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A Chiasm on Sons and Slaves in Romans 8:12-17
Romans 8:12-17 ESV
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 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.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Paul uses the word spirit (pneuma) six times in this short passage, and he uses it in multiple ways. They don't all refer to God's Spirit, not even when most translations capitalize the word. There's a chiasm in these verses that might help you see the idea that Paul was trying to explain.
A - V12-13 - Killing the flesh per God’s Spirit leads to life
B - V14 - Spirit of God reveals sons of God
C - V15 - Spirit of slavery vs spirit of adoption as sons
B - V16 - Spirit of God reveals children of God
A - V17 - Suffering in flesh per God’s Son leads to life
Our job is to stop behaving like slaves (having a spirit of slavery) and start behaving as sons (having a spirit of adoption as sons) as God intends.
From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).
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