Bible Studies

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Holy Father, we humble our hearts before you. We want to understand your plan of salvation. We want to live in line with your plan of salvation, through the infinitely powerful Holy Spirit who dwells within us as born-again Christians. We pray in the mighty, holy name of Jesus. Amen!

We have the great privilege to turn back to Romans chapter 8. These verses are quite important to help us understand righteousness, holiness, and the victory over sin. I know that every sincere born-again Christian wants to live in the will of God, with the victory over all sin. What I am sharing is good news, very good news!

I always quote from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 edition, unless I mention otherwise. I frequently make comments in the middle of quotations using brackets [ ] or [[ ]] to make the brackets more obvious.

Romans 8:5, "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [["Those who are according to the flesh" are the ones who have not been born again through the Lord Jesus Christ. I'll quote Rom. 8:9, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ [the Holy Spirit], he does not belong to Him." I somewhat prefer the translation, "For those who are according to the flesh think the ways of the flesh." Thinking the ways of the flesh includes having wrong ideas about God and salvation; wrong attitudes; wrong motives; wrong priorities; and wrong desires. "Those who are according to the flesh think the ways of the flesh," and the end result is sin, and more sin.]], but those who are according to the Spirit [the Holy Spirit], the things of the Spirit [or, the ways of the Spirit]." That is, those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit are enabled (and required) to think the ways of the Spirit. As we submit to the Word of God and walk by the Spirit of God, we will think right, and we will live in accordance with God's will, in His righteousness and holiness.

It is important for us to understand that our most important thinking takes place in our heart (in the inner man), not in our head. For one thing, faith is of the heart. Those who think the ways of the flesh will live in sin, but those who think the ways of the Holy Spirit will live in the righteousness of God. Born-again Christians do not automatically think the ways of the Holy Spirit or walk by the Holy Spirit, but we are enabled, and required, and privileged, to think by the Spirit and walk by the Spirit on a continuous basis by grace through faith.

Romans 8:6, "For the mind set on the flesh is death [or, "For the way of the thinking of the flesh is death." The way of thinking of the flesh brings sin, and sin brings death, ultimately the second death, the lake of fire, eternal separation from God and everything that is good.], but the mind set on the Spirit [or, the way of thinking of the Spirit] is life and peace." When we think the ways of the Holy Spirit, which is part of our walking by the Holy Spirit, we walk in the righteousness of God, which enables us to maintain a life-flowing relationship with Him, and ultimately we will inherit the fullness of eternal life and the glory of heaven. It also enables us to have peace with God. As the next verse shows, we certainly cannot have peace with God while we are hostile toward Him and living in rebellion against Him and His moral law, against His divine order.

Romans 8:7, "because the mind set on the flesh [or, the way of thinking of the flesh] is hostile toward God [Why?]; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so." Man in the flesh, man in spiritual death is hostile toward God and His laws. As Romans chapter 6, for example, shows, man in the flesh is a slave of sin. We cannot have peace with God while we are rebelling against Him and His divine order. The apostle Paul frequently makes the point that man in the flesh, man in spiritual death, does not have the ability to fully keep God's Law. But Paul also had the good news to proclaim, that God has solved the spiritual death, bondage to sin problem in the Sacrifice of His Son.

Born-again Christians are no longer under the authority of spiritual death, sin, or Satan and his demons. We are forgiven through the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are indwelled by the infinite Spirit of God, who imparts God's life, righteousness, and holiness to us, as we walk by the Spirit through faith. It is very obvious that Christians must not think the ways of the flesh any longer; we are enabled, and required, to think by the Holy Spirit and to live by the Holy Spirit on a continuous basis.

Romans 8:8, "and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." They cannot please God because they are hostile toward Him, as verse 7 says. They are living in rebellion against Him and His commandments.

Romans 8:9, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you [The apostle Paul is speaking of the Holy Spirit dwelling in Christians from the time they become born-again Christians.]. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ [the Holy Spirit], he does not belong to Him." That is, he does not belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is not a true Christian. To confirm that the "Spirit of Christ" is the Holy Spirit, see Acts 16:7; Gal. 4:6; Phil. 1:19; and 1 Pet. 1:11.

Romans 8:10. This verse is a little difficult, but the overall meaning is clear enough, and I believe I understand the details too. We'll get into the details here. I'll read the verse before we get into the details of the verse, "If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive [or better, "the Spirit is life"] because of righteousness." "If Christ is in you [Many verses show that Christ is in all born-again Christians, and we are in Him (by the Holy Spirit)], though the body is dead [[It is very clear that the apostle does not mean that our physical body is dead. The bottom line of what Paul means here is that it is still all-too-easy for born-again Christians to walk in the flesh and to sin. It is all-too-easy for born-again Christians to walk after the flesh and do the sinful works of the flesh. But Paul warned Christians that they must not do the sinful works of the flesh in Gal. 5:19-21. And in Rom. 8:13 he warned Christians that they must not do the sinful works of the body, which means the same thing as doing the sinful works of the flesh.

Born-again Christians still have the all-to-real potential to walk by the flesh because our salvation isn't complete yet. And a continuous walk by the Holy Spirit doesn't come automatically when we become born-again Christians. In Rom. 8:23, for example, the apostle speaks of the fact that our bodies haven't been redeemed yet. In other words, we haven't been glorified yet. In Rom. 8:11 Paul speaks of the fact that God will give life to our mortal bodies at the end of this age. Now we have mortal bodies, bodies that will die if the Lord doesn't come first, bodies that haven't been fully redeemed yet; but after we have been glorified, we won't have mortal bodies. After we are glorified, the old man will be annihilated, and we won't have the all-too-real potential to walk after the flesh and to sin. It is important to understand though that the sin problem does not center in the physical body. As Jesus taught us in Mark chapter 7, for example, sin is of the heart. But the body can lend itself to sin, and demons can work through the physical body.

We Christians must understand that the flesh (the old man) still wants to manifest itself in sin, and it has the help of the world and the demons. We must be strongly motivated to always walk by the Holy Spirit by faith, so we won't sin. As I have mentioned, when we become Christians we sign a contract (so to speak), agreeing (for one thing) to always walk by the Holy Spirit. Isn't that what we want? Isn't it good news to know that we can always walk by the Holy Spirit and not sin? The Holy Spirit always enables us to walk in line with the Word of God. (continuing to quote Rom. 8:10)]] because of sin [[What does Paul mean by the words, "because of sin." He means that mankind died spiritually and is "in the flesh" because of the sin of Adam. See Romans chapter 5, where Paul discussed the fact that death (both spiritual death and physical death) and bondage to sin came upon mankind because of the sin of Adam. I'll read a key verse from Romans chapter 5 in a minute to demonstrate this important point. We have been born again, but (as I mentioned) we aren't fully redeemed yet, and we still have the all-too-real potential to walk in the flesh and to sin, even though sinning goes against what Christianity is all about.]], yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness." I don't agree with the translation "the spirit is alive." I believe the King James Version and the New King James Version translate the Greek in the sense intended by the apostle Paul and the One who sent him. They translate "the Spirit is life," (the capital "S" refers to the Holy Spirit).

Now we'll discuss the meaning of the words "yet the Spirit [the Holy Spirit] is life because of righteousness." Earlier in this verse the apostle said, "If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin [because of Adam's sin]," now he says "yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness." These last words mean that we Christians have the Spirit of life dwelling in us (and power over sin) because of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS CONTRASTED WITH THE SIN OF ADAM. His righteousness here refers to His atoning death, where He dethroned spiritual death and sin and earned the right for us to receive the Holy Spirit of life and to walk with the victory over all sin.

I'll quote Rom. 5:18 where the apostle Paul speaks of the one transgression of Adam that resulted in the spiritual death and bondage to sin of mankind, and of the one act of righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ (the last Adam) that set us free from spiritual death and bondage to sin, and eventually takes us to eternal glory, to a place very much higher than what Adam had before the fall. "So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men [a condemnation that included spiritual death and bondage to sin], even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men." We believers have the "justification of life." Spiritual death has been dethroned, and we participate in the very life of God as born-again Christians through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. And the Righteous, Holy Spirit enables us to walk in the very righteousness and holiness of God, with the victory over all sin, even though we still have the all-too-real potential to walk after the flesh (the old man) and to sin.

I'll quote verse 10 one more time, "If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness." The Spirit is life, but we must walk by the Righteous, Holy Spirit of life on a continuous basis to appropriate that life and the righteousness and holiness of God.

Romans 8:11, "But [or, And] if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you ["Him who raised Jesus from the dead" is God the Father. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit.], He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." God the Father will give life to our mortal bodies when He glorifies us at the end of this age. After we are glorified, we will not have the all-too-real potential to walk by the flesh (the old man) and to sin. When we are glorified we will leave the world, the flesh (the old man), and the devil behind. That sounds good doesn't it? Until then we must make it a top priority to always walk by the Holy Spirit by faith to keep the old man from manifesting itself in sin. Now our bodies are mortal bodies, but they are also temples of the Holy Spirit

I'll quote Rom. 6:12, which is another verse where the apostle mentioned our mortal body, "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts." I'll also quote what the apostle said in Rom. 13:14 and then Gal. 5:16, 24, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Gal. 5:16, "But I say, walk by the Spirit [the Holy Spirit], and you [most certainly] will not carry out the desire [the sinful desire] of the flesh [of the old man that still wants to live in sin]." And Gal. 5:24, "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh [the old man] with its passions and desires [with its sinful passions and desires]." Also, in Eph. 4:22 Paul exhorted his Christian readers to once-for-all and completely lay aside (or, to put off) the old man, and in Col. 3:9 he spoke of his readers having laid aside (or, having put off) the old man with its evil practices.

Let's go on to Rom. 8:12-14 which are super-important verses. Here the apostle Paul says that we are totally obligated to always walk by the Holy Spirit and keep the flesh (the old man) from manifesting itself in sin. According to the terms of God's new covenant, we are obligated to always walk by the Holy Spirit (by faith) and keep the flesh (the old man) from manifesting itself in sin. This isn't an optional matter, but this is good news! What God calls us to do, He enables us to do. God didn't say things like this to condemn us, but to transform us. His saving, sanctifying grace is sufficient, but that doesn't mean that it will always be easy. Anyway, we must aim at this target! And God provides forgiveness and restoration for Christians who fall into sin when they repent.

Romans 8:12, 13, "So then, brethren [Paul is speaking to born-again Christians.], we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh [We are under obligation to God and His covenant.] - (13) for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die [[To live according to the flesh, as we have seen, means to live in sin. If Christians give themselves back to their old master of sin, to live according to the flesh, they must die. (See Rom. 6:16, for example.) They become unbelievers. How much sin can we get by with and still be classified as believers? I'm sure that the apostle Paul would not like that question, especially if Christians are trying to make room to serve sin part of the time. We are called to always walk by the Holy Spirit and not make any room for sin. That is the Christian ideal, and we must aim at that target. Any sin, if it really is sin, is too much sin. The New Testament shows that true Christians can sin, but it also makes it clear that any sin is too much sin, and it powerfully warns Christians living in sin with the need to repent with top priority.

When we consider who Jesus is (God the Son, who condescended to become a man [though He was much more than just a man] and who condescended to die for us, bearing our sins with the guilt and the penalties [including the major penalties of spiritual death and bondage to sin], and that He was raised from the dead on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, and that God hates sin), it would be totally shocking if God's saving grace in Christ Jesus was not sufficient to overthrow sin and give us the full victory over sin.

"For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die." If we turn from God and His righteousness and do not walk by His Spirit by faith, we turn back into spiritual death, and we will not have a place in His eternal kingdom.]]; but if by the Spirit [the Holy Spirit] you are putting to death the deeds [or, works] of the body, you will live." We will live in the sense that we maintain the spiritual life that we have as born-again Christians, and we will inherit the fullness of eternal life at the end of this age. To put to death the sinful works of the body means to keep the flesh (the old man) from manifesting itself in sin. The sinful "works of the body" here is the same thing as the sinful "works of the flesh" of Gal. 5:19-21, which equals all sin, and not just sins especially associated with the physical body. And the apostle warned his Christian readers in Gal. 5:21 (as he had forewarned them) "that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God

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