Eighth Sunday after Trinity - EPISTLE (1887)

Romans 8:12-17

Non-Christians and children of the world seek happiness in the fact that they live in all
the lusts of their depraved hearts. Their hope is therefore directed to the things of this world
and time, their way of life a way of life according to the flesh. - All this is quite different with
Christians, as St. Paul teaches us this, among other things, in today's Epistle.

What does the apostle say about Christians in our text? He talks

1. about their way of life: they do not live according to the flesh
1
;
a. what that means: . not that they no longer try to sin, would no longer be tempted by
sin
2
, but . that they give no place to sin, resist evil desires and not perform them;
b. what motivates them: . they owe it to God as Christians ("dear brothers")
3
, God, Who
demands such a change of them, Who has made them capable and to whom they
inexpressibly owe so much; . if they wanted to live according to the flesh, then they
would have to lose Spirit and grace and must die
4
; on the other hand, where they
mortify affairs of the flesh through the Spirit, and live in the Spirit, they have a sign
that they are children of God who are led by the Spirit of God
5
;

2. about their blessedness:
a. they have become free from the spirit of bondage
6
; how unfortunate is a man,
however it may go with him in earthly things, who must still have servile fear before
God!
b. they have received a childlike spirit and therefore call God their Father
7
;
c. they are assured of their sonship to God by the Holy Spirit
8
;
d. they are also His heirs as children of God
9
; . what kind of great glory is imminent for
them as children of God
10
; . in what order this blessed inheritance shall be theirs,
provided they suffer here with Christ beforehand.
11

Chr. K.

1
Romans 8:12.
2
Romans 8:13 ("the deeds of the flesh" also among Christians).
3
Romans 8:12 ("debtors").
4
Romans 8:13.
5
Romans 8:14.
6
Romans 8:15.
7
Romans 8:15.
8
Romans 8:16.
9
Romans 8:17.
10
ibid.
11
ibid.