Romans 8:4-5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Romans 8:1-9

I. The apostle here beings with one signal privilege of true Christians, and describes the character of those to whom it belongs: There is therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8:1. This is his triumph after that melancholy complaint and conflict in the foregoing chapter?sin remaining, disturbing, vexing, but, blessed be God, not ruining. The complaint he takes to himself, but humbly transfers the comfort with himself to all true believers, who are all... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Romans 8:1-4

8:1-4 There is, therefore, now no condemnation against those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law which comes from the Spirit and leads to life has in Christ Jesus set me free from the law which begets sin and leads to death. As for the impotency of the law, that weakness of the law which resulted from the effects of our sinful human nature--God sent his own Son as a sin offering with that very same human nature which in us had sinned; and thereby, while he existed in the same human nature as... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Romans 8:5-11

8:5-11 Those who live according to the dictates of sinful human nature are absorbed in worldly human things. Those who live according to the dictates of the Spirit are absorbed in the things of the Spirit. To be absorbed in worldly human things is death; but to be absorbed in the things of the Spirit is life and peace, because absorption in the things which fascinate our sinful human nature is hostility to God, for it does not obey the law of God, nor, indeed, can it do so. Those whose life... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:4

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us ,.... By the righteousness of the law, is not meant the righteousness of the ceremonial law, though that was fulfilled by Christ; but of the moral law, which requires holiness of nature, righteousness of life, and death in case of disobedience; active righteousness, or obedience to the precepts of the law, is designed here. This is what the law requires; obedience to the commands of it is properly righteousness; and by Christ's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 8:5

For they that are after the flesh ,.... By flesh is meant the corruption of nature; and they may be said to be "after" it, not all that have flesh in them, for the best of saints have it in them; regenerating grace does not remove it from them; there is a difference between being in and after the flesh, and flesh being in us; but such who are as they were born, who have nothing but flesh, or corrupt nature in them, in whom that is the governing principle, whose minds are carnal, and whose... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 8:4

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us - That the guilt might be pardoned through the merit of that sacrifice; and that we might be enabled, by the power of his own grace and Spirit, to walk in newness of life; loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves: and thus the righteousness, the spirit, design, and purpose of the law is fulfilled in us, through the strength of the Spirit of Christ, which is here put in opposition to the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 8:5

For they that are after the flesh - And here is the great distinction between Jews and genuine Christians: the former are after the flesh - are under the power of the carnal, rebellious principle; and consequently mind, προνουσιν , relish, the things of the flesh - the things which appertain merely to the present life; having no relish for spiritual and eternal things. But they that are after the Spirit - They who are regenerated, who are born of the Spirit, being redeemed from the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 8:4

Verse 4 4.That the justification of the law might be fulfilled, etc. They who understand that the renewed, by the Spirit of Christ, fulfil the law, introduce a gloss wholly alien to the meaning of Paul; for the faithful, while they sojourn in this world, never make such a proficiency, as that the justification of the law becomes in them full or complete. This then must be applied to forgiveness; for when the obedience of Christ is accepted for us, the law is satisfied, so that we are counted... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 8:5

Verse 5 5.For they who are after the flesh, etc. He introduces this difference between the flesh and the Spirit, not only to confirm, by an argument derived from what is of an opposite character, what he has before mentioned, — that the grace of Christ belongs to none but to those who, having been regenerated by the Spirit, strive after purity; but also to relieve the faithful with a seasonable consolation, lest being conscious of many infirmities, they should despair: for as he had exempted... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 8:1-4

"No condemnation." This is a glorious beginning to a glorious chapter. As in some great musical work, we can tell its character from the opening bars. The apostle, having been treating some of the darkest human problems, delights to emerge into the brightness of the new condition achieved for our fallen humanity by Christ Jesus. I. HOW CLOSE IS THE UNION BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS PEOPLE ! The preposition "in" denotes an altered state, men no longer reckoning themselves... read more