The Salvation of the Triune God (3)

 

 

[Romans 8:1-4]

 

 

Let's look at Romans 8:3-4: "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

The Korean Bible starts with "the law," but in the original Greek, it begins with "for" (ἔστιν in Greek). The word "for" here is a conjunction that connects the passage to the previous verses (Romans 8:1-2) and introduces a detailed explanation. Let's look at verse 2: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Before we believed in Jesus, we were held captive by the law (power) of sin and death, and we were spiritually dead because of our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). In other words, we were spiritually dead, and we were slaves to the law of sin and death. At that time, we lived in disobedience and sin, following the ways of this world (Romans 2:2). That is, we followed the values of a world without God. At that time, we followed the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Romans 2:2), referring to the evil spirit (Satan).

However, because of God's great love, who is rich in mercy, He loved us so much that He made us alive together with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses (Romans 4-5). In other words, we were saved by God's grace (Romans 5).

The Apostle Paul says, "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh" (Romans 8:3). This means that the law cannot save us. The reason is that the flesh is weak. Our flesh lacks the ability to do good and to glorify God, so the law cannot save us. The law cannot save us, but God can save us ("but God did" – Romans 8:3).

How did God save us? Let's look again at the first part of Romans 8:3: "On account of sin." We were under the law (power) of sin and death. In order to be saved from the law of sin and death, a sin offering had to be made. Therefore, a sin offering had to be presented to God. Since we were enemies of God (Romans 5:10), in order to be reconciled with God, a reconciliation offering was necessary. The Father God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the sin offering and the reconciliation offering ("His Son" – Romans 8:3). Here, "His Son" refers to the only begotten Son. The Father God refers to His uniquely born Son, who is equal to God, and who has a unique relationship with God the Father.

Although, by God's grace, we have been saved and have become sons and daughters of God, calling Him "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6), and are heirs (Romans 4:16; 8:17; Ephesians 3:6; Titus 3:7), we are adopted children (Romans 8:15, 23), not only begotten sons like Jesus. Therefore, we cannot be the sin offering or the reconciliation offering. Only the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, is the sin offering and the reconciliation offering (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).