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Priscilla: Romans 8:1-11
Life in the Spirit

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to flesh, but according to Spirit.

2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set me free from the law of sin and of death.

3 For the Law being powerless, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh,

4 so that the righteous demand of the Law might be fulfilled in us, those not walking according to flesh, but according to Spirit.

5 For the ones that are according to flesh mind the things of the flesh. And the ones according to Spirit mind the things of the Spirit.

6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;

7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards God; for it is not being subjected to the Law of God, for neither can it be.

8 And those being in the flesh are not able to please God.

9 But you are not in flesh, but in Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, this one is not His.

10 But if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of the One having raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One having raised the Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies live through the indwelling of His Spirit in you.

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Please note that when the term “spirit” is used without a definite article in Greek to refer to God and Christ, it refers to their mindset and should not be capitalized. If it is used to refer to humans, it refers to the human mindset. When used with a definite article, it refers to the essence of either God or humans.

Dear God, my Beloved Father, today I offer to You what I have understood in my reflection on Your Word in Romans 8:1-11.

Dear God, the beginning of verse 5: “For the ones that are according to flesh mind the things of the flesh,” reminds me that before I believed in You, I used to live according to the reasoning of the flesh. For example, I knew that in the United States, the traffic law requires everyone to wear a seatbelt while driving, but I didn’t like to wear one because it made me feel uncomfortable. Therefore, I did not comply with the law. However, after accepting You, I know that my sinful flesh has been crucified with Christ on the cross. Therefore, I am no longer a slave to sin, no longer living according to my own will, and no longer following my own reasoning. Instead, I walk in the spirit, doing the good will of God, guided by the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. This includes obeying the laws and regulations of the authorities. As a result, I have developed the habit of always wearing a seatbelt whenever I get in a car.

Dear God, I understand the meaning of verse 6, which says, “For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the spirit is life and peace,” It means that thinking according to the flesh leads to death because it follows the sinful desires of the flesh, which lead to death. Before I knew You, I only wanted to satisfy the desires of the flesh, regardless of whether or not I had knowledge of the law of humanity or Your commandments. After accepting You, I no longer live according to the flesh. Therefore, every time I get into a car, I always remember to first buckle my seatbelt, obeying the traffic laws and following the teachings of the Bible. This is setting my mind on the spirit and living accordingly.

Similarly, there are many other aspects of my new life that have changed. I live a life that belongs to Christ, with Him as my Lord, living according to the spirit of Christ that He has given me. In Him, there is no punishment for me, as He has borne it on my behalf. In Christ, I both want and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I no longer live according to the desires of the flesh. I am at peace, content even when facing any difficulties or trials in life, for Christ is always with me. The Holy Spirit always guides me, and the Beloved Father always watches over me.

I thank the Triune God and pray that God will help me to live according to the spirit of holiness, to bear much fruit until the day when Christ returns and welcomes the Church into heaven. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
03/23/2023