Living And Walking In The Spirit

Romans 8:1-9

In the preceding chapter, Paul has discussed the inability to control one’s lusts and desires. Though Satan may suggest an idea, sin is not a result of his temptation. It is a result of our own desires. James 1:14-15 advises, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” No amount of willpower or refusal to act on those lusts can completely eradicate them, and fro time to time, they will resurface because they are the nature of the human being. Asceticism, following strict rules like the Pharisees may conceal the problem, but it will never resolve it. It does nothing about human nature.

Recognizing that man cannot help sinning, despite his commitment to God, Paul concludes the chapter with the following verses. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:24-25)

The human nature, the flesh, is still dominated by sin. Paul himself, is mentally focused on serving Christ. The effect is like the pet, who desires to please his master, even though his instincts are in direct conflict with the expectations. Paul now addresses the resolution to the conflict.

Second marriages often struggle because of emotional baggage and practices developed in the first marriage. A lady I know was married to a domineering and abusive husband for many years. He demanded an accounting of every penny she spent, and every thing she did. After his death she married a very loving man. When she began to report as she had had to do with the first man, he didn’t seem interested, just asking if she’d had enough to get what she needed. It took a couple of years before she realized he trusted her, and was really concerned about her needs being met. She was not in the old marriage anymore. Her first husband was dead to her. She needed to focus on the new marriage.

In the same way, we are dead to the old nature and the resulting condemnation because Christ is the propitiation or payment for our sin, and being baptized in him, as water baptism shows, we died in him. Galatians 2:19-20 describes the situation. “I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” As a result there is nothing against me.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

Hebrews 4:14-15 describes Jesus, as our high Priest. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” When he is living our life, and we are living and walking in him, sin is not a problem. As Galatians 5:16 says, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” The sin nature is replaced with Christ’s nature. Now there is power over sin.

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:3-5)

The Law depended on man’s flesh, his human nature overcoming itself. He can never accomplish that. Replacing the human mind and nature with that of Christ, the spiritual mind, changes things, and as I Corinthians 2:16 states, “But we have the mind of Christ.” We choose which mind controls us.

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:6-10)

It is impossible to do what is right with the human nature. Every one who has been saved has the Spirit. One cannot be saved without receiving him. It is critical to understand this. Having been saved by faith, living a holy life demands living by faith as well. Galatians 3:2-3 asks, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

In Galatians 2:20-21. Paul states that trying to live a holy life by keeping rules, or even the Law defeats God’s purpose. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” If it could be accomplished by human effort to keep the rules, then Christ would not have needed to die.

Ephesians 4:22-24 describes what we need to do. “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” We need to put off the old attitudes and way of thinking and living, and replace it with the spiritual attitude and life.

The difference is like that between flying the plane myself, while the pilot watches, or allowing the pilot to take control. The stress level is greatly reduced, and my safety increases when he is in control. While I may do okay as long as there are no problems, unexpected circumstances could well result in a crash.