Romans 8:12-13 ὀφειλέτης leh

Transcription

1 Romans Chapter 8 Romans 8:12-13 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Reviewing what we have so far: 1) What God Has Done ) Who They Are ) Who We Are Now we come up to response. It is predicated by the words So then. ara oun indicates an inferential final conclusion based on the preceding information. So we need to make sure we conclude appropriately. This conjunction may allude all the back to 8:1 or it may be more immediate (9-11). Looking at the previous ara oun s (5:18; 7:3; 7:25), I think it is safe to say that this relates to verses If one desired to go all the way back to 8:1, it is not that big of a deal. So then, brethren, based on the fact that: 1. We are in the Spirit 2. The Spirit of God dwells in us 3. Christ is in us 4. The body is dead (baptized into Christ) on account of sin 5. The Spirit is alive on account of righteousness 6. Our mortal bodies will be raised immortal (bodily resurrection) So then (based on previous), we are under obligation. This is one we can add to the list, although it is not nature, as in who we are in Christ, but it is an aspect that many grace-focused individuals overlook. Under obligation is ὀφειλέτης opheiletēs (ah-pfay-leh -tays) and is a noun. The word indicates a person who is indebted. Paul uses this word three times in Romans and once in Galatians (Romans 1:14; 8:12; 15:27; Galatians 5:3). In the first, Paul states that he is a debtor to everyone, not due to who they are but because of God s mission. In 15:27, it states that the Gentile believers were debtors to the Jewish believers because the Jews shared spiritual things with the Gentiles. Finally, in Galatians 5:3, if any Gentile gets circumcised in an attempt to be blessed by God or be complete, then that person is a debtor to the whole law. In all circumstances, the word is used to distinguish a person who has gained from someone and now has a natural indebtedness. This word indicates, in this context, not what is to be gained but what is expected due to what has already been obtained. In human terms, this is a huge distinction. Rarely, if ever, do we as humans, or even we as believers, give everything to a person with the plan that they do right. We dangle out carrots and we threaten to take away certain benefits if the action is not performed.

2 This obligation, the debt we owe, is not regarded the same as human institutions do, where if the obligation is not met the benefit is taken away. The facts that are referred to in 9-11 are ours forever, never to be taken away, even if we do not do anything in regards to the debt we owe. We are debtors to whom? Not to the flesh. Flesh σάρξ sarx (sahrks) is literally the bodily earthly shell that we are currently living in and the sinful reality of this flesh (motivations, actions, emotions). Why are we not debtors to the body? Because of verse 10. Our body is dead on account of sin. Why do we have any obligation to something that is dead (Romans 7:1-3). What does this mean? This means that we have no obligation to the desires of the flesh. In fact, we know that the desires of God and the desires of our flesh (our inner thoughts) are in antithesis; therefore, the only truth is that of Spiritual truth. Because of our flesh (the inability and the opposition), we cannot rely on our rational ideas, our opinions, or logical conclusions; if it not stated in the Bible it cannot be trusted. So then, Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. This prepositional phrase includes an articular infinitive (the to live). Some think this is just how they spoke with no particular interest. Others make this a result clause. What is known is that this is a prepositional phrase. According to flesh is the main thrust of the phrase. The article and the infinitive to live are in the genitive, since the noun function is implied and emphasized, being with the article, it would be appropriate to alter the part of speech. According to flesh of the life. That we are not debtors to the flesh as if the flesh brought us to life. Looking back to verse 4, we see the same kata phrase. This verse is identifying who we are in debt to, not what we should do because we are obligated. Verse 13 continues this thought with a somewhat difficult verse. It s difficult because it is often mistranslated and misrepresented. Most of the commentaries use verse as a test of salvation. The individual who lives habitually under the dominion of the evil sin nature is an unsaved person and the person who by the Holy Spirit habitually puts to death the deeds of the body is a saved person and a mature son of God. ***Theological implications: There are two understandings from verse 13 that are typically taught from grace-based churches. The first is the typical understanding the believer who has Christ in Him is obligated to live according to the Spirit thus becoming productive and not ineffectual. The second, less held to understanding, is that this is identifying a believer who is not under obligation to the flesh because they are one who put to death the deeds of the body and look forward to having the mortal body made new. Now each of these doctrines is true and can be shown elsewhere in Scripture. The question is then, what does the text indicate? Can it be reasonably understood as to what this is saying without much conjecture? Full disclosure every interpretation that I have come across, I have been able to poke holes in it. Even now, I am fairly certain but not 100% on this verse. I know what it is not, but two remain.

3 Initial observations in objection to each: I. Verse 13 is about the believer s lifestyle, being obligated to live according to the Spirit A. This is out of place in the context of Chapter 8 B. Death and life in this context do not indicate effectiveness C. Verse 14 does not fit, another gar conjunction II. Verse 13 is about who a believer Is A. Use of Present Tense verbs B. The obligation in verse 12 C. Living according to the Spirit is implied in Galatians 5, Ephesians 4, and Colossians 3 Verse 13 begins with gar and means that verse 13 supplements the thought of verse 12. This verse contains two 1 st class conditional clauses. In this sentence, two conflicting 1 st class conditional clauses are placed next to each other, the implication being that they are assumed true for the sake of argument with the results stated for each. This section needs a few translational corrections. First of all, the Present Indicative is used for live. Most would say that this is a present continuative. If you perpetually, habitually, or continuously live. However, from 8:5 through the end of the chapter, there are 32 Present Indicative verbs. The significance is based upon the static understanding of the Present Indicative. In other words, is this verse (13) signifying a warning or is it identifying? If you live the preposition kata is used with the accusative noun flesh (same as before). This preposition is used six times in 8:1-8:25 (4,5,12,13). The term is simply according to just as before. What does it mean to live according to the flesh? Remembering that this is part of a conditional clause, the clue resides in the second part of conditional statement. You must is the verb μέλλω mellō (mehl -low) and is a verb that indicates something that is on the verge, something with a strong possibility in the present or future. The word for die is the typical word for die in the infinitive form. According to Earnest De Witt Burton s Syntax Grammar, μέλλω with the Infinitive is also used with a force akin to that of the Future Indicative. It is usually employed of an action which one intends to do, or of that which is certain, destined to take place. Bauer echoes this understanding as an action that necessarily follows a divine decree is destined, must, will certainly. (Luke 9:44; Acts 17:31; 20:30; Romans 4:24; 1 st Thessalonians 3:4)

4 The implication then is with the static present imperative, the kata of the flesh, and this understanding of mellō we should render this condition if you live according to the flesh, you will die. This is an absolute certainty. Not only that, but the certainty of the next conditional clause is just as strong. What this initially looks like is that the if borrows the verb live. But in actuality these clauses have some differences and some similarities. Each phrase has a 2 nd Person Plural Present Indicative: the first is live, the second is put to death, kill. There are direct objects in both. The first is flesh the second is the deeds of the body. Spirit is a noun in the dative (indirect object instrumental). The second conditional sentence then should be translated but if you kill the deeds of the body by the Spirit, you will live. It does not live by the Spirit, although that may be a good implication. Even with this translation, it appears as though the person is setting aside sins of the flesh. We need to correlate this verse with the context. When we evaluate this verse with verses 9-11, we see that the same ideas are presented in verse In fact, the verb live at the end of verse 13 is Future Indicative. This is a promise. Compare this promise to the verse 11 where the Spirt will give life to your mortal bodies. Verse 11 is also a first class conditional. The question must be then asked what does it mean to put to death the deeds of the body? Romans 7:4-6 indicates that we were made dead to the law, which is further explained that the flesh used the law to propagate sin. Furthermore, Romans 6:8-11 states when being identified with Christ we are considered dead to sin. Deeds is πρᾶξις praxis (pahk-sis) and is the noun form of prassō which denotes doing as an activity. The noun is then that which is being done (activity). This is not the normal word for works (ergon). In fact, this is only used six times and only one other use in Romans (12:4). In this context, what is the activity of the body? Referring to the immediate context (verses 4-8), it says those who are of the flesh cannot please God. In verse 10, those who have Christ in them, their bodies are dead having been identified with Christ s death. So the activity of the body is that of having a mind that thinks only flesh; it is natural; it cannot evaluate spiritual wisdom; it is a characterization of unbelief and is identified by the deeds of the flesh. The way to kill the activity of the flesh is by the Spirit to listen to the Spirit, to heed the Spiritual wisdom, to listen to the Gospel and believe. By the Spirit means that one responds to the Spirit and thereby puts to death the activity of the body. This again appears to be contrasting us and them. This makes sense when we overview the rest of the paragraph. For as many are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. To those who teach that this is a function of the believer or to those who hold to verse 13 being about the lifestyle of the believer, there is now more to overcome:

5 1. The absolute nature of the die and live we would have to conclude that at the moment of living according to flesh, death is immediate and absolute until we live according to the Spirit. 2. There must be a parenthetical attitude for verse 12-13, because to take the death-life concept and then put the next phrase as ones being led are sons, then we must conclude that are conditional 3. The threat of dying (being ineffectual) does not correspond well with not being led to fear Going back to verse 12, that verse must then be understood as we are not debtors to the flesh as if we owe our lives to flesh. The fleshly motives and desires in regards to the topic of Chapter 8, is to not accept what God has done and do what it wants to do, either in rebellion or in the self-righteousness thinking that I am good enough to gain acceptance from the judge, or the flesh is the judge. The activity of the flesh, of the body, is to reject Spiritual truth. With that understanding verse, 14 fits in perfectly: being led is ἄγω agō which means to lead, to be carried, to be brought. This is not a designation of behavioral influence but a Spiritual influence as opposed to those who live according to the flesh. This has been very technical explanation of this passage. Sometimes we need to understand what a passage says in order to move forward in the text. This is a lesson that we should absorb so as not to interfere with the next lesson verses But I also desire to give you some food for thought based on verse Conclusions and Observations: 1. The initial phrase demonstrates that doctrine must lead to thoughts of what we should do with this information Believe? Act? Share? 2. Most of our responsibilities as believers are to understand the conflict, not necessarily behavioral but what we believe about God, Jesus, and who we are in Him 3. Our influence needs to start and remain Spiritual 4. This response is a reaction to what we have, not what we can gain 5. If we live our lives trying to gain a temporal blessing from God, we will be disappointed 6. We must live our lives with respect to who we are in Christ (refer back to handout) Colossians 1:19-22 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him (Christ), and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach