Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 8:13

"for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live." — Romans 8:13 (ASV)

The apostle turns now from instruction to exhortation, from what God has done through Christ and the Spirit to what the believer is expected to do by way of response. But even with a strong emphasis on human responsibility, the desired lifestyle can be accomplished only “by the Spirit.” The special ministry described here is mortification (putting the sinful nature to death). It is the message of 6:11–14 all over again, except for the reminder that no one can hope to deal effectively with the sinful nature simply by determination alone. The Holy Spirit is needed, and he is the Spirit of power.

“Obligation” (GK 4053) is the keynote. Only the negative side is stated; the positive side—that we are debtors to the Spirit and must put on the Lord Jesus (13:14)—must be inferred. If we do not have an obligation to live in terms of the sinful nature, the conclusion must be that we are obligated to live and serve God in terms of the Spirit. It is important to grasp the import of v.12, because it teaches beyond all question that believers still have the sinful nature within themselves, despite having been crucified with Christ. The “flesh” has not been eradicated, but we are obliged not “to live according to it” . Sanctification is not a luxury but a necessity. Since the solicitations of the fleshly nature are constant, we must continually put to death (that is the force of the verb) the deeds of the body. And since the Spirit is the Spirit of life, he cannot do otherwise than oppose the flesh and its desires, which lead to death.