A Reflection on Romans 8:1-11

This past Sunday’s epistolary reading, which began by asserting that there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1), seems to begin a discussion about justification. However, after vs. 1, Paul moves from the language of justification (salvation) to the language of sanctification (the process by which we begin to increasingly display Christ’s image in our). I am left with the clear impression in reading the passage (Rom. 8:1-17) that my salvation is somehow tied to how I live. When we walk according to the Spirit, which we are able to do because of Christ’s death on the cross (8:3-4), we fulfill the righteous requirement of the law that we had previously been unable to do. Paul then tells us that we can either live according to the flesh or according to the Spirit – fleshly living brings death, spiritly living brings life and peace (8:6; see also 8:13, “if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live”).

So how do we live by the Spirit? 8:5 says that we do it by setting our mind on the things of the Spirit. But how does one set one’s mind? Is this simply an act of the will? May it never be! Rather, setting the mind on the Spirit involves becoming in tune with the Spirit; it is about engaging in spiritual practices – fasting, prayer, meditation, hospitality, reflecting on scripture, etc. – that put us in the position of being increasingly open to the leadings of the Spirit within us (8:9-11). In other words, they help us get “us” out of the way so that we can live more like Christ. To put it bluntly, obedience and holy living have been and always will be hallmarks of Christian discipleship.

I still affirm justification by grace through faith and that salvation is the free gift of God. But I also believe that God expects us to “work out” our salvation (Phil. 2:12) in a way that honors the work of Christ and the Spirit on our behalf. We would like for grace by faith and good works to be two distinctly different categories. But the message of Romans 8:1-17 is that they are inseparably linked in a way that is as mysterious as our God.

Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift!