Author : Elmer Moore (deceased)
reprinted by permission from Truth Magazine.
In Romans 8:4 Paul states, “that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” He thus states the contrast that he will pursue. There are two directors; one is said to be the “flesh.” the other the “Spirit.” Three terms occur in this text that needs clarification. The terms “ordinance of the law,” “after the flesh,” and “after the Spirit.”
“Ordinance Of The Law”
The King James Version reads “the righteousness of the law.” A footnote in the American Standard Version suggests “requirements.” The term occurs many times in the Roman letter and never loses its significance of being right, just, justified, or righteous. I am convinced that the writer is declaring that the righteous state, or justification, that one would have enjoyed had he kept the law perfectly (see Romans 3:27 – 4:4) is the condition of one who “walks after the Spirit.” This truth is further affirmed in Romans 10:4 where Paul declares, “For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone that believeth.” The word “end” indicates the aim or “final issue or result of a state or process” (W. E. Vine, page 367). The end, or aim, of the law was righteousness. Thus, the “righteousness of faith” (Romans 10:6) was made possible by Christ when man receives the forgiveness of sins, and “walks after the Spirit.”
Contrast: “After The Flesh” – “After The Spirit”
Paul presents a contrast and it is vital that one understands the contrast before his mind. To do this one must look closely at the immediate context. In a previous article it was suggested that “In all cases a writer or speaker is liable to suffer injustice, if his statements are interpreted without reference to the contrast before his mind.” The contrast before Paul’s mind is about allowing the desires of the flesh to direct one or allowing the Spirit’s Law to direct him. There is no way that one can justify the idea that this is talking about the flesh of man as one of the directors and the spirit of that same man the other director. The flesh of man is simply a bundle of appetites that lead to sin only when the inner man plans and executes the means of gratification. The Baptist argument on apostasy asserts that the whole man, inner and outer, is depraved at birth. When regeneration occurs, they argue, the inward man is regenerated but the flesh, the outer, is not. They refuse to accept the fact that the inner man is responsible for the actions of the outer man. The inward man, involving the mind of man, must have a part in a man;s actions for it to be either good or bad. Paul is not talking about half a man on each side of this contrast, the flesh on one side and the spirit on the other. He is talking about a whole man on either side. Paul affirmed that the “Spirit’s law” produced life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). He then proceeds to describe the man who allows the fleshly desires to direct him and, in contrast, the man who allows the Spirit’s law to direct him. He describes a man who has to make a choice. He will either choose to gratify every desire of the flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1), or he will choose to walk after the Spirit’s law. The Spirit’s law is the Gospel of Christ, (See article 2 of this series). Simply stated a man can choose to do what he wants to do or he can decide to do what God wants him to do.
More About Contrast
Paul has established a contrast; a man either walks after the flesh or (walks) after the Spirit. It is not necessary for him to use these complete terms in reference to the contrast after the contrast is established. For instance, Paul in Romans 3:23 – 4:25 contrasts one who is endeavoring to be justified by a “law of works” and one who is endeavoring to be justified by a “law of faith” (3:27). He does not use these terms to continue the contrast. In 3:28 he uses the term “faith” and is talking about the “law of faith” already introduced. He also uses the terms “believed” and “believeth” to refer to this law of faith. Likewise, he uses the terms “works” and “worketh” (4:2,4) to refer to the “law of works.” He is contrasting two systems. He illustrates this in citing the case of Abraham. If Abraham was justified by a “law of works” he would have cause to glory or boast, (3:27;4:2) and would merit his salvation; it would not be a matter of grace, but of debt, (4:4). In this precise manner Paul, in Romans Eight, sets the contrast by identifying two directors: one is the man who is determined to satisfy his fleshly desires, and one who is determined to satisfy God by walking after the Spirit. Paul uses the phrases “after the flesh,” “mind of the flesh” (King James states “carnally minded”) (4:6), and “in the flesh” (8:9) to identify man’s “walk after the flesh.” He uses the phrases “after the Spirit” (8:4,5), “mind of the Spirit” (King James states “spiritually minded”) (8:6), and “in the Spirit” (8:9) to identify man’s “walk after the Spirit.”
