Hence, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless to do, this God has done: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for the sake of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the righteous decree of the law might be fulfilled in us, who live not according to the flesh but according to the spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit. 6 The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace. 7 For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. 12 Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Paul states that those who are united with Christ through faith are not under condemnation. Believers are acquitted of guilt and freed from the penalty of sin through their union with Christ – this is known as justification by faith. He contrasts the law of the Spirit with the law of sin and death. Those who live a new life of freedom in Christ are no longer under the power of sin that ultimately leads to death as Paul points out in Romans 6:23. Paul explains that the Mosaic Law was unable to save because of human weakness (Rom. 7:7-25). However, God accomplished what the Law could not by sending His Son in human flesh, who by his death, condemned sin and its power over humanity. Believers fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law through Christ by living according to the Spirit (Rom. 7:8), aligning with Jesus' teaching that emphasizes the spirit of the Law over mere legalistic adherence (see Matthew 5:17-20).
In contrasting life in the flesh and life in the Spirit, Paul said that the flesh rebels against God’s Law, and those focused on the flesh are driven by worldly desires and priorities, Conversely, those who live according to the Spirit prioritize spiritual growth and obedience to God (Galatians 5:16-17). The indwelling Spirit marks believers as belonging to Christ (1 Cor. 6:19-20) and empowers them to live according to God's will. Without the indwelling of the Spirit, one does not belong to Christ. Believers experience a profound transformation through faith in Christ. The body may be subject to sin and its attendant death but the Spirit is alive with the righteousness of Christ earned through his self-sacrifice on the cross (Eph. 2:4-5).
Paul assures believers that just as God raised Jesus from the dead, believers can hope in the resurrection of their mortal bodies (1 Cor. 15:20-23) through the same Spirit that transforms their lives. They are freed from the power of sin (Rom. 6:14) and are called to live in obedience to God. Living according to the flesh leads to spiritual and eternal death, but through the power of the Spirit, believers are empowered to resist and overcome sinful behaviors and attain the reward of eternal life.
Almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, frees us from condemnation and empowers us, through the Holy Spirit, to live righteous and holy lives. Help us to live according to the Spirit which strengthens us so we can prioritize spiritual growth and obedience to Your will. May we embrace the transformative power of Your grace, and look forward to the hope of resurrection and eternal life. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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