Sin Condemned in the Flesh by Jesus Romans 8:3

Paul the apostle told the people in Rome, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”, and he added, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” In chapter eight and verse three of Romans, Paul shared with his readers how God, “condemned sin in the flesh” through “his own Son” Jesus where we read:

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:”

The verse begins, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, ...” Paul began with the word, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “what the law” or “that which the rule producing a state approved of God” “could not do” which means “was unable, without strength, impotent, powerless, weak, disabled and impossible”, “in that it was weak” or “because and since the law was feeble, without strength, powerless, needy and poor” “through the flesh” which means “by way and means of the carnal and mere human nature or the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God”. Paul shared how “the law” of God was unable to make men righteous because their “flesh” was “weak” and could not obey it.

The verse goes on to say, “... God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:” Paul added the word, “God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “sending” or “thrusting, inserting, transmitting, bestowing and wielding” “his own Son” which means “God's own and personal Son Jesus” “in the likeness” or “with the resemblance and such as amounts to equality or identity” “of sinful” or “missing the mark, erring and being mistaken” “flesh” which refers to “the mere human and earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God”, “and for sin” which means “and according to, on behalf of and because of missing the mark, erring and being mistaken”, “condemned” which means “damned and judged worthy of punishment” “sin” or “missing the mark, erring and being mistaken” “in the flesh” or “within the mere human and earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God”. Because “fleshly and carnal” man could not keep “the law” of God, God sent His only “begotten Son Jesus” to “resemble and identify” with “sin” so that He might “judge and damn” “sin” within human beings.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see how people who live according to their “fleshly nature” were not able to keep God's law. Therefore “the law”, though perfect, became “weak” in it's ability to make people righteous before God. Let us remember the purpose of “the law” was to show people their “weak” and “sinful nature”, and Jesus came defeat “sin in the flesh” so they may be made “righteous” through His ability and not their own. Paul recognized God's desire to “save” people from their “sins”, and He sent His Son Jesus to “be sin for us”, die on the cross and be raised from the “dead” that we might live “eternally” with Him. Let us marvel in the wonderful “grace and love” of God Almighty and His Son Jesus, and for those who do not know Him as “Savior and Lord”, let them receive Jesus' divine substitution for their “sins” today.

Next time Paul shares tells his readers concerning the, “righteousness of the law fulfilled in us”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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