0The Apostle Paul wrote to 1st-century Jewish and Gentile Christians living in
Rome to establish and strengthen the faith of those believers (cf. Romans 1:12-15).
Romans 8:1-8 is a beloved passage of “Living Life in the Spirit.” Paul mentions “Spirit”
five times in verses 2, 4, 5, and 6, and that word references the Holy Spirit.1 He writes
in Romans 8:1-2 that believers are liberated from condemnation because the Spirit of
Life which is the Holy Spirit through Christ has liberated them from the law of sin and
death. Those who trusted in Christ were liberated from the condemnation of eternal
punishment due to the original sin in every human being on the planet which originated
from Adam.
000000 God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and condemned sin through His
Son’s body, which only God could do because of sin rendering humanity inept to fulfill
God’s law in vv. 3-4. Finally, vv. 5-8 speaks to two groups categorized under the
dominance of the “Spirit” or the “Flesh”. Those under the “Spirit” are believers in
Christ and are indwelt by the Spirit of God, set their minds on the values of the Spirit,
and have life and peace eternal, and those under the “Flesh” are nonbelievers and void
of the Spirit of God and retain their sinful nature and their minds are on the desires of
the sinful nature, possess death eternal. Today, humanity is still divided into two
groups, “Spirit” and “Flesh” believers and nonbelievers which Paul referenced many
centuries ago in this pericope. In terms of the word sárx or flesh, this is not to be
thought of as one’s physical body, in vv. 5,8, but relating to the sinful nature which
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1. Cranfield, C. E. B., & Sanday, W. (William). (1975). A critical and exegetical
commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Vol.1. 6th ed.. T. & T. Clark Limited, 371.
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is unable to please God v.8. The Holy Spirit, who is also the Spirit of Truth (cf. John
14:17;15:26; 16:13), leads believers into the truth of God’s word as they participate
with him through their obedience to the word of God. When one listens and obeys the
Spirit one lives in life and peace v.6, but for Christians to return to the sin they were
once delivered from is a deliberate choice (cf. James 1:13-15). Living life in the Spirit is
living a life aligned with God’s word. Christians should practice the things pleasing to
God like praying not to enter temptations (cf. Matthew 26:41) and studying and
meditating on God’s word (cf. 2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 1:2).
Applying these practices regularly like prayer, studying and meditating on
God’s word, and attending a local fellowship will help strengthen the faith of Christians
to obey the Spirit. Christians attending a local fellowship receive a regiment of biblical
instruction and form accountability for their actions because fellow believers provide
strength through prayer and testimonials. This practice is scripturally based (cf.
Hebrews 10:25). Believers are not condemned and should not live life like those
condemned because the Holy Spirit transforms the lives of believers through the word
of God to have life and peace! This truth is timeless and just as relevant today as it was
in Paul’s time regardless of what a Christian may face in life.
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