Today I want to give us a chance just to breath and catch the big picture of Paul’s argument in Romans which he brings together in this chapter. Paul brings together his thoughts from the first sections of his letter in this monumental chapter – hard to do justice in the time we have to this theologically and biblically rich and dense passage. We will take three messages to walk through Romans 8 – today we will look at verses 1-17.
As an Old Testament teacher, I often say the more we understand Genesis 1-3 the more we can understand the scope of the biblical story. So, if we take a quick look at Genesis 1-3 we will better understand Paul’s message in Romans 8. God’s intention for human life was for humanity to flourish in the creation God gave us stewardship over. Humans were to flourish in their relationship with God and with each other and the world into which God planted them. So, what went wrong – through human rebellion sin and death entered the world causing us to be alienated from God and each other. The biblical story from that point on deals with God’s mission to overcome the problem of sin and death. God’s mission is to reconcile people back to God’s own self in order that we can once again live a fruit life in shalom with God and each other.
A part of that plan was calling Israel to be God’s people – through their relationship with God and with each other they were to be a light to the nations demonstrating the way to a flourishing life with God and
each other. That was a part of the law’s purpose – to give God’s people a way to flourish. God’s ultimate answer though was to send Jesus – through his life he lived the life Adam and Israel failed to live. He demonstrated what human flourishing looks like. Through his sacrificial death on the Cross the power of sin was broken and reconciliation with God made possible. Through his resurrection death was defeated and the way to life was opened. Jesus was God’s solution to the human problem of sin and death and the way to a flourishing life now and for eternity.
For Paul, Jesus is the fulfilment of everything that the Old Testament points towards. In this letter to the Roman church Paul uses a number of images and terms to try and paint a picture of the life that leads to flourishing and the life that leads away from it – Spirit and law, Spirit and flesh, life and death. Throughout the letter to the Romans Paul has hinted at the connection between the Spirit and life in Romans 2.29, 7.6. In Romans 8 Paul brings all these ideas together by highlighting that Jesus is the way to life because it is the life-giving Holy Spirit which we receive as a follower of Jesus which empowers Jesus’ followers to walk on the pathway to life as opposed to walking along the pathway away from life.
In Romans 8.1-2 Paul states his theme for the entire chapter – the importance of being in Christ – if we are in Christ there is no condemnation because it is life giving Spirit in us that frees us from the power of sin and death. For Paul Jesus’ life, death and resurrection breaks the power of sin and death and shows us the way to life – therefore if we are in Christ that same power is at work in us through the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if sin and death have been defeated through Christ’s death and resurrection, and we are in Christ, there is no longer condemnation. The Holy Spirit is that life giving power in us. That is indeed good news. That is the core of the gospel message and is as true today for us as it was for the Roman church – there is no condemnation for those in Christ for it is Jesus’s righteousness that we stand in.
We need to be aware in reading this chapter that Paul is making an argument in a context of both Jewish and Gentile Christians. Did that mean the Jewish Roman Christians needed to live according to the law? No Paul has argued. Could Gentile Christians live life any way they wanted freed from the law? No Paul argues. What place did the law have for Jewish and Gentile Christians? It points us to God’s standards. Paul addresses these issues for both the Jewish and Gentile Christians in the church.
Paul is not anti-law, but he does argue that in Christ the law no longer serves the purpose God for which he gave the law to Israel. The law was given to Israel to serve as a guide to them in how to live in right relationship with God and with each other. The coming of Jesus and the gift of the Spirit changed everything – it is being in Jesus that makes us right with God. Therefore, while the law is good in that it points to ways of obedience it is no longer the way to relationship with God. It is the Holy Spirit that now guides and empowers us to live in right relationship with God and each other.
In the heart of this passage Paul taps into a rich biblical thread that connects the Spirit with life. In Genesis 2 it is God’s breath or Spirit that brings life to Adam, in Isaiah the Spirit is repeatedly in linked to life, obedience, justice, empowering, in Ezekiel 37 it is the Spirit that gives life to the bones in Ezekiel’s vision, while in Joel 2 it is the Spirit which brings spiritual life to God’s people. Jesus taught that the Spirit is our advocate, will lead us into truth and more. Paul brings these ideas together writing that the Spirit produces a change of heart (Rom 2.29), fills our hearts with love and this way of love fulfils the law (Rom 5.5 and 13.10), while the Spirit gifts us a new way to serve God by living in the Spirit (Rom 7.6). Then in Romans 8.9-10 Paul teaches that despite our bodies being subject to death the Spirit brings life because of what Jesus has done.
In all these ways Paul is trying to capture the transformation that takes place in us when the Spirit fills us. This has implications for both our earthly life and eternal life. Paul urges his fellow Roman Christians and us today in 8.12-13 to live in the Spirit as it is the way to life – it is a life marked by obedience, love, and faithfulness to Jesus.
Paul uses the metaphor of living in the Spirit or walking in the Spirit. This is to live an obedient, faithful life that gives freedom for the fruit of the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit to be at work in us and through us. Walking is a great metaphor – for just as a child holds the hands of a parent and walks in their way, learning and talking as they go, following their example so it is with walking in the Spirit. It is the Spirit who helps us walk in the way of Jesus, to become more like Jesus and live the Jesus shaped life and bearing fruit for Jesus.
Paul sets two different pathways before the Roman Christians – one path is to continue in the way of Adam which is in reality a pathway that results in death. The other way is to follow the pathway set by Jesus and empowered by the Spirit. This path leads to peace with God and to life. This life is not something that we ourselves create or earn but is a gift from God the Father, through Jesus the son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Yet Paul reminds us that it is important to remain walking in that pathway – or as Paul puts it living in the Spirit. It is a call to live in ways consistent with God’s ways as revealed through Scripture and demonstrated by Jesus.
In the final part of today’s passage Paul reminds the Roman Christians and indeed us today – that another role of the Spirit is to confirm in us that we are God’s children, heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ. Not only is there no condemnation for those who are in Christ, we also have assurance of our status as God’s children through God’s grace, we know where we are headed. We all experience the reality that we are not perfect, we all fall short, and we also suffer in the body as Paul writes in verse 17. Yet in this life there is no condemnation for those in Christ and in the life to come we are heirs and coheirs.
Paul has taken time here to bring his thoughts together before moving on in the letter. He gives us encouraging and good news. The enemy tries to condemn us and cause us to doubt due to the sin that still is a reality. Yet Jesus has defeated sin and death. We need not doubt God’s plans – God desires that we experience shalom in life and has let us know the pathway to flourishing. It is being in Christ and filled with the Spirit – that makes all the difference. When we live in the ways of Jesus, faithfully following the pathway Jesus set before us, when we allow the Holy Spirit to be at work in us then we are walking on the pathway to life. Jesus is the answer to the problem of sin and death, and Paul wants each of us to know that it is the Spirit in us applying the righteousness of Jesus to our lives so we can live in right relationship with God, through Christ, empowered by the Spirit.