"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Romans 8v4
Clearly what is being taught here is that there has come a very definite division in the world because of the cross of Christ. Those divisions are said to be "those who walk after the flesh" and "those who walk after the Spirit." So the cross of Christ has divided the world into two distinct groups. Let us remind ourselves what happened on that cross; there being no human alternative, God intervened in the plight of humanity and send His Son to the death of the cross and condemned sin in His sinless body on the cross; He did this to produce a people who would live lives that brought pleasure to Himself. It would be wrong therefore for those redeemed from their sinful position, to continue living the way they used to do and so very clearly the gospel of salvation demands a change of life. It is not to be treated as some kind of passport to heaven, or a meal ticket for eternity, but it is to bring a real change of life and life style. Indeed, as we shall see it is not merely a change of mind but a change of mind set. The reason God sent His Son to the cross was that He would produce a people who were living right; this is the essence of Romans 8v4. Our good works, our good walk, our good way of life could not save us, but our salvation must issue in just that very thing.
Paul indicates two distinct groups of people, as a result of the cross. However, these two groups of people are not to be understood in terms of two classes of Christians, as many have taught, and are teaching (erroneously in my view). In 1st Corinthians chapter 3 Paul differentiates between carnal Christians and spiritual Christians. There he is thinking of some Christians whose lives are predominantly lived in the flesh, that is according to the old life style, and other Christians whose lives are dominated by the Holy Spirit; but here in Romans chapter 8, as we shall see, the carnal person is the one who is non-Christian and the spiritual person is the one who is Christian. In order to properly understand this passage we must make that distinction.
There exists far too much elitism in Christian circles, which in the face of biblical revelation is brought to the dust. There is only Christian or non-Christian, saved or unsaved, this is how scripture presents it, there is no middle ground, we are either saved and living in the Spirit, or we are lost and living in the flesh. A clear view of this will enable us to rightly interpret this wonderful passage.
In essence what is being said in these opening verses of chapter 8 is that in the words of another "the entrance fee into the kingdom of heaven is nothing, but the annual subscription is everything." This is to be the mind set of the Christian. "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. has made me free from the law of sin and death......that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." What God did at the cross in Christ, received by faith, changes our destiny, but also changes our life.
Paul now proceeds in verses 5 - 8 to compare our pre-conversion life (which he calls life after the flesh) with our post-conversion life (which he calls life after the Spirit). In these verses he tabulates all that was true of us before conversion (and therefore all that is true of those not converted today). He underlines features of our life in the flesh and also features of our life in the Spirit.
What we were in unconverted days.
- we were under the flesh
- we minded the things of the flesh
- we were spiritually dead
- we were at enmity against God
- we were unable to please God.
In the same verses he contrasts that with our present life as follows;
- we are under the Spirit
- we mind the things of the Spirit
- we are spiritually alive
- we are at peace with God.
Each of these features of our pre-conversion and our post-conversion life must be explained and understood individually, if we are to enter into the wonder in our lives of God's salvation. Wonderful as these things are, it is only the beginning but we will take the time to understand each aspect as we come to it.
Tomorrow d.v. what it means to be after the flesh.
No comments:
Post a Comment