Romans 8:1-4

 Scripture Verse

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Freedom to work with the Spirit

There is NO condemnation for those of us who are in Jesus, who believe that He did it all for us. What an amazing fact, this makes us all very blessed, indeed! But there is more: the Holy Spirit is mentioned as being active in this role of transformation and direction to what is to be done next. As the Message version puts it, we “simply need to embrace what the Spirit is doing.”

There is also a comparison going on in these verses of what it was like for us to live by the “Law of the Flesh, the Law of Sin and Death” with what it is like to be set free so we may live according to, or with, the Spirit. Last week I heard a prayer that struck me: may I be a feather on the breath of God, and that breath of God is another way to name the Holy Spirit. What an amazing picture of freedom we can have. It is ours for the taking. May we all move towards being able to be blown where God wants us to do what He would have us do.

But this freedom we have has come at a great price: God himself paid that price so we can live with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All glory, honor and praise be to God for this amazing sacrifice and gift. Jesus was a sin offering for me, for you, for the whole world so that anyone who believes and receives this message becomes a child of God. It is amazing and I quote the verses, “the righteous requirement of the law” is “fully met in us” as we live with the Spirit and embrace and follow what the Spirit is doing.  What freedom!

Some questions to ponder: What do you want to tell God about this amazing gift? What do you want to do about this free gift today? What more do you need to know to move forward in living with the Spirit and following what the Spirit is doing?

Prayer:

Breathe on me, Breath of God, fill me with life anew,

That I may love the way you love and do what you would do. (author: Edwin Hatch)

Amen