Romans pt 37: The Cravings of God (Rom 8:1-11)
By Tommy Preson Phillips
Laws Never Change People
Often, when abuse is discovered in the church, an investigation turns up all of the details about how things happened, and then offers recommendations in the form of rules and policies that govern the behavior of those involved. And the laws that we make can us locate sin and condemn the guilty, they are incapable of changing the person.
Israel first received the law of God all the way back in Exodus 20. And at no point since that time has the law brought them anything other than the awareness of their own brokenness, and subsequent condemnation for it. The Law could never make their hearts good; It could not cultivate love for their enemies, nor set them free from the temptation to break the law while, at the same time, also desperately desiring to obey it (Romans 7:14-24).
Since that time law has dominated the religious space. Churches and denominations have adopted long lists of do’s and don’ts, often with the unspoken assumption that if we can just get people to live by certain rules, then they will find some form of fulfillment in a good life, and they will be changed into people who naturally follow the laws. On its face, human reasoning offers no particular pushback to the idea that we can instill goodness through effort and repetition. But the realities of both the abuses of the modern church, and injustices throughout church history, testify that the law has never set anyone free from sin.
A New Plan, A New Era
This is the realm in which Romans chapter 8 is written. Paul believed that the work of Jesus served to usher in a new era, replacing the emphasis on laws with a focus on love and he wrote this chapter to highlight the contrast between living according to the flesh (rule-based) and living according to the Spirit (love-based), pointing out that a faith centered on rules may miss the essence of Christ's teachings and that more rules are not the solution; rather, a change of heart and a foundation of love are necessary. Paul believes in the transformative power of love in overcoming brokenness, challenging the traditional reliance on rules and laws in religious and moral contexts.
Lets take a quick look at the thought process moving through the chapter:
Romans 8:1-3
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 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.”
Notice the “now” at the beginning of the verse. There was condemnation before because all there was - was law. But the coming of the Spirit (the law “written on our hearts,”[Ez. 11:19]) means the end of the law. Instead of condemnation, now the people of God no longer offer the loving presence of Jesus. And as the love of God is revealed and received through the church, the desire to sin is conquered by the love that grows within them. They no longer steal, kill, covet, deceive, or oppress others; not because it is what the law demands, but because it is what love demands.
In this way the follower of Christ is set free by the love of Christ, free from the law and free from condemnation. The problem is not the law, and Paul is not saying that the law should be abolished (Rom 7:7).
The Problem is Circular:
Laws are written to curb human brokenness, but we are unable to follow those laws because we are broken.
The only thing that can set us free from the law is to heal the brokenness, and this is where church comes in. The church in Rome gathered in a way that sidestepped the rules and laws that were required of most everyone in the empire. They gathered around the table, sharing a meal, proclaiming the words of Jesus over each other, and discerning life through the Spirit (Acts 15). In this space anyone could take part; there were no rules to follow first, there was no standards to conform to, no written laws to follow, there was only Christ. He was present through the body (the gathered followers) and the Spirit.
The gift of the church is the gift of presence with everyone in any walk of life. The church gathers your closest friends and your furthest enemies to the table of Jesus to experience the love of God which transforms and softens the heart, brings healing, and replaces the center of our desires; replacing the cravings of the flesh (food, sex, money, power, honor, status, fame… etc) with the very cravings of God (love, justice, community, connection, beauty, and the fruits of the Spirit).
Those who live according to the flesh, fixate on fleshly things.
They focus on external moral behavior. This often takes the form of statements of morality that include prohibitions about sex, foods to abstain from, money, clothing, etc. The goal is to manage morality, to cultivate a uniform culture.
Those who live according to the Spirit, fixate on cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Love, is their main focus and their mission becomes reconciliation instead of moral performance or living a life without blemish. Love, in fact, covers the blemishes they used to see in others when they were living by the flesh.
Paul has some very pointed words about living by the Spirit and obsessing over the flesh:
Romans 8:6-9
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
Two things to be said about this:
(1) The person focused on the flesh has no need of Gods love.
They can be considered “Godly” and “pious” while being filled with bitterness and hatred inside.
In this scenario, a person can be Christlike, and still come under condemnation of the religious elite.
A person can be filled with love, have the fruits of the Spirit upon their tree, and still be condemned by religious leaders for not meeting the letter of the law.
(2) The person who is governed by the flesh, by outward deeds, will eventually find themselves at odds with what Jesus is doing.
Fixating on external morality, according to Paul, creates a person who “cannot please God” because religion according to the flesh doesn’t need to love anyone, it only needs to keep the rules.
Paul wants the church in Rome to see that they are so focused on what people eat and drink, what they wear, how they pray, and all the details of their external lives, that they can’t even recognize the presence of Jesus in their Gentile brothers and sisters. All they see is cultural rules which condemn outsiders and throw stumbling blocks in the path of the pilgrim.
The central idea of Romans 8:1-11 is that love, exemplified by Jesus, is the key to healing and reconciliation, surpassing the constraints of legalistic approaches.
Discussion Questions:
1) Reflect on the role of laws in religious contexts. How do laws, rules, and policies address abuse and brokenness in the church, and what limitations do they have in transforming individuals?
2) A shift from a rule-based approach to a love-based approach is emphasized in Romans 8. How does the transformative power of love compare to the enforcement of laws in fostering positive change within individuals and communities?
3) Consider the concept of living according to the flesh versus living according to the Spirit, as presented in Romans chapter 8. How does this dichotomy impact one's focus, actions, and relationships within a religious or moral framework?
4) Discuss the role of the church in healing brokenness and facilitating transformation. How does the church, as described in the essay, provide a space for love to replace external rules, and how does this contribute to the overall well-being of individuals?
5) Examine the idea that the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God, as mentioned in Romans 8:6-9. How does a fixation on external morality affect one's relationship with God, and how can a love-centered approach lead to a more pleasing and fulfilling connection with the divine? How does it doe the same for your connection with others?