But if the Spirit of Him raising Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one raising Christ Jesus from the dead will also make alive your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.*
The writing of Paul in Romans 8 is amazing scripture and when we examine it close to its original Greek we have better understanding to its meaning. Paul is talking about how we either exist in the flesh or in the Spirit. If we exist in Christ, we are born of God, and exist in the Spirit, thus the same Spirit that raised Jesus lives in us, raising us up into newness of Life. It is a great promise for the child of God. Like being righteous we exist in the Spirit, not in the flesh, thus our true nature as the child of God. Those who come to the Son, who consider the Son, those drawn by the Spirit and who believe will be raised into Life.*
The mind of the flesh is death, the mind of the Spirit is Life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God, it does not submit to the law of God, not having power. Those existing in the flesh have no power, not able to please God. *
Some translations add "to set the mind on the flesh" and "those controlled by the flesh" but this wording is incorrect because it implies that in renewing I have to "set the mind," or "control" the mind, but the whole point is that you have no power to do so, it is God's power doing the transformation and renewing. Our only part is to abide in the Word and Spirit of Life, Bread and living water. This part is not an easy task because the carnal is hostile and will make every excuse not to read the Bible, even doing many mighty works in the name of Jesus bypassing this reasonable service of being sanctified in truth.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.*
Some translations add to this verse "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit," this added text leads to the idea that a child of God can walk in the flesh and there is condemnation if they do. In Christ I am dead to sin, my true nature is that of Christ so we see this core concept that one either exists in Christ, in the Spirit, or one exists in the flesh. The idea Paul is trying to get across is that if we exist in Christ our true nature is that of the Spirit. Does this mean the child of God can not sin? Of course not, he exists in a corrupt body, but sin is not counted against the child of God, his sins have been cast into the sea, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses him from all sin. The child stands before God, the Just Judge, not judged and condemned but justified by the blood of Jesus and further having received a Spirit of Adoption whereby he cries Daddy Father.
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead through sin, the Spirit is life through righteousness.*
We receive righteousness in Christ, it is a gift received by faith in Christ. This righteousness is according to grace because it is not by my works but by the works of Christ that I am justified and made righteous. Righteousness is sown in peace, as the gospel is prepared in peace, and the fruit of righteousness, those things of faith, trust, assurance, confidence, rest, these lead the child of God into sanctification which end is Life. The Spirit is Life because of righteousness, as the Spirit guides us into truth, produces fruit, teaches us to abide in Him, thus the Spirit leads us into Life, through sanctification. We are made alive in Christ Jesus and we are being raised up in Christ. Condemnation, fear, worry, anxiety, these things are like weeds choking out a plant. Righteousness must be sown and prepared in the fruit of the Spirit, which there are no laws against.
also laying aside any impediment and the sin easily distracting, run with endurance the race placed before us.*
There is no condemnation in Christ but the child of God can be weighed, held captive by evil forces. Another way to look at this is that we are being raised up in Christ, and there is weight that holds us down, countering the work of the Spirit of Life who is raising us up. It is a profound truth. One can't eat from the table of God and from the table of demons, so for the child of God this would be a wretched state, to be in Christ but held down by sin. It is truth the child of God has a carnal mind and must be fed spiritual milk until he grows up, and it is true evil easily captivates through the carnal mind. The kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking and as Jesus said it is not what goes in that defiles a person but what comes from within. However, as Paul writes there are exceptions; sexual immorality and eating meat sacrificed to demons. Partaking from the altar of demons, is not a defiling by eating pork but that there is demonic activity that would enslave the weak in faith. Paul writes sexual immorality is unlike other sin, it is inward, and if Christ is in you it is like pairing Christ with a prostitute. Surely it is partaking from the table of God and from the table of demons, being held captive by evil forces.
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.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, then heirs...*
Not only do we receive a spirit of adoption, we are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. And as Paul writes in Romans 5 we receive abundant grace and the gift of righteousness. In Romans 5:1 he says we have peace with God because of Christ and then in 5:2 we have access to this grace in which we stand by faith. Jesus is a propitiation for our sins and so I'm not under condemnation in Christ because Jesus took my place before the Just Judge dying in my place and by His stripes I am healed. We know that famous verse that God so loved the world but do we know he came not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved? Paul writes in Romans 8 what the law could not do God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh thus he condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets you frees from the law of sin and death.*
How does God save the world? The key is the gift of righteousness and the Spirit is Life because of righteousness, leading to sanctification. First we must understand this weakness in the flesh. Under the law God gave man his righteous requirements, it said this is a sin, so if you love me don't do these things; worship other gods, don't use my name in vain, and love your brother, don't sleep with his wife, don't murder him, don't covet his things... If you break these rules there are consequences, judgement, and condemnation. The Law had power in the fear of punishment, but the Law was spiritual and man carnal so the Law did not deter man from sinning because of this weakness of the flesh. Evil took opportunity through this weakness, through the carnal mind to bring man into captivity to sin. Sin abounded under the Law but where sin abounded grace over abounded. This was purposed by God, those under the Law were the vessels of His wrath so through them we become the vessels of His mercy.
Now the law came so that transgression abounded, yea, where sin abounded grace super-abounded.*
Jesus condemned sin because he took on sinful nature and lived an indestructible life and dying on the cross He was an atonement for sin, the Lamb of God who wipes away the sin of the world. We can debate whether God's wrath is on the world for sin but for sure God is not judging the believer who is in Christ, therefore there is no condemnation. So it's very important to realize this in Christ because the child of God under condemnation says there's something wrong, it's not God. God perfects us in love, though sometimes it is tough love and might seem like punishment, he disciplines those he loves and will go to extreme measures to free the child of God from bondage. This was the whole point of creation being subjected to futility not because Adam sinned, as evil existed in Satan before Adam, but in hope that we would be set free from bondage into the glorious Liberty of the children of God.
So that the creation itself is Liberated from the bondage of decay into the glorious liberty of the children of God.*
As a child of God you receive the gift of righteousness, you're a new creation in Christ Jesus, you're no longer defined by sinful nature and this is how God sees you. Jesus condemned sin in the flesh as he gives us righteousness, God's divine nature, inwardly. Now, we're still in this corrupt body but we have the power of God's Spirit within us to overcome sin. And this is the point that His grace is sufficient, because we are learning to walk in newness of life not in the letter of the law, the Spirit gives life but the letter kills. Death no longer has dominion over us, Christ gave us such victory, not under death, not under judgment, not under condemnation, not under the fear of punishment. It's important because these things will keep down the child of God, in captivity. The whole point is whether we walk in Liberty. I have God's Spirit within me, if I go back living in sin, specifically, sexual immorality, I'm partaking from the altar of demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.*
No one can be defiled by eating meat, so what defiled this child in faith? the meat was offered to demons which implies demonic activity. In this case the cause for stumbling was his brother who destroyed him by his knowledge. Sexual immorality is different Paul writes, it is an internal sin which holds many captive in the Church, it is a sin that enslaves and leads to death. One can only obey one master, so whatever one obeys he is a slave to. This intimacy is so deeply rooted, a joining of two bodies. This is why orphaned children easily succumb to sexual immorality, because they are abandoned, feeling unloved and often sexually abused they are easily taken captive to the deception that this is love. And it becomes habitual, addictive like a drug, and very difficult to overcome because the conscious becomes seared. There's also a spiritual side to it, if Christ is in you, the Spirit of God is in you, so it would be like pairing Christ with a prostitute. To commit sexual immorality is much like partaking of the altar of God and of demons. Evil can enslave the carnal mind child of God to sin, this is a wretched state.
So I find it to be a principle that I want to do good, evil is present in me. For I agree with the law of God, in my inner being.*
What is happening in Romans 7? A child of God is delighting inwardly in the laws of God. How can a nonbeliever delight inwardly in the laws of God? he can't. Prophesy foresaw that God would write his laws on our hearts and put His Spirit within us. Paul finds another principle that evil wars against the carnal mind bringing one into captivity to sin, so he's doing the things he doesn't want to do. This is the wretched state of the child of God, a slave to sin doing the things he hates and the things of God he finds not the power to do. Of course we read on as Paul writes to find God's laws in the mind acceptable, good, and pleasing he must be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Here we see the reasonable service in sanctification, putting off the old man, or in the teachings of baptism, "buried with him in baptism, also raised with him through faith, the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."* This presenting the body a living sacrifice, being transformed by the renewing of the mind, this sanctification has the outcome of Life.
Therefore what fruit having at the time from the things now ashamed of? for the end of those things is death, but now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its outcome is Life.*
We are not slaves but sons, and a son is set free. But because of the weakness of the flesh, Paul uses the terminology of being slaves. We are dead to sin and have become a slave to righteousness. You are indebted to righteousness, you're not controlled like a robot, it's not about setting your mind on principles of do not taste, touch, or handle as these have little value in overcoming the flesh. It is about setting your mind on abiding in the words of Jesus; abide in truth, know the truth, be set free. It is about existing in Christ and the Spirit is life because of righteousness. It is the fruit of righteousness that leads to sanctification and its outcome is Life. The Spirit helps us in our weakness as His power is being perfected in us. The outcome of sanctification is life, thus one has to go through refinement to get to Life. This is the concept of His workmanship and it is perfection in love, call it tough love but don't call it punishment, it is transformation into the glorious Liberty of the children of God. Our part is to abide in truth and in Love, and in the Spirit of Life. In our glorification God gets the glory when we come out the other end into Life. We have this hope and promise in us, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also raise us up, provided we suffer with Him.* Let us put aside all that so easily weighs us and be raised into Life.
Same Power
The mind of the flesh is death, the mind of the Spirit is Life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God, it does not submit to the law of God, not having power. Those existing in the flesh have no power, not able to please God. *
Some translations add "to set the mind on the flesh" and "those controlled by the flesh" but this wording is incorrect because it implies that in renewing I have to "set the mind," or "control" the mind, but the whole point is that you have no power to do so, it is God's power doing the transformation and renewing. Our only part is to abide in the Word and Spirit of Life, Bread and living water. This part is not an easy task because the carnal is hostile and will make every excuse not to read the Bible, even doing many mighty works in the name of Jesus bypassing this reasonable service of being sanctified in truth.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.*
Some translations add to this verse "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit," this added text leads to the idea that a child of God can walk in the flesh and there is condemnation if they do. In Christ I am dead to sin, my true nature is that of Christ so we see this core concept that one either exists in Christ, in the Spirit, or one exists in the flesh. The idea Paul is trying to get across is that if we exist in Christ our true nature is that of the Spirit. Does this mean the child of God can not sin? Of course not, he exists in a corrupt body, but sin is not counted against the child of God, his sins have been cast into the sea, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses him from all sin. The child stands before God, the Just Judge, not judged and condemned but justified by the blood of Jesus and further having received a Spirit of Adoption whereby he cries Daddy Father.
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead through sin, the Spirit is life through righteousness.*
We receive righteousness in Christ, it is a gift received by faith in Christ. This righteousness is according to grace because it is not by my works but by the works of Christ that I am justified and made righteous. Righteousness is sown in peace, as the gospel is prepared in peace, and the fruit of righteousness, those things of faith, trust, assurance, confidence, rest, these lead the child of God into sanctification which end is Life. The Spirit is Life because of righteousness, as the Spirit guides us into truth, produces fruit, teaches us to abide in Him, thus the Spirit leads us into Life, through sanctification. We are made alive in Christ Jesus and we are being raised up in Christ. Condemnation, fear, worry, anxiety, these things are like weeds choking out a plant. Righteousness must be sown and prepared in the fruit of the Spirit, which there are no laws against.
also laying aside any impediment and the sin easily distracting, run with endurance the race placed before us.*
There is no condemnation in Christ but the child of God can be weighed, held captive by evil forces. Another way to look at this is that we are being raised up in Christ, and there is weight that holds us down, countering the work of the Spirit of Life who is raising us up. It is a profound truth. One can't eat from the table of God and from the table of demons, so for the child of God this would be a wretched state, to be in Christ but held down by sin. It is truth the child of God has a carnal mind and must be fed spiritual milk until he grows up, and it is true evil easily captivates through the carnal mind. The kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking and as Jesus said it is not what goes in that defiles a person but what comes from within. However, as Paul writes there are exceptions; sexual immorality and eating meat sacrificed to demons. Partaking from the altar of demons, is not a defiling by eating pork but that there is demonic activity that would enslave the weak in faith. Paul writes sexual immorality is unlike other sin, it is inward, and if Christ is in you it is like pairing Christ with a prostitute. Surely it is partaking from the table of God and from the table of demons, being held captive by evil forces.
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.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, then heirs...*
Not only do we receive a spirit of adoption, we are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. And as Paul writes in Romans 5 we receive abundant grace and the gift of righteousness. In Romans 5:1 he says we have peace with God because of Christ and then in 5:2 we have access to this grace in which we stand by faith. Jesus is a propitiation for our sins and so I'm not under condemnation in Christ because Jesus took my place before the Just Judge dying in my place and by His stripes I am healed. We know that famous verse that God so loved the world but do we know he came not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved? Paul writes in Romans 8 what the law could not do God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh thus he condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets you frees from the law of sin and death.*
How does God save the world? The key is the gift of righteousness and the Spirit is Life because of righteousness, leading to sanctification. First we must understand this weakness in the flesh. Under the law God gave man his righteous requirements, it said this is a sin, so if you love me don't do these things; worship other gods, don't use my name in vain, and love your brother, don't sleep with his wife, don't murder him, don't covet his things... If you break these rules there are consequences, judgement, and condemnation. The Law had power in the fear of punishment, but the Law was spiritual and man carnal so the Law did not deter man from sinning because of this weakness of the flesh. Evil took opportunity through this weakness, through the carnal mind to bring man into captivity to sin. Sin abounded under the Law but where sin abounded grace over abounded. This was purposed by God, those under the Law were the vessels of His wrath so through them we become the vessels of His mercy.
Now the law came so that transgression abounded, yea, where sin abounded grace super-abounded.*
Jesus condemned sin because he took on sinful nature and lived an indestructible life and dying on the cross He was an atonement for sin, the Lamb of God who wipes away the sin of the world. We can debate whether God's wrath is on the world for sin but for sure God is not judging the believer who is in Christ, therefore there is no condemnation. So it's very important to realize this in Christ because the child of God under condemnation says there's something wrong, it's not God. God perfects us in love, though sometimes it is tough love and might seem like punishment, he disciplines those he loves and will go to extreme measures to free the child of God from bondage. This was the whole point of creation being subjected to futility not because Adam sinned, as evil existed in Satan before Adam, but in hope that we would be set free from bondage into the glorious Liberty of the children of God.
So that the creation itself is Liberated from the bondage of decay into the glorious liberty of the children of God.*
As a child of God you receive the gift of righteousness, you're a new creation in Christ Jesus, you're no longer defined by sinful nature and this is how God sees you. Jesus condemned sin in the flesh as he gives us righteousness, God's divine nature, inwardly. Now, we're still in this corrupt body but we have the power of God's Spirit within us to overcome sin. And this is the point that His grace is sufficient, because we are learning to walk in newness of life not in the letter of the law, the Spirit gives life but the letter kills. Death no longer has dominion over us, Christ gave us such victory, not under death, not under judgment, not under condemnation, not under the fear of punishment. It's important because these things will keep down the child of God, in captivity. The whole point is whether we walk in Liberty. I have God's Spirit within me, if I go back living in sin, specifically, sexual immorality, I'm partaking from the altar of demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.*
No one can be defiled by eating meat, so what defiled this child in faith? the meat was offered to demons which implies demonic activity. In this case the cause for stumbling was his brother who destroyed him by his knowledge. Sexual immorality is different Paul writes, it is an internal sin which holds many captive in the Church, it is a sin that enslaves and leads to death. One can only obey one master, so whatever one obeys he is a slave to. This intimacy is so deeply rooted, a joining of two bodies. This is why orphaned children easily succumb to sexual immorality, because they are abandoned, feeling unloved and often sexually abused they are easily taken captive to the deception that this is love. And it becomes habitual, addictive like a drug, and very difficult to overcome because the conscious becomes seared. There's also a spiritual side to it, if Christ is in you, the Spirit of God is in you, so it would be like pairing Christ with a prostitute. To commit sexual immorality is much like partaking of the altar of God and of demons. Evil can enslave the carnal mind child of God to sin, this is a wretched state.
So I find it to be a principle that I want to do good, evil is present in me. For I agree with the law of God, in my inner being.*
What is happening in Romans 7? A child of God is delighting inwardly in the laws of God. How can a nonbeliever delight inwardly in the laws of God? he can't. Prophesy foresaw that God would write his laws on our hearts and put His Spirit within us. Paul finds another principle that evil wars against the carnal mind bringing one into captivity to sin, so he's doing the things he doesn't want to do. This is the wretched state of the child of God, a slave to sin doing the things he hates and the things of God he finds not the power to do. Of course we read on as Paul writes to find God's laws in the mind acceptable, good, and pleasing he must be transformed by the renewing of the mind. Here we see the reasonable service in sanctification, putting off the old man, or in the teachings of baptism, "buried with him in baptism, also raised with him through faith, the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."* This presenting the body a living sacrifice, being transformed by the renewing of the mind, this sanctification has the outcome of Life.
Therefore what fruit having at the time from the things now ashamed of? for the end of those things is death, but now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its outcome is Life.*
We are not slaves but sons, and a son is set free. But because of the weakness of the flesh, Paul uses the terminology of being slaves. We are dead to sin and have become a slave to righteousness. You are indebted to righteousness, you're not controlled like a robot, it's not about setting your mind on principles of do not taste, touch, or handle as these have little value in overcoming the flesh. It is about setting your mind on abiding in the words of Jesus; abide in truth, know the truth, be set free. It is about existing in Christ and the Spirit is life because of righteousness. It is the fruit of righteousness that leads to sanctification and its outcome is Life. The Spirit helps us in our weakness as His power is being perfected in us. The outcome of sanctification is life, thus one has to go through refinement to get to Life. This is the concept of His workmanship and it is perfection in love, call it tough love but don't call it punishment, it is transformation into the glorious Liberty of the children of God. Our part is to abide in truth and in Love, and in the Spirit of Life. In our glorification God gets the glory when we come out the other end into Life. We have this hope and promise in us, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also raise us up, provided we suffer with Him.* Let us put aside all that so easily weighs us and be raised into Life.
Same Power