Romans 8 is one of the highest mountains in range of Scripture, packed full of power, encouragement and instruction for the follower of Jesus. I’d like to spend this week and next week focusing on what we’re told about there about the disciple and the Spirit.
1. As God’s new creation, we are characterized by life in the Spirit (v. 9-11). Paul has spoken of the Spirit just 4 x’s in the first 7 chapters, but he mentions Him 22 x’s in Romans 8—he’s clearly trying to tell us something!
The same Spirit that was “hovering over the waters” in Genesis 1:2 and being used by God to bring light and life to our planet is doing the same thing for us. Listen to what Paul has to say:
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. (v. 9-10)
We have life now through the Spirit, but He will also be involved in our coming glorification through the resurrection of our bodies.
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (v. 11)
2. We have an obligation to the Spirit (v. 12-13).
Therefore, brothers
and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is
not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (v. 12-13)
Since we receive life from the Spirit, we have an obligation to live life through the Spirit. Especially helpful is his statement that “if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” I know of nothing more helpful when struggling with
a sin, than to ask God, through the Spirit, to help us put it to death.
This not only provides us with the power we need—it’s the correct process. Too many times, we focus on changing the behavior (i.e., treating the symptom) and ignore the root cause of that behavior—a sinful attitude or heart. “Putting to death” steers us toward dealing with both the fruit and root of our sin.
If we can enlist the Spirit’s aid in putting to death the misdeeds of the body, does it make sense to do anything else? If you want to put a sin in your rear-view mirror—this is how you do it!
Next week: Life in the spirit (Part 2)
Find more of Bruce’s writings at his website: a-taste-of-grace-with- bruce-green.com.