THE APOSTLE OF THE RECONCILIATION

a spiritual law cannot be fulfilled by carnal persons. Romans 8:3 tells us that the law could not do something, and

`For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the FLESH'.

The law could not save, justify or sanctify, as it was utterly beyond the power of the flesh to comply with its

demands. The flesh rendered the law weak:

`God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh (did accomplish) (Rom. 8:3).

A verb of some sort is necessary at the end of this statement. What the law could not do Christ has done.

Galatians 4:4-6 supplies the remote ellipsis:

`He was born under the law, that He might redeem those who were under the law, that they might receive the

adoption of sons, God has sent forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba father' (Author's

How closely parallel this is with Romans 8, verses 3 and 15 of that chapter will show. Let us note the evident

parallel intended between verses 1 and 3. For the believer there is no condemnation (katakrima), but sin in the flesh

has been condemned (katakrine). Looking back to the Person and work of the Son of God he sees One, Who though

personally without sin (`Who knew no sin'), yet by taking upon Him the likeness of the flesh of sin (homoiomati

sarkos hamartias), and (by an offering) for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirements

of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit (8:3,4).

Here we arrive at the illuminating fact that those whose `old man' has been crucified, whose `body of sin' has

been rendered inoperative (katargeo); who are no longer compelled to do what they hate; who indeed walk not after

the flesh, but after the spirit - these being spiritual can at long last fulfil a spiritual law. `The righteous requirement

of the law may be fulfilled' (8:4) in such. What are the righteous requirements of the law? The Saviour while on

earth answered that question by the one word, love. His servant Paul, since, has said the same:

`... he that LOVETH another hath FULFILLED the law' (Rom. 13:8).

So in Galatians we shall again find Romans in germ:

`For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this ... LOVE ... This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall

not fulfil the lusts of the flesh ... if ye are led by the Spirit ye are not under the law ... The fruit of the Spirit is

LOVE ... they that are Christ's CRUCIFIED the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let us

also walk by the Spirit' (Gal. 5:14-25 Author's translation).

Romans 1 to 5 teaches us that we `live by the Spirit'; Romans 6 to 8 teaches us that we should `walk by the

Spirit' also, and `against such there is no law', in other words `there is no condemnation'.

Moses Stuart's paraphrase of Romans 8:3 is worth quoting:

`God sent His own Son in the likeness of men, and on account of their sins, and destroyed the power of sin in

their carnal nature (which the law could not possibly effect because it was bereaved of its energy through the

strength of the carnal affections) in order that the precepts of the law, which demand holiness of life, might be

obeyed by those who walk according to the dictates of His spirit'

The mind now comes prominently forward. If Romans 8:1-4 treats of the theme of Romans 6:1 to 7-6, the

verses that follow develop the teaching that lies within Romans 7:13-25, where the `mind' is prominent. Here we

perceive that the mind may be allied to the flesh, and so to death; or to the Spirit, and so to life and peace. Those

who are `minding the flesh' are also `in the flesh' (Romans 8:7,8). Those, however, who have died with Christ are

renewed and transformed to another sphere, `But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of

God dwell in you' (Rom. 8:9). Their `mind' is set on things above. Two essentially distinct statements appear to be

intended in verses 9 and 10. The word `And' in verse 10 should be `But', making a distinction:

(1) `... if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His' (Rom. 8:9).

This is the new nature, without which none can be called the Lord's.