Romans 8... day 5...

...in order that the righteous requirement of the law

might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh

but according to the Spirit.

Romans 8:4 ESV

God sent His Son... to be condemned in the flesh... in order that the righteous requirement of the law... might be fulfilled in us...

Father God... He is a Righteous God...

He does not change...

He defines right... and wrong...

When a law is broken...

a sin committed...

a trespass made...

there is a debt... that must be paid...

I think back on the Tyndale Bible definition of righteousness...

The establishment of a right relationship --- primarily between God and people, secondarily between people themselves. Righteousness is the fulfillment of just expectations in any relationship, whether with God or people.

In the Garden... mankind... broke relationship with God...
death entered the world... man no longer able to walk with God...

...therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden

to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out man,

and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim

and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way

to the tree of life.

Genesis 3:23-24 ESV

Jesus came... to pay the debt...

to be the vessel for sin...

to bear God's wrath...

as the Sinless Lamb of God...

to take away the sin of the world...

by fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law...

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood,

he himself likewise partook of the same things,

that through death he might destroy the one who

has the power of death, the devil, and deliver all those

who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Hebrews 2:14-15 ESV

Though He was delivered up according to God's determined plan...

God raised Him up, ending the pains of death,

because it was not possible for Him to be held by it.

Acts 2:23-24 HCSB

He did this for us... that we might be saved... from sin and death...

and reconciled... to Him...

in right relationship...

...that the righteous requirement of the law...might be fulfilled... in us...

But who is the us...? and what's with the might...?

The gift of grace... must be chosen...

it is for those who believe...

Those who believe... they are sinners... in need of a Savior...

Those who believe... in His love... grace... perfection...

Those who choose... to walk according to the Spirit...

and not... the flesh...

What is this choice... to walk according to the Spirit... and not flesh...?

It is a choice to follow Him...

not the desire of our physical cravings...

but those of the Spirit...

Those who believe... and choose...

the Spirit over the flesh...

have the righteous requirement of the law...

fulfilled in them...

by Him...

Us... are those who choose... to live... by the law of the Spirit of life...

How are you choosing... to walk these days...? according to the flesh...? or the Spirit...?

Father God... what an awesome thing You have done...

making a way for righteousness to be fulfilled in us...

that we might be reunited in relationship with You...

Help me to keep that door open to You... 

by walking not in the flesh... but in the Spirit...

You alone... have done... what we... could not...