THE HOLY SPIRIT and SONSHIP Devotion 4 of 30 " Therefore, brethren, we are debtors; not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh." – Tomorrow:
"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors; not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Romans 8:12-17, NKJV)
Other versions read, "So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh" (NASB), "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it" (NIV), "So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do" (NLT), "So then, my brothers, we have no obligation to human nature to be dominated by it" (NJB ).
You will notice the later and more general translations read "we have no obligation," while the more literal ones read "we are under obligation, but not to . . . " There is a reason for stating we DO have an obligation, but it is NOT to the flesh. In Christ, we have not come into an area where there are no obligations. We have not been set free simply to roam about in a moral vacuum. The obligation that is placed upon us is a strong one. It has two sides. First, we have an obligation NOT to follow the dictates of the flesh. Second, we have an obligation to follow the direction of the Holy spirit. We will be held strictly accountable for fulfilling these obligations.
Without being unduly critical, this line of thinking is not prominent in the modern church. Viewing the average Christian, one might be led to conclude no moral obligations exist at all. It will contribute greatly to our faith to "hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
"WE"
There are teachings addressed exclusively to those who are in Christ Jesus. They have no application to anyone else. Examples of such texts are at the very heart of Apostolic doctrine (Rom 12:6-7; 13:12-13; 14:13,19; 1 Cor 5:8; 10:8-9; 2 Cor 7:1; Gal 5:25-26; Gal 6:9-10; Phil 3;15-16; 1 Thess 5:6-9). Many believers rarely have a word from God addressed specifically to them. Tragically, not a few churches are devoted, they profess, to the salvation of the lost, with hardly a word being ministered to the saints. But you will find no such trend among the Apostles. All of their Epistles, without exception, were written to the saints. They energetically, and in the power of the Spirit, spoke to the people of God.
The word before us is such a teaching. It is spoken to the saved; those who have been born again, and are in covenant with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. They are critical words because they unveil Divinely appointed foundations upon which godly living is based. It is imperative that these be known by the people of God.
"DEBTORS"
While we are "not under Law," we are nevertheless "debtors." A "debtor" is one held by an obligation, or bound by some duty. It speaks of someone who owes something, and who is obliged to fulfill a duty (STRONGS). This is a strong word.
Grace does not relieve us of responsibility and indebtedness. We have been freed, but not from obligation! The grace of God does not relieve us of obligation or duty. Being "justified freely" (3:24) has liberated us from guilt, condemnation, and enslavement to sin. It has freed us from death and delivered us from the wrath to come. But it has not freed us from debt. There is something that we owe, a duty we must fulfill. In a very emphatic way, we are not our own, we have been "bought with a price" (1 Cor 6:19). This case has been made repeatedly in the book of Romans. "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness . . . yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness . . . But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God" (6:18,19,22).
It appears to me that there is a general ignorance of this requirement among professing believers. The modern church is characterized by a level of casualness and indifference that betrays a lack of commitment to the Living God. There is too much self, too much human will, and too much deference to the flesh to deny this condition.
Make no mistake about this, "WE ARE DEBTORS!" Our text will affirm what we are NOT debtors to – namely the flesh, but it will not affirm indebtedness has been removed. Jesus paid the debt created by our sins and transgressions. We must pay the debt created by our redemption and justification.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I know You have purchased me with the price of the blood of Your Son. In Jesus' name, help me to consistently see that I owe nothing to my flesh.