Romans 8:12-17

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

Main Points: Paul further explains the Christian walk. 1-11 Defines the reasoning behind becoming a Spiritual Person….putting the mind on God through Christ. 12-17 Defines WHAT that makes us for pursuing that: God’s children….Heirs….With Jesus.

10. Why are we debtors? What are we debtors to? (12) See chapter six and Paul’s analogies on slavery (service). Well…Paul has just indicated that Jesus and God must dwell in us (11). That is a gift -chapters 3,5. More specifically, he also asserts that we are SLAVES/SERVANTS to something regardless what we do. If we were servants to the law, we gain nothing (sin/death). God has FREED us from that through Jesus. That seems a pretty good debt to accrue. DEBTOR: G3781 ὀφειλέτης opheiletēs of-I let'-ace From G3784; an ower, that is, a person indebted –Root word means to “be under obligation”

11. What does it mean to be led by the spirit? (14) See 6:16: Obedience leads to righteousness, 6:17: Obedient from the heart, 6:18: Set free from sin, slaves to righteousness, 6:22 Slaves to God. This is an attitude, or view of the physical world as belonging to God, and I belong to God, and, I need to exhibit this truth in my life. Obedience is the evidence. NOT rote obedience. Christian do what they do (obedience/good deeds) out of our love/understanding of what our God has afforded the world through His son.

12. What does it mean to be “sons of God?” (14) Sons: G5207 υἱός uihos hwee-os' Apparently a primary word; a “son”. Not much left to interpretation. God makes us part of the family. BAM!

13. Explain verse 15. What is the spirit of slavery and the spirit of adoption? What does it mean to cry “Abba, Father?”  Extending the idea of slavery/bond-servant (Chapter 6): The one in this case is freed to join the family. Slavery is working for wages. An adopted child works for the Father….for whatever the Father endeavors. He sleeps in the same house, eats at His table, grows His kingdom, defends His name.  Abba: G5: Ἀββᾶ Abba ab-bah' Of Chaldee origin [H2]; father – Father: G3962 πατήρ patēr pat-ayr' Apparently a primary word; a “father” (literally or figuratively, near or more remote): - father, parent. This greeting/beseeching has multiple layers of meaning. Father is the sense that the one invoked is relied upon. Father in the familial sense. It brings a tone of familiarity (but never irreverence). This makes perfect sense when we speak of a God that seeks to DRAW US NEAR to Him.

14. How does the Spirit bear witness/testify with our spirit? (16) This will not happen unless we align ourselves with God. The Spirit (HS) is the finisher of the Plan and reveals how we comply to His will. (As what Paul has been driving at: rejecting sin, aligning ourselves to God through Jesus in faith…exhibited in obedience (a Godly life)).

15. If we are children of God, then what else are we (17)? What does this mean? How do we receive this status? Yup…main point – heirs. Heir with the son Jesus. We’re family now, in God’s house. Jesus inherited the kingdom. We become fellow heirs with Him.
Jesus gained his status through suffering/death. As Paul has indicated (chapter 6), we MUST also die in concert with the death of Jesus. There are also other sufferings the Christian will face for calling on the name of Jesus.

Romans 8:1-11

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

Rom 8:3  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: 

Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom 8:5  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. 

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

Main Points: After this is a conclusory section to chapter seven. Chapter seven illustrates the near insanity of relying on a system (law) to attempt obedience to God. In seven, the law creates the opposite of obedience. Chapter eight dispenses of the law by providing evidence that the system of grace is based in spirituality, not carnal adherence to a set of rules. THIS IS BEYOND MERE ROTE OBEDIENCE.

1. How is verse one an answer to the dilemma of 7:13-25?  (see main points) - Faith in Jesus is void of law in the sense of a written set of rules and regulations. It sets aside the law and looks to help us BE MORE LIKE GOD. Jesus is not ruled by sin and death, He conquered those issues of the flesh. Sin (or the constant worry of sin) does not motivate the Christian. That has been replaced with God’s interminable love. It is of the spirit, not the letter (7:6)

2. What exactly has set us free in verse 2? …“the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free”… free: G1659 - ἐλευθερόω eleutheroō el-yoo-ther-o'-o From G1658; to liberate – root word (1658) denotes citizenship, not slavery. The answer is in verse one, walking in the spirit (antithetical to walking in the flesh).

3. What was the Law (mankind) unable to do that God was able to do (3-4)? (I switched the wording of this question) Mankind was not able to fulfill the law for many different weaknesses. God on the other hand was absolutely capable to fulfill the law on our behalf through His Son (the propitiation 3:25). The distinction of the one who seeks after this gift is exhibited in how they live their life (spiritually).

4. What is the righteous requirement of the law? (Lev. 17:11) In the ancient context, blood is required for sins. Jesus fulfills this. In the perfected view, being completely obedient to every precept and never needing to make sin sacrifices also fulfills its righteous requirements….Jesus does this too. In the abstract, the law should reveal God’s love, His justice and caring. Some Jews came to understand the beauty of the law in that sense (see 2:4). Jesus, revealed those things as well….which is the same as saying God revealed those things. NOTE: Repentance in 2:4 does not mean to turn around and do something different. That WILL be the natural result of repentance: G3341- μετάνοια metanoia met-an'-oy-ah From G3340; (subjectively) compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication reversal (of [another’s] decision) – G3340 means to “think differently”

5. Describe the lifestyle of those who live according to the flesh. Explain the lifestyle of those who live according to the spirit. The evidentiary context here is where one’s faith is. Is it in Jesus, or is it on your own ability through the law? The extended message deals with the issues of them trying to be righteous on their own through law. The law for many of them produced more sin, not less. It simply did not change the heart, or the person. Sin was ok and doable as long as it was followed up with ritual sacrifices. Jesus on the other hand brings a change of mind and heart. It shows in the way a Christian lives life.

6. Why can’t those who set their minds on the flesh submit to God’s law? (7-8)
The focus is not on God, it’s on sin (which rules law). The spiritual person focuses on being more like God…..”die to sin” (6:11) implicates not only dying to the system that is ruled by sin, but the also the practice of sin.

7. What does it mean for the spirit of God to dwell in you? Paul has manifested God’s character, those things we are to emulate (chapter 5): peace, grace, patience, hope, love, joy, just, righteous, atoned, reconciled, eternal life, free gift, obedience. These are the evidences of God’s indwelling in someone’s life.

8. Explain how Christ is in you? We pattern our lives after Him. (Chapter 6) In baptism we die to the old life and walk now in the spirit. We rethink ou place in God’s world and act according to our adoption (chap 8). How can I be more like Jesus….like God? NOT just “how much can I get away with?”

9. What is the result of the spirit dwelling in us? Life. This has been Paul’s main contrast since chapter five. The law is ruled and ends In sin/death. Righteousness found through faith in Christ is ruled by everlasting life.