‘Rejoice! The free kindness and favour of God by means of Jesus the Messiah our Lord! So then, indeed I am willingly serving God’s law with the mind, but [my] flesh, [is enslaved to] fundamental principles of self-forfeiture and loss. Under these circumstances, no judicial condemnation within Jesus the Messiah at this present time’, (Romans 7 v 25, 8 v 1).
Paul continues his discussion about judicial approval and deliverance in verse 1 of chapter 8. Very often the start of this verse is translated in to English like this – ‘Therefore there is now no condemnation…’. But there is nothing in the immediately previous verses at the end of chapter 7 to directly suggest that Paul has successfully argued such a conclusion. Chapter 7 actually ends with the strongest assertion of the sin-awaking and sin-detecting power of divine Law and the consequent conflict within the Christian. ‘So then, indeed I am willingly serving God’s law with the mind, but flesh [is enslaved to] fundamental principles of self-forfeiture and loss’, (Romans 7 v 25).
Thus it is better to refer the introduction of chapter 8 to the whole of Paul’s previous logical reasoning. Verse 1 is especially connected with chapters 5 and 6, and the first section of chapter 7, which state, (using various means of imagery), the union of those brought forth by God with the Messiah by means of the set-apart Breath. So far in his letter to the Romans the Apostle has discussed and explained, from many sides, the central theme of salvation, divine approval and its immediate results. These aspects include union with the Messiah, bond-service to God, enlightened liberation of the will, and so on. His last theme has been the place of the written codes of divine Law. With regard to both unbelievers and Christians, divine Law cannot subdue self-forfeiture, but only expose and condemn it. Paul has answered various anticipated objections, partly to vindicate the set-apart cleanliness and praiseworthiness of the Law, partly to expose the magnitude of self-forfeiture, and partly to reinforce the truth that divine approval has to be attained by another way.
But it is even better to consider the opening words of verse 1 to be the start of a new aspect in the light if all that Paul has been saying. Understanding the Greek word ‘ara’ is the key here. The meaning of the word is more nuanced than the English word ‘therefore’. Thayer states it like this, ‘under these circumstances, something either is so, or becomes so’. It refers to a preceding assertion or fact, (verse 25), or even to something existing only in the mind, and leads to something that follows on as a consequence. With verse 1 we have another example of the later superimposition of chapter and verse divisions on the text potentially getting in the way. Paul is continuing to logically progress from what he has been saying previously. And he has by no means finished talking about divine law, which he will return to in verses 4 and 7 of chapter 8 as part of his continuing discussion about Christians and maintaining divine approval day-by-day.
I also want to note that the rest of the verse 1 says, [Not walking down from flesh, but down from breath] [pneuma], (Romans 8 v 1b). It is highly probable that these words are to be removed or omitted since it is very likely that copyists inserted them here. We will come across these words a little later, in their correct place, as Paul continues his reasoning and analysis. But when placed here, they intrude and distract from the sequence of Paul’s logical propositions.
