Romans 8:3 - God Does What the Law Cannot

Romans 8:3 -  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

Message: God, in His Son, what the Law could not do

Time: This book was probably written between 56 and 57 B.C. Paul was in Greece, probably Corinth when he wrote. It was sent to Gentile believers, but also believers with a strong Jewish element.

What the Lord is Saying:

Chapter 6, 7, and 8 are expressing life after conversion. Man will struggle with sin. The Law remains good for the Law is Spiritual. But, the Law cannot save.

The Law cannot save a sinner
The Law's purpose was to expose sin, not condemn it. The Law, on its own, works in the flesh. Tabletalk states on June 2, "God's law continues to expose our sin,, the weakness of our flesh, and our desparate need for a savior." This is the Law's purpose. The Law walks in the flesh, apart from Christ and His atoning blood. In Christ, the Law can now have an eternal purpose. In Adam, the Law has a deathly purpose. As in 2 Corinthians 7:10 exclaims, "worldly grief produces death."

The Law urges us intellectually to obedience, but it has no power for obedience. The mirror can show me dirt, but it cannot save me. Man's problem is he thinks he is able and he has the purpose to make himself clean or pull himself up by his own boot straps.

The Law is weak through flesh
The Law is good. The Law is spiritual. The Law is of God. This is the point that Paul makes continually in chapter 7. We need the Law. But, the Law works through flesh. And through flesh the Law is weak.

Jesus came in likeness of sinful flesh
Jesus did not become a sinner. Jesus was not a part of the race of man, to which Adam, spearheaded. Yes, Jesus was in the flesh, but he was in the likeness of sinful flesh. Jesus was human. Jesus and His conception and miraculous birth were testimonies of his coming into the world in a perfect form. Otherwise, he would have been borne of sin. Jesus was not like Adam and the sinners, for Jesus did not sin.

God sent His Son to pronounce sin guilty
"God gave His Only Son." Jesus came as man. Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh. God took on the form of man and experienced life as a man. This man had flesh and offered himself as an offering for sin.

Condemn per the dictionary is "to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on; indicate strong disapproval of; censure. or to pronounce to be guilty."Jesus judged sin. Jesus disapproved sin. Jesus censured sin.

Jesus pronounced a judgment on sin. He declared it evil, devoting it to destruction. Jesus buried sin. One thing that I struggle with, from a theological perspective, is whether Jesus killed sin completely. I mean, sin is still a part of man and man will still struggle it. But, when sin was nailed to the cross, it seems like the consequence of sin changed forever. But, did it only change for Jesus? Why didn't the consequence of sin end for every person? I know the gospel is for those who believe, but it is still something that doesn't make sense to me. Adam sinned and all sin. Jesus died for sin, but only for those who believe. Or rather has sin died for all men and only those who will believe will experience this death. And everyone else will not experience the death of Jesus.

So, is it that, for those in Christ, sin no longer has a power over us, whereas, those not in Christ still are susceptible to its power. But, for both individuals, sin was crucified and for both sin was condemned.

Is it correct to say that Jesus paid the penalty only for those who turn from sin? Or is the penalty paid for all and only those who believe and turn from sin will experience its reward and power?

Promise: God must condemn sin. God doesn't condemn the sinner though, but His Son.