Romans 8
Life Through the Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
This is absolutely a WOW factor. Imagine: There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!
I think all of these verses above is so important, but the way I see it, I really need to hear the first line: There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!. This line says so incredibly much in these exact words. The rest of the verses sort of explain what the first verse says, AND explains what practically happened when Jesus died for YOU and me at the cross all those years ago. These explaining verses are something I think many Christians might forget, including me, that we are to follow the law of The Spirit, and not the law of sin and death. I keep condemning myself all the time these days, let others condemn me, AND let in thoughts of how others MIGHT condemn me. This is so unnecessary, and not good either for me or others, and certainly not something God wants for me. Seems I got a little sidetracked, but perhaps someone knows the feeling?
Now, there is a “catch” to it (and I don’t really mean a catch here, just that there is a really important part of this that we need to keep in mind at all times): “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus“. “For Those who are in Christ Jesus”. Further down the verses we get explanation: “the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit”
But what does it mean then, to live in Christ Jesus, and to live according to the Spirit? We get the answer to this as well in the next line: “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”
New question for you: How do I have my mind set on what the spirit desires?
This is the really hard part, and the million dollar question. I have been thinking about this a lot, and I am closing up on an answer. But how about I let you think about this for a while(feel free to write your thoughts in the commentary), and then I get back to you?
For some afterthought:
1. How do I have my mind set on what the spirit desires
2. Am I in Christ Jesus?
To be continued…
avasophie 