The eighth chapter of Romans stands in the closest connection with the two preceding chapters, and can be understood only in this connection. The wonderful statement of verse 1 ("no condemnation") is based on the deliverance of 7:25 ("Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.") which in turn refers to 6:14 ("For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace").

      He is speaking here only of those who are "in Christ Jesus." These share in His death, burial, resurrection (6:3, 4, 11). These have eternal life in Him (6:23). These are made dead to the law, and joined to Him who was raised from the dead (7:4). By virtue of His death for them, those who are in Christ are dead to sin, their old man being crucified with Him (6:3, 6) and are therefore no longer in bondage (6:6)--delivered "out of the body of this death" (7:24). All these are statements made concerning them that are "in Christ Jesus." For them, therefore, there is no condemnation. (The qualifying expression "who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit" belongs to verse 4 only.)

      Romans 8:2 further sets forth the reason why for the man who is in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation. It is because the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made him free from the law of sin and death.

      Much confusion has been caused by misapprehension of the terms "law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus"; and "the law of sin and of death". Some have thought that the latter meant the old Law (which is spoken of in vs. 3, 4)--and that we are made free from the same, and are now living under the new law, viz. the teaching of the New Testament. That misses the whole meaning. In the first place "the law of sin and death" is not God's law. How could that be called the law of sin"? It had nothing to do with sin, but to reveal it, and to condemn it. Thus it brought death to a man, because the law was spiritual and man was "carnal, sold under sin," and the sin in the flesh thus worked death to him through the law. But the Law was unto life (7:10) and was "holy, righteous, and good" (7:12). God's good Law is not to be called a "law of sin and of death." The law of God is that in which Paul delighted after the inward man; but "the law of sin" was that which worked in his members, and brought him into captivity and death (7:22, 23). That was not a "law" in the sense of a code of precepts and commandments, but an operating force, an inward power that pulled him down, just as we speak of the "law of gravitation." Likewise, "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," is here not a code of teaching to regulate our conduct, but the inward power of the Holy Spirit, operating as the power of the new life which we have in Christ Jesus which is due to the Spirit. Its upward pull is more powerful than the downward pull of "the law of sin which is in my members," and thus it sets us free from the latter--comparable to the engine-power of an airplane, or the life-power in a bird, which overcomes the downward [35] pull of gravitation, so as to enable them to rise against it.

      The sense of verse 3 is made clearer if we enclose in parenthesis the words "what the law could not (to in that it was weak through the flesh", which is simply an explanation thrown in. The main statement then reads, "For . . . God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." On "His own Son," compare v. 32, and John 5:18. He was not "sinful flesh" (comp. 7:18), but came in the likeness of sinful flesh. He was truly man; but not man as vitiated by Adamic sin: He was normal man. Sinful man is abnormal. In all points however which constitute manhood He was made like us (Heb. 2:17). And He was sent "for sin"--that is an offering for sin. (I John 2:2). His perfect sinlessness made that possible, for the sin offering must ever be "without blemish." (Cp. Heb. 9:14.) The death which He suffered was for the expiation of sin (I John 4:10). Our sins were laid upon Him, and he bore them in his own body on the tree (Isa. 53:6; I Peter 2:24). Thus in Him, in His flesh, was the sentence of condemnation upon sin, executed. This is the sense of the expression "condemned sin in the flesh." The sin in our flesh received its appropriate sentence in His sinless flesh, when He took our place. The law could not thus slay sin; but He could and did.

      Finally, in v. 4--the object and purpose of this: "that the ordinance [or requirement] of the law might be fulfilled in its, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit"--that is that the practical righteousness and goodness which the law requires (see Matt. 22:37-40) might be manifest in our lives. This is true in the case of everyone who walks after the Spirit; and of every Christian to the extent that his life is controlled by the Spirit. (Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:22, 23).

      Some may question whether here, and in verse 5, the Holy Spirit is meant or our own new spiritual nature (cp. 7:6); but in verses 9, 11 and 13-16 there can be no doubt. Either way--"the flesh" represents that old nature which is incurably, unalterably wrong: and the spirit (or, Spirit) that which in its is always and only right and good, whether it be the new nature, or the indwelling Spirit Himself. The quality of the life and the destiny depends on whichever controls. The child of God is no longer under obligation to obey the mandates of the flesh (if nevertheless he still prefers to do so he must die)--but he now can avail himself of a Power by which he can put to death the deeds of the body (comp. Col. 3:5f.) and to do this is for him the way of life (vs. 6, 12, 13). The man who is "in the flesh"--the fleshly man--cannot please God. Nothing that is done by the impulse, and motive, and in, the energy of the flesh is acceptable to God, however good such work and worship may seem in the eyes of men. Who are they that are "in the flesh"? In one sense all living human beings live in the flesh (Gal. 2:20). But the man "in the flesh" here spoken of is "the natural man," man as he is by birth. The "spiritual man" is contrasted with the "natural" man in 1 Cor. 2:14, 15. Those who are "in the flesh" are those who are governed by fleshly reason, motives, desires, ideals. He is the man who has never been "born again," the unregenerate man. He can do nothing that is pleasing to God. [36]

      Yet an exception must be made here. If such a fleshly man acts by faith in God's word, however feeble such faith may be--it is a step in the right direction. It often happens that an unregenerate person shows kindness to one of Christ's servants, because he is one of Christ's; or to the church because they are Christ's people. Anything done by such motive the Lord regards (Matt. 10:40-42). But the general truth stands: "They that are in the flesh cannot please God." "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit," the apostle goes on to say, "if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." Here then runs the real dividing line between the people of God and unsaved humanity: "If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:8, 9).

      Note that "the Spirit of Christ" here does not mean a "Christlike disposition," though it is often used so; but the Holy Spirit Himself. And in verse 10 the term "Christ in you" is synonymous with "the Spirit of God" and "the Spirit of Christ" in v. 9; as is also "the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead," in v. 11.

      Now if Christ dwells in you by the Holy Spirit, though the body is still under the power of death (awaiting its redemption, Rom. 8:23) the spirit has life through the righteousness of Christ which is imparted to you. But the same Spirit of God, by which God raised Christ from the dead will also impart life to our mortal bodies, through His Spirit that dwelleth in us.

      Men in the flesh naturally walk by the flesh (Eph. 2:3). The Christian has been delivered from the flesh--its power and dominion. But it happens sometimes (too often) that he acts by the impulse of the flesh (verses 4, 12). Now if we live after the flesh--there is but one terminus to that--death. Time was when we could not have done anything else; but now we are no longer under any such obligation. We are no longer "debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh"; but by the Spirit that dwelleth in us we are now able to "put to death the deeds of the body." (See vs. 5-8 and Gal. 5:16-24.)

      How many "laws" spoken of in Rom. 8:2, 3? What is "the law of sin and death"? What "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus"? How does the law of the Spirit of life set us free from the law of sin and death? Why was the Law "weak"? What did God do in view of the weakness of the Law? What is the aim and object of all that? (v. 4). What is the result if the flesh controls us? How are the deeds of the body to be controlled? (v. 13). (Note how the expressions "the Spirit of God dwelleth in you"; having "the Spirit of Christ"; "Christ in you"; and "the Spirit of him that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you"; and "his Spirit that dwelleth in you," are used interchangeably. These all evidently refer to one and the same thing.) What is said of those "who are in the flesh" in v. 8? Who are "not in the flesh"? Where does the line run between Christ's people and the unsaved man? What is said of the Christian's body and spirit in v. 11. How, and when, will life be given to our mortal bodies? Is the Christian under obligation to follow the impulses of the flesh? If he does--what is the end of that? How does he overcome? [37]

[LOR2 35-37]