Romans 8:12-13 — Sanctification
Intro
Romans 1-7 declares the splendid news of what God has done for us through the Gospel of His Son Jesus. And Paul doesn’t want his readers to merely understand the Gospel, he wants them to love and to live out the Gospel. Therefore Romans 8 begins to answer the question: How does union with Christ lead to change in real life? More than any friend, lover, self-help podcast, or influencer online, Romans 8 provides the secret to deep and profound change. Today we focus on v.12-13 which give a blueprint for sanctification.
Terms
“Flesh” = our sinful nature, everything in us that is self or world-centered rather than Christ-centered
“Sanctification” = ongoing process of being made to think, feel, act, and look like Jesus
Read
Romans 8:1-13 (v.1-11 provide context)
EXPLORE
1. What does Paul mean by “we are debtors, not to the flesh…” in v.12? If we’re not debtors to the flesh, then what/who are we debtors to, and what does this actually mean? (hint: “So then” in v.12 refers to v.9-11)
2. v.13a says “if you live according to the flesh you will die.” Is Paul being dramatic? Why/why not?
3. v.13b says “if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Is “put to death” past, present, or future tense? Why does this matter?
4. In sanctification—described in v.13—who does the work, you or God?
5. What is our power and motivation for sanctification? How does it differ from those who don’t consider themselves religious or those who follow a different religion?
Apply
1. The word for “put to death” in v.13 is violent and means to abhor and reject all behavior/attitudes contrary to Christ. It’s the opposite of thinking “This isn’t that bad…” or “I don’t do it often and can keep it under control.” Does this line up with how you approach sin in your life?
2. Two errors believers fall into re: sanctification are perfectionism and defeatism. Perfectionists don’t view themselves as “all that sinful,” they don’t take sin seriously, and when they see someone struggling with a sin they think to themselves “I can’t believe you still struggle with that…” Defeatists view their relationship with sin in cynical terms, often in language of victimhood (“this always happens to me….I’ll never get better….”), or they don’t put in real work to kill sin because “it’s too hard” or “what’s the point?” What pole do you gravitate toward, and what are practical steps you should take toward a healthy lifestyle of sanctification?
3. Believers often view sanctification in negative terms, ex. an unhappy practice God requires us to do. Paul, however, casts an extremely positive vision by saying “you will live” at the end of v.13. He’s not only speaking of life after death, but the quality of life available right now for those who take sanctification seriously. Discuss.
Pray
for one another, our church, our city