Rom. 8:1-8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

This is connected with the closing verses of chapter 7.

Rom. 7:23-25 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

The apostle is showing in chapter 7, that the law could not effect deliverance from sin, but that such deliverance was to be traced to the gospel alone. It is implied here that there was condemnation under the law, and would be still, but for the intervention of the gospel.

This does not mean that sin in believers is not to be condemned. This would be contrary to the entire bible. But...

1. That the gospel does not pronounce condemnation like the law. Its office is to pardon; the office of the law, to condemn. The law never affords deliverance, but always condemns; the object of the gospel is to free from condemnation, and to set the soul at liberty.

2. There is no final condemnation under the gospel. The office, design, and tendency of the gospel is to free from the condemning sentence of law. This is its first and its glorious announcement, that it frees lost and ruined men from a most fearful and terrible condemnation.

Who are united to Christ. To be in him is an expression not seldom used in the New Testament, denoting close and intimate union,

Phil. 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Phil. 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

2Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Rom. 16:7-11 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8) Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. 9) Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10) Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household. 11) Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

The union between Christ and his people is compared to that between the vine and its branches,

John 15:1-6 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. and hence believers are said to be in him in a similar sense, as deriving their support from him, and as united in feeling, in purpose, and destiny.

Then the Apostle goes on to speak of those who walk after the flesh. We can find the works of the flesh in: Gal. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

It follows, that a man whose purpose of life is to gratify his corrupt desires cannot be a Christian. Unless he lives not to gratify his flesh, he can have no evidence of piety. This is a test which is easily applied; and if every professor of religion were honest, there could be no danger of mistake, and there need be no doubts about his true character.

Then the Apostle goes on to speak of those who walk after the Spirit. As the Holy Spirit would lead or prompt. What the Spirit produces may be seen in Gal. 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. If a man has these fruits of the Spirit, he is a Christian; If not, he is a stranger to religion, whatever else he may possess. And this test also is easily applied.

The law of God, the moral law. It could not free from sin and condemnation. This the apostle had fully shown in chapter 7. It was feeble and inefficacious. It could not accomplish it.

That which the law could not do, God did by sending His son. Salvation through Jesus Christ conquered the law of sin in all humanity who would accept Him as their Saviour.

Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Heb. 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

Heb. 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

The flesh being the seat and origin of transgression, the atoning Sacrifice was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, that thus he might meet sin, as it were, on its own ground, and destroy it. He may be said to have condemned sin in this manner,

1. Because the fact that he was given for it, and died on its account, was a condemnation of it. If sin had been approved by God, he would not have made an atonement to secure its destruction. The depth and intensity of the woes of Christ on its account show the degree of abhorrence with which it is regarded by God.

2. The word condemn may be used in the sense of destroying, overcoming, or subduing. 2 Peter 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow. In this sense the sacrifice of Christ has not only condemned sin as being evil, but has weakened its power and destroyed its influence, and will finally annihilate its existence in all who are saved by that death.

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, That we might be conformed to the law, or be obedient to its requirements, and no longer under the influence of the flesh and its corrupt desires. That we might be obedient, or comply with its demands.

For they that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; They that are under the influence of the corrupt and sinful desires of the flesh, Those who are unrenewed. They are supremely devoted to the gratification of their corrupt desires.

But they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Those who are under its influence; who are led by the Spirit. Those things which the Spirit produces, or which he effects in the mind, This verse is for the purpose of illustration, and is designed to show that the tendency of religion is to produce as entire a devotedness to the service of God as men had before rendered to sin; that is, that they would be fully engaged in that to which they had devoted themselves. As the Christian, there- fore, had devoted himself to the service of the Spirit, and had been brought under his influence, it was to be expected that he would make it his great and only object to cherish and cultivate the graces which that Spirit would produce.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

1Cor. 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

V.6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

V.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

This is given as a reason for what is said in Rom. 8:6. In that verse the apostle had affirmed that to be carnally minded was death, but he had not stated why it was. He now explains it by saying that it is enmity against God, and thus involves a sinner in conflict with him, and exposes to his condemnation.

It means, that such a regard to the flesh is in fact hostility to God, because it is opposed to his law, and to his plan for purifying the soul.

V.8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. If we are going to please God we must be filled with the spirit and led of the spirit.

So in closing today, it my prayer that we walk in the spirit and not after the flesh that we become God-pleasers and a blessing to our churches.

In His Service,
Pastor Donald Pierce