We Are Debtors to God for Our New Life in Christ

Thinking about Romans 8:12-13.

Image from Canva.

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. (Romans 8:12-13)

There is something that we owe.

But who do we owe this debt to? Paul explains who - or what - we are debtors to.

What does Paul mean by “we are debtors?”

The word “debtors” means “a person bound by some obligation or duty” and can also refer to a person “owing a huge sum of money to a creditor'“ (Renn’s Expository Dictionary).

We are “duty-bound” to live a certain way because of the incredible debt we owe. To whom are we in debt? The previous verse gives us the answer.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)

The new life we have in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:1-7) through “His Spirit who dwells in” us means we are obligated not to live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Don’t make this mistake in thinking about your “debt.”

While we owe a debt to no longer live for sin (Romans 6:12), we must not make the mistake of thinking that our obedience to God somehow “settles” the debt we owe. No amount of obedience or good deeds on our part can erase the debt we owe to God.

So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10)

Jesus points out that even if we have done everything we are obligated to do in His service, we are still “unprofitable servants” - we still have not paid back the debt that we owe.

The debt we owe is forgiven in Christ Jesus.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14).

Obedience is not something we do to earn our salvation or to earn our reward. Obedience is something we do out of love for Jesus (John 14:15) and thankfulness for what He has done for us.

I recorded a podcast episode on this idea a few weeks ago if you’d like to go back and listen.

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Paul has been presenting his case against the false charges made against the gospel of Christ.

He has pointed out that the gospel of Christ does not encourage Christians to “continue living in sin that grace may abound” (Romans 6:1). Now he has pointed out that we are not obligated to live after the flesh - but to put to death those sinful deeds by the Spirit. Paul will build on this contrast in the upcoming verses in Romans 8.

Christians have an obligation to live for God - not sin and self.