Romans 8:1-4, Vs.” 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”
Paul spends time in this chapter to talk about the privileges the children of God have through the Spirit. 23 times he mentions Spirit and Spiritually to bring to light the fact that a Christian life is a spiritual life lived by and in the Spirit.
The apostle having discoursed largely in chapter 7 concerning the struggle and combat believers feel within themselves, he opened the true causes and reasons of the saints’ grievances and dilemma, and what gives them the greatest uneasiness in this life. He proceeds to encourage believers of the solid ground and foundation they have of spiritual peace and joy in Christ. This rises from their justification and adoption, the purposes and decrees of God, and particularly the everlasting and unchangeable love of God in Christ, the source, spring, and security, of all the blessings of grace.
In this chapter he opens with these encouraging words, vs.1,“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”. The “Therefore” points to the argument of chapter 7 which shows that in Christ we are delivered from sin and from the curse of the law. “…now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”, these are the people who have died with Christ and have been raised with Him and in Him. They have in Him satisfied the demands of the law hence they are no longer under its control. Before salvation, we were married to the law as Paul indicates in Romans 7:1-6 and bound to the law as long as we lived (how a marriage works). When we died in Christ, the law had no dominion over us anymore and therefore could be married to Christ, and in this, there is no condemnation or guilt. In this, we no “do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”. We have a new master, with new desires and we therefore yield in obedience to His leading and guidance.
Vs. ” 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”. The law of the Sprit as John Wesley beautiful declares is “the gospel” which has freed us from the law of sin and death, the mosaic law. Vs. “3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: …”. Note this, the law was not weak, it was only weak through the flesh. The law could only point the disease but could not cure. Like a mirror, it could only show the true nature of sin with no ability to clean. It was incapable of conquering our evil nature and that is why God sent His own Son in the likeness of the sinful flesh to be the perfect sacrifice to satisfy the demands of the law. “The law giver was the law keeper that He may justify the law breakers“, Paris Reidhead. All that God has commanded in the law is all He has provided in the gospel.
Vs. 3, “…Condemned sin in the flesh. To “condemn” is to sentence and to devote to destruction. As B.W. Johnson in his commentary writes, “ Sin is condemned, (1) By the spotless life of Christ. In the flesh he was without sin. (2) By his death for sin our past sins are forgiven. (3) By our vital union with his death and life we rise to walk in a new life, with a new spirit, and hence, not under the power of the flesh.
vs. 4. “That the righteousness of the law”. The righteous demand of the law, its substance, is a loving obedience to God. By the Gospel the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Spirit. Hence, we comply with its righteous demands when we walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. To walk after the flesh is to obey the dictates of the flesh; to walk after the Spirit is to obey its dictates. It dwells in the believer to help him, but its dictates are found in the “words of the Holy Spirit.” To continue, blessings Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 