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same"; and then as to the moral effects--"He rendered powerless the devil" and delivered
His brethren.
Three passages should be read in conjunction with these verses. Rom. 8: 3;
Phil. 2: 7, 8; Heb. 10: 5-7 and their contexts noted.
Rom. 8: 3.
"God sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh."
Phil. 2: 7, 8.
"Was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as
a man . . . . ."
Heb. 10: 5-7.
"When He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and
offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared
me . . . . ."
The section of Romans which contains 8: 3 commences with Rom. 5: 12, and
reveals the entry of death. Here death is spoken of as exercising dominion, "Death
reigned by one". The dominion of sin and death is the theme of Rom. 6: 9-14. The law
of sin and death is uppermost in Rom. 7: 21-25. Rom. 8: 2 introduces the other law,
which indicates deliverance, "For the law of spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus hath made me
free from the law of sin and death". This was accomplished by Christ assuming our
nature, the result being "that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us
who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit". The context this side speaks of life (6,
10, 11, 12, 13), our deliverance from the bondage of corruption (15-23), a bondage which
is ever related to "fear" (15).
The statement that Christ was made in the likeness of sinful flesh is here chiefly
connected with the practical out-working of truth, of triumph over death, of "life because
of righteousness", of "life and peace" as a result of being "spiritually minded". The
passage speaks moreover not only of being heirs of God by virtue of being sons of God,
but of being JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST by virtue of suffering together with Him (17,
18). Here the goal is that Christ should be "the first-born among many brethren" (29).
Here we read of having "the spirit of Christ", of working out our own salvation with fear
and trembling, of being finally fashioned like unto the body of His glory (3: 21). Here
we have also a close connection with Hebrews:--
"Who being in the FORM OF GOD" (Phil. 2: 6).
"Who being the brightness of His glory and the EXPRESS IMAGE of His person"
(Heb. 1: 3).
"He was made in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2: 7).
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself
likewise took part of the same" (Heb. 2: 14).
"And being found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself, and became obedient
unto death" (Phil. 2: 8).
"That through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is the
devil" (Heb. 2: 14).
"Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above
every name" (Phil. 2: 9).
"Who for the joy set before Him endured a cross, despising the shame, and is set down
at the right hand of God" (Heb. 12: 2).
"Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a
more excellent name than they" (Heb. 1: 4).