Introduction
In Romans 7 Paul exposed the inner struggle of knowing God’s will yet lacking the power to overcome sin in the flesh. Torah reveals what is righteous, but cannot itself produce obedience. Romans 8 marks the transition from struggle to empowerment, introducing life in the Spirit, where the condemnation of the Torah is removed and God’s standards of righteousness begin to be lived out.
8:1 Therefore now [there is]* no condemnation to those in Yeshua Messiah,
*not according to the flesh walking, but according to Spirit
(not in all earlier manuscripts; probably repeated for emphasis from verse 4)
Condemnation: in Greek katakrima
- from kata– down, against
- and krinō– to judge
This is not just punishment, but a judicial verdict of condemnation that results in a penalty;
- past sins are no longer legally active charges
- the record no longer stands against the person
- the condemnation attached to that record is removed
This means there is no remaining judicial condemnation over those united to Messiah, because they have been transferred out of the realm of sin and death into the realm of the Spirit- this new standing is evidenced and maintained in lived faithfulness, repentance, and Spirit-led obedience.
8:2 Indeed the governing power of the Spirit of life in Yeshua Messiah has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
8:3 Indeed powerless [being] Torah in that it was astheneo (weak; sick) through the flesh. God’s own Son having been sent in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh
8:4 so that the righteousness of Torah should be fulfilled in us, not according to the flesh walking, but according to Spirit.
8:5 Those indeed according to flesh being, the things of the flesh think of; those however according to Spirit, [think of] the things of the Spirit.
8:6 Indeed the mindset of the flesh [is] death, but mindset of the Spirit life and peace
We know at this point that Paul consistently refers back to Scripture using covenant language:
- “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life…” – Deuteronomy 30:19
- “Great peace have they who love Your Torah” – Psalms 119:165
Life and peace are associated with obedience.
8:7 Insomuch as the mindset of the flesh [is] echthra (enmity, hostility, alienation) unto God; indeed to Torah of God not it is subject, nor is it even able.
God has revealed His will (Torah). To reject His instruction is to oppose His authority and set ourselves to hostility against Him:
The mind set on flesh does not even have the ability to obey; Only a Spirit-led life can fulfill God’s instruction.
Paul is telling us that neutrality is impossible– we can either
- live by flesh
- live by Spirit
Neutral would mean living by our own preferences while assuming God is fine with it-
But Scripture has clearly defined what He requires and what is defined as obedience.
“He has shown you man what is good, what YHVH seeks of you; for but to do justly, love checed (mercy; kindness) and humbly walk with your Elohim.”
-Micah 6:8
Food for thought:
Obeying only the “Ten Commandments”, as many followers tend to do, is like staying inside a fence but letting your desires decide everything inside the yard-
in that scenario
God is no longer leading- we are.
Living according to our interpretation of God’s will while deciding everything else for ourselves is still living according to the flesh, because it leaves us in control of what obedience looks like.
Scripture defines walking by the Spirit as submitting to God’s instruction, not obeying a minimal boundary and then following personal desire everywhere else.
8:8 Those in the flesh being are not able to please God.
8:9 You however, not are in flesh but in Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells within you. If however anyone the Spirit of Messiah not has, [he] not is of Him.
This is not to say believers should judge one another’s salvation status-
Paul is not saying those who:
- momentarily fail (sin)
- are new to belief
- struggle
Don’t have the Spirit.
He’s explaining that a life lived oriented by self-rule is incompatible with the Spirit’s rule
Walking according to self & flesh’s rule looks like a pattern of:
- Self-directed living
- Desires determining behavior
- Knowing God’s will but refusing submission
- Choosing autonomy over obedience
8:10 if however Messiah is in you, the body [is] dead by reason of sin; However the Spirit is life by reason of righteousness.
8:11 If now the Spirit of the One having raised up Yeshua out from the dead dwells within you, the One having raised up Yeshua Messiah out from the dead will give life also to your mortal bodies on account of His Spirit dwelling in you
Give life- Again covenant language:
What’s life? YHVH tell us choosing life is following His Ways.
8:12 So then brothers, debtors we are; not to the the flesh according to flesh to live-
8:13 if indeed according to flesh you live, you intend to die. If however by [the] Spirit the acts of the flesh you put to death, you will live.
8:14 As many as indeed by [the] Ruach of God are led, these sons are of God
8:15 Not indeed you have received a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received [the] Spirit of divine adoption as sons by whom we cry, “Abba Father!”
Paul tells us in no uncertain terms, that believers are “debtors”.
The Greek opheiletai means
- owes money (literal debt)
- owes a duty or obligation (moral/legal sense)
- is bound to fulfill something which owed
We are indebted to God to live righteously.
Spirit of bondage- Torah is not bondage; it’s freedom (Psalm 119:45)
The Ruach (Spirit) of God guides us in the statutes and judgements of YHVH (Ezekiel 36:26)
8:16 Himself the Spirit bears witness with the spirit of us that we are children of God,
8:17 if now children, also heirs- indeed of God and joint-heirs with Messiah, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
8:18 I reckon indeed not comparable the sufferings of the present time [are] to the coming glory to be revealed in us
Children of God- This is covenant language;
adoption means family status; that means inheritance rights.
Sonship, however, does not mean comfort; it means suffering with Yeshua- but that the suffering is temporary (in this life), and not comparable to the the reward of eternal peace.
8:19 Indeed creation awaits [with] intense anticipation the revelation of the children of God
8:20 Indeed to futility creation was subjected, not willingly but because of the One having subjected [it] in expectation.
8:21 that also the creation itself will be set free from the bondage of decay into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
The restoration of creation is triggered by the restoration of the children of God:
Creation- the world- didn’t chose to be ‘subjected to futility’
mataiotes (emptiness, purposelessness) was designated because of mankind’s sin.
God is restoring everything according to plan– first His family, then everything else through them.
8:22 We know indeed that all the creation groans together and travails until now
8:23 Not only [so] now, but even ourselves, having the firstfruit of the Spirit, we also in ourselves groan; divine adoption awaiting the redemption of our body.
8:24 Indeed in this (expectation of) hope we were rescued; hope however being seen not is hope. Who indeed sees any that [he] hopes?
8:25 if however we hope for what not we see, we await with patience.
We as believers are not immune to these birth pains or discomfort; the Spirit doesn’t remove this feeling- it intensifies it.
We live in the inbetween; we know what was lost because of sin, and we know what’s coming. We await with anticipation but the knowledge that this world, this life, is not the end-goal.
In this way, hope is not anything physical in this world- it is not seen.
Hope is endurance, knowing and trusting God by faithfully walking in obedience until He finishes His restoration plan.
8:26 Likewise now also the Spirit joins to help our weakness. Indeed that which we should pray for as is proper not we know; but Himself the Spirit makes intercession with groanings which are unutterable.
8:27 The One however searching hearts knows what [is] the mindset of the Spirit since according to God [He] intercedes for the holy-ones.
8:28 We know now that those loving God, all things works together God for good, those according to purpose being called.
A good example of this is Yosef (Joseph); His brothers sold him into slavery, but through everything he prevailed because God had a purpose for him:
But as you meant against me evil, Elohim meant for good in order to make a day like this to revive many people.
— Genesis 50:20
8:29 Indeed those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, indeed to exist Him, firstborn among many brothers.
Firstborn– In Hebrew thought, this meant the first with right to inheritance; it was a command to ensure that special inheritance rights go to the actual first-born; not out of favoritism.
Firstborn rights can be forfeit by voluntarily giving them up or by disobedience: Like Esau giving away his rights for a bowl of stew; or Reuben who forfeited his inheritance by sleeping with his father’s concubine (a sign of attempting to usurp his father).
Firstborn inheritance is only transferred upon death; the right may exist beforehand, but the inheritance itself is enacted when death occurs. (Genesis 49; 50:13, Deuteronomy 21:15-17, Numbers 36:6–9)
That is why Yeshua had to die- His death activates the covenant inheritance, making it legally and spiritually available for us to receive the Kingdom.
8:30 And those whom He predestined these also He called, and whom He called these also He justified, and those then He justified these, He also glorified.
- Foreknew; knowing in Hebrew thought is relational, not based on information
- Predestination here is the Greek proorizo– meaning marked beforehand for a purpose by God
- Conformed; restored to the plan for humanity, faithful sonship, living intentionally as Yeshua did
- Called; summoned, into the Covenant
- Justified; declared righteous
- Glorified; restored to the full image of YHVH
1. Predestined by God for a purpose
2. Called to return to the Covenant
3. Justified by Faith and Fidelity to Messiah
4. Glorified to His image by Spirit’s guidance
In this way, we are conformed to Messiah
8:31 What then will we say to these things? If God [is] for us, what [is] against us?
8:32 He who surely His own Son not spared, but for us all gave Him up- how will He not also grant favor to us all things along with Him?
8:33 Who will bring an accusation against the elect of God? God is the One justifying.
8:34 Who [is] the [one] condemning? [it is] Messiah Yeshua who is the One having died; more (than that) now having been raised up from dead Who is at the right hand of God and entugchano (intercedes; makes petition) for us.
8:35 What will separate us from love of Messiah? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril or sword?
8:36 As it is written, “For the sake of You we face death all the day; reckoned as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Yet for Your sake, we are killed all day long, accounted as sheep for the slaughter
— Pslams 44:22
Paul quotes from Psalm 44, which describes the still faithful people of Yisrael suffering unjustly, feeling like defenseless sheep, yet trusting YHVH will act.
It’s a recognition that covenant faithfulness does not guarantee earthly comfort, but even so God’s presence and purposes remain.
8:37 But in all these things we are more than conquerors, through the One having loved us
8:38 I am persuaded indeed that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor forces
8:39 nor barriers nor deep waters, nor any other created thing, will be able to withdraw us from the love of God in Yeshua Messiah, our Lord.
Paul shows that life in the Spirit transforms the believer from the inside out.
The Spirit empowers us to obey God’s Torah not as fearful slaves, but as beloved sons and daughters, producing the fruit of faith in love and holiness. A mindset focused on the flesh cannot please God, but a mind set on the Spirit brings life, peace and alignment with His purpose.
Trials and tribulations are not signs of failure but part of God’s refining work, shaping us to share in Messiah’s glory.
Through suffering, hope and Spirit-led obedience, God’s children participate in His ongoing plan to restore both humanity and creation.
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