Commentary on "Freedom in Christ"

PHIL HARRIS

 

Day 4: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 - Flesh Versus Spirit

 

Overview

Today’s key text:

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (Rom. 8:5-6 ESV).

The quarterly lesson takes the position that those who “set their minds on the things of the flesh” are non Christians and those who “set the mind on the Spirit” are Christians.

Towards the end of the lesson we find this statement: “apart from Christ one cannot obey the law”. Then it goes on to imply that accepting the Messiah is added to the requirement of keeping the law.

 

Observations

The theme of Romans chapter three is that no one is righteous and able to keep the Mosaic Law. This is true of everyone, before or after becoming a Christian and being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is our imputed righteousness. Obedience to God is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one" (Rom. 3:10-12 ESV).

No one, not Abraham, King David or even the apostles of the New Testament were able to do good works of righteousness, Isa. 64:6, apart from the imputed righteousness of God. It is a lie to say we can now do the works of the law because of the perfect example of Jesus Christ. Jesus is not our example. Rather, he is our propitiation. He did for us what we could not and never can do before the glorification of our old bodies of flesh when death and sin are no more.

Rom. 7:1-7 declares that the ‘Written Code’ is no longer binding upon us because we are now bound to our new ‘husband’ Jesus Christ and the “the law of the Spirit”, Rom. 8:2. In Rom. 7:24-24 we learn that Jesus Christ has delivered us from the old body of death so in Rom. 8:1 we learn that a Christian is no longer under condemnation. This is the source of our peace. Salvation is secure because we are said to be justified and is foundational for what follows in this chapter. A Christian still has the old body of flesh to contend with. The difference is that the dead human spirit has been made alive by the Holy Spirit so there is now a struggle between the old life of the flesh and the new life in the Spirit, John 3:1-15.

For another of Paul’s discourses on the subject of ‘a Christian’s struggle with the flesh’ we will now turn to the epistle of Galatians where he is speaking to and is instructing Christian’s in their “walk by the Spirit”:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (Gal. 5:16-18 ESV).

 

Summary

1. Those who are dead in their sins do not have the struggle outlined by Paul because their flesh is not in conflict with their dead spirit.
2. It is very reassuring for Christians to learn that there is no condemnation towards those who love God before Paul delves into this struggle in Romans chapter eight.
3. Certainly, anyone who attempts to honestly keep the Mosaic Law will have a severe struggle in their life because of their failure to do so. This appears to be the reason Paul points out that Christians are free from this kind of conflict in Rom. 7:1-6.
4. The epistle of Romans is directed towards Christians. The struggle of Christians as outlined in Romans chapters seven and eight of the flesh versus the Spirit is the result of our old dead spirit being given life by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
5. The “law of the Spirit”, Rom. 8:2, is not the old obsolete “Written Code” because we are now dead to this law through the body of Jesus Christ, Rom. 7:4.
6. Jesus Christ came and lived on earth as our Messiah because he is eternally perfect, not to prove it. He is not our example of what we can now do for at least one very practical reason. As long as we inhabit this body of flesh, we will never become free of the effects of sin and death.
7. When reading Gal. 5:16-18, today’s topic could also be titled ‘Walk in the Spirit’.
8. Now would be a good time to study all of Romans chapter eight and know that there is nothing that can separate a ‘born again’ Spirit indwelt, led and sealed Christian from the love of Christ, Rom. 8:35.

 

GO TO DAY 5

 

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