The Spirit’s Work in the Believer, Romans 8:15-39

Chapter 5

In Romans 6 we saw our position as being free from sin’s condemnation, and from its dominion as we walk by the Spirit in the obedience of faith. In Romans 7 we saw that we were not under law. We could not live under the law because the strength of sin is the law, but being discharged from the law, we have our standing in grace. We saw the operation of the law of God discovering in us a law, or principle, of sin and death; and learned that while the law discovered it, it could not deliver us from it. In the early part of Romans 8 we were introduced to the truth that the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death which is in our members. Up to this 8th chapter we have had only a single reference to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5), but now the subject of the Holy Spirit is brought before us at length. We not only learn that the Holy Spirit makes us free from the law of sin and death, but have much teaching as to the gracious work of that indwelling Spirit.