1So now there isn’t any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 God has done what was impossible for the Law, since it was weak because of selfishness. God condemned sin in the body by sending his own Son to deal with sin in the same body as humans, who are controlled by sin. 4 He did this so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us. Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness. 5 People whose lives are based on selfishness think about selfish things, but people whose lives are based on the Spirit think about things that are related to the Spirit. 6 The attitude that comes from selfishness leads to death, but the attitude that comes from the Spirit leads to life and peace. 7 So the attitude that comes from selfishness is hostile to God. It doesn’t submit to God’s Law, because it can’t. 8 People who are self-centered aren’t able to please God.
9 But you aren’t self-centered. Instead you are in the Spirit, if in fact God’s Spirit lives in you. If anyone doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, they don’t belong to him. 10 If Christ is in you, the Spirit is your life because of God’s righteousness, but the body is dead because of sin. 11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you.
Reflection
I’m reminded of “The Good Place” because Eleanor Shellstrop is supposed to be unflagging in her selfish ways, and yet, over and over again she defies odds and frees herself from her torturous circumstances.
For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, Eleanor Shellstrop, played by Kristen Bell, is not a nice person. But when she dies, she mistakenly is sent to the “Good Place.” Hilarity ensues as she tries to learn to be a good person by enlisting the help of her “soul mate,” Chidi, who in life was a philosophy professor. At first, it’s only to cover her tracks and blend in enough to not get caught or maybe even earn her spot in the Good Place; however, it doesn’t take long for her to actually sacrifice herself to save Chidi from his own crippling anxiety.
Romans 8:1-11 is talking about how you can’t say you’re a Christian and be selfish. If you embrace the Spirit and think of God over yourself, it’s actually freeing. Over and over again, another character, Michael, tries to run various scenarios against Eleanor, but finds himself befuddled because somehow Eleanor keeps becoming a good person. Eleanor doesn’t even realize this is what is happening, but every time she learns something new about how to be a good person, she frees herself not only from Michael’s attempts to torture her (Spoiler: it’s actually the Bad Place) but also her own selfishness.
Eleanor’s growth into a better person also helps free the people around her because they get better too! The whole gang launch into this adventure to help not just themselves, but all of humanity because the point system is royally messed up and they use their new-found freedom to try and fix it. Eleanor and her friends experience a truly happy ending, which is really just the beginning of new life, because they outgrow their self-centered existence and embrace a life of serving others.
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
How can we shift our focus from ourselves to the Spirit of God in our lives? What can we do to free ourselves from selfish habits?
Prayer: Dear God, Your Spirit is our freedom and Your breath is our fresh air. Help us to remember it is with Your Spirit that we experience everlasting life. Guide us through our own missteps and selfish habits to feel the freedom that comes with embracing Your Spirit in our lives. Amen.