Romans 8

I'm writing a series of articles on the book of Romans, which, as you know, is one of the more difficult and controversial books of the New Testament. This is not going to be a verse-by-verse analysis by any means, but I will write a lengthy article on each chapter of this sixteen-chapter book. I hope that you find this helpful...

I'll be honest with you...I've been dreading this article for a while now. It's not that I don't like the eighth chapter of Romans, but for me personally, it is the most difficult chapter in the whole book. The beginning of the chapter isn't so bad, but the transition from relatively simple to complex occurs at verse 19. So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to write an article on the relatively easy part of the chapter (vv. 1-18), and then I'll write a separate article for the remaining part of the chapter. (By the way, if you have any insight on the latter half of the chapter, shoot me an email, or leave a comment below.)

In verse one, the apostle says that "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." Many use this verse to teach the Once Saved, Always Saved position; that once we are in Christ, there is no way for us to ever be condemned, even though we may rebel againt Him. But that's not what the verse says. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. So long as we remain in Christ, we cannot be condemned, but when we step out of the light and away from Christ's fellowship, we DO stand condemned. The apostle clarifies in the second part of the verse. In order to be free from condemnation, we must walk according to the Spirit, not the flesh.

In verses 2-4, Paul says that we as Christians have been freed from the imperfect Mosaical law. It is described here as "the law of sin and death." Jesus lived as a man and nailed the Mosaical law (as well as spiritual death) to the cross. What a wonderful and blessed thought!

Now, some might argue that Paul is not talking about the Mosaical law but rather a general devotion to sin (fleshly living). I don't necessarily disagree, for at some point there appears to be a transition from the Mosaical law to general sinfulness. Perhaps the apostle is speaking generally of life prior to conversion. The Jews who lives according to an imperfect, physical law were fleshly, but so were the Gentiles who lived according to the sinful yearnings of the flesh. Or perhaps there is a transition in verse three, where it is said that Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh. Or perhaps EVERYTHING other than Christianity is declared to be fleshly. Either way, there does appear to be a transition at some point here, for in the following passage, Paul addresses carnal living in contrast to spiritual living.

Before we move on, what does the phrase sinful flesh mean? Are the Calvinists right in saying that all humans are inherently sinful, and that we are totally depraved from the womb due to Adam's original sin in the Garden of Eden? No, and here's why: in the context of this statement, Paul is contrasting the Spirit and the flesh. In that sense, the flesh is sinful, for it is contrary to the Spirit. Walking according to the flesh is the same as being unholy and unrighteous. It's not that our literal flesh is inherently sinful, but in contrast to the Spirit, it represents sin.

Having clarified that, let's move on toverse six. Paul says, "For the be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." When we live according to the flesh, there are both physical and spiritual consequences, but when we do things God's way, we have life and peace. Obviously, spiritual living is much better than carnal living! But Paul goes on to say in the next verse, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." A person who is carnally minded is not in fellowship with God and cannot possibly be in fellowship with God. Of course, a carnal person can be influenced by the power of the gospel to become spiritual and thus be in fellowship with God, but that transformation must occur for the desireable result to be achieved.

Paul then turns his attention back to the Roman brethren. "But YOU are not in the flesh but in the Spirit" (vv. 9). As Christians, we are IN the Spirit. As a result, we are in fellowship with God and we are pleasing to Him. We have life and peace.

In the following few verses, the apostle tells us that the Spirit, Christ and the Father ALL dwell in us. This, in my opinion, is a crushing blow to the concept that the Holy Spirit alone dwells in us bodily, as if He literally lies within our physical, mortal bodies. The fact is, the Bible teaches that Christ dwells in us as well (vv. 9-10), as does the Father (vv. 11). What is the point? It is not that all three members of the Godhead literally inhabit us as we literally inhabit homes of brick and mortar, but that we have a relationship with each of them. Christ is in us in the sense that we live according to His commandments and not our fleshly desires. The same is true of the Holy Spirit and the Father.

Notice in verse 10 that our bodies are DEAD if Christ is in us. Then, in vnerse 11, the point is made that the same God who raised up Christ from the dead will also raise up our bodies (an obvious reference to the final resurrection). So what is the point? That spiritually speaking, we are being renewed (2 Cor. 4:16), but outwardly, our flesh is perishing. There will come a day, however, when this physical body will be raised up and changed (see 1 Corinthians 15).

It is this concept of resurrection, newness and glory that Paul continues to articulate in the middle-section of the chapter. We'll return to that concept tomorrow or Friday, Lord willing.