12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For 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. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Commentary
Vs. 12 Therefore since we have the Spirit of God, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. Meaning we owe the flesh nothing (that is the old carnal nature and all its pride and lusts), just as we owe the world nothing, for our loyalty is not to these, but with Jesus Christ. Therefore we are not debtors to the flesh to live according to it. Instead we are only debtors to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to live according to the Spirit of God, which has not only brought us to life, but is transforming our person and lives as we are led by Him.
Vs. 13 "For 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."
Death here is not just mortal death as a consequence of sin, death here is eternal condemnation. And so we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are obligated to put to death the deeds of the body. Not as means to eternal life, rather as being true to what we already have and are. For living by the Spirit of God is where each and every believer finds their liberty from sin and abundant life, through the Spirit. For to live according to the flesh is only to be unregenerate, not born-again by the Spirit of God, and thus only to be hostile towards all that is of God and Godly. For loyalty to the flesh always means enmity towards God (Rom 8:5-8). So then those who live according to the flesh will die. Because they have rejected God's commandment to repent and be brought to life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the very sad reality for all who do not repent and believe in the Gospel. For God's grace is not given to us so that we may continue on in our sins, God's grace is given us so that we may by the Spirit of God put to death the sinful deeds of the body.
Vs. 14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."
And so every true child of God has the Spirit of God and are led by Him, those who have not, do not. Now it should also be stated that though believers struggle with sin, or with various areas of their persons for a season, the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit always leads each and every one of us to prevail over it all. For being born-again by the Spirit of God is not just the saving of our persons, it is the beginning of God transforming our persons so as to more and more reveal the life of Jesus Christ within us all. For being led by the Spirit of God is just a precursor to when we take our final place for all eternity in the Kingdom of God.
Vs. 15 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
At salvation we did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, (the spirit of bondage being that manner of spirit which holds people in bondage to the lusts of the flesh, and thus in a state of alienation and fear towards God through sin, a state which only lasts until one comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, where all fear and alienation ends). And so that is what the Apostle is declaring to us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the end of all alienation towards God for we have received the Spirit of adoption (Spirit here being the Holy Spirit) by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” For God has through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus brought us all near to Himself (Eph. 2:14-18). And so we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ all have an equal standing before God the Father, since we through Christ are all His children, whether we are Jew or Gentile, whether male or female, we all by One Spirit have equal access to the Father. And so because of His Son's Spirit is within everyone one of us who believe we may cry out to Him, "Abba, Father."
Vs. 16-17 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
At salvation we did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, (the spirit of bondage being that manner of spirit which holds people in bondage to the lusts of the flesh, and thus in a state of alienation and fear towards God through sin, a state which only lasts until one comes to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, where all fear and alienation ends). And so that is what the Apostle is declaring to us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the end of all alienation towards God for we have received the Spirit of adoption (Spirit here being the Holy Spirit) by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” For God has through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus brought us all near to Himself (Eph. 2:14-18). And so we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ all have an equal standing before God the Father, since we through Christ are all His children, whether we are Jew or Gentile, whether male or female, we all by One Spirit have equal access to the Father. And so because of His Son's Spirit is within everyone one of us who believe we may cry out to Him, "Abba, Father."
Vs. 16-17 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
There then can be no denying the internal witness that we have through the Spirit, for He Himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God (vs. 16). Now since we are God's children we are also heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ!" Meaning we are not only heirs to God's "estate" as it were, but we are also joint heirs with Christ, God's Immortal Son! And so we will share in all that God bestows on Christ. It is than an incredible privilege and honor and blessing to not only be called God's children, but also to know that one day He will bestow on us all who believe in Jesus Christ and inheritance that can neither be measured, nor compared, nor fully comprehended this side of glory. Now in the the second half of the Apostle Paul's declaration there is translated for us a conjunction that is not indicating a condition on salvation or anything else we receive through Christ. Rather the "if" there is indicating (as it does in the original language) that this is our reality if we are really Christians than we will suffer with Christ so that we may also be glorified together. Which then completes the cycle of our unity in every aspect with Christ, being united in death, burial, resurrection, sufferings, and finally glory. And so each and every believer will suffer reproaches, insults, disgrace etc., as well as various degrees and types of persecutions and tribulations. And so what is being spoken here is not some sort of self-imposed or sought after suffering for Christ. For nowhere in the Bible are we commanded to do that. Rather what is being spoken here is words of encouragement for believers everywhere in every generation who will all face hostility and rejection from this world. That is a fact for each and every one of us. For our identity with Jesus Christ cannot be concealed. For the Spirit Himself always manifests the life of Christ through us. And so just as the "world" of Jews and Gentiles united themselves together to crucify our Lord and Savior, so too we will also be hated, rejected, reproached etc., (all to various degrees) just as much for who are are, as much as what we do, or stand for (consider Pr. 29:27; Matthew 5:10; Rev. 22:11).
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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