During a televised court hearing, a judge confronted a man about his criminal actions. He had served five years in prison for aggravated robbery and attempted murder. But, after being released, he was caught confronting a family with a gun. After hearing about this, the judge noted that the defendant had unwisely gone back to his old lifestyle. Sadly, the defendant didn’t seem to understand that he had done anything wrong.
Can you imagine if the defendant in that court room claimed to be a Christian? The judge would have probably responded by telling him to start acting like one. Perhaps this is what Paul is saying in our passage today. Those who are in Christ should not be living a sinful life but one that lines up with what God desires. Let’s take a look at what he says in Romans 8:1-11.
- What does it say? (Rom. 8:1-11)
Because of the freedom from the law mentioned in Romans 7, there is no sentence of judgment1 against those who are in Christ Jesus who do not live in line with the flesh but in line with the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has liberated you from the law of sin and death. For the law was powerless because it was weak through the flesh. God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for sin and passed judgment on sin in the flesh so that the righteousness of the law would be fulfilled in those of us who do not live in line with the flesh but in line with the Spirit. For those who are of the flesh focus on the things of the flesh, but those who are in line with the Spirit focus on the things of the Spirit. For the thinking of the flesh is death, but the thinking of the Spirit is life and peace. This is because the thinking of the flesh is hostile toward God because it is not submitted to the law of God nor can it be. Those who are in the flesh are not able to please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the One who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies by means of His Spirit who lives in you. - What does it mean?
You may have noticed that chapter eight begins with a “therefore.” Paul was referring to what he had just talked about in chapter seven. In that chapter, Paul detailed how believers are no longer bound by the law because of Jesus’ death for our sins. Because He paid the price for our sins, the law has been fulfilled, and we are no longer required to obey it. That doesn’t mean that the law was bad. The law actually did a good job of pointing out how hopelessly sinful we were. However, it was unable to save us from our sinful desires and the punishment we deserved. Thankfully, through Jesus every believer has been delivered from his sinful state.
With all of that in mind, let us consider what Paul said in chapter eight.
Those who are in Christ are not condemned (Rom. 8:1-4).
Verse one mentions condemnation. To be condemned gives the idea of a judge passing sentence on a guilty person. Were you aware of the fact that God has already condemned sinners? In Romans 1:18-19, Paul states that God’s wrath is currently revealed against ungodly people who have rejected Him. He has given them over to the consequences of their sins and has allowed them to become worse. But the ultimate condemnation will happen at the Great White Throne judgment where all those who are not in Christ will be cast into the lake of fire.
Look now at Romans 8:1. Paul says that those who are in Christ are not condemned. This brings up a good question. We know what the condemnation is. Unrepentant sinners without Jesus are already sentenced by God to receive the just punishment for their sins. But what does it mean to be in Christ?
The phrase “in Christ” is also mentioned many other times in the New Testament (Rom. 3:24; 16:3,7,9 1 Cor. 1:2,30; 15:18,22; 2 Cor. 1:21; 3:14; 5:17,19; Gal. 1:22; 2:4,16; 3:26,28; 5:6; Eph. 1:3; 2:10,13; 3:6; Col. 1:2,4). Sometimes, it is our faith that is “in Christ” (Rom. 3:24). In this sense, someone who is in Christ is trusting in Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross for our sins. At other times, being “in Christ” has provided something for us. For instance, those who are “in Christ” can see clearly (2 Cor. 3:14), have become a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), have been reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:19), and have become children of God (Gal. 3:26). The idea here is that everything we have become is based on what Jesus did. So, those who are “in Christ” are believers whose lives have been changed by God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for them.
With all of that in mind, being “in Christ” has made a big difference in the lives of all who have trusted in Jesus. Where we once struggled under God’s sentence of judgment against our sins, we have now been given “life in Christ.” We have been freed from our former lifestyle. How did that happen? God sent Jesus to pay for all of our sins at one time on the cross. While the law had condemned us, His death on the cross completely paid the price for our sins. And now that we are “in Christ,” we are no longer condemned by God and live differently than we once did.
That leads us to our next thought.
Those who are in Christ do not live according to the flesh (Rom. 8:4-8).
It is a lifestyle change (4b). Paul talks about those who don’t walk a certain way. He uses walk to describe the way you live. You could exchange the word live for walk and it would mean the same thing. As a Christian walks through life, his lifestyle is no longer described as in line with the flesh. His life is no longer about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Instead, his life is in line with how the Spirit leads him.
It is a mindset change (5-6). This lifestyle change is also seen in a renewed mind (Rom. 12:2). Those who are not “in Christ” still have a mind that is focused on sinful, fleshly desires. The driving desire of their minds is what they can get out of life. They are focused on lust, coveting, selfishness, and revenge among other things. The flesh drives them to think about and practice sin. But those who are “in Christ” recognize that as a wrong focus. It will lead to death instead of life and peace.
It is a loyalty change (7-8). This mindset change comes from a change of loyalty. When we were dedicated to fulfilling the lusts of our flesh, we were actively hostile toward God. Our fleshly mind controlled our desires, and we were unwilling to submit ourselves to God. We fought against His ways and were unable to submit to Him. The end result was that “in the flesh” we were unable to please God.
But now that we are “in Christ,” we are different. Our desires have changed so that, despite the temptations that come, we have become those who don’t live according to our fleshly desires. This leads us to our next thought.
Those who are in Christ live according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:9-11).
Paul made it clear that his readers were not in the flesh but in the Spirit. Because of that, he expected that they would live according to what the Spirit led them to do. To motivate them toward this, he gave them three thoughts.
They will be indwelt by the Spirit (Rom. 8:9). When someone has put his faith in Christ, God gives that person the Holy Spirit to live within him. This is called the indwelling of the Spirit. Where he used to have only his flesh pushing him toward sin, now the new believer has the Holy Spirit living inside of him and leading him to do what pleases God. But if there is no evidence of the Spirit working inside someone’s life, it is probable that that person has not become a Christian.
They will have Christ in them (Rom. 8:10). When someone has put his faith in Christ, he becomes close to the Lord and gets his spiritual sustenance from Him. Think back to what Jesus said in John 15:4. He likened their relationship to a branch and a vine. Jesus is the vine while believers are the branches. When we abide in Him (meaning that we are relying on His help, leadership, and strength), we will be fruitful for the Lord. With that in mind, think of what Paul says in Romans 8:10. The person whom Christ is working in will become dead to sin and alive to righteousness. That is a direct result of Christ being in them.
They will be given life (Rom. 8:11). Paul now tells us that just as Christ was raised from the dead by God’s power, so God will give life to our mortal bodies through the Spirit that indwells us. Part of this is hard to understand. We have no problem understanding the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead. But what does it mean that God will give life to our mortal bodies?
I think that if you connect this verse with the previous one, it makes more sense. In verse ten, he talks about the body being dead because of sin. With that in mind, Paul now says that God will give our weak, physical bodies the power to live for the Lord. This power comes from the indwelling Spirit and from the One who raised Jesus from the dead. So, there is no excuse for any believer to live according to the flesh. With that promised power, we should follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and live for God.
During our study, we have seen three things: (1) Those who are in Christ are not condemned, (2) those who are in Christ do not live according to the flesh, and (3) those who are in Christ live according to the Spirit. The whole idea is that those who are in Christ should live like it. - How does it apply?
Are you in Christ?
This idea of being “in Christ” is an important one. Someone who is in Christ is trusting in Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross for our sins. By faith in Jesus, we have been forgiven of our sins, our eyes have been opened to see the truth, we have become a new creation, we have been reconciled to God, and we have become His children. If you are in Christ, your whole life has been changed for the better. And it is not something you did but something He did for you.
My question for you today is whether you are “in Christ.” I am not asking if you are known as a good person in comparison to others, if you are a member of a church, or if you made a decision at a revival meeting. I am asking whether you are “in Christ.” Are you trusting in Jesus right now? Are you resting in the fact that He died for your sins and rose again? If not, you are still in the flesh and need to be changed by God. This will only happen when God opens your eyes and brings you to repentance and faith in Christ.
Are you living a Spirit-led life?
Christians, this second question is for you. Throughout this passage, we have learned that we are different than we once were. We used to be sinners who couldn’t please God. But now that we are “in Christ,” our focus has been changed so that we desire to follow the leading of the Spirit that indwells us. With that in mind, have you been living a Spirit-filled life? Or have you been focused on the wrong things?
It is possible for a Christian to make wrong choices and to even sin against God. But this should not be your normal way of living. If you are “in Christ,” you should turn from sinful temptations and follow the leading of the Spirit of God. Let this be a wake-up call for each of us who are “in Christ.” Let us choose to fight against temptation and live for Him now and in the days ahead.
Conclusion
At the beginning of the message, I shared a story about a defendant who was not living the way he should have been. He was surprised that the judge couldn’t see the good things he had done since he got out of prison. Sadly, all the judge could see was his return to crime. As you consider your own life today, how does God see you? Are you living according to the Spirit? Or are you living according to the flesh? Only one is acceptable to the Lord.
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, as viewed in PocketBible app.
Lenski, R. C. H., The Interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, Columbus: The Wartburg Press, 1945.
“What does it mean to be in Christ?” as viewed at https://printer.gotquestions.net/GeneratePF?articleId=3371 on 9/27/2025.
Witmer, John A., “Romans” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary New Testament, USA: SP Publications, 1983.
Footnotes