# 34: 9-21-12

Romans 8:5-13
In chapter 8, Paul has started to explain the role of the Holy Spirit, in the believers life. The Holy Spirit
directs the process of sanctification in the believer; He helps the believer to realize his freedom from the
Sin, so that the Christ One has the power to live his righteousness. Paul explains that while the believer is
still learning to live this way, he is not in any way condemned by God, for God views the whole process as
finished, in Christ.
Sanctification takes place while the believer is still in his flesh body a body of death, as Paul calls it, for it
has not yet been redeemed. Through the work of Christ on the cross, God judged the Master Sin, which
had absolute reign over men in their flesh bodies. This powerful work of God at the cross broke the grip of
the Master Sin on men, enabling men to be delivered from the Sins power, as they enter into union with
Christ, by faith.
Through placing his faith in Christ, the believer is accounted with Christs righteousness a righteousness
that he is then empowered to live out on a daily basis through the enlightening of the Holy Spirit, who has
been given to him. And as the believer learns to live by the Spirit, moment by moment, by faith, he lives
free from the lawlessness within him; it is overruled.
But the Holy Spirit does not compel the believer to live that righteousness. God created men with freedom
of choice. It is the choice of the believer, whether he will walk according to the Spirit, so that righteousness
is accomplished in his life, or walk according to the flesh, and sin as he used to do, when he was a son of
Adam.
God has done His part, in sending His own Son. Christ has done His part, to deliver us from the Sin. The
Spirit is doing His part, to enlighten us to that deliverance. But we also have to do our part, in order for the
lawlessness within us to be overruled. We have to work together with God, for righteousness to be
accomplished in our lives. Our part is to walk, according to the Spirit; according to His leading.
Last week, I used the example of a toddler to illustrate how the believer learns to walk according to the
Spirit. I just want to clarify something about that illustration. The illustration was only intended to
communicate the idea of learning something new, that one could never do before, but that one now has the
power to do the believer, like the toddler, is learning to walk.
But in using the toddler as our model, I want to make it clear that the believer is not like a toddler in terms
of the toddlers immaturity. There is no such thing as a baby Christian, who has to mature before he can
really conduct himself as a son of God. Scripture makes it clear that when we are born again, born of the
Spirit, we are already full-grown sons of God (Rom 8:16-17, Gal 4:1-7).
That makes us responsible to live as full-grown sons; were not helpless babies. Remember, we have a Godgiven Helper; the Holy Spirit.
Returning to our passage, Paul will now continue to clarify that walking according to the Spirit is not the
only way a believer can walk; but it is the only way that he should walk. He should choose to do so. After
all its the walk of the Living.
Well be looking at verses 5-13 today, but I want to back up in our reading to the beginning of the chapter,
to maintain the continuity of Pauls thought.

# 34: 9-21-12

[Read Romans 8:1-13]

Now, for anyone who has closely read through this passage, they might at first be a little unsure as to what
Paul is saying. They would probably see that Paul is saying the believer has a choice as to how he lives
but what about Pauls statements concerning life and death? Is he saying that, depending upon what you
choose to do with your life as a believer, youll live, or youll die? Or, depending on how you live, as a
believer, youll receive everlasting Life, or come into judgment?
Let me say immediately that Paul is NOT saying that. Such ideas contradict exactly what Paul has been
laying out in Romans that salvation depends on the work of Christ alone. In fact, Paul begins this very
chapter saying there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
But in order to understand what Paul is really saying, we have to carefully observe the language that he
uses here or well miss his meaning. And in this case, we have to pay a little bit of attention to his choice
of words, and his grammar.
Last week, we left off in verse 4 on Pauls first statement of the choice of the believer to walk according
to the flesh, or to walk according to the Spirit. Verse 5 continues to use those phrases according to the
flesh, and according to the Spirit living that way.
But in verse 8, Paul changes the preposition he is using he does not say, according to the flesh, but
what? In the flesh.
In verse 9, Paul continues with the use of this preposition we read, in the flesh, and also in the Spirit.
Finally, in verse 12 and 13, Paul returns to the phrase, according to the flesh.
So is this change of preposition significant, or is Paul just using different terms to express the same thing?
This change of preposition is significant so significant, in fact, that the whole sense of the passage is
obscured, unless you understand the difference.
The word in in the Greek communicates the idea of something remaining in place; the primary idea is
rest; something fixed in place.
But the word according does not imply a fixed position, but instead motion; it refers to one thing being in
the manner or conforming to another; adapting to anothers way; being like another. The KJV translates the
word as after, perhaps with the idea of following after or resembling something or someone.
In our passage here, to be in the flesh means to be in the fixed position of the flesh. These are the sons of
Adam, men in flesh bodies; unregenerate men.
We can see a good example of this back in chapter 7, verse 5, where Paul described how the Jewish
brethren used to live in the flesh their sinful passions were aroused by the law, and bore fruit to death; it
brought more judgment on them. Clearly, this is speaking of the Jews as unregenerate men; unbelievers,
who were still in Adam; in the flesh.

# 34: 9-21-12

But those who live, or walk, according to the flesh are not fixed in Adam. These are regenerate men
believers who are living, or walking, in the manner of the flesh; they move in conformance to that way of
life; they follow after that lifestyle. They are no longer in Adam, but they are living as if they are;
according to the flesh; according to their old manner of life. Do you see the difference?
Likewise, those who are in the Spirit refers to the fixed position of believers. Having united themselves
to Christ by faith, they have died with Him and been buried with Him (Rm 6:3-4), and have even been
raised with Christ, from the eternal perspective (Col 3:1).
They are now in Christ; that is their fixed position, and it is forever secure. And being in Christ, having
received His Spirit, they are in the Spirit; thats their permanent residence.
But to live, or walk, according to the Spirit refers not to the believers eternal position, but to his walk, in
this life. As he is going through life, here on earth under time. Its the motion of living and for the
believer, it can be lived, in conformance to the Spirit, or in conformance to the flesh; in either manner.
Perhaps the simplest way to remember Pauls distinction here is that in refers to a persons standing with
God (eternal perspective) whereas according refers to their walk (temporal perspective).
One final note. Only believers have a choice as to how they live according to the flesh, or according to
the Spirit. Men in the flesh have no choice but to live according to the flesh; they do not have the Spirit, to
follow.
Lets go back to verse 5 now.
v. 5 Here Paul is explaining what he has just said in verse 4. The righteous requirement of the Law we
might simply say, the expressed will of God it is accomplished in believers specifically, in those who
walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
The fact that Paul includes two ways that the believer can walk shows that he has a choice. Righteousness
might be fulfilled in him (v. 4, suggesting possibility); and it will be fulfilled in him, as he conducts himself
in conformance to the Spirits leading, within him.
Paul now clarifies how it is that the believer has a choice, as to how he lives; how he conducts himself. The
term set their minds on is a verb; an action. It does not refer simply to the mental faculties, but to every
aspect of the inner man; his reasoning, his affections; his desires his inner life, energized by the very spirit
of his being. And we see that this action is a choice, also.
Its remarkable that this same verb is used by Paul in several other places in the NT, communicating the
same idea. Well look at just two of them.
Turn to Philippians chapter 2.
[Philippians 2:1-4]
v. 1-2 The phrase being like-minded is the same word as in our passage in Romans. You can see the idea
of action, and the fact that being like-minded is a choice.
v. 3-4 Paul then goes on to encourage the believers as to what mind they should have: that which was in
Christ Jesus (vv. 5-11); a mind of perfect submission to God, that His will might be done.

# 34: 9-21-12

Now turn to Colossian chapter 3.

[Colossians 3:1-2] The phrase set your mind on is the same word as in our passage. The aspect of choice
is even more pronounced, here.
[Return to Romans]
So what you set your mind upon; what you consider and regard in your heart; what you care for, and
concern yourself with, is a choice; your own, personal choice; a choice that you, and only you, can make.
Sometimes we say, or we feel, I couldnt help it; but in fact, we could help it. How so? Because we
dont have to operate according to our old manner of life.
We have a new life in Christ Jesus. We have the Holy Spirit, who is sharing the thinking of God with us;
showering us, with the love of God; and revealing to us Gods desires, for our lives.
And if we will purpose, in the very spirit of our being, to have those thoughts occupy our mind; if we will
concern ourselves, not with the cares of this world, but what God cares about; if we will cease to operate on
the basis of our natural affections, but instead, keep ourselves in the love of God, we will live, accordingly.
As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov 23:7). If you keep choosing to set your mind on the things of the
flesh, how will you live? According to the flesh. Youll look just like you did, when you were an
unregenerate man; no one will know the difference. And if you talk the talk (and dont walk the walk) you
will in addition be a hypocrite. Where is the witness for your Lord? Where is the glory for God? And
where is your sanctification?
But if you will set your mind on the things that the Spirit is revealing to you the things of Christ, of God
you will live accordingly. People will see a difference. What will they see? Freedom from sin and self.
Righteousness, lived out. Genuine love, in practice.
And those things are ever so drawing. Your life will draw others right to the Lord without even a word.
And as for you, you will have a sanctified walk, according to the Spirit, that takes you on the most direct
route possible, right into the presence of your Lord in glory.
Having gone to the source of how believers choose to live how they choose to think Paul next
elaborates on the actual mind whose thinking they are choosing to have.
v. 6 Now, I have been reading this based on the translation in the Interlinear and the Revised Version.
Thats because the NKJV translates flesh and spirit as adjectives so it has carnally minded,
spiritually minded. But in the Greek, both phrases are a set of two nouns, with definite articles.

A better translation is certainly, the mind of the flesh and the mind of the Spirit, and it really clears up
Pauls meaning. Why? Because those are the two minds that the believer can base his thinking on; and
they are minds with fixed, unchangeable thinking. At any point in time, a believer can choose thinking
from one or the other of those two fixed minds.

# 34: 9-21-12

There is the mind of the flesh. Thats the mind of the unregenerate man, who walks in the futility of his
mind, his understanding darkened for he has no Light. His heart is hardened to the love of God; but it is
most tender in its self-love. And that love of self is expressed through self-will; the desires of his flesh and
his mind, for himself (Eph 2:3, 4:17-18). That was your mind; your heart; before you came to know the
Lord.
Now, you no longer have that mind; you have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). But Pauls point is that you
can still choose to think according to it; and therefore, live according to it. But what does Paul say the mind
of the flesh is, here? Its death. Thats the mind of the condemned creation in Adam the creation that is
slated for destruction. And as Paul lays it out here, we have to ask ourselves: why would I want to think
like that?
But you have the mind of Christ, which is the mind of the Spirit; thats the same mind. The mind of the
Spirit is life and peace. Every single thought in the Spirits mind is designed to prepare you for your
forever Life with God.
And of course, the mind of the Spirit is the mind of God; the same mind. And when the believer chooses to
think according to the Spirits mind, he experiences the Spirits complete agreement with God, which is
peace. The believer lives in that state of reconciliation with God that the Spirit has already obtained for
him, through His sanctification of the believer (2 Thes 2:13). Thats the eternal perspective, which the
believer can live by, here and now, through faith.
Now Paul goes on to explain why the mind of the flesh is death.
v. 7-8 In the NKJV, carnal mind is exactly the same phrase as in verse 6; its the mind of the flesh. The
mind of the flesh is enmity against God; it is in complete and direct opposition to Him. The mind of the
flesh and the mind of the Spirit are fixed, opposing minds, with no points of agreement.
The mind of the flesh has its own will, based on its love of self. The mind of the Spirit is the will of God,
and its motive is love of others. So the mind of the flesh cannot obey the will of God; it always and only
has a will of its own, for self.
This means that unregenerate men, in the flesh, who actually have that mind the mind of the flesh can
never please God in their living; how can God be pleased with anything that is not His own good, and
acceptable, and perfect will? So those in the flesh, who have the mind of the flesh, are in a fixed state of
enmity against God, and are therefore subject to His condemnation.
But for the believer, that state is a thing of the past.
v. 9-11 In verse 9, we see Paul is continuing with his thought of ones position, from the eternal
perspective; you are either in Adam or in Christ; in the flesh, or in the Spirit.
Those in the flesh do not have the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, they cannot know nor do the will of
God; they cannot please God.
But when you placed your faith in Christ, you received the Holy Spirit; He is a settled resident within you;
the Spirit of God, of Christ, dwells in you. Now, you belong to Christ; and you are in the Spirit; living
within His sphere of influence, where He rules, guides, and determines your destiny. Pauls point is, that
gives you a whole new life to live.

# 34: 9-21-12

Notice carefully what Paul says in verse 10. If Christ is in you thats the believer, indwelt by the Spirit of
Christ for you the believer, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
It is true for all men born into this world that the body of flesh is dead because of sin. Paul had written, as
through one man, sin enter the world, and death through sin (Rom 5:12) because of sin, Adam incurred
the death penalty. All men are born of his corruptible seed, dead and in the dark to God.
And for the believer, this is indeed the case, also. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins with his death, so for
us, death is no longer a judgment for sin; but having been born of corruptible seed, our flesh bodies will
still corrupt. This body was always meant to be temporary.
But believers have had the righteousness of God imputed to them, through Christ. And they are being
made righteous in their lives through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Righteousness is what fits
men to enter into the presence of their holy God. Righteousness will result in life forever with God.
But our temporary clay bodies are not fitted for such a life. Of course, God has that covered; death was
always part of His plan.
The same Spirit, who is working righteousness into us, is also our certainty of a glorified body, within
which we will live out our righteousness - forever. Thats what Paul means when he says, the Spirit is life
because of righteousness; He is life for a new body a glorified body for Gods righteous sons. And the
death of this flesh body is Gods way of getting us into it.
Turn to Second Corinthians chapter 4. Paul wrote of the body of flesh, and the body of glory that awaits
the believer.
[Second Corinthians 4:16-5:9]
v. 16 So what is the outward man, that Paul speaks of here? The body of flesh; it is perishing. But
inside, the believer is having his thinking made new with Gods thinking, as he chooses to have the mind of
the Spirit; he is being sanctified.
v. 17 Suffering works pure character into the believer, which will fit him for his body of glory.
v. 18 What could we say are the things that are seen; that are temporary? Earthly things; the things of the
world, including this body of flesh; things that are passing away. What are the things that are not seen; that
are eternal? Heavenly things; the things of God, including the glorified bodies that He has in store for us.
5:1 What is the earthly house, this tent, of which Paul speaks? The flesh body. Like a tent, its a
temporary dwelling place; and one day, God will fold up our tent, and take us home. The flesh body is a
body of dust, that will corrupt, and return to the dust.
And what is the house not made with hands that is, a work of God eternal in the heavens? The body of
glory. Notice that Paul describes it, not as a tent, but a building; a permanent structure, which God is
building. And yet, Paul says here we already have it.
v. 2 Now Paul introduces the idea of the body being not only like a dwelling place, but clothing. The body
clothes the soul; the inner man; you. Paul says that we groan in our genuine desire to be clothed with our
body of glory. I know Im groaning more every day for it!

# 34: 9-21-12

v. 3 If indeed has the meaning of Since. Since our bodies of glory are reserved in heaven for us (1 Pet
1:4), Paul speaks of us as already clothed with them; as Paul has said, we already have them; we shall
therefore not be found naked.
What does that mean? To be found naked is to be found in a state of shame. When a man dies, his earthly
body corrupts. If he is not a believer, he has no body of glory. His soul is therefore left uncovered; naked.
As his Judge, God will find that man unfit for His presence in heaven; being found naked, he will be an
outcast (Mt 22:12-13).
v. 4 The burdens of this earthly life its afflictions and sorrows make us eager for our heavenly
habitation our heavenly bodies. So more groaning not in the sense of complaining, but of anticipation.
v. 5 Here we see that the Holy Spirit, who has been given to the believer, is the guarantee of this life life
Everlasting, in a glorified body. The term guarantee means literally down-payment the assurance that
something will be paid in full. The Spirit is the assurance that we carry right inside of us that God will
fulfill His promise to glorify us.
v. 6-9 Because we have the Holy Spirit as our guarantee, we can be confident we have a know-so hope.
We know for certain that while we live here on earth, we are absent from the Lord, but that we will be with
Him; and that if we die, we will be present with Him.
But notice what Paul says in verse 7. We walk by faith, not by sight. Where does one walk by sight; by the
seen and the felt; by the temporary things? In the body of flesh the earthly body. We dont walk by that
body.
We walk by faith; by the things that are not seen; by the eternal realities. Where do we do that? In the
glorified body; by faith, we transcend time, and walk there as a glorified son of God.
So whether at home in this earthly body, or present with the Lord thats where we walk according to the
Spirit a walk that is well-pleasing to God. We dont start living Life Everlasting when we get to heaven.
We already have it, and we can and should be living it. And we do live it, here and now, on earth, by
living according to the Spirit.
[Return to Romans 8]
Well reread verse 11.
v. 11 Paul shows that the believers assurance of being raised in a forever-living body is based on the
resurrection of Jesus. God raised Jesus from the dead, a work that Paul elsewhere described as Gods
mighty power to give life to a dead body and not just life, but Life Everlasting.
This is the exceeding greatness of Gods power, which is also toward us who believe (Eph 2:19-20), and
Gods very own Spirit, dwelling in us, is the seal of this; it shows we belong to Him, and that we are
secured.
Paul now concludes these thoughts.
v. 12-13 At first take, Pauls concluding statement might seem strange. Based on what he has been saying,
Paul concludes that we believers are debtors.

# 34: 9-21-12

A debtor is bound to someone because he owes them something. So our question is, to whom are believers
in debt, and what is it that they owe?
Well, first Paul names what believers are not indebted to, and what they dont owe; a negative statement.
The believer is not indebted to the flesh, to live according to it. What Paul is saying is that we are not
under any obligation to live according to the flesh.
The believer owes the flesh nothing, because it has never benefited the believer. It was simply a temporary
dwelling place; and if the believer had remained in it, it would have brought him nothing but condemnation
and death.
To say that the believer owes nothing to the flesh may seem obvious, but Pauls point is the unstated
positive thought: the One to whom believer are in debt, and what they owe Him.
Who are believers in debt to? To God; to the One who gave them the gift of righteousness (Rm 5:17); the
gift of Life Everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23). To the One who gave them the gift of the
Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), who is training them in righteousness, so that they can be with God, forever.
These gifts were undeserved, and unmerited; they were gifts of grace. And we cant pay God back for
what He gave us; these are the riches of His grace how can you pay back grace without measure?
And yet, Paul says, we are debtors so what is it that we owe? We owe it to God to live the Life Christ
died to give us; to set our minds upon the things of the Spirit, and live according to the Spirit. Its the least
we can do; but its also the most we can do. Its what we are able to do, and were bound to do it; thats our
responsibility, as a Christ One. Its our debt of love, to Love.
Yet once again, Paul indicates it is a choice for the believer a choice with repercussions. Lets consider
what Paul is saying, in verse 13. We know that living according to the flesh is something the believer can
do; continuing to live by his flesh body, as he used to live, in Adam.
Paul says, if the believer does this, he will die. What does he mean by that? Well, clearly he is not talking
about physical death here. You are not put to death if you live according to the flesh; we wouldnt be here
right now. Nor could Paul mean death in the sense of judgment and condemnation; there is now no
condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
So what does Paul mean? As Paul has done several times in the passage on sanctification (Rm 6:2, 1; 7:6,
8, 9, 11), he is speaking of death metaphorically. This is borne out by the verb tense for the word die in
verse 13 it is continuous, or repeated action. How do you continuously, or repeatedly, die? Clearly, this
is imagery, and it fits the rest of what Paul expresses here, perfectly.
What Paul is saying is that if the believer continues to live according to the flesh the way he used to live,
in Adam he is purposing death for himself; he is purposing to live by a body of death.
How does one live by a body of death? Well, as you set your mind on the things of the flesh, the deception
of the worlds thinking is what occupies your thoughts. You live for the here and now, according to time
and your senses.
You live as you used to live, trying to fulfill this bodys lusts and cravings, except the flesh is never
satisfied. You keep trying to improve it, to extend its life, make it look younger than it is when all the
while, it is perishing.

# 34: 9-21-12

And the flesh has a corrupting influence on the one who tries to live by it (Eph 4:22); like a dead thing, that
causes things in contact with it to rot. Living according to the flesh, theres no vitality; no flourishing; the
heart atrophies, walled off from the love of God by its own self-absorption.
If you live that way, you are living in denial of the glorious body that the Lord has in store for you, that you
can live by, here and now; by faith. You are choosing unrighteousness, in a body of death, over living your
righteousness, as a glorified son of God. And thats a living death.
But if instead you put to death the practices of this flesh body; that is to say, how you used to live, in the
flesh you will live. The KJV says mortify the deeds of the body; deliver the unrighteous acts of the flesh
over to death. How does the believer do that? Paul says, by the Spirit.
If you will walk by faith, following the Spirits leading, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16).
You mortify the practices of the flesh, because you are practicing righteousness you cannot do both, at the
same time.
If you will make the decision to live according to the Spirit, you will not live according to the flesh. And
then, you will really live and fulfill your debt of love, to the One who loved you, and gave Himself for
you (Gal 2:20).
Next week: Romans 8 continues. Read Heb 2:14-15, Gal 3:26-4:7, Eph 1:1-14, 1 Jn 3:1-3.