Of the 3,500 species of snakes in the world, only about 600 are venomous.
Nevertheless, snakes can do significant damage. According to the World Health Organization, every year 81,000 to 135,000 people die from snake bites.
The power of sin can do significant damage to our spiritual lives as well.
In Romans 8, the Holy Spirit is mentioned at least 18 times.
This shows that victory over the power of sin working through our flesh is only by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In 8:1-4, Paul emphasizes our freedom and victory provided for us in Christ.
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
We see the foundation of our freedom in vs. 1.
This verse is dealing with our victory over the power of sin now.
We are freed from sin’s power because we are united with Christ in His victory and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
We are secure and all condemnation is ruled out; so we can stop condemning ourselves!
We cannot have bold faith when we walk around condemning ourselves.
We need to focus on the Victorious One, Christ and trust Him to live through us!
We see the fact of our freedom in vs. 2.
Paul now introduces the means of victory that was not present in his struggles in chapter 7.
The key to spiritual victory is the Holy Spirit Himself.
The law of sin and death no longer has the right to rule the life of a believer.
The believer doesn’t have to live as a slave to the power of sin because we are set free from it by the Spirit of life.
The power of sin, if yielded to, only causes defeat (death here is the lack of the fruit of the Spirit).
We have to claim the victory we have in Christ in order to experience it.
We see the finalization of our freedom in vs. 3.
The Law has no power to give us victory because we are weak in our flesh in our own strength.
We are freed from the power of death (defeat).
God accomplished this by sending His own sinless Son to condemn sin in the flesh.
This is not dealing with God taking away our sins, but with Christ through His death breaking the power of sin to rule our lives.
The power of sin loses its control in our lives as we yield to the Holy Spirit’s power.
We see the fulfillment of our freedom in vs. 4.
What Paul found impossible in his own strength is now possible by means of the Holy Spirit.
The righteous requirement of the Law is love, which fulfills the Law.
What couldn’t be done by living under the law can be achieved by walking by the Holy Spirit.
Even though the power of sin will be in us until the rapture or death, we have been crucified with Christ and raised a New Man and the power of sin is broken, and we can by faith, claim victory over it.
We must see our total inability in ourselves and find Christ as our all in all; and our total victory!
When the power of sin rears its ugly head, say something like this to God:
“Father, thank you that you have already delivered me from the power of sin through crucifying me, burying and raising me up with Christ. Right now I choose to trust Christ for the victory I already have in Him.”
Blessings!
Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries
Thanks, Ken!
Glad it was helpful to your walk with Christ!
Pastor Ken Keeler,
Thank you for the posts, which are always encouraging from Exchanged Life. However, the selected verse is missing a “conditional qualifier” highlighted between triple brackets ((( ))) (below). The difference between “walking in the flesh” and “walking in the Spirit” is the difference between saved and lost.
Is the deletion of the conditional qualifier the result of a bad Bible translation? Just curious. Thanks!
Blessings!
Jim
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who 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 has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1– 4)
I use the NASB for my study and teaching, since I believe it is one of the best translations. The phrase you are referring to is not in the oldest Greek manuscripts available and the NASB uses these oldest available manuscripts. It is believed that the scribe who copied this, copied it twice and that it belongs at the end of verse 4 but not at the end of vs. 1.
When I read your studies it’s like old times at Grace. I needed to here this again. You’re such a terrific teacher and talent in the Word. God Bless you and Linda in your walk!
Thanks Roger for the kind words. You know I love teaching God’s Word and I am glad it is helping in your walk with Christ.