Sundays After Pentecost, Year B 2023 – 24: Epistle Passage – Imaging the Family of the Divine

“So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh– for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; . . . . “ (Romans 8:12 – 13a)

Paul has a habit of stringing phrases along like pearls on a string – not knowing what connects to what. I say pearls because I am trying again to be less critical of Paul. So I have, for you beloved reader, divided these first two verses according to what I feel makes sense. Paul is loathe to leave correct living to one’s human impulse and control. So it makes sense to clump the “flesh” and flesh consequences together.

“ . . . . but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Verse 13b)

And have the better option of living according to the Spirit. “Death to the deeds of the body” sounds like a good rallying cry. But actually the body is doing no more than what the mind/brain is telling it to. But if we say, “Death to the deeds of the brain” you condemn yourself to physical death to lack of, well, breathing and a heart beating and nourishment of the organs. What Paul called “body” we rename as impulse and lack of control in our thinking and acting. Small difference, really, but in our modern world we have to be precise and name the fallible parts. Nuances matter, beloved reader.

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” (Verse 14)

Science educates us as to why a body takes action. The Holy Presence informs us of what actions to take. If we do not listen to the advice of the Holy Presence, we may live in this world; but we are dead to the world to come. If such things matter to you, then take heed!

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ–if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” (Verses 15 – 17)

I want to pick on the point of adoption. We, as humans, we not born to the Divine. In fact, since the Divine does not have a body as we would understand it, we could not be born. Jesus was not born to the Divine either, although Jesus calls the Divine his Progenitor or Source. So the only way is through divine adoption. The Divine claims us as God’s own. We do not share characters of the Divine – at least not of the Godself that makes Lord divine. So, we do not, and cannot suffer as Jesus did. Nor can we live as blameless a life as Jesus did. But we are considered “part of the family” and are expected to emulate that Divine Family/Triune as best we can. We are not “fosters” meaning that we are in the Family of God for just a short while. We are to lose ourselves in the Divine, discarding and forsaking those things that would mark us something other than children of God.

If the Name and Concept of the Divine is mocked and persecuted, we should expect the same thing to happen to us; this is the suffering that Paul speaks of. But being associated with the Divine, and bearing the rancor that is cast upon the Divine is proof of our identity as faith believers. We may not feel the “glory” in this life; but it awaits us on another plain that is not quite understood by our human psyche. Thankfully the Holy Presence undertakes for us, and is indeed the Certificate of our adoption. There is, I think, much more I could say. But you did not come here for a long sermon; but for an infusion for your day and your faith. Shalom & Selah!