Introduction As we look at the 8th Chapter of the Book of Romans, we see a portion of the “longest and most theologically significant of the letters” written by the Apostle Paul. 1 This letter; known as a "Greco-Roman" or "Hellenistic" letter, written to the Church in Rome, was written based around one subject; “God's justice and grace at work in the life of faith.”23 One of the areas that such grace is shown is when it comes to the subject of sin. Now, for one to live in a life free from sin, it, first, it must be understood exactly what sin is. There are many different definitions for sin. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology states that it “is not only an act of wrongdoing but a state of alienation from God.” 4It is, likewise, “a wilful transgression by thought, word, deed or omission, of the law of God.” 5 Context The Apostle Paul was definitely one who understood God’s grace when it pertained to sin; for this is the same person, then known as Saul, who was known, according to the Bible for persecuting the church and trying to kill and or arrest any and everyone who professed the name of Jesus and promoted Christianity, but then, as the Bible shows us in Acts 9, he had a conversion experience on the Damascus Road, and it was that experience that changed his life forever, now being known as one of the greatest Biblical witnesses to ever live. This life changing experience of Paul is seen continually throughout his letter to the Romans; for throughout the length of this letter; particularly here in Romans 8:1-8, he contrasts the view of the spirit versus the view of the flesh as it relates to sin and its penalty; for he 1 Carson, Donald A, and Douglas J Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mi.: Zondervan, 2008., 391 2Bryan, Christopher. A Preface to Romans: Notes on the Epistle in Its Literary and Cultural Setting. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. 3Ibid, 12 4Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. 5Kokoski, Paul. "What is sin?" Catholic Insight, June 2012: 28.
