Romans 8: 6-31 (NRSV)
Read Romans 8: 6-31 on biblegateway.com
Verse 6To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Verse 7For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-indeed it cannot, Verse 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Verse 9But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Verse 10But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Verse 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. Verse 12So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- Verse 13for 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. Verse 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Verse 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" Verse 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Verse 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ-if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. Verse 18I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. Verse 19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; Verse 20for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope Verse 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Verse 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; Verse 23and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Verse 24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? Verse 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Verse 26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. Verse 27And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Verse 28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Verse 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. Verse 30And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Verse 31What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Devotion
Despite what many assume, Christianity is not anti-body. God does not declare our bodies unclean and evil—a reason for shame. Instead, God has created us as physical beings and has declared his creation to be good. Psalm 139 reminds us that God formed our inward parts and we are wonderfully and fearfully made.
When St. Paul talks about the sins of the flesh, he's talking about all the degrading and evil behavior that appears in the realm of this world, in stark contrast to the peace, joy, and love evident in the realm of the Spirit. We have been created as embodied persons, claimed by the promise of baptism, and focused on the Spirit, who redeems us and guides us to all that is good and true. That's what it's like to be "in the Spirit" and have God dwell within us. A few verses later, Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Prayer
Thank you, Gracious God, for the gift of our body, and help us live in the realm of the Spirit where you dwell with us. Amen.