Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die. But if, by the Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live!
What does the “therefore” here indicate? Because our mortal bodies, which would otherwise be dead, are given life by the Spirit, we owe them to him. Our lives were saved and redeemed by God’s grace, and now they are his. This idea of being a “debtor to the flesh” is so interesting, because I feel instinctively that there is a big reason why Paul had to say we’re actually not debtors to the flesh. What would that mean, in the sense he’s talking about here?
I’m thinking in terms of rightful ownership and legitimate authority, in how something is supposed to be used. Do we feel like we “owe it to our flesh” to act in a certain way? I’m picturing Agatha-Christie era Britain, where people would talk about sex in terms of it being a healthy activity, that the body needed, and as if it was to be engaged in because that’s just how we were wired and it was somewhat immoral to deny it. I suppose we still do talk a bit like that... if there was something in your character that is “natural” or “you were born with”, it can become a legitimate authority. “I’m just an aggressive person, I always have been,” could conceivably be used as an excuse for pushing someone out of the way, but it’s not likely it would be universally accepted. On the other hand, I think it’s a way more powerful excuse when we use it on ourselves. I’m just a shy person, I couldn’t speak up... I just need my sleep, I couldn’t help her...etc. It definitely can be used as a trump card. And in society at large, it’s the big trump card in the homosexuality question... if that’s how you are naturally, you owe it to yourself to act accordingly. It is kind of a moral question... you should be true to yourself; to deny yourself is bad.
But if we’re in the Spirit, we actually don’t owe the flesh anything. Instead, we owe him everything, because he is killing the old life inside us and giving us real, eternal life. So we don’t have to act according to our nature any more. But I think it’s a slow process. First Paul says, if Christ is in you the body is dead because of sin but the Spirit/spirit? is life because of righteousness. But this says, if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. I think that that’s the process by which the Spirit is life because of righteousness...he fights with us, enabling us to put to death the deeds of the body.
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Great post. I think you're right about debt leading to submitted authority and adopted behavior. In fact, when you say it like that, the change of debtorship [from the flesh to God] flows right into the next section, where Paul says we now are sons and cry out Abba. --Now that we owe the Father instead of the flesh, we give him authority and adopt his behaviors.
It's interesting how one debt creates closed-loop physical behaviors. These behaviors only promote themselves (ie: addiction, co-dependencies, etc) and cut off others (breaking relationships, deteriorating personal health, etc). But the other debt creates a cry of sonship, worship, thankfulness. Those open-loop behaviors promote other good behaviors, like relationships and personal health.
Isn't it wonderful that debt can create life?
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