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Romans Commentary Chapters 1-8  /  Romans 8:1-5 Those in Christ No Longer Walk After the Flesh  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 7
Ambrosiaster says “sin still remains in our flesh” but “will not be able to injure us so long as we reject this sin with the assistance of God”; what does it mean for sin to “remain” yet be rendered unable to “injure,” and how does that compare with the way your tradition talks about indwelling sin and victory?
Another way to ask: What does it mean to say sin is still in us but can’t really harm us if we reject it with God’s help? How does that compare with what your church tradition teaches about ongoing sin and victory?

Direct Answer In the transcript, sin “remains” in the sense that Christians still experience its presence and pull in the flesh, but it is not unbeatable; it cannot “injure” us if we actively reject it through God’s help. Victory is described as real empowerment, not sinless automaticity.

Support from Transcript:

  • Ambrosiaster: “Even though sin still remains in our flesh, it will not be able to injure us so long as we reject this sin with the assistance of God.”
  • Romans 8:2 is read as deliverance: “the law of the Spirit of life…has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
  • Chrysostom identifies the “law of sin” as the power “that wars against the law of the mind,” and says “the gift of the Spirit has put a stop to this grievous war by slaying sin.”
  • Theodoret says desires cannot master us “without our own consent,” implying sin’s presence doesn’t equal domination.
  • Bercot repeatedly emphasizes Spirit empowerment for a “holy life,” contrasting it with the law’s inability to provide power.
Discussion Follow-ups How does your background describe “remaining sin”—as inevitable defeat, or as a battle where the Spirit makes obedience possible? What does “reject…with the assistance of God” mean practically in moments of pressure?

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