Principles of living a set apart, godly life [63] – The polarisation separating Christians and ‘outsiders’ [3]

 ‘On this account the flesh-mind [is] an enemy toward God for not arranging under the Law of God, for not having power [to do so], and those existing within flesh are absolutely not able to be pleasing God’, (Romans 8 v 7, 8).

On the basis of the fundamental polarising difference between Christians and unbelievers, which Paul has outlined in verses 4 – 6, the ‘flesh-mind’, the thoughts, purposes, aspirations and inclinations enslaved to and focussed on fleshly impulses and energies, is an enemy toward God. The Greek word is ‘echthra’, a noun meaning ‘a state of enmity or hostility’. Why? Because the mind that is enslaved to, focussed on and serving fleshly impulses, passions and inclinations, is absolutely not arranging itself under the authority of the Law of God. The ‘flesh-mind’ is not merely dismissive of divine law but hostile towards it, it hates divine law and is actively opposed to it. The ‘flesh-mind’ does not even have the ability, power or strength to arrange itself under divine law. On this account, those existing down from the flesh – unbelievers or ‘outsiders’ – are absolutely not able to please God. They are incurring self-forfeiture and loss leading to death, and divine law is working down settled anger and their condemnation.   

You see? Paul is still talking about divine approval and divine law. Now of course, legalists tend to agree that unbelievers are living down from the flesh, and are not able to save themselves from divine condemnation because they do not have the ability to arrange themselves under divine law. Point unbelievers to divine law and the law points out the extent of their self-forfeiture. If they then try to observe divine law, they discover their inability and helpless condition and begin to see their need of a deliverer. 

But when Paul was heralding the good news of Jesus to unbelieving non-Jews - to Gentile unbelievers, he did not refer them to Sinai Covenant law, because Gentiles were not placed under the Sinai Covenant. Covenant law would have seemed irrelevant to Gentiles. Instead he referred to the Gentiles’ current beliefs and practices, finding points of similarity or difference so as to use them as a starting point. He referred to history and God’s providence, leading up to a call to turn to God because God has appointed a day of Judgement by a man that He has appointed. The proof of this is that this man was roused up from out the dead. You can see his approach in Acts 17 v 22 – 33. It is worth careful examination. No mention of Covenant law in this message. (See also Acts 14 v 15 – 18).

But what do legalists say about Christians and walking around moment by moment within divine approval? Well, legalists do direct Christians to divine law, proposing that divine law can be used as a ‘spur’ to push Christians on to greater purity and godliness. 

Legalists divide Covenant law into two aspects - Ceremonial and Moral law. They propose that Jesus has fulfilled the Ceremonial aspects of divine law, which is, they say, an outline shadow pointing to the reality of the Messiah and his sacrifice. So they propose that now that the Messiah has come, the Ceremonial law is made complete. Sacrifices, ceremonies and rituals are no longer required because they have reached their end point in the Messiah. But then they propose that when it comes to the Moral aspects of law, like the Ten Commandments, well that is different. Clearly Jesus has not removed or abolished morality – he has not introduced permissive lawlessness. Jesus himself says that he has not come to abolish the law. So they propose that the Moral law still stands, and so they direct Christians to the Moral aspects of divine law in order to promote godliness – such as not stealing, keeping the Sabbath, avoiding adultery, tithing one’s earnings and so on. 

But this division of Covenant law into Ceremonial and Moral aspects is not what Jews themselves advocated. It may be useful for certain discussions, but it is not the perspective that Paul has in mind here. For Jews, Covenant law is indeed divided into two different aspects – 

Speech and behaviour in relation to God, and

Speech and behaviour in relation to fellow human beings – primarily to fellow Jews, and then to ‘strangers’ or ‘foreigners’

When Jesus was asked which is the greatest or largest commandment in the law, he replied, ‘You will esteem the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your breath and with all of your mind, understanding and intention’. 38 This is the foremost and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love those close by you as yourself’. 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’,’, (Matthew 22 v 37 – 40). These two commandments also constitute the basic principles when it comes to serving the Lord moment-by-moment.

So then, here in Romans does Paul, like legalists, recommend and exhort Christians towards observing the written injunctions of Covenant law in order to maintain a godly life moment-by-moment? Not at all, for reasons he has been explaining and continues to explain in the next few verses. 

Principles of living godly life [62] – The polarising dichotomy separating Christians and ‘outsiders’ [2]

‘For the flesh-mind, death, but the breath-mind, [pneuma], life and peace’, (Romans 8 v 6).

Paul has pointed out two polarised groups within humanity and he is explaining how their speech and behaviour works out day-by-day. We have -

The ‘down from the flesh’ – those without persuasion with regard to spiritual realities, who exist thinking, judging and caring for that of the flesh

And

The ‘down from the Breath’ – those brought forth within the Messiah by God, by means of the Breath that indwells them. They exist thinking, judging and caring for that of the Breath, such that the fundamental principle of judicial approval and the rightwise-ness of the Law is beginning and continuing to be made full and complete within them

The mind-set, thoughts, purposes, aspirations and inclinations of those enslaved to their flesh is death - insensitivity, unresponsiveness, opposition and ignorance with regard to God. By contrast, the mind-set, thoughts, purposes, aspirations and inclinations of those possessing the Breath related to God, His Messiah and the heavenly realm is Life. The movement or current of the Breath dwelling in their deep inner core is vitality, animation, sensitivity, responsiveness, enlightened illumination and perception with regard to God, joining and tying together into wholeness, health, welfare and safety. ‘Being declared judicially approved and rightwise from out of entrustment and persuasion, they are possessing peace towards God by means of the Messiah’, (Romans 5 v 1). 

There is the fundamental, polarising difference. ‘Outsiders’ are enslaved to constructing the ‘workings of the flesh’, (Galatians 5 v 19 - 21). But those brought forth by God within the Messiah are working out or carrying across from within the practical end result of the movement of the Breath within them – the ‘Fruit of the Breath’, (Galatians 5 v 22 - 23). In both cases the ‘mind’ is presented as an intermediary regulator. In the case of unbelievers, their mind is an intermediary regulator between the raw passions of their flesh, and their speech and behaviour. But their mind is enslaved to their fleshly desires and impulses, thinking, judging and caring for that which is of the flesh. Using their mind they plan and determine how to satisfy the impulses of their flesh. 

For Christians, if they are walking within the sphere and influence of the Breath, then the Breath is enlightening their mind and the current of the Breath is in opposition to the impulses of their flesh. Using their mind, they think, judge and care for that which is of the Breath and carry this across from within into their speech and behaviour. In this way the judicial approval and rightwise acts of the Law are being made full and complete within them, (verse 4). 

But sometimes the mind of the Christian is captured by the energies that are inherent and still active within their flesh, (Romans 7 v 23). The practical godly speech and behaviour of Christians does not just happen. Christians don’t merely ‘let go and let God do the work’. Rather, they are exhorted to use their enlightened mind as a regulator of their speech and behaviour. They are exhorted to ‘work to bring about your deliverance to its end point, 13 for God is working within you, namely to intend and to be active upon what is good or beneficial’, (Philippians 2 v 12, 13).   

 

Principles of living a godly life [61] – The polarising dichotomy separating Christians and ‘outsiders’ [1]

‘…God, having sent His Son within resemblance of self-forfeiting flesh, and concerning no share and self-forfeiture, has condemned loss and self-forfeiture within the flesh, 4 in order that the judicial approval and rightwise acts of the Law are being made full and complete within us – the not walking around down from flesh but down from breath. 5 Because the down from the flesh are existing thinking, judging and caring for that of the flesh, but the down from the Breath [pneuma], that of the Breath [pneuma],’, (Romans 8 v 3b - 5). 

Paul is comparing how Christians and unbelievers ‘walk around’, comparing how these two groups are living their lives day-by-day, how they are conducting themselves in the situations and circumstances that they face moment-by-moment. He is not only talking about ‘justification’ or ‘standing judicially approved’ in front of God in terms of whether they are ultimately forgiven, acquitted and going to heaven or not. He is also talking about how people are behaving at this present time in their daily lives. 

There is a polarising dichotomy between Christians and unbelievers. We see it throughout Paul’s writings, as well as in the letters of John, and the gospels. In verse 4 and the following verses, this polarisation comes to the fore. When it comes to successfully living a godly life moment-by-moment, how are those within the Messiah described? Are they described as those walking around making the effort to observe the external written codes of Covenant law? No. They are described as – 

The not walking around down from flesh, but down from breath

The polarising difference is that unbelievers or ‘outsiders’ are walking around down from the flesh, down from the energies, desires and passions within the fabric of their fleshly constitution. Indeed, they are enslaved to these energies within their fleshly constitution, which move on the basis of the fundamental principle of self-forfeiture, loss and death. But Christians on the other hand are indwelt by the Breath of God moving on the basis of Life within the Messiah. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah as the spotless Lamb of God, at this present time Christians are liberated away from enslavement to the principle of self-forfeiture, loss and death. They are not under the authority of external written codes of divine law but bond-slaves of the Messiah, exhorted to be walking around down from Breath, [pneuma], that is related to God and the heavenly realm. In this way ‘the judicial approval of the Law and rightwise acts of the Law are being made full and complete within them’, (verse 4), whereas  ‘outsiders’ or ‘unbelievers’, by walking around within the flesh, turn things ‘upside down’. ‘Oh that those turning you upside down will also cut themselves off’, (Galatians 5 v 12).  

Why is this the case? Why are unbelievers turning things upside down? Paul tells us in the next verse. ‘Because the down from the flesh are existing thinking, judging and caring for that of the flesh, but the down from the Breath [pneuma], that of the Breath [pneuma], (Romans 8 v 5). There we see the polarisation working itself out in the different fundamental principles of behaviour of these two groups – 

The down from the flesh

Are existing thinking, judging and caring for that of the flesh

But

The down from the Breath

Are existing thinking, judging and caring for that of the Breath

Unbelievers are not persuaded concerning the Messiah. The gospel is foolishness as far as they are concerned, so they reject the good news of the Messiah and separate themselves away from it. This leads them to a process of becoming more and more ignorant of spiritual realities, even though they turn things upside down and think of themselves as wise. They increasingly lack perception concerning God. If they are religious-minded, they often exchange the Creator in favour of worshipping created things. If they are not religious-minded then they follow humanly constructed philosophies, (Romans 1 v 18 – 25). They focus their minds on the flesh – on their physical health and comfort, on sensual pleasurable experiences, on status, wealth and so on. One way or another they follow the impulses, passions, desires and instincts inherent in their fleshly constitution and that work themselves out into their speech and behaviour, (Romans 1 v 26 – 32). Even with those who possess the Sinai Covenant and divine Law, and who are diligently making the effort to work to observe the external written codes of the law to obtain or maintain divine approval, are walking down from the flesh, (Romans 2 v 17 – 27).

But thanks to the free gift of God, Christians are illuminated and persuaded concerning unseen heavenly realities and the Messiah, to the point of seeking to serve their Lord. They possess the Breath in their deep inner core as a free gift, the movement of the Breath working in opposition to the impulses of their flesh. Their enlightened minds focus on that of the Breath – on deliverance from condemnation, the allotted divine inheritance, behaving and speaking in a way that is pleasing to their Lord, and so on. They are placed in union with the Messiah by means of the Breath, and the Messiah, as their high priest, fills the law to completion on their behalf. 

Walking down from the Breath and existing thinking, judging and caring for that of the Breath such that divine law is made complete within Christians constitutes another of Paul’s general statements, and in the next few verses he goes on to explain what he means in more detail.

 

Principles of living a godly life [60] – The condemnation of self-forfeiture and completion of the law [2]

 ‘For the powerless incapable law, within which it is weak and feeble by means of the flesh, God, having sent His Son within resemblance of self-forfeiting flesh, and concerning no share and self-forfeiture, has condemned loss and self-forfeiture within the flesh, 4 in order that the judicial approval and rightwise acts of the Law are being made full and complete within us – the not walking around down from flesh, but down from breath’, [pneuma], (Romans 8 v 3, 4).

The outline that I presented in the previous post means that I dismiss the legalist’s suggestion that I am negating the Law or advocating opposition to divine Law so as to promote an excessively permissive Christian lifestyle. I am not saying that because Christians are now on the road to honour and praise that it therefore does not matter how they behave. Paul agrees. ‘Not at all’ says the Apostle, ‘just the opposite’. Rather, what divine Law approves of is beginning and continuing to be made full and complete within us. This is not something that has happened and been completed sometime in the past, rather it is a process that started in the past, when Christians were effectively brought forth and were indwelt by the set-apart Breath, and this process is continuing now and into the future. 

Some legalists step in once again. (They are a persistent and insistent bunch of people). Some of them propose that Paul is referring to something that was fully completed sometime in the past, because they then go on to emphasise a distinction between ‘Justification’ and ‘’Sanctification’. They say, ‘Yes, Christians have indeed been fully rescued and delivered in the Messiah. Their deliverance was fully accomplished and secured by the Messiah by means of his death and resurrection, and it was applied to individual Christians in the past when they were effectively brought forth or born again’. Their inference is that Christians have fully met the requirements of the Law in terms of their ultimate acquittal thanks to the work of Jesus. Christians stand as those who are declared judicially approved by means of the Messiah. They stand justified – judicially approved and rightwise in front of God by means of Jesus. Legalists say that in this sense their deliverance is sure and certain. But then they go on to say, ‘Now that a Christian has been brought forth or ‘born again’, they are called and exhorted to live a godly life in practice, day-by-day’. So far, so good, I fully agree. Like many of their fellow Christians, they refer to this ongoing godly service and process of increasing maturity in godliness as ‘sanctification’ – the process of change in which the Christian is increasingly set apart from worldliness. I refer to it as maintaining godliness and being rightwise in practice day-by-day. But then the legalist says, ‘This is where we turn to divine law! Not for justification, but for sanctification - for living a godly life day-by-day. Are you, as a Christian, stealing? What does Covenant law say? It says You will not steal’. That is the legalist’s approach.

But that is not what Paul is saying at all. Christians are not justified or judicially approved and made rightwise by entrusting Jesus only to then be sanctified or changed into the image of the Messiah day-by-day by turning to labouring and making the effort to obey the written codes of the (moral aspects of) divine law. Rather, the Apostle says that what the Messiah has done is in order that the ‘approval of the Law be made full and complete within us’. The fullness, completion or end result of divine law is now beginning to happen ‘within us’, rather than by our attempts to observe external written codes. If we are in any doubt as to what Paul means, he goes on to tell us plainly. First, this is certainly not something that is happening within the worldly arrangement, it is not arising within human nature in general. Second, it is not happening by attempts to conform to external written codes of law. Rather, it is happening only within Christians – ‘the not walking around down from flesh, but down from breath’.

So now we have this – 

Life within Jesus the Messiah down from Breath

Working in opposition to

Self-forfeiture, loss, and the death, down from flesh

Therefore, Christians who are living a godly life moment-by-moment are –

Walking around down from breath

Principles of living a set apart, godly life [59] – The condemnation of self-forfeiture and completion of the law [1]

 ‘For the powerless incapable law, within which it is weak and feeble by means of the flesh, God, having sent His Son within resemblance of self-forfeiting flesh, and concerning no share and self-forfeiture, has condemned loss and self-forfeiture within the flesh, 4 in order that the judicial approval of the Law is being made full and complete within us – the not walking around down from flesh, but down from breath’, [pneuma], (Romans 8 v 3, 4). 

Paul does not direct Christians to try to observe the written codes of Sinai Covenant law such as the Ten Commandments in the way legalists would have Christians do. Instead he points Christians to God’s free gift of His only-begotten Son. The free gift of the Son is the means of judicial approval. But legalists begin to qualify what Paul is saying. ‘Aha!’ they say. ‘When Paul talks about law, and when he talks about Christians dying away from law, (Romans 7 v 4), and being set free from the written code of Covenant law, (Romans 7 v 6), he means Ceremonial Law’. This is because legalists divide Covenant law into two aspects - Ceremonial Law and Moral Law - and they then propose that Christians are delivered from Ceremonial Law, but that they are still under Moral Law. Why? Because Jesus has fulfilled the Ceremonial law, but he has not come to abolish Moral law. On this basis they turn Christians once again to the written codes of law such as the Ten Commandments, so as to encourage them to keep the Sabbath, or to tithe, or such like. 

But that is not what Paul is saying. Nowhere does Paul make that kind of distinction concerning Covenant law, and he certainly does not do so here in his letter to the Romans. Neither was it customary for Jews – to whom Sinai Covenant law was given – to understand Covenant law in this way. They saw Covenant law as a whole, as a unified entity, an integrated system. So I dismiss this legalist proposal.

Paul does not direct Christians to Covenant law but instead, as we see in verse 3, he does the opposite. He points out the weakness of Covenant law and directs Christians to the Messiah instead. Why? Because Christians retain their flesh with its inherent principle of self-forfeiture, but Jesus decisively judges down against loss and self-forfeiture within our flesh, by condemning it within the likeness of sinful flesh as God’s sacrificial Lamb without spot or blemish. Self-forfeiture and loss is effectively condemned and sent away for those entrusting the Messiah by means of the Messiah’s acceptable substitutionary atoning sacrifice as the spotless Lamb of God. Jesus paid the purchase price required to buy back those whom God has selected – that price being the spilt life-blood and physical death of the Messiah within the likeness of sinful flesh. 

Why is self-forfeiture and loss condemned and paid for by the Messiah on behalf of those brought forth by God? Paul tells us in verse 4 – ‘in order that the judicial approval of the Law is being made full and complete within us’. For Christians, the judicial approval of the law is now being made full and complete – not by Christians trying to observe external written codes, but the law is being made full and complete within them. How is this happening? What is the fundamental principle or dynamic process? He goes on to tell us. 

Self-forfeiture and loss is condemned by the Messiah in order that the judicial approval, the fundamental principle of the law – the enactment of law, the practical obedience which the law calls for, the goal of the law - is being made full and complete in us, or ‘realised in us’. He defines ‘us’ as ‘the not walking around down from the flesh, but down from breath’.  In other words, Christians who are conducting their daily lives within the movement and direction of the Breath of Life in the Messiah that is present in their deep inner core. 

The purpose of the law is being made full and complete in Christians who are walking around moment-by-moment within the unction of the set-apart Breath residing in their heart

The self-forfeiting impulses of the Christian’s flesh still remain active as the verses that follow distinctly show, but the opposing Breath within Christians has broken their tied enslavement to these impulses. In this way, Christians have been brought forth as a new orderly form, their old form or self has passed away, impaled on the execution post of the cross.

However, it does not follow that any Christians will actually completely avoid all wayward behaviour, nor that they are accepted on the basis of their own actions. This would contradict other Scripture texts (James 2 v 10; I John 1 v 8). Paul confessed that he was not already perfect or fully complete himself, (Philippians 3 v 12). But fullness and completion by means of the atoning sacrifice of the Messiah and the set-apart Breath dwelling within them, is presented as the goal and the means of those whom God has selected (Matthew 5 v 48). By actual practical, progressive growth and maturity Christians are to show that their union with the Messiah is real. The Breath within them gives a new dynamic, direction and tone to their character and their life, working in opposition to the impulses that still remain active within the fabric of their fleshly constitution.