by Gary L. Evans
(revised 7/29/2023)
Romans — Part 14
Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Before our conversion, we were servants of sin, but now that we have entered into The New Covenant, we must humble ourselves to be the servants of God’s Righteousness and Holiness.
Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
When we were Satan’s servants, we were free from God’s service.
Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Satan is Death, and his ways lead to death.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
We have been purchased out of slavery to Satan, and have become God’s servants and now have the hope of Eternal Life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The reward for sin is death. The free gift of God through His unmerited favor toward us is Eternal Life.
Rom 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
Paul is addressing people who already know God’s Law. That is why it is important for the reader to be familiar with the first five books of the Bible in order to fully understand Paul’s teaching.
Rom 7:2-4 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
We have been betrothed to Christ Jesus.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Paul uses the term “flesh” to refer to our old self, our old heart and mind, that was incapable of obeying God’s Law from the heart.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Now having received a new Heart and Mind, The Holy Spirit of Christ, we serve God in Spirit and in Truth, and not by rote obedience to the letter of The Law: do this, but don’t do that, do that, but don’t do this, attend a meeting on this day, attend another meeting on that day, etc.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
The Law teaches us what sin is so that we can avoid it, because sin leads to death.
Rom 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Before The Law, we were ignorant about sin.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Before we learned The Law, we lived in this world doing the things everybody else was doing and thought nothing about it. But after we learned The Law, we could perceive the sin in our lives, which in a sense killed us.
Rom 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
God’s Law promises Eternal Life to anyone who obeys perfectly, but death to anyone who disobeys.
Rom 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Sin is used to symbolize Satan, who is The God of This World. Satan is The Deceiver.
Rom 7:12-13 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
The Law is holy and just and good, and it shows us how sinful our transgressions are. In a sense, looking into God’s Law is like looking into a mirror so that we can see what we really are. And what we see once we are able to focus clearly can be shocking.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Romans — Part 15
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
The word “carnal” is from the Greek “sar-kee-kos’” which means “pertaining to flesh, that is, (by extension) bodily, temporal, or (by implication) animal, unregenerate.” Thus Paul literally said “I am an animal.”
The Law is mental, that is, of the mind, but we dwell in animal bodies which exist in Satan’s world. Paul does not speak from his own philosophy or imagination, but by God’s Word. Where have we been taught that we are animals?
Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
The word “beasts” is from the Hebrew “be-hay-maw’” which means “properly a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collectively).” It means “an animal.”
It is important that we recognize that we dwell in animal bodies.
Ecc 3:19-21 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
This is an obvious fact, because just as other animals die, we die, just as they breathe, we breathe, we all return to the dust after we die, at least our bodies do. We eat, we drink, we urinate, we defecate, we mate and procreate just like all the other animals do. So we are animals.
Rom 7:15-16 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Our bodies have appetites and urges that are against God’s Law, or simply against the will of our minds. So sometimes what we know is not right, our bodies get an urge to do it anyway. And we know that it is wrong, therefore we agree with The Law that it is right and good.
Considering just our own will, we might make a new year’s resolution to lose twenty pounds this year, but as the days go by we can’t resist eating our favorite things and excusing ourselves that we’ll do better tomorrow. The year goes by and instead of losing twenty, we gain five more.
Rom 7:17-18 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Our flesh bodies are of this world and do not have the ability to do what is right and good. It is our mind in Christ that knows what is God’s Will for us, but our bodies know nothing about that.
Rom 7:19-20 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
This is the dilemma that we all are in, that in our minds we now want to please God, but our flesh bodies have no knowledge of God.
Considering just our own will, we may decide to clean out the garage this spring because it is packed with things we don’t need and a lot of worthless stuff too. Spring comes and goes and each day we say to ourselves we’ll get to it tomorrow or on Saturday for sure. Then next year comes and we say that we will definitely take care of it this year, but then we don’t.
Rom 7:21-23 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Our flesh bodies have the tendency to want to commit sin, even though in our minds we desire to obey God’s Will.
Rom 7:24-25 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
We will not escape this dilemma until after the death of our flesh body and our spirit returns to God in our angelic body. For now, we must continue to restrain our bodies from unlawful appetites and urges, which requires disciplined effort. And the only way to act even according to our own will is by strict discipline, otherwise we will keep gaining weight instead of losing weight and we will never get the garage cleaned out.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Now that we have entered into The New Covenant, we are no longer under the condemnation of The Law, because we no longer do the unlawful deeds that our flesh bodies desire. Instead, we now submit our bodies to The Holy Spirit that dwells in us.
Rom 8:2-3 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
The Law could not give us the new Heart and Mind needed to do it. But The Only Begotten Son came and died and resurrected and thereby condemned sin.
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
We can now do the righteousness of The Law because we have a new Heart and Mind as promised by The New Covenant.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Those who are not in The New Covenant continue to follow their appetites and urges, but we follow after the things of God by The Holy Spirit that dwells in us.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
The Spirit within us is Eternal Life and Peace of Mind.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Romans — Part 16
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Our animal bodies are at odds with God’s Divine Plan for The Ages and are not in submission to God’s Law nor can be. Remember, Paul said that he wanted to give us a mental gift in this teaching, not something to satisfy our flesh body, and so this knowledge is part of his gift to us.
Isa 55:7-9 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Our thoughts and ways according to the appetites and urges of our flesh bodies are base in comparison to God’s Thoughts and Ways. And our natural minds can have no perception of God’s Divine Plan. The Knowledge of God comes to us by His Word.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
People who order their lives only according to their appetites and urges regarding the things of this world cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
We have The Holy Spirit promised by The New Covenant, if we have asked for it by our belief in Jesus. But those who do not have The Heart and Mind of Christ do not belong to God, at least while they dwell in the flesh in this world, because they are enslaved to Satan.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
The flesh bodies, that is their old hearts and minds, of everyone who does have The Mind of Christ are dead, figuratively, because of their sinful nature. Put another way figuratively, our old self is dead and buried under the water of baptism. But The Holy Spirit in us is Eternal Life because of The Righteousness of God.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Even our flesh bodies become more alive by The Holy Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead which now dwells in us.
Rom 8:12-13 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Everyone who has The Holy Spirit who acquires self-discipline to keep their flesh bodies under control will inherit Eternal Life by God’s Promise. We must not go back to living according to our old hearts and minds, because then we will die.
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Everyone who is guided by The Holy Spirit are the sons of God, even as brothers and sisters of Christ Jesus, The Only Begotten Son of God.
Joh 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
God is a Spirit or Mind, and everyone who worships Him must do so in The Spirit and in The Truth. There is no other way to become one of God’s People such that He is our God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
We have received The Mind of Christ, Who was The Only Begotten of The Father. In a sense, we are as an adopted child which does not have knowledge of the fact he was adopted, and cries, “Daddy! Daddy!” just like the natural born child does. And it doesn’t take long after conversion before a new Christian begins to pray, “Daddy!” when praying to The Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
The Holy Spirit in us agrees with The Holy Spirit of God so that we know that we are The Children of God because we are like minded. We know our Father loves us, and we love our Father, and when we approach Him, we are not afraid but reach out to Him.
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Since we are God’s Children, we are inheritors, joint-heirs with Christ, as long as we willingly endure persecution as He did. And Satan will persecute us just as his children persecuted Christ.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Romans — Part 17
Rom 8:18-19 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
The word “creature” is from the Greek “ktis’-is” which means “original formation (properly the act; by implication the thing, literally or figuratively).” This word means “the creation.”
This is an important precept, that all of creation waits patiently for the appearance of The Sons of God. This is God’s Plan.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
The creation was made submissive to a meaningless continuance by God Who put all things under His control, but with hope.
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Even all else in creation will become freed from Satan’s power upon the amazing appearance of God’s Children.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
The word “travaileth” is from “soon-o-dee’-no” which means “to have (parturition) pangs in company (concert, simultaneously) with, that is, (figuratively) to sympathize (in expectation of relief from suffering).” It means to suffer birth pangs.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
And we also suffer those birth pangs in a figurative sense, because we endure persecution. And we have The First-fruits of The Holy Spirit while we wait for our adoption, that is, the redemption of our body by The Mind of Christ in us.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
We do not hope for what we already see. We hope for what we do not yet see. We have the first-fruits or down payment of The Holy Spirit while we wait for our full Redemption at the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.
Rom 8:25-26 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
We do not yet know how to pray or what to pray for. But The Mind of Christ in us intercedes on our behalf to The Father.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
God is The Heart Knower. The Spirit of Christ in us intercedes on our behalf, because He sees what is in our hearts and minds and interprets our feelings according to God’s Will.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
The bottom line is that everyone who is called into The New Covenant and who loves God will do well.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
The word “foreknow” is from “prog-in-oce’-ko” which means “to know beforehand, that is, foresee.” Before our spirits were sent into the embryo in our mother’s womb, we were with God, so He already knew us. But the implication includes “with a purpose.”
The word “predestinate” is from “pro-or-id’-zo” which means “to limit in advance, that is, (figuratively) predetermine.”
Each person that our Father knew before this world and selected for certain missions is being transformed into the likeness of The Only Begotten Son of God, so that Christ Jesus will be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Jesus spoke of this.
Mat 12:47-50 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Our Lord’s Father was God Most High, and His mother and brothers and sisters are all who obey God from the heart.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
And each of those persons are called and justified and glorified.
This is Election.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.