Body dead to Sin Through the Spirit

Romans 8:1-11 (NRSV)

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 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.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 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.

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I was once told a story that describes the essence of Stoicism in this way:

A young man stands on trial before a council of Elders. Beneath the shirt of this young man is a vicious fox, which nips, claws and gnaws at the body of the young man. But being far less senior to the council of Elders and being at their mercy, he must find the strength to maintain his composure at all costs.

I used to choose to see life this way...often accepting life as a series of uncomfortable trials of my strength and will. Often I would seek out struggle and adversity to prove how impervious I could be to the challenges of life. Still today, I find myself in the midst of a great battle with sin. Choosing to do the things I should, instead of the things that are easy, or selfish is indeed a difficult feat and one I fail at often.

But this message that Paul has above to the Romans brings me great hope and I find great wisdom. I do not see a cure to the troubles and difficulty of Christian life. But rather a better path to navigate through these same troubles and difficulty. For this path to righteousness seems to be one that is not the hard and masochistic one I had once convinced myself to be the only way. Indeed it does not seem likely that the Father would ever have wished this to be the path for his children. But Paul professes a road to salvation borne of a focus on the Spirit. In doing so one does not only focus one's mind on that which is lasting, and fruitful, but I feel it manifests a path of doing right within oneself. Perhaps by doing this, by seeking the love of the spirit first, we will find ourselves dead to sin and choosing of right over wrong will not be so arduous. I certainly wish that sort of peace not only for myself, but for all of you my brothers and sisters.

Amen.