We saw in the last verse of yesterday's quote, Paul said, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
That statement takes us into verses nine and ten of todays quote, wherein Paul, speaking to those of faith said, "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. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
Our lesson today is taken from Romans 8:9-24;
"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. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 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. 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. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 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. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 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. 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. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 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. 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?"
Paul makes it very clear that those who rely on the actions of the flesh, are bound to the rewards of the flesh. The reward of the flesh is death. However, Paul then says, that those who live their lives according to the spirit of Christ, are incapable of committing fleshly sins that condemn the eternal soul.
Paul goes on, in the final verse of today's quote, to explain how we are eternally saved; "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?"
Paul's use of the word "hope" in this quote is representative of faith as demonstrated in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
This lesson, again, confirms that eternal salvation comes by faith, and faith alone. Mankind CANNOT live a life in the flesh worthy of God's grace. That was accomplished by only one man, Jesus! His righteousness is available to all who will place their FAITH in Him.~
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