We are under obligation

[Romans 8:12-13]

                Look at Romans 8:12-13: “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  The Bible says that we are under obligation (v. 12).  All mankind is under obligation.  People of the past, people of the present, and people of the future are all under obligation.  It is one of two things: one who is under obligation to the body or one who is under obligation to the Spirit.  All descendants of Adam are under obligation to the flesh.  We too were under obligation to the flesh until we were born again by God (before we were regenerated) (1 Jn. 5:1, 4).  How do those who are under obligation to the flesh live?  Look at Ephesians 2:2-3: “in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”  When we were under obligation to the flesh, we followed the evil ways of the world and obeyed the devil, lived according to the lusts of the flesh and lived according to the desires of the flesh and the mind.  In this way, we lived as those who were under obligation to the flesh.  But at some point (whether we know it or not) we are transformed into those who are under obligation to the Spirit.  When did John the Baptist become a man who was under obligation to the Spirit?  Look at Luke 1:15 – “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb.”  John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb.  In other words, he became the man who was under obligation to the Spirit from the time of his mother's womb.  So when Mary greeted Elizabeth (v. 36), who was six months pregnant with John the Baptist, the Bible said, “The baby (John the Baptist) leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 41).  John the Baptist himself was not sure when he was filled with the Holy Spirit.  But when he grew up his mother, Elizabeth, would have told him.  The believers who were born in Christian families often do not know when they were regenerated or when they became the people who were under obligation to the Spirit.  But sometimes we know when we became the people who are under obligation to the Spirit.  For example, Cornelius and his relatives and close friends in Acts 10 knew (v. 24), and Peter and some brethren from Joppa (v. 23) knew that they were under obligation to the Spirit.  Look at Acts 10:44-45: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.  All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.”

                Those who are under obligation to the Spirit are indebted to the Holy Spirit.  The Apostle Paul uses the conjunction “So then” at the beginning of Romans 8:12.  This conjunction connects the preceding verses.  Therefore, now those who are in Christ Jesus (v. 1), because the law of the Spirit of life has set him free from the law of sin and death (v. 2), we no longer live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (v. 4).  Because we think of the things of the Holy Spirit (v. 5), the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (v. 6).  Now that the Holy Spirit is in us, we are controlled by the Holy Spirit (v. 9).  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead, and will also give life to our mortal bodies (v. 11).  Therefore, we are under obligation (v. 12).  The Apostle Paul said, “So then, brethren,” in Romans 8:12, where “brethren” refers to the saints of the Roman church.  Here, the word “brethren” is an intimate nickname, and Paul said that they are all believers in Jesus Christ, and they are all under obligation to the Spirit, that is, regenerated ones, and the debtors to the Holy Spirit.  That is, those who are under obligation to the Spirit and their mind set on the Holy Spirit is life and peace (v. 6).  But the mind set on the flesh is death (v. 6), is enmity with God (v. 7), and cannot please God (v. 8).  Those who are under obligation to the Spirit have the spirit alive [(v. 10), “the spirit is alive because of righteousness”].  In other words, those who are under obligation to the Spirit are regenerated.

                Jesus took the dead daughter (Lk.8:49) of Jairus (v. 41), the ruler of the synagogue, by the hand and said, “Child, arise!” (v. 54).  And the Bible says that “her spirit returned” (v. 55).  Jesus went to his tomb of Lazarus (Jn. 11:38) who was dead (v. 14) and said, “Remove the stone” (v. 39) and cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth” (v. 43).  As a result, the man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings (v. 44).  Lazarus also came out alive as his spirit was united in his body.  His spirit returned and united with his body, and he came to life.  The Holy Spirit raised our spirits, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).  This spirit is eternal.  The mind set on the Holy Spirit is life (Rom. 8:6), and that life is eternal.  The Holy Spirit not only gave life to our dead spirits, but He will also give life, that is eternal life, to our mortal bodies (v. 13).  When?  It is the time when the last trumpet sounds (1 Cor. 15:52).  Then, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead will be raised to life incorruptible, and we will all be changed (v. 52).  The Holy Spirit will give life to our spirits and bodies to live forever.  This is the perfection of eternal life!

                Therefore, the Apostle Paul says that we are under obligation not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh (Rom. 8:12).  We are no longer indebted to the flesh. Therefore, we must not lose to the flesh and live according to the flesh.  What does it mean to lose to the flesh and live according to the flesh?  Look at Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Look at Colossians 3:5-6: “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.  For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.”  As we are under obligation to the Spirit (the Holy Spirit), we must not lose to the flesh and live according to the flesh.  Rather, we must walk according to the Spirit.  Then we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:16).  Also, the Apostle Paul says that if by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body, we will live (Rom. 8:13).  Although we will die forever if we live as a debtor to the body, if we kill the deeds of the body (living as a debtor to the body) as the Spirit (the Holy Spirit), we will surely live.  This is the result of living as a debtor to the Holy Spirit who is under obligation to the Holy Spirit.  We will live forever.  When?  It is the time when the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God (1 Thess. 4:16).  Then the dead in Christ will rise first (v. 16).  That is, they will come back to life.

                We are under obligation to the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, we must live according to the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit dwells within us (Rom. 8:9) and protects us from the power of Satan.  Also, the indwelling Holy Spirit gives us the strength of life, gives us wisdom, produces fruit, and gives us victory.  The Holy Spirit gives us the power to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, so He does the work of raising those who are spiritually dead.  The Holy Spirit will give life to our bodies and spirits at the Second Coming of the Lord so that we may live with Him forever.