NOTES for Rom 8:1-17

The Lord commands us to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. In ordinary life, wisdom and innocence are rarely found together. How, then, are we to live in this world full of violence and betrayal? We cannot invent a formula. There is therefore no point in wondering in advance how to behave in a critical situation. It is better to trust in the Spirit, who will give us an answer at the necessary moment. According to the Apostle, this Spirit lives in those who belong to Christ and live according to the spirit, those for whom He is Wonderful, Counselor, and Mighty God.

The apostle continues his reflections on life according to the Spirit and life according to the flesh, which he had already begun in the previous chapter. If earlier he only identified the problem of this monstrous rupture between what the divine nature in a person wants and what his bodily nature does, here he is already speaking about how it can be overcome.

Paul believes that the flesh is sinful in its very essence; such is the law of the created order. Therefore only a true miracle can break the opposition within a person between his sinful nature and his divine nature. And the life of God in those who open their hearts to Him becomes such a miracle. If this happens, everything changes. "But if Christ is in us, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness."

The word "law" is not used here for reference to Moses’ commandments, but to the same sense, as we say "laws of physics ", which is by meaning certain cause and effect relation of events or concepts. So: there is an insuperable aptitude to sin (slave to sin) in my nature (flesh), who leads me regularly to death. The Christ delivered me from this slavery, giving in substitution a different regularity: where the flesh kills, the spirit vivifies. Long to act not according to the flesh (nature), but according to the spirit (Spirit) is part of my task, so neither conscience, nor God condemn me. And all this takes place not some day in another existence, but already here and now.

Paul distinguishes, on the one hand, the "Torah of sin and death," and on the other, the "Torah of the breath of life in Christ Jesus." The apostle understands perfectly that the Torah in an ordinary person does not act as it does in Christ. This is understandable: in an ordinary person, whose nature is damaged by the fall, the Torah, of course primarily the inner Torah, only reveals this damage even more. In human nature damaged by sin, the inner Torah cannot function fully; in this case it cannot solve the task for which it is intended, to make a person a living Torah.

And then what was impossible for an ordinary person was accomplished by Christ Himself, who revealed to the world the living Torah and thereby "condemned sin in the flesh," as the apostle says. And now the breath of Christ's life, the breath of the Kingdom, which has become accessible to everyone ready to trust Christ, also opens to a person the possibility of becoming a living Torah, like the Savior Himself.

The righteousness of the Torah, the "justification of the law" of the Synodal translation, is now accessible to everyone who lives not by the flesh, not by his own nature, which is powerless to realize the ideal of the living Torah, but by the breath of the Kingdom opened through Christ, the "spirit" of the Synodal translation. As long as we live ordinary human life, untransformed life, the living Torah remains an unattainable ideal. But if from this life we pass to the life of Christ, to the life of the Kingdom, the ideal proves entirely attainable, but only in union with Christ Himself as King.

The breath of the Kingdom leads a person along the path of the inner Torah in union with Christ, helping him become a living Torah, of which Christ Himself is the example. This, of course, does not happen in a single moment. In order to become a living Torah, one must pass through one's own path of spiritual formation, and if one refuses the path and continues to live as before, then one will have to forget about Christ, the Kingdom, and the new life. But if one is consistent in one's spiritual efforts, every seeker can become like Christ, becoming, as He is, a living Torah and receiving the fullness of the life of His Kingdom.

Death dominates the world, and no power is capable of surmounting it. More wonderful are these words of the apostle Paul, sent has each of us: the expression "made me free" appears in the recent versions, but the ancient manuscripts of this text contain the words "made you free". Then the apostle in an appropriate for him way explains this idea, fathoming into theological reflections, which are not so easy for understanding.

But in practice, not the explanation is more important for us - Apostle Paul knows what he speaks about, and we can trust him. Important is the fact that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of life offers me liberty from condemnation, from death. Yes, death has gone nowhere, and as they say, all of us shall be there. But deathcan be for me (for you) not a sad and absurd end of life, of which there is nothing more, for which it would be necessary to live and die. We are free of this law, and death can become for us the purpose of a difficult way, behind which life continues, reaching its plenitude. Isn’t it hope?

Today's reading sounds absurd. If we translate Paul's words into more accessible language, it would come out roughly like this: we have the law of universal gravitation; if we fall, we get hurt. However, now a new law has been introduced into creation, one that completely cancels the action of the previous one. Paul then describes how this happened and why God, in the middle of human history, introduces a new law for the functioning of the world. And the success of this operation depends on how ready we are to accept such changes and make use of the new law. The sacrifice of the cross was offered so that "the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit".

The promise made by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper is fulfilled: the Comforter comes, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of adoption (Rom 8:15), and the apostles testify to “the mighty works of God.”

This is the beginning of the Church, because here, through the action of the Holy Spirit, people find one common Father through true faith in the only-begotten Son and, becoming brothers and sisters, unite in glorifying God. We too can enter into this joy by praying in the words of Psalm 103.

Truth be told, one somehow does not want to look in the mirror: this does not look like our life. But... is it really completely unlike it? Each of us has our own experience of "the great works of God." If we look at ourselves objectively, we cannot fail to see that the Lord truly acts in us when we turn to Him. And the Holy Spirit truly lives in us; otherwise, how could we do anything good at all?

We ourselves may not notice these changes, but from the outside they can be astonishing. A living example of the Holy Spirit's action can be a chance overheard dialogue between two Christian women: "I knew that woman 10 years ago, but she did not recognize me." "Then let us tell her that you know each other!" "No, no! You did not see me 10 years ago!" Who, besides the Holy Spirit, is able to change a person beyond recognition, and at the same time for the better, to that person's own joy and the joy of those around him?

Paul describes the perspective of Christian life as the complete overcoming of death. The logic is simple: we Christians are part of the same spiritual process into which Jesus Christ is included. The same breath of God acts in us, the fullness of which Jesus bears within Himself. And if in Him this fullness was ultimately manifested as the triumph of life and the complete defeat of death, then the same thing must happen with us. Indeed, speaking of Christianity, we are not speaking of a series of different events, even if they are connected with one another.

The matter is precisely one single spiritual process. The process of the Kingdom entering the world. And of the path of its King, who is inseparable from His Kingdom. Because He bears within Himself the fullness of this Kingdom. And it is precisely through Him that it enters the world. This is the process in which we Christians participate. Each according to the measure of his understanding and awareness of what is happening.

And at the foundation of this process is the breath of God. The Holy Spirit. For it is precisely God's breath, permeating the world from its very creation, that makes this world the Kingdom. Already on the first day of creation, when God separated light and darkness. And later, when evil entered the world, God's breath opposed this evil, and a person who felt it received a certain experience of the life of the Kingdom, still small and weak, but already genuine. And with Christ's coming into the world, when the Kingdom, according to His own words, "drew near," this breath was revealed as the foundation of the Kingdom, as that which binds all its inhabitants together.

It binds them both to one another and to its King. So that everyone who shares in the Kingdom now also shares the path of the King and the fullness of life that He bears. But, of course, on one condition: the breath of God with which the Kingdom is permeated must become an inseparable part of the Christian's life. It must enter his soul and heart. It must define his life. Not only from outside, but also from within. Otherwise nothing will come of it. Then the action of this breath in each of us Christians will become the same as it became in Christ. And His life will then become our life too. And death will retreat, for there is no place for it in the Kingdom.

What is that Kingdom which Jesus brought into the world? In brief, it is a space filled with the breath of God. The same breath that would later be called the Spirit, would be considered the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, and about which many theological treatises would be written.

And this breath, meanwhile, has its own history, going back to pre-Christian times: for the prophets were the first to speak of the breath of God, and they did not theologize, but simply sensed this breath not only in their heart, but in their whole being. But that was still only prehistory.

The real history begins on the day of Pentecost, when the breath of God bursts into the world, laying the beginning of that Kingdom whose unfolding fullness will become the meaning of all humanity's subsequent existence. And every Christian is to take a direct and immediate part in this. Paul does not say by accident that it is God who, by His breath, raises Jesus Himself from the dead. Death has no place only in the Kingdom; in the fallen world it is all-powerful, so that even the Messiah cannot escape its power. He is not subject to sin; death is not inevitable for Him. But if He is killed, then in the fallen world He dies just like any human being.

Such is the law of the fallen world that lies in evil: in it, death always has priority over life. But in the Kingdom everything is the opposite; here life has priority. In the Kingdom no one can be killed, and no one can die, unless he deliberately puts himself to death by giving sin power over himself, as happened with Ananias and Sapphira. It is no surprise that, dead in the fallen world, Jesus turns out to be alive in the Kingdom.

The Kingdom now enters the world, and the path of Christ's followers repeats His own: those who have entered the Kingdom die only in this world, and only insofar as it has not yet been transfigured. There are no dead in the Kingdom; here all are alive who have ever sought and awaited it, for in the Kingdom there is no past, present, and future, at least not as we know them in the world that has not yet been transfigured.

And at the end of time, when the Kingdom is revealed in all its fullness, everyone who has ever lived on earth will face a choice: the former order of things is passing away; where should one go next? This is what the day of the last Judgment will be. The day when life, finally, becomes life to the end and in fullness, while death, alas, becomes full and final death.

What is the Kingdom, that Jesus brought to the world? If to speak briefly, it is a space filled with the breath of God. The same breath, which afterward will be called the Spirit, will be considered as the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, about which will write numerous theological treaties. And this breath has its history, which goes back up to pre-Christian times: for, the breath of God was spoke about for the first time by the prophets, who didn’t theologize, but just felt this breath not only in their heart, but also in everything in their essence. But it was still only the prehistory.

The real history begins on the day of the Pentecost, when the breath of God penetrates the world, marking the beginning of this Kingdom, the unveiling of the plenitude of which will become the meaning of all subsequent existence of the humanity. And every Christian should take part in it in a direct or indirect way. Paul does not say accidentally that it is in particular God Who by His Spirit raised up Jesus from the dead. Death has no place only in the Kingdom; in the fallen world it is all-powerful, such that even the Messiah cannot escape its power. He is not subject to sin, the death is not imminent for Him, but if to kill Him, He dies in the fallen world the same way as any person.

That is the law of the fallen world lying in evil: death always has priority before life. But in the Kingdom it is all the opposite, here the priority is life, in the Kingdom nobody should be killed and none should kill himself either, only if not kill oneself specially, giving oneself to the power of sin, as it happened with Ananias and Sapphira. It is not surprising that, the dead man in the fallen world, Jesus is alive in the Kingdom. But the Kingdom enters now into the world, and the way of the followers of Christ repeats His’: those who enter the Kingdom die only in this world, and this only because the world is not yet transformed.

There are no deaths in the Kingdom, all here are alive, those who looked and waited once for it: because there is no past, present and future in the Kingdom, at least, such as we know them in the world, not yet transformed. And at the end of time, when the Kingdom will be revealed in all its fullness, will stand a choice before each of those who have ever lived on earth: the old order of things goes away; where to go after then? It will be probably the day of the Judgment. The day, when life will become at last a life in fullness and to the end, and death, regrettably, a complete and definitive death.

Linguistically and in its emotional tone, “Abba” is accurately translated as “Daddy.” This is not merely an affectionate form, but a personal address that even children who are very close to their parents rarely use, and only in special situations. With this word Paul describes the degree of our closeness to God. Moreover, we need such a relationship and union constantly, not once a year. This is the effect of the Spirit who has been given to us. The second thing the Spirit does in us is transform us into heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. These are like two sides of the same coin. First, we draw so close to God that our relationship to Him can be described only by the word “Daddy.” Second, union with Christ's sacrifice on the cross becomes a necessity for us.

By trusting God, we receive His Kingdom, that is, His sovereignty in our lives, which takes up residence within us as the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul's main point today is that the presence of God's Spirit does not enslave us but fills us with filial love for God, who becomes for us not merely Father but "Abba," the tender and affectionate way in which Hebrew children addressed their fathers.

The limited nature of freedom is an unavoidable experience for every person in this world. Voluntarily or under compulsion, we submit to very many things: the laws of physics, the laws of society, the law of God... These countless laws entangle a person, and the best years of life are spent learning to accept them. This is normal and even, yes, right. But in the soul of a person under law, a kind of conditioned reflex eventually forms, so that without law, an impersonal external regulator of life, we can no longer live. Living in fear of violating something, whether the law of universal gravitation, the administrative code, or the law of God, a person nevertheless tries to find laws for himself in order to submit to them. Sometimes we simply declare our own desires to be the law of the universe; sometimes we find something more exalted. But then we try to force everyone around us to submit to it, and totalitarianism is born from a passion for law.

Law attracts a person because law is impersonal. You can conform to it or violate it, if you can, without entering into personal relationship with it. Thus arises the sense of the world as an objective reality given to us by God in our sensations. And because all laws are impersonal, the person himself remains the only acting subject in his own life. This half-voluntary submission to impersonal law is what the apostle Paul calls the spirit of slavery.

But in reality, besides laws, there is the Lawgiver, and it turns out that we are not strangers to Him. Therefore you can build a personal relationship with the Lawgiver, and the keeping of laws, generally speaking, happens in some way by itself. This is the alternative that the apostle Paul called the spirit of adoption. And the choice between law and the Lawgiver is one of the key choices for a person.

The restriction of freedom is an imperative concern of every person in this world. Voluntarily or under constraint, we comply with very and very many: laws of physics, laws of society, God's law... These uncountable laws tangle up man, and the best years of life are spent to learn how to adapt to them. It is normal and even probably just. But a certain conditioned reflex is formed nevertheless in the soul of the man under the law, so that we can nothing without the law, the faceless external regulator of life. Living in fear of violating something (either the law of universal gravitation, or the administrative code, or God's law), man tries nevertheless to find laws for oneself, in order to be subjected to them. We sometimes just declare our personal desires as law of the universe, sometimes we find something more sublime. And then we try to force all our neighbors to it, and so from the passion for law is born totalitarianism.

The law entails the person, because it is faceless. You can conform to it or violate it (if it will succeed), without having personal contacts with her. That’s how is born the perception of the world as an objective reality, which is given to us by God in our feelings. And, since all laws are faceless, man himself remains the unique personage in his life. Here is this semi-voluntary submission to faceless law, which Apostle Paul calls spirit of bondage.

But in reality, apart from laws, there is a Legislator, and we are not foreign to Him. That is why you can build personal relationships with the Legislator, and the execution of the laws occurs moreover, generally, somehow by itself. Such is the alternative, that Apostle Paul called the spirit of adoption. And the choice between the law and the Legislator is one of the key choices for man to do.

The restriction of freedom is an imperative concern of every person in this world. Voluntarily or under constraint, we comply with very and very many: laws of physics, laws of society, God's law... These uncountable laws tangle up man, and the best years of life are spent to learn how to adapt to them. It is normal and even probably just. But a certain conditioned reflex is formed nevertheless in the soul of the man under the law, so that we can nothing without the law, the faceless external regulator of life. Living in fear of violating something (either the law of universal gravitation, or the administrative code, or God's law), man tries nevertheless to find laws for oneself, in order to be subjected to them. We sometimes just declare our personal desires as law of the universe, sometimes we find something more sublime. And then we try to force all our neighbors to it, and so from the passion for law is born totalitarianism.

The law entails the person, because it is faceless. You can conform to it or violate it (if it will succeed), without having personal contacts with her. That’s how is born the perception of the world as an objective reality, which is given to us by God in our feelings. And, since all laws are faceless, man himself remains the unique personage in his life. Here is this semi-voluntary submission to faceless law, which Apostle Paul calls spirit of bondage.

But in reality, apart from laws, there is a Legislator, and we are not foreign to Him. That is why you can build personal relationships with the Legislator, and the execution of the laws occurs moreover, generally, somehow by itself. Such is the alternative, that Apostle Paul called the spirit of adoption. And the choice between the law and the Legislator is one of the key choices for man to do.