Lesson 17
R
omans 8: 1-11, no condemnation
V1, 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.
There is now no more condemnation to those who are in Christ because He had conquered sin and death on the cross and had condemned sin in the flesh. To be in Christ is to be a born again believer who had surrendered his/her life to Jesus Christ. Greek for condemnation is “katakrima” which means penalty or punishment. When Christ died on Good Friday, He said, it is finished. Greek for it is finished is “tetelastai’ which means paid in full. Christ paid our sin debt in full on Good Friday to purchase our salvation.
John 5: 24, NIV, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life’’.
VV 2-4, 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The law of the Holy Spirit sets us free from the law of sin and death. God did what the law could could not do, by sending Christ to die in the cross as a substitutionary atonement for our sin.
2 Cor 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”.
V 5 , For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Those who lived and walked in the flesh are dead and un-regenerated. Those who lived and walked in the Holy Spirit are born again and made alive in Christ.
VV 6-11, 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
To be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is life and peace. To be carnally minded is to be in enmity with God. To spiritually minded and in Christ is to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead and gave us eternal life. A person who is not filled by the Holy Spirit is not a Christian.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we claim the promise of the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit to sanctify and empower us to live and walk in the Spirit filled life in Christ, in Jesus’ name, Amen.