I. TEXT: Romans 8:5-17
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. 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. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
II. Study Question
1. What is the major theme of the Romans 8?
2. What is the consequence of being “carnally minded?”
3. Why the death and resurrection of Jesus essential to the lives of believers?
Paul has concluded his previous thoughts on the limitation of the law, as he previously said, “For what the law could not do,” (v. 3) Christ fulfilled the limitation of the law. Now, Paul sets out to continue with his writing to convince his readers with what the life with Christ through the Holy Spirit looks like in our daily lives.
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.
One of the major themes of Chapter 8 is the contrast between Flesh and Spirit – the weakness of the flesh vs. power and endowment from the Holy Spirit. In this verse, Paul begins his thoughts with the opposition between the flesh against Spirit and vice versa. The main point of the Paul’s explanation of the flesh is about our Adamic nature, equivalent to the sinful flesh, opposing the Spirit and the righteousness of God. Here, Paul dismisses an idea of the spiritual misconception that the post-regeneration (or post salvation) somehow guarantees a perfection without regarding the former nature of flesh. As Christians, we merely start our process of sanctification, in hopes of the glorification with Christ. Our lives on the earth as the Christians signifies our entrance to the battleground; we no longer sit back and watch the battle from a distance but rather, as soldiers, enter into the battle against a most fierce and destructive enemy and his domain. However, we do not enter this battle alone but with Holy Spirit, the most powerful force in the heaven. When we live according to the Spirit, we are no longer slaves to our flesh, but slaves to the righteousness.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
What is “carnally minded?” This means individuals who are operating solely based on their fleshly desires alone – intentionally for those who know the law and with ignorance for those who do not know the law. The best explanation that I have found in the Scripture is written in 1 John 2:16,
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (NASB)
What is the result of being “carnally minded?” The scripture clearly uses the term, death. As he stated in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death”, the result of sin that leads to death is one of the most repeated themes of Paul in Romans. On the contrary, he also states about being spiritually minded and living by the Word of God result in life and peace. The state of mind in the life of each believer is what Paul pursues as he concludes with his final verdict in Romans 12:2,
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (NKJV)
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
As for those who came to know God, you cannot live double life, one with God and another with the world. It is impossible to justify our daily living as we please both our carnal selves and God. Can you live a double life, married both to the world and God? In the analogy of marriage, can you be married to your spouse while having extramarital relationship outside of your marriage? Would that be considered as a healthy marriage? Since we are married to Christ, we are to be faithful to the One who saved us from our previous lives which is death.
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
It is simply impossible to live in the flesh (carnally) and while trying to please God. Why? Because the flesh opposes the Spirit of God. We cannot continually live and sin while we somehow deceive ourselves that we can please God by doing socially-accepted good works. This, while us continuing to live in sin, includes attending church services, bible study, and even serves the church and congregation. We must not be deceived to believe that our good works will outweigh our sins. We already dealt with this in the previous chapters (limitation of law and works).
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.
Now, we no longer live according to the flesh, but according the the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit of God that separates believers and non-believers. I would go one step further by separating legitimate Christians from nominal Christians. We are to live by the Spirit of God. This means our lives must match our Savior and His Word. This does not means that there would not be times when we the believers would be tempted by the sin and the fleshly lusts, but we are to trust God in those moments to ask Him for help and rely on Holy Spirit.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Here, Paul’s statement begins with “If.” It is a conditional statement that leads us to question whether we live in Christ or not. If Christ is in us, this is a great news and a promising statement. On the other hand, if Christ is not in us, it is no longer a promise but great warning. When Christ is in us, we no longer live according to our flesh but according to God since we are dead to the body but live in Spirit through Christ.
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.
This is why the death and resurrection of Jesus is essential to the lives of believers. Let me ask you two questions:
- Do you believe Jesus died on the Cross for our sins?
- Do you believe Jesus was buried and resurrected on the third day?
If your answers are “yes” for both questions, Romans 8:11 is a great news. However, if your answers are either “maybe” or “no” in any of above questions, Romans 8:11 doesn’t mean much at all. Let me explain. Christianity is based on the finished work of Christ. First, because Jesus died on the cross, Christ paid the debt of sin through substitutionary atonement which guarantees our justification by faith. And second, because Jesus was buried and resurrected, He single handedly defeated death, the greatest enemy since the fall of Adam. Through the resurrection of Christ, we are guaranteed our eternal lives.
Now, consider what Paul says to those who believe in Christ. The same Spirit that raised Christ from death, is now working in us to endow us the life to our physical body to ensure that we live unto God. This means that we do not have to live according to our sinful passions or fleshly lusts, but to live a life unto God, the life that is saved and should be dedicated to Him for His purpose on the earth. The Spirit is now at work in us in order to conform us to the image of God. What a great news!
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
We are no longer to live according to our flesh. We have been saved by God so that we no longer live by the flesh but by the Spirit of the Living God. Our living God granted us a new life. Therefore, the life should be dedicated unto Him and His purpose on the earth in order to exemplify Him to those who do not know or have encountered Him.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
I believe Paul is directing this statement to those who believe in Christ, that we cannot live any longer in fleshly ways but through the Spirit. Through the Spirit means to live in line with the Spirit of God, not based on our feelings or what we presumption about what is right or wrong, but by the Spirit of God within the boundary of His Divine Word, the Scriptures or Bible. How could one possibly live with the Spirit of God while neglecting the Word of God? Would the Spirit of God contradict the Word of God? By no means! The Spirit will not contradict the Word of Christ as Christ did not contradict the Father God of heaven. We must be careful to discern what is from the Spirit and what is not through God’s Word.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
We are the children of God, those who are led by the Spirit of God and not by the flesh. Did you catch it? Paul, as he led up to this point, attempted to convince his readers the contrast of living by the flesh vs. Spirit. He does not stop with this concept but further adds the fact that being the children of God means living by the Spirit of God. Living by the flesh contradicts the life of believer and, consequently, leads to compromising their right to be children of God with empty carnal pleasures.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
We are adopted to the Father God of heaven. We no longer live based on our previous carnal states, or rules that oppose God and His righteousness. Rather, now that we are adopted to God in heaven, we live by His Word and righteousness. Whichever ways we lived previously, they no longer apply to us since we have Father who have given us His Spirit to live by the Spirit rather than by our flesh.
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Not only we are children of God but we are also joint heirs with Christ. Therefore, we no longer will be held as hostages against death of Satan. But, through Christ, we experience the resurrection and promise of eternal life with God forever and ever.
JY
City Life Starter 
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