David Bahn – Reflections

Romans 8:1-11

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. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 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. 5 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. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 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.

Romans 7, “Wretched man that I am…” gives way to Romans 8, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” But as soon as Paul lays out that promise, he begins explaining why that is so, and in the process details how complex, or at least how far-reaching that truth really is. At verse 11, we read, “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.” This is another great promise!

Romans is a powerful book, filled with deep theological insights about God, faith, the Law, life and salvation. Sometimes, however, I get bogged down in Paul’s seemingly exhaustive/exhausting explanations. Every loose end possible is tied up. Every little and big possible misapplication or false conclusion is nixed. Every rational argument is filled in so that there can be no doubt. Salvation has come through Jesus Christ, and by his grace we have been saved. We receive this through faith, and not through our obedience to the Law.

While I get bogged down sometimes in some of Paul’s arguments and explanations, I delight in the promises that bookend these verses. No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus: That’s really good news! To be in him means to entrust ourselves to him, to have the blessing of the Holy Spirit’s presence in us. To have the promise of the resurrection, also by the Spirit who dwells in us is a blessing to be sure.

If you are inclined to dig deep, go for it: Romans has plenty of gold to mine. Just remember the bookends of God’s grace, the Good News of the Spirit’s presence and the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.