The Spirit is the first fruit of the future bodily resurrection of believers and the redemption of the Creation – Romans 8:1-23.
The sin of Adam condemned the entire creation to bondage, sin, and
death, not just humanity. Under the Mosaic law, humanity could not
liberate itself from bondage to sin and death. That would take something,
or, more accurately, someone else:
- (Romans 8:3-4) - “What was impossible by the law in that it was weak through the flesh, God, by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who, not according to the flesh do walk, but according to spirit.”
In Paul’s theology, “flesh” refers to humanity in
its mortal and fallen state that “prefers death, but the Spirit prefers life
and peace.” The “fleshly
man” is the product of Adam’s disobedience, and it remains “hostile towards God, for to the law of God it does
not submit itself, neither can it. They who in flesh have their being cannot
please God.” To be “in the flesh” is equivalent to being
“in Adam.”
- (Romans 5:18-19) – “Hence then, as through one fault the sentence was for all men unto condemnation, so also, through one recovery of righteousness, the decree of grace is to all men for righteous acquittal for life. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were constituted sinners, so also, through the obedience of the one the many shall be constituted righteous.”
The discussion on “flesh” and “spirit” contrasts the
old Adamic life in bondage to sin with the new life that is free from servitude
to it, and that life is found in Jesus. Paul is not speaking about two
“natures” within an individual that are locked in mortal combat, the “old man”
versus the “new man,” but about the past life in the “flesh” of the
Adamic man versus the new life in the “spirit” provided in the man, Jesus
Christ.
- (Romans 8:9-11) – “But you have not your being in flesh but in spirit, if, at least, God’s Spirit is dwelling in you; and if anyone has not Christ’s Spirit, the same is not his. But if Christ is in you, the body, indeed, is dead by reason of sin, but the spirit is life by reason of righteousness; If, moreover, the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from among the dead is dwelling in you, he that raised Christ Jesus from among the dead will make alive even your death-doomed bodies through means of his indwelling Spirit within you.”
His disciples do not have their life in the flesh but in the
spirit, “if God’s Spirit is dwelling” in them. But if anyone
does not have his Spirit, “the same is not his.” It is that same Spirit that
equips disciples to walk uprightly - (Galatians 5:13-18).
Though
our present physical bodies are “dead by reason of sin,” if the Spirit
of Him that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, “He that raised him
from among the dead will quicken our death-doomed bodies through means of his
indwelling Spirit.”
Next, Paul introduces the resurrection into the discussion. Integral to his concept of salvation is the bodily resurrection of the saints. Final redemption is realized at the resurrection, and this, by necessity and logic, includes the redemption of the body.
The entire man that God created was condemned to bondage, not just
his soul or inner self. Therefore, if God is to redeem humanity and recover all
that was lost, the redemptive act must include the body. Likewise, the creation
that was also condemned by Adam’s sin must be redeemed.
- (Romans 8:12-14) – “Hence, then, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh that according to the flesh we should live, for if according to the flesh you live, you are about to die, whereas, if in spirit the practices of the flesh you are putting to death, you will attain life; for as many as by God’s Spirit are being led, the same are His sons.”
Though believers have been declared righteous, their receipt of final
salvation is not a foregone conclusion. They are obliged to live “not
according to the flesh,” for if they do, they will “die. But if by the
Spirit they put to death the practices of the flesh, they will attain life.”
It is men who are “led by God’s Spirit that are His sons.”
- (Romans 8:15-20) – “For you have not received a spirit of servitude leading back into fear, but you have received a spirit of sonship, whereby we are exclaiming Abba! Oh, Father! The Spirit itself is bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God; And if children, heirs also, heirs, indeed, of God but coheirs with Christ, if, at least, we are suffering together in order that we may also be glorified together. For I reckon that unworthy are the sufferings of the present season to be compared with the glory about to be revealed towards us; For the eager outlook of creation is ardently waiting for the revealing of the sons of God, for unto vanity has creation been made subject, not by choice, but by reason of him that made it subject in hope.”
The Spirit of God that dwells in believers “bears witness with
their spirit that they are His children,” and that means they are “heirs
of God and coheirs with Christ.” But to be a co-heir with him means also to
suffer in this life for his sake so that we also will be “glorified”
like him.
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| Photo by Jacky Zeng on Unsplash |
The creation itself has been subjected “to vanity” - to death and decay - because of the disobedience of Adam, and, accordingly, all creation now suffers until the present hour. But the creation is “ardently awaiting the revelation of the sons of God.” When his sons are “revealed” for all to see, then the “creation itself also shall be freed from the bondage of decay into the freedom of the glory of the sons of God.” That day will mean nothing less than the New Creation.
- (Romans 8:21-23) – “That creation itself also shall be freed from the bondage of the decay into the freedom of the glory of the sons of God; for we know that all creation is sighing together and travailing-in-birth-throes together until the present, and not only so, but we ourselves also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, we even ourselves within our own selves do sigh, sonship ardently awaiting, the redemption of our body.”
Thus, Paul links the New Creation to the bodily resurrection at
the end of the age. Like the other New Testament writers, he presents a forward-looking
faith. Everlasting life is an inheritance that will be received in
all its fullness at the resurrection of the righteous, an event that will coincide
with the arrival of the New Creation at the return of Jesus in glory. And the
possession of the Spirit is the “first fruit” of that blessed and final event -
(1 Corinthians 15:51-57).
Moreover, the redemption of the entire creation is dependent on
the resurrection of the “sons of God.” Therefore, the promises of bodily
resurrection and New Creation are inextricably linked.
Throughout this section of his letter, the focus remains on
the future inheritance of the saints that Paul links to the New Creation and
the resurrection. New Creation and bodily resurrection are two sides of the
same coin.
Disciples who have been declared righteous in Christ, who have
received the Spirit of God, and who continue to live accordingly, will receive
their final redemption at the time of the bodily resurrection when Jesus
arrives at the end of the present age. His arrival will mean nothing less than
the “new heavens and the new earth.”
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