'No Condemnation'
Romans eight has to be one of the high points in Pauline liturature, and particularly in the context of the book of Romans, with its underlying theme of justification by faith. This understanding is grounded in Paul's conviction that the gospel is “...the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom.1:16).” Paul establishes the guilt and condemnation of all men before a holy God early in the book (Rom.2:12-3:20), and it's not a condemnation that is confined to a future event of divine judgment, even though that's certain, but it's also one that's presently evident in man's inability to consistently resist the many sinful impulses he experiences. Even though Christians continue to struggle with the passions of the flesh, Paul assures us that the 'condition of condemnation' has been fully dealt with in Christ. This is the wonderful 'good news' of the gospel!
Three Key Ideas
There are three ideas presented in the opening section of the chapter (vv. 1-11) that contribute to the shaping of the Christian's life in Christ. They are: an impowered life, a renewed mind, and an enlivened body. Each of these is related to an essential aspect of our salvation. When we're brought into union with Christ through regeneration and true conversion, our standing before God is transformed and entrance is made into a new kind of life. We're brought under 'the law [dynamic] of the Spirit of life' that sets us free from 'the law of sin and death'. Law, as it's used in these two phrases, refers to that which excites us to action; in the natural man it's the 'flesh' (the fallen nature with its sinful impulses) that will ultimately end in profound spiritual death and everlasting judgment. In the Christian's life, however, it's the regulating and impowering presence of the Holy Spirit (the 'Spirit of life' or the life giving Spirit). The Holy Spirit redirects our moral actions by breathing spiritual life into us, whereby he brings us into the fullness of life that includes life everlasting and ultimately a glorified body.
Since we're now 'in Christ', we're no longer living under the judgment of God, and we're being freed from the power of sin because our lives are being excited and reordered by the regulating power of the Holy Spirit, who overrules and supresses the excitements of sin. This is the elaboration of Paul's answer to his own question posed in chapter 7:24,25 - “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!....”. I think all of us can identify with Paul's frustration, a frustration that borders on desperation; having a heart for God, desiring to be faithful to him and yet often failing. And typically, even our faithfulness is an imperfect faithfulness. Where do we turn for help? Do we just try harder? Paul's answer is 'no'. Our help lies outside of ourselves. Listen to Paul again - “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!...(v.25).” Our righteous standing before God in 'in Christ', and the transformation of our living is also 'in Christ' through the regulating power of the Holy Spirit. Christ is our righteousness and our sanctification! The perfections of Jesus are considered to be ours because we're trusting him alone for our salvation. Because we're 'in him' he enlivens us by his Spirit and causes us to grow into the perfections that God has imputed to us in Christ. John Fisher, in his musical The New Covenant, states this understanding well - “To run and work the law commands, yet gives me neither feet nor hands, but better news the gospel brings, it bids me fly and gives me wings.” Ezekiel underscores this New Covenant promise - “...I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules (Ezk.36:27).”
A Pressing Question
How was this accomplished? It was achieved through the saving work of Christ, which is the heart and substance of the gospel. The Apostle Paul - “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit (Rom.8:3,4).” This is the glorious gospel! God has done what the righteous and good commandments of God could not do because of our inability to keep them. God sent his own Son in the true humanity of man (yet, without sin), to live a perfect human life, to deal with sin at Calvary, and to break sin's power over those who come to Christ in repentance and faith. Here's the purpose statement - “So that the commandment of the law may find fulfillment in us, whose conduct, no longer under the control of our lower nature, is directed by the Spirit (v.4, The New English Bible).”
When we're truly 'in Christ', then our lives are being excited and regulated by the Holy Spirit, our minds are being renewed, and our affections are reshaped and redirected. Paul makes it clear that Christians and non-Christians have distinguishing mentalities. The natural man sets his mind, his thoughts, and his affections on earthbound things. His preoccupations, ambitions, passions, and pursuits in life are determined by the sinful self which is hostile to the will of God and leads to death. It's a life shaped by the excitements of sin and human pride which are never pleasing to God - “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Rom.8:8).” It's a tragic and hopeless condition to be in, one that mocks the gospel and rejects the saving work of Christ. In contrast, the Christian is having his mind renewed through the active presence and power of the Holy Spirit in his life - “....those who live according to the Spirit set their minds (their thoughts and affections) on the things of the Spirit (Rom.8:5).” The verb 'set their minds on' is an indicative indicating an established reality. This is something God does; he reorients our minds and affections! When we come to Christ our mind and heart are awakened and focused on the things of Christ. And this is a 'set-of-mind' that we have to struggle to maintain. This 'set-of-mind' results in true life and real peace!
Its Ultimate End
The last paragraph of the passage pushes the redemptive work of the Spirit out to its ultimate end which is the enliving (the resurrection) of our physical bodies. In contrast to the inability of those who are 'in the flesh' to please God (v.8), verse 9 gives the Christian believer great assurance - “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” If you're 'in Christ' – if you're truly converted – your life is no longer driven and defined by the sinful nature. You're now 'in the Spirit'; your life is now being regulated and empowered by the Holy Spirit who indwells you! As Christians, we're in the Spirit and the Spirit is in us. And it's this all encompassing dynamic of the Holy Spirit's work in us that transforms our character, and will one day enliven our mortal bodies in resurrection. The same body that's put in the grave will be raised incorruptible, and be clothed with immortality at the return of Christ! Ours is a full salvation! This is what's meant by - “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (v.1).” We're freed from the future final judgment of God, and we're presently being liberated from the sinful excitements of the flesh.