For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

Romans 8:1–11 – Romans: The Righteousness of God
Sixth Sunday of Easter  – May 14, 2023 (am)

We all know what it’s like to be facing some bad news that turns out to be not so bad after all. We’re at the end of a semester; our students know what that’s like. You’re fearing the grade that’s coming on this exam or in that class. But then when the report comes in, it turns out you did far better than you’d anticipated.

That’s an easy one, but it can get harder than that, can’t it? A strange lump shows up somewhere on your body and doesn’t soon go away. The doctor can’t identify it and orders a biopsy. And after a short season of waiting that feels like an eternity, you receive the call—all-clear.

We’re coming up on Memorial Day. Soldiers and their families know all about this. A plane that’s transporting your loved one goes off radar without warning in an unstable area. The word spreads quickly in the close-knit community. And the nearness to Memorial Day stands as a present reminder that these scenarios don’t always work out well. But then the plane lands safely at its appointed time and place and it ends up just being instrument issues.

We all know the relief and thankfulness and joy that comes when we’re fearing or just expecting bad news, then receive good news. But even the best among such scenarios as those can’t hold a candle to what we read here in Rom. as we transition from c.7 into c.8! Here, we’re under the condemnation of the law and hopeless based on any resources we possess, or even understand—the worst news we could ever imagine—yet we’re assured that we’ve been freed forever from all condemnation when our trust is in Christ, even though we continue to battle against sin in this life—the best news we could ever imagine! In fact, this news is beyond all imagining! Let’s look into it under three headings.

Freedom from Sin and Death in Christ – 1-4

Our title for today’s passage comes with its opening words. And the opening two sentences give us its theme as clearly as it could be stated. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. This is surely good news! And there’s likely only one question that might arise as we hear it: what is the law of the Spirit of life? As we’ve seen, Paul generally uses this word law (νόμος) to refer to the law of Moses, given at Sinai. But that just won’t work here. If we tried to suggest that somehow Paul is talking about the law of Moses being used by the Spirit to bring about life in us, then he’d be contradicting his very next statement ([Moo 2018 497] 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.).

Rather, we need to recall that we’ve also seen Paul use νόμος differently, to refer to power or binding authority; we saw this clearly back in c.3 ([Moo 2018 497] 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.).

It seems like Paul is using νόμος similarly here, and once again in contrast to the law of Moses. The actor in [this] situation is… the Spirit himself. It is God’s Spirit, coming to the believer with power and authority [to bring] liberation from the powers of the old age and from the condemnation that is the lot of all who are imprisoned by those powers (Moo 2018 498). 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. …

And more, the fact that 2 … the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of both sin and death points not primarily to either our justification or our sanctification or even to both together, but again to our transfer from the reign of Adam to the reign of Christ. As such, it significantly advances the discussion of cc.5-7 by introducing the Spirit as a key agent of liberation from the old realm of sin and death (Moo 2018 500) to the new realm of righteousness and life.

3 … By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, as we’ve seen since the middle of c.3, he condemned sin in the flesh. And He did so 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. This is the stunning reversal of the gospel! This tells us what we receive in place of the condemnation we escape by faith in Christ, and that is, the righteous requirement of the law [is] fulfilled in us—we’re granted the standing of having lived in perfect obedience to the law! As our substitute, [Jesus] satisfied the righteous requirement of the law, living a life of perfect submission to God. In laying upon him the condemnation due all of us (v.3b; see v.1), God also made it possible for the righteous obedience that [He] had earned to be transferred to us…—Christ becomes what we are so that we might become what [He] is (Moo 2018 506) (cf. 2Co.5:21).

So, our freedom from sin and death in Christ isn’t just the removal of our condemnation, restoring us to some spiritually neutral state. But it includes the removal of all our guilt before God such that we stand worthy of relationship with Him! So, Paul refers to all believers here as ones 4 … who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Some believe this means that the ministry of the Spirit in the lives of believers is to help them live according to the law. Others believe it means that Christ has met the demands of the law on behalf of all who believe. Either is possible. And nothing prevents both from being true. But I believe the latter is Paul’s main point. Those who are freed from the condemnation of sin by the work of the Spirit are empowered to live according to the values of the new age (Moo 2018 507) under Christ’s reign. Jesus did all this for us!

Freedom to Please God in the Spirit – 5-8

Paul gives his basis for this affirmation in the next verses, continuing on in the same vein, really. In short, he lays out a contrast between the life we have in the flesh and the life we’re given in the Spirit as we receive the saving work of Jesus by faith. Here in vv.5-8 the focus is more on what we’re freed from in order to walk by the Spirit—we’re freed from minds set on the things of the flesh and we’re granted minds set on the things of the Spirit (5). Our thinking, our focus, our aims, our priorities are reoriented by the Spirit to reflect the thinking, focus, aims, and priorities of Christ’s reign.

And that’s the notable difference right now between death on the one hand and life and peace on the other (6)—being hostile toward God vs. submitting to [Him] (7-8), saved vs. unsaved. Bottom line: 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God (cf. c.7).

If the Spirit Is in You, You Will Know this Freedom – 9-11

But those who are in the Spirit (9) can, and do—9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, you [belong] to the new age of righteousness and life (Moo 2018 512), if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. We need to pause here and understand what Paul means, how he’s defining being in the flesh as compared to being in the Spirit. And we get our clearest hint as v.8 moves into v.9. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit…. So, he’s not talking about those who aren’t walking in victory over sin as compared to those who are. He’s talking about those who’ve not trusted Christ as Savior as compared to those who have. So, when he gets to his if clause here (9), our proper response is not to begin inspecting our lives to see whether we’re saying no to sin consistently enough to prove that we’re in the Spirit, but to ask ourselves: have I placed my trust in the finished work of Jesus to deliver me from the condemnation of sin and the law? If yes, then the Spirit of God dwells in [me]. But if no, Paul clarifies: 9 … Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

10 But if Christ is in you, if you have trusted Him as Savior and Lord, although the body is dead because of sin, you’re still living in this realm of Adam; your body will die, the Spirit is life because of righteousness, you will inherit life, and everything else that Jesus has purchased for you and the Spirit has confirmed. How can you be so sure? 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Conclusion

You can be sure of that—as sure as the resurrection! This is the very plan and purpose of God to reconcile image-bearing rebels to Himself. And He’s enacted it at great Personal cost. So, surely you don’t have to worry that He won’t fulfill His plan to the praise of His glory! (cf. 31-39) And you don’t have to worry that your ongoing battle with sin in this life is somehow going to negate it, or neutralize it! Just press on in that battle to the praise of His glory! (cf. 31-39) Then 11 … he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will [surely] give life to your mortal body through his Spirit…!

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Resources

Arnold, Clinton E., gen. ed. 2002. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary. Vol. 3, Romans-Philemon. Romans, by Douglas J. Moo, 2-95. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Barnhouse, Donald Gray. 1952. Romans, four volumes. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans

Beale, G. K., & D. A. Carson, eds. 2007. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Romans, by Mark A. Seifrid, 607-694. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

Carson, D. A., R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, eds. 1994. New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition. Romans, by Douglas J. Moo, 1115-1160. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Chadwick, Henry, gen. ed. 1957. Harper’s New Testament Commentaries. A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, by C. K. Barrett. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

Comfort, Philip W., gen. ed.  2007. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary. Romans, by Roger Mohrlang. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale.

Cranfield, C. E. B. 1990. Romans: A Shorter Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Dever, Mark. 2005. The Message of the New Testament. Ch. 6, The Message of Romans: Justification, 146-166. Wheaton: Crossway.

Dockery, David S, ed. 1995. New American Commentary. Vol. 27, Romans, by Robert H. Mounce. Nashville: Broadman & Holman.

Green, Joel B., ed. 2018. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. The Letter to the Romans, by Douglas J. Moo. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Hodge, Charles. 1989. The Geneva Series of Commentaries. Romans. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth.

Hubbard, David A., and Glenn W. Barker. 1988. Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 38ab, Romans, by James D. G. Dunn. Dallas: Word.

Longman III, Tremper, & David E. Garland, eds. 2008. Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 11, Romans-Galatians. Romans, by Everett F. Harrison and Donald A. Hagner, 19-237. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Luther, Martin. 1976. Commentary on Romans. Translated by J. Theodore Mueller. Grand Rapids: Kregel.

Moo. Douglas J. 2000. The NIV Application Commentary. Romans. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

Morris, Leon, ed. 1985. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Vol. 6, Romans, by F. F. Bruce. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

Moule, H. C. G. 1977. Studies in Romans. Grand Rapids: Kregel.

Murray, John. 1968. The Epistle to the Romans, 2 Vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Nygren, Anders. 1949. Commentary on Romans. Philadelphia: Fortress.

Owen, John, ed. Commentary on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, by John Calvin. Translated by John Owen.

Sproul, R. C. 2005. The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans. Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus.

Stott, John, NT ed. 1994. The Bible Speaks Today. The Message of Romans, by John Stott. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity.

Yarbrough, Robert W., and Joshua W. Jipp, eds. 2018. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Romans, by Thomas R. Schreiner. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.

 

NEXT SUNDAY: The Spirit Himself Bears Witness, Romans 8:12–17