Eighth Sunday after Trinity - EPISTLE (1896)

Romans 8:12-17

Believers have become free from the power of the devil, from guilt and
punishment of sin, from the curse of the Law, from the wrath of God, from death and
condemnation through the Lord Christ.
1
But their freedom is not carnal, according to
what they could do and be what they wanted.
2
Rather, they are obliged to fight sin and
pursue holiness through the many and great gifts of God.

So then we are debtors.

1. To whom are we bound as debtors?
a. Not to the flesh, that we live according to the flesh.
3
When flesh and spirit, as
here, are compared to each other in Scripture, then corrupt human nature with
its evil desires and impulses is to be understood under flesh. It is also still
present among regenerate Christians
4
and makes itself felt even more
formidable among them. Against all stimulation and allurement of the flesh
we have absolutely no obligation that we must or should follow them. Rather,
we are bound to bemoan and lament the sinful corruption that still adheres to
us, to fight against it, to curb it, to crucify and mortify it.
b. But to the spirit. This contrast is implied in verse 12, cf. with verse 13. The
Holy Spirit, Who dwells in us by faith, leads us to good impulses. And we
ought to follow them. He shall govern all our thoughts, words and deeds. He
shall lead us on a level path. We should walk according to His counsel and
words.

2. Why are we debtors?
a. Because we cease to be Christians when we no longer consider ourselves
obliged to live according to the Spirit. For if you live according to the flesh you
will die.
5
Whoever lives according to his flesh, whoever loves sin, whoever
follows evil lusts, may still boast so much about grace, loses the Holy Spirit,
denies his faith, forfeits heaven, he must - O, terrible word - die.

1
John 8:32, 36.
2
Romans 6:18, 20-22; 1 Peter 2:16.
3
Romans 8:12.
4
Romans 7:18.
5
Romans 8:13; Philippians 3:18-19.
b. Because we are Christians only as long as there is the struggle between spirit
and flesh in us. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you
will live.
6
Whoever curbs and suppresses the irritations and impulses of his
flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit, whose spiritual life is becoming
more strengthened, who will obtain by sight the eternal life which is already
attributed to him here in faith, he will - O blessed word - live.
c. It does not intentionally say to those who obey the Spirit as debtors, they will
have to live, while it expressly states to those who serve as debtors to the flesh,
they will have to die. Death is certainly the wages of sin that must be paid, but
eternal life is a free gift of God in Christ. Therefore it's not that we are debtors,
because we obtain eternal life for ourselves through the struggle between flesh
and spirit or could obtain it for ourselves in faith.
7
But we are debtors because
we have become other people. We are born of God. God has put us from
Satan's kingdom into Christ's kingdom. The Holy Spirit has transformed us.
He now lives in us, He now compels us. All its glory and all its own merit is
here excluded; that we are debtors, to live for the Spirit, is the work and glory
of the Holy Spirit. Only those who are compelled by the Spirit of God are
children of God.
8
In this great, spiritual alteration that has taken place in us
through the Spirit, we have not worked ourselves into it, it has been wrought
in us from the top down through faith.
9
That is why, therefore, we are debtors,
to fight the flesh and to live for the spirit, because only where this happens,
faith and the Holy Spirit dwell in the heart, because only there new life is from
God. We ourselves have in it a glorious indicator that we are God's children in
that the flesh does not come for power.

3. In what disposition are we debtors?
a. In a childlike disposition that flows from the certainty of the state of grace.
Otherwise one is not like a debtor. Some fulfill their obligation only reluctantly
and forcefully. But we Christians fulfill our obligation living for the spirit
instead of for the flesh, not out of fear of punishment, not forced, not with
pain, but gladly and cheerfully, as dear children of God. Perhaps it hurts and
offends us that we still have in us such a terrible corruption, against which we
must struggle, and that we feel so little desire to that which is pleasing to God.
But we know God is still our dear Father, we are His children, despite the
devil, the world, and all sin. We can confidently call Him Father and pray to

6
Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5-9.
7
Romans 3:24.
8
Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18.
9
Galatians 3:26.
Him.
10
Yes, especially in the hot quarrels against our innate corruption, the
Holy Spirit testifies to our spirit that we are God's children
11
, when devil,
world, and our own hearts would make us dispute our divine sonship for the
sake of the sins and infirmities that still cling to us. This testimony of the Holy
Spirit is certain
12
and happens through the Gospel.
13

b. With confident courage that flows from the certainty of salvation. The severe
struggle between flesh and spirit does not go away without pain, suffering,
and wounds. Temptations begin, like these: Is this the happiness of Christians?
Take heart! If we are children, then we are heirs, etc.
14
If this is the order, that
we must suffer here with Christ, then this is a great honor, and we know we
will inherit all the treasures of the Father, and inherit the legacy that Christ,
our brother and substitute, has taken on for our good.
15
If the struggle hard,
the suffering great, we remain confident debtors, not to the flesh, but to the
spirit, and raise ourselves up in the glorious words that closely follow our
Epistle: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth
comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
16

P.R.

10
Galatians 4:6.
11
Romans 8:16.
12
1 John 5:10.
13
John 6:63.
14
Romans 8:17.
15
Hebrews 1:2; Luke 22:29; John 17:24.
16
Romans 8:18.