Romans chapters 7 and 8 seem to be somewhat confusing to understand. Quite a number of folks stumble over the meaning of chapter 7, in which Paul makes the argument that the good we want to do we do not, and the evil we want to stop doing we still practice. Some folks make the argument that Paul is saying we can never be free from the grip of sin.
Then, in Romans 8, there is what appears to be an incomplete argument in verse 12. Perhaps the worst interpretation I have read is from John Calvin, who claims that the verse should be completed by the opposite statement – that we are under bondage to live according to the Spirit.
For starters, the book of Romans is one complete theological treatise. If we have questions about the meaning or direction of a verse or chapter, we have to keep reading to the end of Romans to put individual verses or groups of verses into the proper context. Paul is laying out one theological treatise, and each verse and chapter leads into the next.
Romans chapter 7 is a perfect example. If we read chapter 7 as standing alone, we would come away feeling defeated and that it is impossible to overcome the sin nature, stop sinning, or ever become truly Christ-like. Unfortunately, this is a limited understanding not just of chapter 7 but of Romans as a whole. If we just keep reading, Paul makes the argument in chapters 8 through the end of Romans that we can and that it is our Christian duty to overcome the grip of sin.
If we come away from Romans 7 feeling defeated, it is because we do not believe in the remaining chapters of Romans. If we believe Romans 7 justifies continually living in sin, our understanding of the remaining chapters of Romans is very limited. If we believe two competing natures can co-exist within our hearts, permitting us to sin and be holy at the same time, we do not even accept the teachings of Christ which are reflected in Romans.
This, then, is where a better understanding of Romans 8:12 comes into view. Let’s first acknowledge that it comes across as an incomplete verse. Paul seems to stop in mid-thought and switch topics.
In reading the book of Romans again, I discovered another instance of an incomplete verse, this one in chapter 5 verse 12, where Paul does the same thing. He opens the verse with “therefore” and only states half of the conclusion. Because it appears more than once, we must understand the disruption as a literary style and not as incomplete arguments.
Reading Adam Clarke’s commentary helped me understand something important. Paul only states half of the conclusion because he is leading into an argument, and that argument is laid out in the following verses. In chapter 5, the argument follows in verses 13 through 21. Notice that in verse 18 Paul states the complete conclusion, so he repeats what he wrote in verse 12 and does so completely. But in verse 18, we come away with a fuller understanding since Paul laid the foundation for verse 18 in verses 13 to 17.
When we examine Romans 8, we also find that the verses following verse 12 lay out an argument. Again, as with chapter 5, the argument extends through the end of the chapter. Again, as with chapter 5, Paul repeats himself later in the chapter and does so completely.
In Romans 8:21, he writes, “…the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”
Any time I have taught on Romans 8:12, I have laid out the argument that Paul is demonstrating that we are set free from the obligation to sin (Romans 7) and that if we do sin or turn back toward sin it is both voluntary and intentional. It speaks to the need to reform our motives. If we are not under obligation to something, we have freedom, and returning to the former obligation is a choice and an intentional one at that. After leaving the bondage of Egypt, Israel longed to abandon their freedom and return to Egypt, and that longing set the stage for falling into sin.
Again, Adam Clarke places the focus on the argument Paul is making, namely, that we are free in Christ and this freedom leads to life. Why is this important? It would help us if we understood the context, which is that the early church was under heavy persecution. Paul speaks to this in the remaining verses in chapter 8. He encourages the reader to consider the glory of Christ in heaven where we will live as being incomparable to today’s suffering and trials.
He emphasizes eternal life because they were facing bodily death. He also argues that the spiritual death of the soul because of sin is infinitely worse than bodily death resulting from persecution. Spiritual death resulting from sin ends in eternal separation from God, whereas, bodily death resulting from persecution leads to glorious life with Christ.
Thus, Paul calls us to live as free from the grip of sin, pursue Christlikeness, and rest in the hope of the heaven to come. Nothing outside of us can separate us from the love of Christ and this hope we have. Nothing, that is, except an intentional decision to return to the bondage of sin.
Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us and press onward to the coming of Christ, putting on conformity to Christ and resting in the goodness Christ bestows upon us. This does mean that we are to lay aside sin. If we choose not to do that, it demonstrates that there is yet work to do in our motives.
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