In Romans 8:1-4 Paul tells us about the Justification of the Sinner (8:1-2), the Propitiation of the Savior (8:3), and the Sanctification of the Saint. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! Now that the Judge of all the earth has acquitted us, let us strive to glorify Him by loving God and others!
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No Condemnation In Christ!
Romans 8:1-4
In the Book of Romans, Paul is laboring to help us understand the gospel, which is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. In the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. The crux of the gospel is that God has provided a gift of righteousness for all who believe in Christ. This gift of righteousness justifies the believing sinner. In the first three chapters Paul labors to help us see that all men need this justification. Then in the final section of Romans 3 Paul helps us to understand the meaning of justification. Then in chapter 4 Paul gives us an illustration of justification in the Old Testament patriarch Abraham. In chapter 5:1-11, Paul lists some of the fruits of our justification. Then in chapter 5:12-21 Paul tells us that our justification is grounded in our union with Jesus Christ.
So, really Romans chapters 1-5, all deal in one way or another with justification by faith. Then come chapters 6 & 7. These chapters are included, only because Paul knows that his readers are going to have questions and objections about some of the things he has said. So, Paul devotes two chapters to answering these objections. All of the objections begin with a question, followed by “May it never be!” and then a longer, more detailed explanation of the answer to the question.
Well, now that we have worked our way through chapters 6 & 7, Paul returns to his former subject – justification. And, that is the primary theme of Romans 8:1-4.
In these verses, we have three themes:
- The Justification of the Sinner
- The Propitiation of the Savior
- The Sanctification of the Saint
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The Justification Of The Sinner (Romans 8:1-2)
1) What does it mean to be justified?
“No Condemnation”. Those two words are the heart and soul of the meaning of justification. For those who are justified, there is no condemnation. They have been acquitted by the Judge of all the earth. There is no higher court, and there are no appeals. When a man has been justified, no one can reverse it. Think of it! No condemnation! There is nothing that any person can say or do to bring condemnation upon you. There is nothing that Satan can do to bring condemnation upon you. And I say it reverently, there is nothing that you can do to bring condemnation upon you, if you have been justified by faith. This is a glorious truth!
2) Why are we justified?
“Therefore”. This verse begins with the word “therefore.” Whenever you see a “therefore”, always find out what it is there for J. Why does Paul begin with the word “therefore”? That, of course, implies that he has reached a conclusion based on something that he has previously said. Well, it is very apparent that Paul is not drawing a conclusion that there is no condemnation based on Romans 7:7-25. In those verses, the Law does condemn him. Those verses show us that the Law exposes sin, arouses sinful passions, and then brings death. The person in Romans 7 wanted to keep the Law, but found himself failing to keep it. He says that he was sold into bondage to sin, and was a prisoner of the law of sin which is in his members, making him cry out “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” The man Paul is describing in Romans 7 is under the Law, he is bound to the Law, he is married to the Law. That’s why he is condemned by the Law. When the commandment came, sin became alive, and he died (7:9). That’s why I believe that the man in Romans 7 is not the same man as the man in Romans 8. In Romans 7, the man is under condemnation. In Romans 8, he is not. No, Romans 7:7-25 definitely do not show that we are not under condemnation. Well, if Paul is not referring to that passage of Scripture, what is he basing this conclusion on? I believe he is basing it on Romans 7:4 and 6. Remember that Romans 7:7-25 is Paul going off on a rabbit trail to answer objections. It serves as a parenthesis in his overall argument. But, if we go back to Romans 7:4,6, we find him making statements that do teach that we are not under condemnation.
Romans 7:4, “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”
Romans 7:6, “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”
In these two verses Paul tells us that we died to the Law, and that we have been released from the Law. The Law has no more jurisdiction over us. Imagine a wife being married to a harsh, dominant dictatorial husband, whom she can never please. But then she dies. Well, if she is dead, obviously that dictatorial husband is not able to exercise any jurisdiction or dominion over her any more. In the same way, we died to the Law, so it has nothing to say to us any more. That’s why there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
3) When are we justified?
“Now”. What does that word “now” tell us? Well, it tells us that a radical change has taken place. Before he was condemned. Now he is not. What made the difference? He is in Christ Jesus. This speaks of a vital living union with Jesus Christ. So, when is a person justified? When he is brought into a living union with Christ. Jesus called this being “born of the Spirit” in John 3. This is the New Birth. How does it happen? 1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us righteousness.” The Spirit of God unites the sinner to Christ. As soon as that living union takes place, Christ’s righteousness is now his, so that he is now justified. But note that this union does not take place because of your doing. The Bible says it is because of His doing that we are in Christ Jesus. So, the moment the Holy Spirit unites us to Jesus Christ, we are justified, because His righteousness now becomes ours. It is exactly the same as when a man marries a woman. At the moment they are married, all His assets now become hers as well.
4) Who is justified?
“For those who are in Christ Jesus.” Before a person is regenerated he is “in the flesh.” Romans 7:5 says, “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.” To be “in the flesh” is the same thing as to be “in Adam.” 1 Cor. 15:22 says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” So then, the only people who have no condemnation are those who are in Christ Jesus. Therefore, it doesn’t really matter how moral, or good, or loving or religious a person is. He may be a fine person by the world’s standards. He may be a devout Jew, Muslim, or Hindu, who abides by the laws of their religious group. However, Scripture teaches that only those who are “in Christ Jesus” are not condemned.
5) How are we justified?
“For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” There are a couple of things that we need to get clear. The first is the meaning of “the law of sin and of death.” Some commentators say this has the same meaning as it does in Romans 7:23 where it says, “but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.” They say that Paul is telling us in Romans 8:2 that we have been set free from the law of sin which is in our members. What they mean by that is that we have been set free from the power of sin. In other words, they say that Romans 8:2 is talking about our sanctification. However, that can’t be correct. Why do I say that? Well, it is because of the little word “for” that begins verse 2. The word “for” tells us that Paul is going on to explain what he has said in verse 1 and give us a reason for it. So, how is it that we are not condemned? Why is that true? If verse 2 is talking about sanctification, then Paul is saying we are not condemned because we are being sanctified. However, that is to put the cart before the horse. Sanctification flows out of our justification. It is not the ground of our justification. The reason we are justified is not because we are being sanctified.
Well then, if “law of sin and death” does not mean the power of sin within us, what does it mean? I submit to you it has the exact same meaning it has had all through chapter 7. Look back at Romans 7:5, “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.” There Paul speaks of the Law, and he connects it with sin and death. In 7:7-12, Paul says that the Law exposed our sin. In 7:13-25 Paul says that the Law brings about our death. What Law is he talking about? Well, he names one of the commandments in the Law in verse 7 as the 10th commandment, “You shall not covet.” Obviously, the Law here is the Law of God, the Mosaic Law, encapsulated in the 10 Commandments. In Romans 7, Paul speaks of the Law, and tells us that it exposes sin and brings about death. Therefore, it should be no surprise to us if Paul speaks of the Law in Romans 8:2 as “the Law of sin and of death.” So, what is Paul saying? He’s saying that we are not condemned if we are in Christ Jesus because we have been set free from the Law and its demands. When Paul says that we have been set free from the law, what is he referring to? He’s referring to the same thing as he described in Romans 7:6, “But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound.” Do you see that to be “set free” is the same thing as to be “released”? If I release a prisoner, I am setting him free. So, Paul is really only saying again what he had already told us in Romans 7:4,6.
But what does Paul mean by “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” What does that refer to? Paul is saying what he has already said in Romans 7:4, “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” When a person is saved, He is joined to the Risen Christ. The Spirit of God unites the sinner to Jesus in all His resurrection life. When that happens, he is set free from the Law of God, because has died to it.
So, we could paraphrase verse 2 like this, “We are no longer condemned because the Holy Spirit has united us to the risen Christ and given us His life, and that has set us free from the Law which brought this condemnation upon us.”
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The Propitiation Of The Savior (8:3)
1) What Was The Law Unable To Do?
“For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh.” There was something that the Law could not do. What was it? I believe Paul is saying that the Law could not save us. It could not justify us. All the Law can do is condemn all who don’t obey it. It has no power to save anyone. Now, there would be no problem, of course, if we had obeyed the Law. But no one has. Why is that? Paul tells us in verse 3. It is because of our flesh. Now, when Paul speaks of “the flesh” he’s not talking about our skin on our bones. He is talking about our fallen, corrupt human nature, that is weak and prone to sin. This is what Paul has already told us in Romans 3:19-20, “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” The Law can’t justify us. All the Law can do is expose our sin, and then condemn us. Of course, that isn’t the Law’s fault. The Law is holy, and righteous and good. It is our fault. It is our flesh, our fallen nature, that is at fault. In our fallen condition, we are unable to keep God’s holy Law.
2) Who Is This Savior? Just who was this Savior that accomplished what the Law could not do?
God Sent. Notice that we don’t have a picture of an angry God, and rebellious sinners, and then Jesus steps in between His angry Father and guilty sinners to reconcile them. No, we have a picture of God sending His own Son to make reconciliation for sinners. What we have here is a picture of the love of God saving sinners from the wrath of God. Jesus didn’t put himself forward between God and man; God put Jesus forward between God and man. God loves sinners as much as Jesus does; and Jesus is as angry with sin as God is.
His Own Son. God the Father, sent God the Son to redeem man. The God the Father and God the Son send God the Spirit to apply the salvation that Jesus accomplished to them. The eternal, uncreated Son of the living God is the Savior of sinners. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” God saves us from God!
In the Likeness of Sinful Flesh. Now it is very interesting how Paul puts this. He doesn’t say, “in the likeness of flesh.” If he had said that, it would have been incorrect. Jesus did not come in the likeness of flesh. He came in real flesh. Jesus was a true man; a real man; 100% man. He didn’t just appear like a man. He was a man. It also doesn’t say He came “in sinful flesh.” Jesus did not come in sinful flesh. Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh. Jesus was without sin, absolutely spotless and pure before the Father. Only one who had no sin of His own could become sin for us. “God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us…” “Christ died for sins, the just for the unjust.” If you looked at Him He would look like anyone else. He appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh, but He had no sinful flesh at all.
3) What Did The Savior Accomplish?
“as an offering for sin.” A propitiation is a sacrifice which averts the wrath of God. Old Testament sacrifices are referred to as offerings or sacrifices, the two words used synonymously. There was the burnt offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, and the grain offering. Jesus was all of those offerings all in one. He was the Perfect Sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 10:10 says, “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” His offering was for sin.
“He condemned sin in the flesh”. What does it mean that Jesus condemned sin in the flesh? I believe it means that God found sin guilty and then sentenced that sin to its just punishment. The holy Son of God endured that penalty in His death on the cross. Since Jesus had no sin of His own, the sin that He was an offering for was ours. He died as the sinner’s Substitute. The reason that Jesus’ death can remove all of my condemnation is because God condemned all of my sin and laid the punishment upon Christ. Since Jesus fully paid for my sin and its just condemnation, I am left with no condemnation!
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The Sanctification Of The Saint (Romans 8:4)
1) What Is God’s Goal In Saving Us?
“so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us…” Notice those two little words “so that”. They tell us something. They tell us that God had a reason and a purpose in sending Jesus to bear sin’s condemnation in our place. God had a goal in mind when He saved us. What was it? So that we might fulfill the Law in our daily lives! Now, I know you are going to be tempted to think that Paul means that Jesus fulfilled the Law on our behalf. Now that is absolutely true. But I don’t think that is what Paul means here. Why? Because Paul doesn’t say that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled for us. He says it will be fulfilled in us. And then Paul says it will be fulfilled in those who live according to the Spirit. In other words, Paul has in mind the daily life of the Christian. He’s not thinking of what Jesus did for us. He’s thinking of what the Spirit does in us. Paul is talking about our sanctification, which is the progressive and practical putting to death of sin and bearing of the fruit of the Spirit in the life of the Christian.
Why would this be God’s goal when He saves a sinner? Well, let me ask it another way. What is God’s goal when He does anything? God’s ultimate goal in all things is to display His glory. And that is exactly what happens in a believer’s sanctification. God’s Law is an expression of God’s holy character. Therefore, when we fulfill the Law, we reflect back to God His own character, and this displays His glory. That’s why in Romans 8:29 Paul writes, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” That’s why Paul writes in Ephesians 1:4, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” Our predestination and election and salvation are all leading to this goal – to live holy lives before God and fulfill His Law, thus displaying God’s glory.
But how do we fulfill God’s Law? Let’s let Paul give us the answer. Romans 13:8,10, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” How do we fulfill the Law? We love God and we love our neighbor.
And how do we love our neighbor? Galatians 5:6 says, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.” Loving our neighbor comes through faith in God and His promises and His resources. Loving our neighbor is not purely a matter of discipline and works. It is a matter of faith.
2) How Can We Fulfill God’s Law? In other words, where do we get the power or resources to love our neighbor, and thus fulfill the Law? Paul tells us that it is not by walking according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. But, what does it really mean to “walk according to the Spirit”? Galatians 5:16-18 can be helpful here. In Galatians 5:16 says that if we walk by the Spirit, we will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Then in verse 18 he tells us that if we are “led by the Spirit” we are not under the Law. Evidently then, to walk according to the Spirit is the same thing as to be led by the Spirit. So, what does it mean to be led by the Spirit? Well, Paul tells us in Romans 8:13-14, “for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Did you notice the word “for” at the beginning of verse 14? That tells you that being led by the Spirit is the same thing as putting to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit. In other words, to be led by the Spirit does not have to do with mystical experiences or divine guidance. It has to do with the Spirit enabling the believer to put to death sin in his life. It has to do with sanctification. So, to walk according to the Spirit is to depend heavily upon Him by faith to enable us to put sin to death and to live out a life of love to God and our fellow man.
Conclusion
Are you in Christ Jesus? If you are, then God has lifted your sentence of condemnation? You have been set free from the Law’s accusations and condemnation forever. You are no longer under the penalty of the Law. Instead, you have been joined to the risen Lord Jesus Christ! You share His life. The reason you are not condemned, and will never be condemned is because Christ took your condemnation when He died on the cross. He bore your curse, absorbed God’s wrath, and received the due penalty for your guilt and condemnation, when He died for you.
So, if all that is true of you and I, what is God’s will for us? What is God’s purpose for you? God wants you to glorify Him by reflecting back to Him His glory. The way you do that is by loving Him and others, and thus fulfill the Law. And the way you love God and man is by walking according to the Spirit.
So, it all comes down to this. You were united to Christ by the Spirit. You were born of the Spirit. The Spirit gave you life to begin with. Now, you must learn to depend on Him to do everything. You have no power in yourself to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. But the Spirit of God, who lives within you, can grant you that power. So you must walk in step with the Spirit, in prayer, in a spirit of faith and dependency and reliance upon Him. As Paul told us in Romans 7:4, we have died to the Law through the body of Christ so that we might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. How do we bear fruit for God? It is through be joined to Jesus who is risen from the dead. Or in Romans 7:6 Paul reminds us that we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
Yes, we fulfill the requirement of the Law, but not by focusing on the Law. We fulfill the requirement of the Law through our union to Christ and the power of the indwelling Spirit. We glorify God through faith and our ongoing loving relationship with Christ. So, brothers and sisters, seek to nurture and protect and develop and grow in your relationship with Christ. Make that the aim of your life. As Peter puts it in the very last verse of his 2nd epistle, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” Grow in grace. Grow in knowledge. Grow in your relationship to Jesus!
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