Romans 8:4 - Exposition

That the ordinance (or, righteous requirement, rather than righteousness, as in the Authorized Version. The word is δίκαιωμα , not δικαιοσύνη . It Occurs elsewhere in the New Testament, Luke 1:6 ; Romans 1:32 ; Romans 2:26 ; Hebrews 9:1 ; and in a like sense often in the LXX .; also, though with a difference of meaning, Romans 5:16 , Romans 5:18 ) of the Law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit . This, then, is the purpose of Christ's victory over sin—that the requirement of the Law in us too may be fulfilled; which evidently means more -than that his victory may be imputed to us, on the ground of our faith only, while we remain as we were. The expression, δὶκαιωμα πληρωθῆ , and also the condition appended at the end of the verse, imply that the "Spirit of life" must so dominate over the flesh in ourselves that the Law may forfeit its claims over us. The sinful propensions of the flesh remain in us still (as the verses that follow distinctly show); but the Spirit that is in us is strong enough to overcome them now (cf. Galatians 5:16-18 ). It does not follow from this that any Christians will actually avoid all sin, or that they can be accepted on the ground of their own performance: to say this would be to contradict other Scripture (cf. James 2:10 ; 1 John 1:8 ); and Paul confessed himself to be not already perfected ( Philippians 3:12 ). But perfection, through Christ who lives in them, is put before us as, at any rate, the aim of the regenerate (cf. Matthew 5:48 ); and by actual and progressive holiness they are to show that their union with Christ is real. His Spirit within them must, at any rate, give a new direction and tone to their characters and lives.