The Law is Spiritual
Excerpt
Paul begins this section with a positive statement (v. 14)—we know that the law is spiritual. We know points again to a commonly accepted truth that Paul wants to deepen (see 2:2; 3:19). The law is not only holy, righteous and good (v. 12) but also spiritual, that is, the work of God’s Spirit. This means that its origin is divine rather than human. In contrast, Paul says, I am unspiritual (literally “fleshly”), the first of six times in this section that egō is stressed. Basically, the term refers to his own humanity and is not particularly negative. But here the contrast with spiritual means it refers to the carnal nature, that power within that leads one to choose sin. It depicts the individual as belonging to this world and under the power of sin and death. This is shown in Paul’s further description of “fleshly” as sold as a slave to sin.
Osborne, Grant R. Romans. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004. Print. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series.
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