Romans 8:3

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: "the law could not do" -The moral law of God whether expressed in the Mosaic scriptures or as it was taught among the Gentiles. Neither 'law' could release one from sin (Romans 3:9). Neither law could bring people to. state of 'no condemnation'.

"weak through the flesh" -'thwarted as it was by human frailty' (Wey). Nothing was wrong with the Law that God gave (Romans 7:12). " It was only "weak" in relation to the flesh. The holy law depended on unaided human moral performance to get what it aimed at (flawless obedience). It failed to get it. Not because it was bad or poor in itself, but because the people who were under that Law failed to live up to it."

The Hebrew writer says that the "fault" that God found in the First Covenant, was with the people under it. (Hebrews 8:7)

"God, sending his own Son" -What the Law couldn't do, GOD DID! And God did it by giving his only Son! So much for those that complain that God hasn't done anything for them!

"likeness" -3667. homoioma hom-oy'-o-mah; from 3666;. form; abstractly, resemblance: -made like to, likeness, shape, similitude. The Son of God entered this world in. body like ours. (John 1:14; Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 2:17; 1 Peter 2:7)

"sinful flesh" -'The idea of evil attaches to the flesh not in virtue of what it is essentially, but from the undue preponderance which is given to it.."Flesh" is spoken of as "sinful" because of the universal "giving in of the flesh" to sin, which is characteristic of mankind. It is the same adaptation of terms that allows "worldly" to mean sinful..not that God's creation is sinful of itself..Flesh, per se, is not sinful.' (1) Adam had. flesh and blood body before He sinned (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 1:28; Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:6). (2) Jesus partook of. flesh and blood body, and yet didn't sin (Hebrews 2:14; Hebrews 2:17; 1 Peter 2:22)

'When Adam and Eve were first created, they had all that belongs to human nature. Sin came into their lives as "a foreign element".'

'Sinful flesh' is human nature prostituted. It is people using their bodies and faculties for wicked purposes.'

"For sin" -i.e to deal with Sin (John 1:29).

"condemned sin in the flesh" -'He condemned the sin of men and the condemnation took place in the flesh of Jesus' (Robertson p. 372)

'Christ's death exhibits God's condemnation of sin in the flesh'

1. Some people look at the cross and think, 'Jesus took care of everything, now. can sin all. want and still be automatically forgiven'. Paul sees. very different picture. The fact that the Son of God had to die because of the sins that people had committed, SHOULD ONCE AND FOR ALL REVEAL GOD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS SIN, IT IS CONDEMNED!

2. 'Jesus came and lived. sinless life (in the flesh) of resistance to Sin THUS condemning sin in us. We didn't need to let sin rule in us; but we did. There can be no excuses (ultimately). Into the world came one who, fighting with our weapons (Matthew 4:1), resisted sin and wouldn't permit it to rule.'

Thus the foolishness of arguing that the Christian can continue in sin. How can we honestly continue in sin, when the very Son of God that we claim to serve had to die for sins?