The order of verses in this first part of Romans 8 is significant: first, Paul explains that "there is no condemnation" (vv. 1-4), and only then does he discuss the mind and life of the spirit (vv. 5-11). The Scriptural order is not: 'We live righteously so that we will not be condemned.' Rather it is: 'We are justified. Our condemnation has been removed. Therefore we must, and we should, live righteously!'

Comment on Romans 8:5

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

Minds: "Phroneo" indicates the mind with a mental and moral emphasis; not mere animal instinct. The NET translates, both times here, "have their outlook shaped by…”.

Paul has an equivalent phrase in Philippians 3:17-19: Of those who live as enemies of the cross of Christ, he writes, "Their mind is on earthly things" (NET). Or, as Jesus warned Peter at a crucial point in Matthew 16:23: "Get behind me [to follow me?]… you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

Those believers whose minds are set on spiritual things will endeavor to develop in their lives those virtues enumerated in Galatians 5:22-25:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”

And 2 Peter 1:3-8:

“[God’s] divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Sinful nature… Spirit: More literally, "flesh" and "spirit", as in the KJV. The new way of life, the way of justification, is described as a life inclined toward the "spirit".

John Carter explains our conversion it this way:

"There is a change in tastes and aims. The disposition is altered. Thoughts are brought into line with God's thoughts… We gradually learn to recognize more quickly when the mind of the flesh is resisting the mind of the Spirit. This battle never ends until life is over, but what does happen, ideally, is that the mind of the Spirit gradually becomes stronger than the mind of the flesh. We cannot weaken the flesh; it will retain its wayward power to the end of life. What we can and must do is strengthen the spiritual mind and heart, so that it will subdue and control the flesh. By the power of God's Word we actually do develop new spiritual minds that instinctively react differently in all situations.”

Comment on Romans 8:6

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.

In verse 6 Paul tells us what we must already know, indeed, what is supremely self-evident. Yet it bears repeating, often and forcefully, precisely because, as we are now constituted, we can never be fully free of the flesh’s influences: "The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the spirit is life." The first, and simplest, way to understand this passage is to read "mind" as 'outlook, way of thinking, or mindset'. The second thing is to read "is" as 'leads to'. A mind firmly set in one way leads to one outcome; a mind set in another way leads to a very different outcome.

In another sense, also, it may be said that the mind of the flesh is death, even now, and that the mind of the spirit even now is life. Paul wrote elsewhere that the woman who lives "for pleasure", foolish, selfish, and self-seeking, is dead while she lives (1 Tim 5:6). The whole world that lives at enmity with God is "dead in transgressions and sins" (Eph 2:1,5). And John says that he who does not love his brother is dwelling in death (1 John 3:14). In other words, those who think and act and live in the way of the flesh are as good as dead already. They are dead men walking!

Conversely, the words of Jesus describe those who exemplify the spirit-life:

"Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24; cp. 1 John 5:11-13).

So powerfully and certainly is our redemption pictured, that it is as though a mind firmly set on the proper goal, glorifying God in His Kingdom forever, has practically arrived! Elsewhere, Paul writes:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5).

And again,

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Col 3:2,3).

The apostle can write such things because he appreciates a fundamental truth, one we may lose sight of from time to time: The Word of God has been designed not so much to convey information (though, of course, that can be very important), but to change us by the power of its influence and to develop within us a unique divine attitude to life:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things" (Phil 4:8).

G.V. Growcott writes:

“To be fleshly-minded is death, but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace [Rom 8:6]. Keep telling yourself that, over and over. It is vital! It is for your life. To be fleshly-minded takes absolutely no effort, no study, no thought. It not only just comes naturally — it comes powerfully, and almost irresistibly. To be spiritually-minded is the very opposite. It does take great effort, and study, and thought. And even that's not enough. It takes constant prayer and constant Divine help. It will never come naturally just by being “in the Truth, and "doing the readings’, and ‘’attending the meetings". Baptism by itself is a passport to nothing except a glorious opportunity to give ourselves joyfully to God, and be accepted by Him. To be spiritually-minded is a constant struggle, a constant self-examination and self-discipline, a constant refreshing and re-cleaning in the water of the Word and the blood of the Lamb. But it alone is “life and peace”, intensity of Life forevermore, and perfect peace now and forever, to the depth of the soul.

The Berean Christadelphian, Vol. 89, p. 66

Comment on Romans 8:7

The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

The contrasting lifestyles of "flesh" and "spirit" are also considered by Paul in some detail in his letter to the Galatians (Gal 5:16-25). The spirit-life requires certain actions; it is a "walk" (v. 16, KJV; cp Rom 8:4). The two ways of life are "contrary" to, "in conflict with", "hostile to", or "at enmity with" one another (v. 17; cp. Rom 8:7). The "flesh" is characterized by "works" (v. 19), as it is in Romans by "wages" (Rom 6:23), such as a slave (Rom 8:15) might receive. But the spirit-life is characterized by "fruit" (Gal 5:22) and a "gift" (Rom 6:23), such as children might expect by virtue of their family standing (Rom 8:14-16).

In these simple contrasts may be seen the diametrically opposite qualities and standards of the "flesh" and the "spirit". Those who serve "King Sin" do so as a matter of course, often without thinking, and they earn exactly what they deserve, and coincidentally exactly what "Sin" can pay — which is death! On the other hand, those who serve God and His Son receive so much more than they could ever deserve, but at the same time what God and His Son only can give them — gifts and fruits and blessings beyond measure, and overflowing joy in a loving family, as well as a perfect assurance of future glory forever.

Hostile: "Exthra" (KJV "enmity") is used also in the Septuagint of Genesis 3:15, describing the enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Such an enmity, like a state of war or rebellion, is the precise opposite of the "peace" that is the companion of life and results from a mind firmly set on spiritual things. Such peace is achieved by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, where he removed the hostility between God and man, as well as that between Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:14,16).

It does not submit: The Greek "hupotasso" is a military term, meaning to assume a rank under a commander, and to become subordinate. The primary duty of a good soldier is to obey commands without question. To become disobedient, or insubordinate, is to commit treason.

Comment on Romans 8:8

Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

Those controlled by the sinful nature…: The Greek is, simply, "in the flesh", which is a proper rendering of verses 8,9, judged simply on the Greek words alone. But the context and meaning require that "in the flesh" means, not simply 'having flesh, or human nature', but (as in vv. 5-7) having a mind 'inclined toward the flesh, or human nature'. In the same way Paul writes of the time "when we were in the flesh" (Rom 7:5) as though that state had been left behind, while, of course, in the literal sense it has not… yet.

…cannot please God: The Greek "aresko" generally means to be pleasing, or acceptable to any one (1 Cor 7:32; Gal 1:10). Not to be pleasing to God, is to become objects of His displeasure (1 Thes 2:15), and possibly subjects of His enmity or wrath.

Comment on Romans 8:9-11

Paul uses many equivalent phrases in this chapter to add emphasis to what he is saying. To summarize verses 9-11, Paul says we are "inclined toward the spirit" if we dwell in the following:

the spirit of God,

the spirit of Christ,

Christ, and

the spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead…

All of these terms are practically synonymous.

Other passages from Paul's writings show that it is the Word, and the mind, of Christ and God which must dwell in us. When God's inspired Word is allowed free rein in our minds, and our lives, then God's "power" is there (Rom 1:16,17), a power which tends toward salvation. Then God and His Son are dwelling with us, and we with them.

Comment on Romans 8:9

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

"Controlled not by the sinful nature" is, literally, "are not in the flesh" (as the KJV), but see verse 8 and notes there. Though plainly a paraphrase, the NIV serves a good purpose here, since it captures the meaning for modern readers much better than the more literal KJV rendering: We may, every one of us, exist "in the flesh" literally, but in Christ we can learn not to be "controlled" by that "flesh".

And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ: The spirit of Christ is the mind developed by the Word of God, or the Spirit-Word (vv. 5,6). And we also understand that the word "spirit" often means the disposition or mindset of a person.

Only in a few places in the New Testament is “the spirit” used to represent the miracle-working of God's Holy Spirit through apostles and specially-gifted believers.

Here, Paul is using the phrase "the spirit of Christ" to emphasizes that it is the whole outlook of Christ which is required. Paul is also describing the ideal state of mind in the believer, and thus a state of mind to which we must aspire. This explains the need for the exhortation that follows (vv. 10-13). If the highest ideals are not accompanied by strong practical measures, then they perish at last in the desert of natural apathy. Good intentions, by themselves, lead only to Gehenna.

Comment on Romans 8:10

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

The believer, whose life is inclined toward God's Spirit-Word, is both "dead" and "alive" at the same time. By baptism into Christ he has become dead to his former way of life, "dead to sin" (Rom 6:2), and dead to "the human nature with its passions and desires" (Gal 5:24).

By that same baptism, and the compelling influence it has upon the devout mind, the believer becomes truly "alive" for the first time — "alive" to righteousness, walking in "newness of life" (Rom 6:4), being himself "a new creation" (2 Cor 5:17).

Christ lives in him (Gal 2:20). The life which he now lives in Christ is a 'spiritual' life, a life lived on a different plane of existence. It is lived in the presence of God, and it is recognized to be always in that presence.

The "but" or "yet" (NET) which separates the two phrases in Romans 8:10 is a very strong term. According to the NET Notes, "the Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English."

Your spirit is alive: Literally, "The spirit (or Spirit) gives life." It has been well said that, wherever we see a believer living the Christ-directed life, we are witnessing a true miracle of 'creation' and 'resurrection'. Those who are inclined to think that our age is one lacking in miracles may not quite understand what an extraordinary thing it is to see a previously naturally-inclined life transformed into a true spiritual life, with a completely new meaning and direction.

When Jesus observed some of his followers beginning to doubt the power of his ministry, he reminded them of what they were hearing and seeing:

"The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (Matt 11:5).

There is a special detail in Jesus' catalogue of "miracles" performed, and it is found in the last point on his list. Strangely, the climax of his list is not that "the dead are raised", but that "the good news is preached to the poor". The gospel which is preached, believed, and acted upon is — by its placement at the very end — the greatest miracle of all! Why is that so? Because the last type of "miracle" lifts Jesus' work out of the physical realm and puts it into the spiritual.

Moreover, the last miracle — the preaching of the gospel to the poor and the lost — comprehends all the other "miracles" in itself. The gospel, when it is heard and believed, does — in the most meaningful sense — give sight to the spiritually blind, strength to the spiritually weak, cleanness to those who were "leprous" with sin, hearing to the spiritually deaf, and a true "resurrection" of the spirit to those who were dead in their indifference and their sins.

Here, then, is Jesus' way of lifting his work out of the ordinary (if any miracles can be considered ordinary!) and putting it on the highest level The greatest "miracle" (and such miracles are occurring all around us even today) is a life changed by true belief in Jesus Christ. Which means… the greatest work of God's Holy Spirit has never ceased from among men, and never will, so long as sinners hear the Word of God, repent, and yearn and pray for His coming Kingdom.

Comment on Romans 8:11

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Ray Walker writes the following:

The idea of the dwelling together of God and man has a long Scriptural background; it does not arise in the New Testament, as for the first time, with a special mystical meaning understood only since Pentecost. There is, in fact, no inherent mystical meaning to the word "dwelling" itself; it is used frequently in both Testaments in describing the relationship between God and His people. It is an ordinary "family" word in English, and the equivalent words in Hebrew and Greek carry much the same ordinary, household meaning. Dwelling means living in the same house or household as another; the implication in Scripture is that those who dwell together belong to the same family — even when one of the dwellers is God Himself, or His Son.

"Romans: The Indwelling Spirit",

The Bible Student 7:5:148,149

His Spirit, who lives in you: The KJV has "his Spirit that dwells in you". We might prefer that "who" here be replaced by "that" or "which", but it scarcely makes any difference. The Holy Spirit, considered as a power only, may appear totally impersonal to us. But when we reorient ourselves ever so slightly, to think of the Holy Spirit as being the Power of God Himself, and absolutely subject to His will, then to use the personal pronoun can cause no problem. It is God, personally, who dwells in us through the power of His own Spirit, however it might be conveyed.

"Who will deliver me?"

"What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom 7:24).

The question at the close of the previous chapter — 'Who will deliver me?' — is now abundantly answered here in Romans 8:11: God through Christ has delivered us, not only from guilt by the shed blood of Christ, but also from the overriding "principle of sin" in our bodies, over which even our renewed wills and consciences are impotent. The Eternal Father and His only-begotten Son have delivered us from a mind that tends only to death, into the mind and walk of the new Spirit life, a mind that tends toward "life and peace". And even further, now, we find that God, by that same Spirit, will deliver, from the grave, our mortal, corruptible bodies, now dead to God, and subject to death, and that He will lead us forth to walk in that newness of eternal life in Christ for which our inner spirits have groaned and cried out!

" 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 15:55-57).The Spirit of Sonship: Our New Relationship with God

The Law of Moses not only condemned man, as was seen in Romans 7, but it also enslaved him. The work of Christ removes the condemnation (Rom 8:1), replacing it with justification which leads to righteousness. And it also frees us so that, no longer slaves, we may become sons (v. 15).

This section (vv. 12-17) follows logically from the previous one (vv. 5-11). It continues the parable employed by Paul in Romans 6, in which those who live their lives inclined toward the flesh (Rom 8:5,8) are pictured as slaves of Sin. Sin is personified as a mighty king who demands and exacts absolute obedience from his servants, and in the end rewards them with their “wages' of death (Rom 6:16-23).

But, as Paul continues, Christ has come into the 'slave market', and has redeemed us, or bought us out of that wretched place. This is the exact significance of the Greek "exagorazo", translated "redeem(ed)" in Galatians 3:13; 4:5. Now, he says, we need no longer live lives of degradation and fear (Rom 8:15). Now we have become slaves of Christ, and slaves of righteousness (Rom 6:16,18,22). This new life, while sharing some characteristics with other forms of "slavery", is so much more; it is equivalent to being children of God (Rom 8:15,17).

Comment on Romans 8:12

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.

"Therefore" refers back to verses 5-11, and perhaps also to everything from Romans 6:1 forward. "There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: 'consequently therefore', emphasizing the conclusion of what [Paul] has been arguing" (NET Notes).

Living according to the dictates of the mind of the flesh can only be expected to earn death. Therefore there is no reason to follow such a course.

Brothers: Usually, this stands in Greek for those of both genders: "brothers and sisters".

Obligation: The Greek "opheiletes" refers to a debtor (Matt 6:12), and to one, like Paul, who is under obligation to preach the gospel to the world:

“I am obligated [to preach], both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish” (Rom 1:14).

In Galatians 5:3 the same word expresses the obligation to keep the whole law if one practices circumcision.

By contrast, Romans 8:12 speaks of believers who “are debtors, no longer to the flesh, to live according to the flesh", but rather debtors to follow the spirit of Christ in their lives (v. 13). And Romans 15:27 speaks of a further debt owed by believers, to share their resources with those less fortunate.

A related word, "opheile", denotes monetary debt in Matthew 18:32, dues or taxes owed to government authorities in Romans 13:7, and the command to fulfill one's marital duties in 1 Corinthians 7:3.

Believers in Christ are obligated, not to the flesh or sin, but to the spirit of Christ and his teachings. Moreover, they are also obligated to destroy the "flesh" with its sins, wherever it crops up in their new lives.

Comment on Romans 8:13

For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live…

You will die: The phrase here carries the meaning: 'You will most certainly die', or 'You will inevitably die.' Presumably, this is more than a mere natural death, because the second phrase here — “you will live”—seems to contradict the inevitably of death. Thus we should probably read: 'If you live according to the sinful nature, you will certainly experience a spiritual death, but if you put to death the sins in your own flesh, you will most certainly experience a spiritual life.'

But if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live: For "put to death" the KJV has "mortify". Christ by his sacrifice "condemned sin in the flesh" (v. 3). Those in Christ imitate his work by seeking to carry out that sentence of death against the sin in their own flesh, or human natures:

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Col 3:5).

Notice that the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, did not make believers righteous by putting to death the sinful natures (i.e., the deeds of the body). The believers themselves were asked to do that through the Spirit — that is, through acquiring and developing a spiritual mind. They would accomplish this through their delight and meditation upon the Spirit-word, not through any miraculously-conferred gift of the Holy Spirit.

Paul reminds believers that, if they do not continue to put to death their evil desires and evil works, then they will die.

This "if", writes Thomas Newell, is

“…one of the great red lights by which God keeps His elect out of fatal paths (cp. 1 Cor 15:2; Col 1:23)… We must note most carefully that a holy life is to be lived by us. It is not that we have any power — we have none. But God's Spirit dwells in us for the express object of [encouraging us] 'to put to death the doings of the body'. Self-control ['temperance': KJV] is one of that sweet cluster called 'the fruit of the Spirit', in Galatians 5:22,23.”

Romans Verse-by-Verse

Sanctified initially through the redeeming work of Christ, the believer must embark upon a course of progressive sanctification through Christ. Perhaps this is best described in Peter's opening exhortation of his second letter:

“[God’s] divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is near-si is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 1:3-11).”

Comment on Romans 8:14

…because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Those who are led by the Spirit of God: This must be considered synonymous with "inclined toward the spirit" (v. 5), "the mind of the spirit" (v. 6), and the "indwelling" of the spirit — whether it is called the spirit of God or the spirit of Christ (vv. 9-11).

Note that the believer is "led" by the "spirit" (teaching, character, example) of God and His Son. He is not lifted up or swept away by some invisible power, nor is he dragged along against his will. Nor does he walk wherever he pleases, choosing where he should go. But, rather, he is "led" — meaning that someone else walks ahead, and he follows — like a servant led by his master, or a sheep led by its shepherd, or a son led by his father.

It must be admitted that there is a mystery in this partnership between our spirits and 'the Spirit (of God and/or of Christ)'. How do the two "spirits", ours and God's (through His Son), work together? It is plain that the impetus for righteousness in our lives cannot come altogether from within ourselves, nor even from our having been given the Bible, God's "Spirit-Word", at the beginning, as if God had said, 'Here are My instructions; now you are all on your own!'

On the other hand, it is equally certain that all the impetus for righteousness cannot come from some mystical divine spirit which takes over our minds and acts upon us continually, apart from our own will and free choice. We know this cannot be true because the New Testament so often emphasizes that there are things which we must do for ourselves.

However, in between these two extremes, we ought to be assured — even while we read and pray, and exercise ourselves in and toward personal righteousness — that, in ways we cannot know perfectly, the Lord works for good in and around and through us. How this happens, exactly, is something we may never know until we reach the Kingdom:

By providential means, such as the altering of situations and circumstances around us — the sorts of things that Robert Roberts outlines in his wonderful book, The Ways of Providence. Certainly.

By angelic visitation, even though we never can be sure that it happens, because — as we are told — such things, when they happen, come upon us "unawares", or "without [our] knowing it" (Heb 13:2).

By other, more direct means. Perhaps, although we can fall into a real trap if we attempt to guess if and when such things happen, because then we may presume to put aside our intellects altogether and rely upon such nebulous 'revelations', assuming that 'The Lord told me!' If we do this, then we may cross over into the area of delusion, where we believe ourselves to be 'inspired' by the Holy Spirit, and incapable of doing wrong.

The safest course is, surely, to recognize that "the Spirit" (of God, and/or of Christ) does act in and with and through us, while at the same time acknowledging that we can never know how and when that Spirit is working,

We should also understand that no "Spirit" of God which might be acting in our lives permits us to suspend our own intellect, moral judgment, conscience, or sense of personal responsibility for all the choices we make in life.

The old cliché, about having one's head in the clouds but one's feet firmly planted on the ground, is useful to remember here. It aptly characterizes the balance in the believer's life, between what the Lord God does for us and what we ought to do for ourselves — between faith and works, 'inspiration' and perspiration, and perhaps also, as discussed later in Romans 8, "predestination" and free will.

Sons of God: Greek "huios", sons or daughters, with special reference to the relationship with the parent.

The term "huios", in such connections, expresses one or another of three main ideas, and sometimes all of them together:

Possessing a similarity of disposition or character (Matt 5:9,45).

Becoming the object of special affection (Rom 9:26; 2 Cor 6:18).

Obtaining a claim or title to some special advantage, or inheritance (Gal 3:8,27-29; John 1:12; 1 John 3:2).

In this chapter (Romans 8), we note that Jesus was the Son ("huios") of God (v. 3). Those who are guided by God's spirit become sons of God. God "gave up" His own Son, Jesus, for us all (v. 32), so that we might be revealed as His sons also (v. 19). This word for "son" is also related to "huiothesis" (vv. 15,23), meaning "sonship" or "adoption" (KJV).

Compare Luke 3:21,22 with Luke 4:1, where Jesus was first baptized, and then led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness, to be tempted — and then to defeat — the "devil", or the desires of the world that dwelt in his human nature.

Comment on Romans 8:15

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

A spirit that makes you a slave again to fear: Literally, "a spirit of slavery". "Slavery" is "douleia", from a root word meaning 'to bind'. That which binds, or enslaves, a person.

Compare the similar phrases: "a whip", which many slaves have feared, as contrasted with "love and… a gentle spirit" (1 Cor 4:21), and "a spirit of timidity ['fear': KJV]" as contrasted with "a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Tim 1:7).

Also consider the contrasting circumstances Paul uses in his allegory of Galatians 3 and 4: The "slave" (and even the small child) is virtually a prisoner, locked up and in bondage, subject to the authority of others, including the authority of the law (Gal 3:23; 4:1-3). On the other hand, the mature "children" are given new garments and a new status, including full claims to an inheritance (Gal 3:26-29; 4:5-7).

But you received the spirit of sonship: This is the Greek “huiothesis" again from "huios" (son) and "thesis" (to place or set). The word describes the bestowal of a legal relationship, common under Roman law, as distinct from the relationship of birth. In Galatians 4:5 those who are under the law are redeemed from the law to receive the gift of "sonship". In Ephesians 1:5 we have been "predestinated" unto sonship (KJV "adoption"). Under Roman law "huiothesis" meant the severing of all past connections, becoming a 'new man', and having a new family. This situation was accompanied by the cancellation of all debts, and a new right of inheritance.

Those who have followed the Spirit of God and His Son have (or should have) left behind the attitudes of a slave, which include anxiety and fear. These feelings have been replaced by those of affection, respect and confidence — exactly those attitudes that good children have toward good parents. In other words, the attitudes described in the contrasts mentioned above, in 1 Corinthians 4:21 (love and gentleness) and 2 Timothy 1:7 (power, love, and self-discipline).

Redeemed Out of the Slave-market: a Parable

The figure of speech may be heightened as we put ourselves into the heart of a story. Let us imagine an eastern bazaar, meeting-place of the ancient world, the center of commerce, entertainment, news, opinions, and social interaction. And, always, there is the slave-market, with its auction-block. As one approaches, the brutality, callousness and fear can be felt and seen. Here are women destined to be slaves to the basest passions of other men, and men doomed to lifelong slavery to satisfy the greed of their owners. Here are wasted, broken lives, and dashed hopes, families being torn apart forever. The Roman slave-market is a parable of our own world, where many forces — media, advertising, and peer pressures — act as masters to enslave the unsuspecting.

Into this scene comes a man who is obviously set apart from others. Striding up to one man, he speaks forcefully: "I have bought you; come, follow me!" There are no chains, no threats, no blows. Just a simple command.

The disciple follows the man through the streets and the crowds until they reach the house of the man’s Father. There the disciple is given a place far surpassing the slave quarters he had known before. And, then, he has scarcely cast himself down to rest before the man is back again. He has brought water to wash the disciple's feet. He has brought healing oil to soothe the cruel wounds inflicted by the former master, Sin. He has brought him a new, clean garment to wear. 'Now you are as I am', he tells him; 'You are no longer a slave. You are now a son in my Father's house.'

A lifetime of fear and hate has been washed away, miraculously, and in its place is the joyful cry of a man set free:

"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father'. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir" (Gal 4:6,7).

This is the change, then, implicit in the Greek word "huiothesis", a word very inadequately translated in the KJV as "adoption". The NIV and RSV (followed here) more correctly render it as "sonship". "Adoption" gives the unfortunate idea, to some modern minds at least, of a distinctly second-class relationship — i.e., not a real son but merely an adopted one. It is a word which in no way does justice to the blessed state to which God has elevated us. In one sense there is, of course, only one "only begotten" Son. But in a broader sense we are all "begotten" by the Word of God to be His sons, and no son (or daughter) of God is 'second class'. But then again, in the very fullest sense, there is only one Son of God, for we are all sons only in that we have become part of the body of Christ.

The "sonship" and inheritance delineated by Paul is based upon the Roman law. Jewish law did not permit daughters to inherit along with sons; the firstborn son received double. But under Roman law sons and daughters all inherited equally, and adopted sons and daughters, upon whom such an honor was conferred, were treated on an identical basis with the others. To this Paul alluded:

"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal 3:27-29).

John Carter has expressed similarly this contrast between slaves and sons:

At our baptism we did not enter a household as slaves to serve with fear. "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants… but I have called you friends" (John 15:14,15). And how often God says to His children: "Fear not." As the child takes the hand of its father in the dark, and finds courage in the sound of the parent's voice, sometimes not knowing that the parent shares the fear, so with perfect confidence the child of God may trust the Father in heaven; much more so knowing that all circumstances are subject to His control. "God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim 1:7).

The Letter to the Romans, p. 90

And by him we cry, "Abba": This is the Aramaic word for "father". It was especially a name by which God was addressed in prayer. The word occurs only three times in the New Testament (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; and Galatians 4:6. But this Aramaic term may lie behind numerous references to God as Father where only the Greek equivalent, "Pater", is given in the New Testament.

"Father": The Greek word "Pater" is a more formal expression than "Abba", signifying respect and a mature appreciation of the family relationship, such as grown offspring might more commonly use.

Together, "Abba" and "Pater" (Rom 8:15) epitomize, respectively, affection and respect. This joint title (seen in Mark 14:36 and Galatians 4:6) expresses a fullness which neither of the two titles can express alone.

There is Abba, the love and trust that a little child ("teknon": vv. 16,17,21) feels for a father, an intimate and tender affection.

Then there is the Pater of an adult son or daughter ("huios", "huiothesis": vv. 14,15,19,23,29), the intelligent apprehension of the status, dignity, and honor due to the Head of the family. The combination of Hebrew and Greek words suggests also the mixed character of the Divine family: "neither Jew nor Greek… ye are all one in Christ" (Gal 3:28).

The cry of "Abba" gives a sublime and wonderfully satisfying meaning to Romans 8:31-33:

"If God is for us, who can be against us? [The question itself carries the implication, an absolute No one!] He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? [Again, the question itself carries the implication, No one!.. Followed by…] It is God who justifies."

There is assurance almost beyond expression in these words, for those who are still wrestling with fear. What do we have to fear? God is our Father, and He is for us! He is on our side! And He loved us so much that He purposefully gave up His own Son in death on our behalf.

Will the One who has already gone so far in love for us turn back now? Will He bring charges against us at a judgment seat, when He has already taken steps — painful, sacrificial steps at that — to remove our condemnation (v. 1), and to declare us righteous (v. 33)? To ask such questions is to know the answers.

The love of the Father, who is at the same time “Abba” and “Pater”, is vividly portrayed by the prophet Hosea:

"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son… It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms… I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them… How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?… all my compassion is aroused" (Hos 11:1,3,4,8).

How, indeed, shall the Eternal Father give up His children, who cry to Him, in the name of tenderness and affection and deepest respect, "Abba, Father"?

Comment on Romans 8:16

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children: The rendering "itself" in the KJV is solely due to the neuter gender of the noun "pneuma". So if in fact "pneuma" refers to Christ, then the "itself" may be changed to "himself" quite legitimately.

There are other instances of Christ being clearly referred to as "the Spirit":

When Paul wrote what "the Spirit clearly says" about a latter-day apostasy (1 Tim 4:1-3), he most probably had in mind Christ's great prophecy on the Mount of Olives (esp. Matt 24:4,5,10-12,24).

The messages to the seven ecclesias in Asia are sent from the one described variously as holding the seven stars in his right hand (Rev 2:1), having been dead and yet now being alive (v. 8), and the "Son of God" (v. 18). But they are also described as "what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev 2:7,11,17,29, etc).

Paul refers to Christ, after his resurrection and glorification, as a "quickening (i.e., life-giving) spirit" (1 Cor 15:45).

So, why did Paul not simply say 'Christ' instead of resorting to the phrase 'the Spirit himself'? The reasoning behind my suggestion is this: From where does the Christlike "spirit" come? It is no nebulous thing, created out of the air. It is demonstrated in the life of Christ himself. His exemplary life, even viewed secondhand by modern disciples in the pages of the Bible, has an awesome power to change their lives. However and wherever that spirit or mind of Christ is truly manifested through others, it is still Christ himself (the Word of God made flesh) who influences us. Therefore he is, in a sort of Bible shorthand, "the Spirit himself". (If this still seems difficult to accept, consider Romans 8:26, with its notes, below.)

Testifies with our spirit: “Summarturei" means to agree, or testify, along with. This is the first of four "with" words, words of partnership and sharing, in this verse and the next, which indicate what Christ shares with his brothers and sisters.

"What standing has our spirit in this matter? Of itself it surely has no right at all to testify to our being sons of God" (C.E.B. Cranfield, International Critical Commentary: Romans). In other words, "our spirit" only has standing or privilege in such a matter because it is affiliated with the "spirit of Christ". We have been taken under Christ’s wing; he has vouched for us, because he has died for us.

That we are God's children: God's dear children! The Greek word is "teknon", from a root word meaning 'to bear'; that which is born, and borne, i.e., a baby, a dear child. This word appears also in this chapter in verses 17 and 21. It expresses not just a future hope, but a present reality (1 John 3:2; 5:1; Rom 8:1,2; Gal 3:26; 4:6).

Comment on Romans 8:17

Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

"Co-heirs" is "sunkleronomoi", one of three words in this verse alone which express a joint relationship between Christ and the saints.

The concepts of heirs and inheritance have been mentioned above. Various passages, from among many, might be cited here to supplement this point:

"If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise… So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir" (Gal 3:29; 4:7).

"You know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward" (Col 3:24).

"For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant" (Heb 9:15).

"Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, which is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession — to the praise of his glory" (Eph 1:13,14).

If indeed we share in his sufferings: To share in sufferings is "sumpascho": to share a passion — all one word in the Greek.

We do not so much choose to suffer with Christ, as we choose to belong to Christ. Thus, having become part of the Christ-body of believers, we find that "If one part [of the body] suffers, every part suffers with ['sumpascho': the same word] it" (1 Cor 12:26). Suffering is not a voluntary matter, and certainly not an innately enjoyable one, but it is a matter necessitated by the relationship.

In order that we may also share in his glory: To share in glory is "sundoxasthomen" — again, one word in the Greek. "Doxa" signifies the honor resulting from a high opinion of another; or, to be correctly held in great esteem. It is used very often of God and His works. God's glory becomes Christ's glory and finally, in measure, our glory also.

These are but some of the 'with' words in Romans 8, which testify as to what we are and what we do jointly with Christ. This sharing with Christ gives all the weight to Paul's arguments and exhortations throughout this lofty chapter. It is not enough that believers suffer; they must suffer with Christ: there must be a conscious, intelligent understanding and imitation of him. It is not enough that the saints will one day be glorified; they must be glorified with (and through and because of) Christ; otherwise there is no meaning. So this expresses how "the Spirit himself" testifies along with our "spirit" (which is singular here, because all true believers share the same spirit), bearing witness that we are all (all together, Christ and us!) God's dear children.

When we choose a relationship with Christ, then that relationship makes us subject to both the difficult and the pleasurable parts of Christ's experience — "the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow" (1 Pet 1:11), or as here, "our present sufferings [and] the glory that will be revealed in us" (Rom 8:18). We cannot disavow the first part, and still expect to receive the second.

Elsewhere, Paul also writes:

"Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him" (2 Tim 2:10-12).