A humbled and open heart are fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom. Establishing deeper roots requires analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Romans 8:1-11.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
Romans 8:1-11
This letter was written to relay that following the teachings of Jesus Christ meant acceptance of the Holy Spirit. This acceptance provides newness and freedom, but requires complete devotion to lead an upright life. Leading a sinless life without God is impossible. Despite how challenging life can get, know that we are never alone. We are empowered to overcome our fleshly limitations by way of God’s Spirit dwelling within us. The ways of the world and flesh driven cravings have tainted the law that was given by God. Therefore, He sent His Son as a living sacrifice to break the power of sin. We have been gifted access to eternal life because of God’s mercy.
Starting in verse 5, Paul writes contrasting views of living by flesh and living according to the Spirit. We need only look at Galatians 5 to see the same contrast echoed again. In Galatians, envy, hate, and idolatry are just a few of the manifestations of living by flesh. Some of the fruits of a Spirit filled life are love, joy, peace, and self control (see Gal 5:22-23). It is clear that those who choose to cave in to longings of the flesh surrender their access to new life through Jesus Christ.
If it’s not love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, we’ve got some spiritual work to do.
-S.L.E.
