In our previous lesson, Paul cried out, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Up to this point in Romans, Paul has been demonstrating that we are all guilty of sin before God. Nothing can save us from the due penalty of death. Not ignorance of the law or keeping the Law of God. The Law is good, but it is designed to reveal what sin is more than to keep us from it. Paul observed in himself that even if he wants to keep the law, the flesh fails him. “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24, CSB)
Answer. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.” (Romans 8:1–11, CSB)
What we, by the strength of our own will, couldn’t do, God did. What the law couldn’t do, God did. God set us free from the law of sin and death. That doesn’t mean that we are without law, or lawless, or free to do whatever we want. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the old law. Everything has changed. Our desires, our mindset, our purpose, and our destination. All changed because God sent Jesus to receive the penalty of sin in our place. The inner war is over.
Romans Applied: This is our good news. But it is more than just a message; it is our life. Just as sin reigned and ruled our lives before, now, in Christ, we are ruled by His righteousness. We still have choices to make; we are still capable of sin, but we have a new law that leads to life instead of death. That law is cross-shaped. Love God with everything, your mind, soul, strength, and body. Love others as you would love yourself (if you were walking in their shoes). Our good news, our Gospel, is a lived Gospel through the Spirit who lives in us. We have been set free in Christ to live that new life in Him fully.
- Romans Applied – Set Free - July 1, 2026
- Proverbs – Better Than Sacrifice - June 29, 2026
- Romans Applied – The Internal War - June 24, 2026
