Scripture: Romans
8:1-11
This chapter of Romans is the climax of the first half of
the book. Paul expounded God’s gift of righteousness given by grace and received
by faith through eight chapters. In this reading Paul writes of God’s salvation
in terms of life and death, showing that sin is death and the Spirit who gives
faith is life. For us the lesson highlights Jesus’ salvation for us, and
reminds us that we have the forces of death and life at work in us still, and
that we overcome the power of death through the Spirit’s power at work in us.
Teaching
The main point of Romans 8, as Karl Barth states is, “The condemnation
of man by the Law of sin and death does not affect those who are in Christ
Jesus, because as such they have been released,
liberated from that Law.”[1]
This reading speaks eloquently of our salvation and urges us as people who now
live in the power of the Holy Spirit to walk according to the Spirit, that is,
to live by faith. To re-emphasize: We are no longer condemned by God’s holy Law
because of Jesus’ sacrifice. This frees us from the power of death and sin
which dominated us, so that we may live in the power of God’s Spirit, the
Spirit of Life.
Yet, while our salvation has been won there is still a
struggle that goes on within the Christian. We are constantly tempted to return
to the law of sin and death and to leave the law of the Spirit of life; to
return to our sinful ways. How can one overcome such temptations? They are
overcome not by our power, wit, strength, or determination, but when we in our
weakness rely on Christ alone, and in his blood shed for us.
Life
Matters of life and death are recognized as urgent in this
world. What is not always seen is that our faith is a matter of death and life,
and this is also an urgent matter. We were dead in trespasses and sins and are
now alive in Christ (Eph. 2). Romans 8 portrays us in a constant struggle
between death in sin and life in the Spirit, which is faith. What we cling to
in this struggle is the promise that the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from
the dead dwells in us also. It is in his power that we trust, not our own, and
in him we live and are saved.
This matter of death and life is important in the way we look
at our whole life as Christians. Discipleship, evangelism, ministry, worship:
these all are places where death and life are in conflict. With the Spirit of
God within us we bring life to those who are dead. We bring Christ’s rescue
from condemnation to those condemned in sin. This, too, is an urgent matter!
Prayer
O God, you have set us free from the law of sin and death,
and now the life we live is in the law of the Spirit of life, which is your grace.
Thank you for your great salvation. Thank you for your Spirit who dwells in us.
Thank you the hope of resurrection and full freedom from temptation and sin.
Forgive us for the weakness of our flesh, and for our struggle to live by the
Spirit. Forgive us for trying to live by our own strength. Guide us by your
Spirit to trust more and more in Christ and the Holy Spirit for all we need in
the life of faith. Amen.
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