Romans Chapter 8
Romans 8:1 "[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
So many Christians want to stop with the statement “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus”.
This statement is true only, if the last part of this statement is kept.
Salvation is a daily walk.
There is no condemnation in righteousness.
If we walk in righteousness, and not after the flesh but after the Spirit of God then there is not any condemnation.
To preach that Christians are above condemnation when they are living like the world is in error.
If you are walking in the Spirit of God, there is nothing to condemn you for.
The word condemnation is used only three times in the New Testament and then only in the book of Romans.
“Condemnation”:
This refers to a verdict of guilty and the penalty that verdict demands.
No sin a true believer commits whether past, present or future can be held against him, since the penalty was paid by Christ and righteousness was imputed to the believer.
Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
The word “For” introduces the reason there is no condemnation for the believer; the Spirit has replaced the law (meaning the Old Testament law).
Although it is good, holy and righteous, because of the weakness of the flesh, no one could possibly keep it.
The old law which was God’s commandments, showed men how they should live, but that law because of the weakness of the flesh could only produce sin and death as it could not save.
This is shown with Romans 3:23 which tells us all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; and again in Romans 6:23 which clearly states that the wages of sin is death.
The new, simple law of grace produces life; the law of faith or the message of the gospel.
Romans 8:3 "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:"
“What the law could not do” was it could not deliver sinners from its penalty.
Because of the sinful corruption of all unregenerate men, the law was therefore powerless to produce righteousness.
In Christ’s incarnation when He became fully man, He took only the outward appearance of sinful flesh, but yet He was completely without sin.
God’s condemnation against sin was fully poured out on the sinless flesh of Christ.
Romans 8:4 "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
We see from this Scripture above, that it is possible to walk in the Spirit of God and not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
This is a state of being for all true Christians who have turned over their free will to the perfect will of God.
We, like Jesus, must come to a place that we can say not my will be done, but thine oh Lord.
“The righteousness of the law” is referring to the thoughts, words, and deeds which the moral law of God demands.
It therefor has found in its basis in the character of God and is presented in outline form in the Ten Commandments.
Its most condensed form is in in Jesus’ commands to love God and to love one’s neighbor as one’s self.
Although the believer is no longer in bondage to the moral law’s condemnation and penalty as we studied last (in chapter 7:6), the law still reflects the moral character of God and His will for His creatures.
A believer’s walk refers to their life style and the habits of living and thinking that characterize a person’s life.
Then since every true Christian is indwelt by the Spirit, every Christian will manifest the fruit He (referring to God), produces in his life.
Romans 8:5 "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
We cannot be flesh man and spirit man both.
One spirit will rule.
In other words, we cannot keep one foot in the world and one foot in heaven. When it speaks of “the flesh”, this is referring to unbelievers.
Here this is speaking of a basic orientation of the mind.
A mindset that includes one’s affections, mental processes, and will.
Paul’s point here is that unbelievers’ basic disposition is to satisfy the cravings of their unredeemed flesh.
When scripture speaks of “they that are after the Spirit”, is simply speaking of believers.
Romans 8:6 "For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace."
“Carnally”:
This means “of flesh”.
This is a simple spiritual equation: The person with the mind set on the flesh is spiritually dead.
But to be spiritually minded is describing every Christian.
The person with his mind set on the things of the Spirit is very much spiritually alive and at peace with God.
Galatians 6:8 "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
This is just one more way to say that our flesh desires to sin and our spirit desires to please God.
Romans 8:7 "Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."
This very statement is why mind control is so bad.
The mind, that is not given over to the Lord Jesus Christ, truly can have power, but it is from the wrong source.
Mind power tells us that we have the power within ourselves to bring miracles about.
It really is saying we don’t need God, we can do it ourselves.
The unbeliever’s problem is much deeper than acts of disobedience, which are merely outward manifestations of inner fleshly compulsions.
His basic inclinations and orientation toward gratifying himself, however outwardly religious or moral he may appear, are directly hostile to God.
Even the good deeds unbelievers perform are not truly a fulfillment of God’s law, because they are produced by the flesh, for selfish reasons, and from a heart that is in rebellion.
Romans 8:8 "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
The flesh desires things of this earth, but the spirit is stayed upon God's will in our lives.
Read (1 Corinthians 15:35), to really understand about the spirit man who lives on when the flesh dies.
The flesh and its desires must die so that the spirit man can live.
Romans 8:9 "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
“Dwell” refers to being in one’s own home.
The Spirit of God makes His home in every person who trusts in Jesus Christ.
When there is no evidence of His presence by the fruit He produces through us, a person has no legitimate claim to Christ as Savior and Lord.
Galatians 2:20 says it all: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
This Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of the risen Christ (The Holy Spirit of God).
He is both our teacher and our guide.
Romans Chapter 8 Questions
Who is there no condemnation for?
How are the uncondemned to walk?
What is a fallacy that is being taught about this very thing?
In 1 Peter 1:15, we are told to be ______ even as he is _______.
2 Corinthians 5:7 says, we walk by _______not by _______.
What has made me free from the law of sin and death?
What advice is given us in Gal. 5:1?
Who brought death to all mankind?
Who brought life for all mankind who will accept it?
In verse 3, we find that the law was weak, how?
In 1 Peter chapter 2, what do we find that Jesus did for us on that cross?
In verse 4, how should Christians walk?
Verse 5 tells us that those after the flesh regard what?
In Titus 2:14 Christians are called what kind of people?
What wonderful things are Christians called in 1 Peter 2:9?
Verse 6 says to be carnally minded is ___________.
What 2 things does being spiritually minded bring?
The carnal mind is ________ against God.
Why is mind control so bad?
What Scripture tells us that Christians have the mind of Christ?
What did Jesus say was the number one commandment?
Who cannot please God in verse 8?
How can we be in the spirit in verse 9?
What do we find is necessary to be walking with Christ in Galatians 2:20?