“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,” Romans 8:3
Before you read this verse, I recommend you first read my reflections on Romans 8:1 and Romans 8:2, so you can fully understand what I am about to share with you about what the Lord Jesus taught me.
We know that the law is holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12). God gave the law to set boundaries for us—boundaries that we should not cross. The Lord has established laws and boundaries to keep all things in order. It is written, “When He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command” (Proverbs 8:29). God gave His command to the oceans that they should not cross onto the land. Now we can understand why God set those limits, for we have all witnessed how terrifying it is when the seas cross over the land and break those boundaries. The destruction that follows is great, bringing devastation not only to human life but sometimes wiping out entire communities, even whole nations.
Here we understand that the law was given for a purpose, and that purpose is good, for it helps us discern the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness (1 Timothy 1:7–9). The law sets a boundary for us, and when we cross that boundary, it leads to death. This is exactly what God told Adam when He commanded him not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That command was the law—God’s boundary that Adam was not to cross. But God also gave him another warning, if he crossed that boundary, he would surely die! Yet Adam disobeyed and crossed the boundary that God had set, and because of his disobedience, sin entered the world. The result of his action was that through him, all humanity became condemned and fell into a sinful nature.
Now we see that the law is good, just, and holy, and that it served its purpose to instruct us, teach us, warn us, and set boundaries for us. Yet it also has its limit, for it cannot stop our flesh from sinning. Instead of producing life in us, the law produces death within us. This helps us understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh.” The weakness of the law lies in our flesh, for it cannot stop the flesh from sinning. Instead, it becomes the strength of sin, standing as a witness that the flesh has failed and fallen into sin.
Now we know that we cannot be justified by the law because even the first commandment, which many overlook or take lightly, is the one we have all failed to keep. The law commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength (Mark 12:30). If we truly walked in this first commandment, we would not fall into the rest of the commandments. Adam failed to love God above all when he chose to listen to Eve and eat the fruit that God had forbidden. Even though he knew the consequence, that he would surely die and be separated from God, he still disobeyed. In this we see that the failure to love God fully is the root of sin, and no one can be justified through the law, for all have fallen short of it (Romans 3:23).
Apart from God, no one can produce good works. The works we do in our own strength are built upon our own standards, not upon God’s. If we truly desire to please God, we must walk according to His ways and submit to His standards, not our own. This is why Cain’s offering was rejected. The ground was cursed, and so was his work, because his heart relied on his own efforts instead of obeying God’s instruction. His sacrifice was done according to his own standard and not according to God’s standard, and therefore it was not accepted. But Abel’s offering was pleasing to God because it followed God’s standard. His offering represented atonement for sin. For the Scripture says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Yet we know that the blood of animals could never truly take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). Now we are all under the curse of sin, and in this fallen state, we cannot please God by our own works, our own righteousness, or our own standards.
This is what Jesus meant when He said, “No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Paul also explained this to the Romans, saying, “As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10–12). We have all failed. We stand condemned, walking toward death and destruction. This is why Paul cried out, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). We were all dead in our sins and helpless to save ourselves. But thanks be to God, for Paul continues, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25).
This is where we understand the meaning of the passage, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,” (Romans 8:3). We all in need of a Savior, for the law cannot save us. The law only bears witness that we are sinners, guilty and deserving of death. But God, in His great mercy, sent His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the likeness of sinful flesh, the same flesh we possess that is under the curse yet He Himself was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the entire law in perfect obedience. He did not overlook nor take lightly the first and greatest commandment; He loved the Father with all His heart, with all His soul, with all His mind, and with all His strength (Mark 12:30). Out of that perfect love and obedience, He humbled Himself even unto death, dying in our place (Philippians 2:8).
Unlike Adam, who disobeyed and brought death to all mankind, Our Lord Jesus Christ obeyed and brought life. Through His obedience, He fulfilled the righteousness of the law, producing life where Adam’s disobedience produced death. On the cross, Jesus bore our sins in His body (1 Peter 2:24) and nailed the cause of our sin to the tree. Through His sacrifice, He restored what was lost and broke the curse that held us captive. By His death and resurrection, we are made free from sin, something the law could never accomplish (Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 10:10).
Not only did our Lord Jesus Christ deliver us from the bondage of sin, but He also reconciled us back to God. He broke down the wall of enmity that separated us from the Father, which was sin itself (Ephesians 2:14–16). Through His death, He destroyed death; through His life, He gives us life eternal. Therefore, we give thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, for now we can boldly declare with the Apostle Paul,
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:31–34).
Rejoice, beloved of Christ! Praise the Lord! Magnify His holy name! Glorify the LORD and give thanks to our God, for He has set us free from the law of sin and death and has given us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. We shall live with Him forever in His Kingdom, where there is no sorrow, no pain, and no death. Amen!
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