Scripture Reference: Romans 8:5-17

The Word tells us, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.” So then, it stands to reason that there is no obligation to the old nature. The believer can live in total victory. Paul described life concerning the Holy Spirit on three different levels; and he encouraged his readers to live on the highest level.

“You have not the Spirit”

Please review Romans 8:5-8 for background to this section.

Paul is not describing two kinds of Christians, one carnal and one spiritual. He is contrasting the saved and the unsaved. There are four contrasts.

In the flesh—in the Spirit (verse 5). The unsaved person does not have the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9) and thus lives in the flesh and for the flesh. His mind is centered on the things that satisfy the flesh. But the Christian has the Spirit of God within and lives in an entirely new and different sphere. His mind is fixed on the things of the Spirit. This does not mean that the unsaved person never does anything good, or that the believer never does anything bad. It means that the bent of their lives is different. One lives for the flesh, the other lives for the Spirit.

Death—life (verse 6). The unsaved person is alive physically, but dead spiritually. The inner man is dead toward God and does not respond to the things of the Spirit. He may be moral, and even religious; he may appear to be a “good” person, but he lacks spiritual life. He needs “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2).

War with God—peace with God (verses 6-7). If you go back and peruse chapter 7 of Romans, you will see that the old nature rebels against God and will not submit to God’s Law. Those who have trusted Christ enjoy “peace with God” (Romans 5:1), while the unsaved are at war with God. “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22).

Pleasing self—pleasing God (verse 8). To be “in the flesh” means to be lost, outside Christ. The unsaved person lives to please himself and rarely if ever thinks about pleasing God. The root of sin is selfishness, self-centeredness; “I will” and not “Thy will.”

To be unsaved and not have the Spirit is the lowest level of life. But a person doesn’t have to stay on that level. By faith in Christ he can move to the second level.

“You have the Spirit”

Please review Romans 8:9-11 for background to this section.

“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.” The evidence of conversion is the presence of the Holy Spirit within, witnessing that you are a child of God (Romans 8:16). Your body becomes the very temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Even though the body is destined to die because of sin (unless, of course, the Lord returns before then), the Spirit gives life to that body today so that we may serve God. If we should die, the body will one day be raised from the dead as promised, because the Holy Spirit has sealed each believer (Ephesians 1:13-14).

To Be Continued

Adapted and modified excerpts from Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary Volume 1.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved