a future and guaranteed blessing for our imperfect and broken bodies.
8:12-13: Discipline is truth #5. It’s our responsibility to persevere in our faith. While it’s true that God’s grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) and the Spirit empowers us (Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:18), it’s our spiritual obligation (8:12: “we are debtors”) to “put to death the deeds of the body.” (8:13; cf. Colossians 3:5)
What does it mean to put to death our sins? Drawing from some of the insights of John Piper (“Thirteen Practical Steps to Kill Sin” in Desiring God: November 16, 2015), several observations can be made. (Note: The following points seven points were also used for my study guide on Colossians 3:8-9. Some of these points overlaps with our Romans passage.)
(1) Knowing and experiencing our spiritual union with Christ helps us to put to death our sins (Romans 6:5-14; Colossians 2:12-13; 3:1-2). We experience our spiritual union by proclaiming the gospel to ourselves. When we read the Scriptures Christ-centric and gospel-centric it allows the Word to spiritually renew and transform our guilt and shame in light of God’s grace and forgiveness.
(2) We put to death sin with God’s Word (spiritual sword). First, Scripture is a sword to be used in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:17). We must use Scripture to fight against temptation, fleshly desires, and the lies of the world. Second, because Scripture is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,” (Hebrews 4:12) we use it to perform open-heart (spiritual) surgery on ourselves.
(3) A personal and intimate relationship with the Spirit helps us to put to death our sins (Romans 8:1-17, 26-27; cf. John 14:26, 15:26; 16:8; Ephesians 5:18). Whereas our life “in Adam” was a life under the power of sin, our life “in Christ” is under the power of the Spirit. This new relationship impacts our thoughts, desires, and sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading and guiding.
(4) We put to death our sins by hating sin. Romans 7:15 teaches that we do the very thing that we hate. What is needed is (even) a stronger “hatred” toward sin (Scripture exhorts us to hate evil and wickedness: Psalm 97:10; Amos 5:15; Romans 12:9). We need to declare sin our enemy and declare war on it by increasing our hate for it (example: a person committed to fitness and health may say, “I hate junk food.”)
(5) Christians need to repent from our sins (Matthew 3:2). Repentance is more than feeling sorry for our sins. It’s more than confessing our sins (1 John 1:9). Repentance includes a deep sorrow for our sins, willful decision to reject our sinful ways, and desire to pursue holiness.
(6) We put to death our sins when we “make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.” (Romans 13:14; cf. Proverbs 6:27; Matthew 5:27-20) We must flee from sinful opportunities (Joseph from Potiphar’s wife: Genesis 39:7-18; cf. 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; 10:13-14; 1 Timothy 6:11; Hebrews 11:25). We feed and empower our fleshly desires every time we give into sin but weaken our sinful urges when we flee from sin.
(7) Rather than allow temptation and sin to dwell in our minds, we must reflect on things that are “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellence, worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8; cf. Romans 12:1-2) Because our minds act as gatekeepers of knowledge and truth, it’s imperative that we discipline our thought life with God-glorifying ideas and desires (see truth #3 new mindset above).
As a result of putting to death our sinful ways, Paul teaches that we “will live.” (8:13) This is not a reference to our future eternal life. But rather, Paul’s making a reference to the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
8:14-17: A new spiritual identity is truth #6. We are no longer slaves to sin, but have been redeemed (liberated) to become children of God (John 1:12-13) and fellow heirs with Christ. Our new spiritual identity (children of God) includes three elements.
First, children of God “are led by the Spirit.” (8:14) Second, children of God have an intimate relationship with God (“Abba! Father!” means “Dearest Father.”) Third, children of God receive confirmation from the Spirit “that we are God’s children.” (8:16)
In addition, we are fellow heirs with Christ. As fellow heirs, we receive the world (Psalm 2:8; Romans 4:13; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23: everything will be given to us for God’s glory, our joy, and His satisfaction), God Himself (Revelation 21:3), and redeemed and glorified bodies (though we may also suffer with Christ) (Piper, “Children, and Fellow-Sufferers” in Desiring God: April 21, 2002: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/children-heirs-and-fellow-sufferers)
Reflection
1. What makes Romans 8:1 so significant?
2. What does it mean to set our minds on the Spirit? (8:5-6) How do we do this?
3. How does Paul depict a person who sets his/her mind on the flesh? (8:5-8)
4. Read Romans 8:9-11. Identify some of the blessings of the Spirit indwelling in us.
5. How does the Spirit help us to “put to death the deeds of the body?” (8:12-13)
6. Our spiritual identity includes the idea of being spiritually adopted (8:14-17). Explain the importance of being spiritually adopted.
7. What does it mean to experience “Life in the Spirit?” How do we put this truth into practice on a regular basis? (Perhaps select one to two of these truths to practice rather than all six of them.)