Here Paul continues with the experience of the saints of the work of grace and the conflicting work of the condemnation of the law by remaining sin that dwells in their bodily members. Here he explains how the law has dominion over the children of God until Christ by His Spirit sets them free from the condemnation of the law. Paul continues with this same subject throughout chapters 7 and 8 of Romans. It seems that Paul here begins to explain the great mystery of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and why He died and rose again for His people. Paul in these passages connects this with the experience of the saints here in time. Paul says in 1 Cor 15:13-14:"...But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain; YE ARE YET IN YOUR SINS...."

This part of the resurrection of Christ and how His people share in it are thus here declared.

According to Paul in verse 2, the church (the woman) is bound by the law to her husband as long as her husband lives; but after his death she is free to marry another. Since I believe that Paul is here dealing with the law and its sentence of death that it produces in the children of God, I believe the "husband" here under consideration is the law as it stands over us in Adam, and by which principle in nature we are married to.

We must experimentally become dead (as to have no condemning effect on us) to this principle of the law having dominion over us. Paul refers to this same principle of sin and death working in the saints in other places as well.

In Rom 6:14 he says: "... For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace..." In fact, Paul has already covered this same subject very well in chapter 6 of Romans, and it relates to the experience of the saints. In chapter 6 Paul shows how the law entered into their experience that sin might become "exceeding sinful" unto them so they would fall dead under its condemning power as a sentence of death in Adam, or in their Adam nature: This in perfect accordance with Paul's statement in Rom 7:9 where he says of himself: ".... For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death...

"In Rom 5:20 Paul says:
"...Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord..."

Rom 6:1 "...What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?..."

This is the same subject. In fact, Paul has not, so to speak "changed horses in the middle of the stream" throughout the Roman epistle as many seem to have a tendency to do in handling these scriptures.

"... Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord... Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof..." verses 3-11..."

Paul continues with this subject in Rom 7:4:

"... Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God..."

'Wherefore' is a conjuction in this case, to further explain what has been said before.

Since the (physical) body of Christ is dead because sin was condemed and placed there by the decree of God in His death - and Christ's body actually became a sin- bearing body unto death, the sentence of death that was due the saints in Adam, and was actually placed upon them through Adam's transgression was removed from them by the death of the body of Christ. This was the legal work that Christ performed in His death. However, the saints as they stand in the Adam nature are still experimentally subject to the orginal sentence of death (as they stand in the first nature, or the nature of Adam, who is "of the earth, earthy." This is where the dual nature of the saints enters in for the saints in their earthly experience of the 'law of sin and death'.

In Col 3:2-4: " "...3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory..."

Man in nature usually associates death with physical death, because that relationship is what the natural man is most familiar with; however, there are many 'deaths' spoken of in the Scriptures: Paul, probably more than any other Apostle speaks of these various deaths that he himself experienced.

In 2 Cor 11:23 he says: "... Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, IN DEATHS OFT..." The Greek word is used 106 times in the N. T. where it is here translated as death. The meaning of this word in Greek according to Strong's encompasses all kinds of death, including physical death. Paul has therefore many times used this term in different senses:

The death of the body
That separation (whether natural or violent) of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended
The power of death
The loss of that life which alone is worthy of the name, the misery of the soul arising from sin.

The Greek word Apothnesko is used 99 times in the New Testament and has very similar meanings as (according to Strongs)

The Greek Thanatoo used eleven times in the KJV (different from Thanatos) and used in the following senses according to Strongs:

Put to death, 4 times,
Cause to be put to death, 3 times,
Kill, 2 times,
Become dead, 1 time,
Mortify, 1 time.

In Romans thanatoo is use 3 times by Paul as transliterated by Greek/English lexicons:

Rom 14:8-9.Paul in Romans referring to death, "Nekros is translated as 'dead' 15 times, and as 'death'

Ro 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become DEAD to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the DEAD, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Ro 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall DIE: but if ye through the Spirit do MORTIFY the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Ro 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are KILLed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter..."

Notice that in Rom 8:13 thanatoo is translated by the KJV as mortify, and translated as kill in Rom 8:36.

In 2 Cor 1:9 Paul uses the expression:

"...But we had the sentence of DEATH in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves *, but in God which raiseth the DEAD..." Here the Greek word is The Greek word Nekros (used 132 times in the N. T.) is translated by KJV in this verse as "raiseth the DEAD" and is given the following meanings by greek/english lexicons:

Properly :
One that has breathed his last, lifeless.
Deceased, departed.
Destitute of life, without life, inanimate

Metaphorically:

Spiritually dead
Destitute of a life that recognises and is devoted to God, because given up to trespasses and sins
Inactive as respects doing right
Destitute of force or power, inactive, inoperative

Paul in Romans referring to death, Nekros is translated as 'dead' 15 times, and as 'death' 2 times

"...Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the DEAD:

Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the DEAD, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the DEAD;

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into DEATH (thanatos): that like as Christ was raised up from the DEAD by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the DEAD dieth no more; DEATH (thanatos) hath no more dominion over him.

Ro 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be DEAD indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the DEAD, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become DEAD to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the DEAD, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Rom 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was DEAD.

Ro 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is DEAD because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the DEAD dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the DEAD shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the DEAD.)

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the DEAD, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the DEAD?

Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the DEAD and living..."

Only two times where (thanatos) translated as 'death' in KJV is the term used together with (nekros) or 'dead' in the same verse. (Rom 6:4, Rom 6:9) where (nekros) is used 15 times in the whole epistle of Romans. I feel that in most, if not nearly all of these instances Paul is using the metaphorical and comparative sense (as is common with him) as mentioned above.

I think we can see from the above study that Paul generally used the term death in the relevant passages in the metaphorical or comparative sense, always comparing the churchs' body to the body of Jesus. A plain instance of this is shown in Rom 14: "... For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth (Apothnesko) to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, (Apothnesko) we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died (Apothnesko), and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead (Nekros) and living. .."

In using (Apothnesko), Paul seems to indicate that in the actual physical death of Christ He delivered His people though they were (and are) as dead (Nekros) from a death both as dying and living persons. Paul and others uses the word death in this sense many times in their writings:

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from DEAD works, and of faith toward God,

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from DEAD works to serve the living God?

Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is DEAD, being alone .

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is DEAD?

Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is DEAD, so faith without works is dead also.

Re 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest but art DEAD.

Ro 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Ro 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become DEAD to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Eph 2:5 Even when we were DEAD in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.

Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be DEAD with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances.

Ro 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was DEAD.

Col 3:3 For ye are DEAD, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Now let us continue with Rom 7.

"... For when we were in the flesh, (Greek = Sarx) - used by Paul 83 times in his writings) the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. (Thanatos

The flesh(sarx), here denotes mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God and the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin.

With Paul, flesh (sarx) and body (soma) seems nearly always interchangeable.

The Greek word soma , translated body and bodies in the KJV is used 13 times in Romans:

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own BODIES between themselves:

Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own BODY now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the BODY of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal BODY, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the BODY of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the BODY of this death?

Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the BODY is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal BODIES by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the BODY, ye shall live.

Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our BODY.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your BODIES a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one BODY, and all members have not the same office:

Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one BODY in Christ, and every one members one of another.

The Greek word Thnetos is translated mortal by the KJV 4 times in the NT, and all of these in Paul's epistles.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your MORTAL body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your MORTAL bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this MORTAL must put on immortality.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this MORTAL shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

2Co 4:11 For we which live are alway * * delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our MORTAL flesh.

The Greek word Aphthartos (uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable) is translated immortal by the KJV 1 time in the NT.

1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, IMMORTAL, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Greek word Aphtharsia (incorruption, perpetuity ) is translated immortality by the KJV NT 5 times and only in Paul's writing's:

Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and IMMORTALITY, eternal life:

1Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on IMMORTALITY.

1Cor 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on IMMORTALITY, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

1Tim 6:16 Who only hath IMMORTALITY, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

2Tim 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and IMMORTALITY to light through the gospel:

"...But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter..." Rom 7:6.

The law without the intercession of Christ is a condemning instrument to the child of God. The law without Christ is 'the administration of death" to them. They were dead or powerless to attain to any satisfaction of works in God's sight. That which seemed to be for their life and justification became rather unto death.

"... What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet..."(verse 7)

Condemnation did not come by the law; but by the entrance of sin. The law only heightned the 'sinfulness' of sin in the child of God's conscienceness, and causes them to be aware of the condemnation of sin through the law, which Paul further explains in the following verses, etc.

"... But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. ..." (verse 8.)

"...For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died...."(ver 9)

After explaining how the principle of 'sin and death' works in a regenerated and believing child of God, Paul continues with the same subject in the 8th Chapter. Because chapters and verses were added to the letters of the writers of the New Testament, does not mean they were there orginally. These things were done for reference purposes only. While they are somewhat helpful from this standpoint, the addition of them has a negative side, because they often lead some to think new subject matter has been introduced, which in many cases is not so, and is the case here.

In the last verses of Rom 7 Paul shows how a believing child of God is delivered experimentally from the condemnation of the sentence of death upon sinners as it is found in the law; for he says:

"...O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin..." (ver 24-25.)

Then, continuing with the same subject in the 8th chapter, Paul further explains how a child of God is 'dead' in the flesh, but alive unto God in the Spirit:

",,,There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death...."

Jesus said in John 10:10. "... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it MORE ABUNDANTLY...", and in John 11:25
"...I AM the RESURRECTION, and the LIFE: he that believeth in me, though he WERE DEAD, YET shall he live:
And whosoever liveth (is living) and believeth (is believing) in me shall never die..." - and in John 5:25:
"...Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and NOW IS, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live..."

And Paul says in Gal 2:19-20: "...For I through the law am DEAD to the law, that I MIGHT LIVE unto God.
I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ: NEVERTHELESS, I LIVE; yet not I, but Christ LIVETH (is living) in me: and the life which I NOW LIVE in the FLESH I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me..."

In John 5:28-29 Jesus adds: "...Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, (greek-Agathos) - of good constitution or nature, useful, salutary, good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy excellent, distinguished, upright, honourable - unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, (greek - Phaulos) unto the resurrection (greek - Anastasis) of damnation... " (greek - Krisis) - sentence of condemnation.

Paul, in Rom 7:18-21 illustrates this principle: "...For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good (greek= Kalos) - 'beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable' - I find not.
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me..."

Those who have been brought into the conscience confines of the law of sin and death as it works in their members are therefore subject to these things. It was at the coming of Christ that He would thus judge the 'secrets of men' (Rom 2:16)

We know that we have never done any good in the sight of God in the flesh;, for in our flesh dwells no good (greek-Agathos) thing.

In Dan 12:1-2 Daniel said: "... And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found WRITTEN IN THE BOOK.."

What other nation can Daniel be speaking of except the nation of Israel? What other time of trouble or tribulation has ever been worse for them than the great tribulation that occured in the end of that Age when their nation was destroyed and the kingdom was taken from them and given unto a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof?

"...For then shall be great tribulation, SUCH AS WAS NOT since the beginning of the world to this time, no, NOR EVER SHALL BE..." Matt 24:21. "...And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt..."

Jesus said to the Jews: "... If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin..." John 15:22.
and "...36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment..." Matt 12:36.

It is evident from the history of the coming of Christ and the end-times of the Jewish nation as declared by Christ to His Disciples in Matt 23 and 24 and other places to the Jews in general through parables and sometimes in plain words (often connected with a parable) that this prophecy was fulfilled at that time and referred to the end of the law economy and the establishment of the gospel dispensation by Him and His apostles.

Secular history also, such as that of Josephus, also proves that these prophecies were completely fullfilled during those times.

"...But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end..." These things were sealed up and hidden from the understanding of all until the coming of Christ wnen He "..Prevailed to open the book,and to loose the seven seals thereof.." Rev 5:5. The understanding that these seals were loosed by Christ at His coming is yet hidden to many - Nevertheless, "...Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand..." Rev 1:3. "...And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand..." Rev 22:10. The time for the complete fulfillment of this prophecy was even "at hand" when John wrote these words, and all was (historically speaking) shortly fulfilled, and spiritually ushered in the full gospel dispensation.

There is no condemnation to those who are lead by and thus are enabled to walk in the Spirit, because His Spirit of Life frees the saints from the law of sin and death which is incorporated in our orginal or fleshly nature.

Paul explains that the law by itself could not deliver us from sin, because it was confined only to the flesh and fleshly principles; thus it was weak through the flesh. Sin must remain in the flesh, where it is condemned in Christ by Himself assuming the likeness of sinful flesh. By taking this condemnation unto Himself or upon His own flesh), and placing His Spirit upon His people, He delivers them from the condemnation of the law. The righteousness of the law is therefore fulfilled through this operation of the Spirit within them. (Rom 8:1-4)

Paul furthermore explains how they who are in nature (or under the principles of the flesh) cannot please God; but they follow only after the dictates of the flesh. On the other hand, he shows that they who have and are lead by the Spirit do follow after the things of the Spirit. (Rom 8:5)

"...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God..." 1Cor 2:12.

Paul also shows that they who are fleshly minded are (spiritually speaking) in a state of death to the things of the Spirit, and that the natural mind is actually at enmity with God and His Spirit, is not subject to the law of the Spirit of Life, neither indeed can be. And then he flatly states that they who are in the flesh (unregenerated) cannot please God. Then he explains that the quickened child of God is not in the flesh (to be given up to its dictates) but in the Spirit, because the Spirit dwells in them by regeneration, and shows that if destitute of the Spirit we have no manifest spiritual relationship with Christ. (verse 9)

Paul continues with the same subject in the following verses, and shows that a child of God (one born of the Spirit) though they are born of the Spirit, they are yet dead to God in their flesh: that is, they are unable to please God in the flesh:

"... And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness..." (verse 10.)

In the next or 11th verse Paul shows it takes the same omnipotent power of the Spirit to raise up the saints from this dead state they are in in a dead body of flesh as it did to actually raise up the physically dead body of Christ when He was raised up from death by the power of the Father:

"...But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you..."

It seems that many fail to see the application of this verse to a present experience of the saints and tend to apply it only to a future resurrection of their physical or biological bodies which have dissolved in death. However, in hope of a final resurrection when or where we shall be changed through death and resurrected a "spiritual body", I feel that Paul's main emphasis in these passages is to show how Christ has presently delivered His people from the power of sin in their "mortal" body (or a body of flesh which is subject to a daily death)

Notice that Paul has used here the conjunction but as in connection with, and to further explain what he has said in the previous verses. In accordance with the context of Paul's treatsise on this subject he has shown that the body of flesh (the part in which we daily live and move and have our present being) is poweless to perform any acceptable works before God unless these works are spiritual or performed under the influence and power of the Spirit of Christ within us. Therefore, our body is dead or powerless to perform works of righteousness without the intercession of the Spirit within us. We stand in need of a daily or constant resurrection of these bodies which are subject to death because of the principle of 'sin and death' that works in them. the word here translated mortal by the KJV is actually greek - Thnetos which means ' liable to death, mortal'. (not thanatos or nekros) as given above. thanatoo means 'put to death'.

To further explain this, Paul continues to show that the saints owe nothing to the body which by nature has nothing but the sentence of condemnation and death through the original sin of the Adamic nature, but owe all to the Spirit of Life by the grace that is in the Lord Jesus. Again, he uses the conjuction 'therefore' to connect his subject: (verse 12-13)

"...Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live...'

Children of God by nature are liable to look away from Christ and His Spirit for justification (or righteousness) as Paul styles it here, and look to the bare works of the flesh. they are then forgetting the work of free grace that has taken place within their mortal bodies. They are then seeking to gain life by looking to their own works instead of looking to the work of Christ, and thus fall into legalism. Paul had this same problem with the Galatians, and probably could have had it with the Roman brethren. The saints find by experience with Paul that sin is condemned in their flesh, and in their 'flesh; dwells no good thing. When they look there for 'good', rather than finding 'righteousness, justification or life - they only find death. They find there is no life in their mortal flesh, but it is yet daily dying in Adam. They are dead and their life is hid with Christ in God. It is the Spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing. They are dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Christ and His indwelling Spirit. They are therefore brought to realize and consider they must recognize as dead or powerless their efforts in the flesh and 'mortify' or consider as dead the 'deeds' of the body or flesh which is 'dead'.

The greek word Thanatoo translated mortify by KJV means to:

'Put to death '

Metaphorically

To make to die i.e. destroy, render extinct.

By death to be liberated from the bond of anything, literally to be made dead in relation to (something).

The saints are then to 'put to death' or consider inactive the works of the flesh.

Paul in the following verses then continues to explain how this work of walking in the Spirit takes place in a believer and shows that the sons or children of God are thus manifested or shown to be real or true spiritually children of God. (which he has been doing throughout his letter to the Romans)

....For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God..." (ver 14.) Paul is still explaining that saints are identified and recognized as children of God by this principle and not in any respect through the flesh. He is actually continuing and reaffirming his subject as in Rom 9:8 and Rom 11:25:

"...They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God.."
"....And so all Israel shall be saved.."

"...And if Christ be in you.." Paul says. - And Christ is in every child that is called by grace. "...The body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness..." The earnest expectation of the creature waits for this manifestation of the sons of God. Our flesh therefore ceases from its labors and rests in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. In the same way the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered by the natural man.

The saints' hope is in the will of God in Christ, and not in their flesh, because in these operations The Spirit searches their hearts according to His will, and not according to their fleshly will:

"...And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints ACCORDING TO THE WILL of God..." (verse 27)

"... And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him..." John 5:14-15.

He that is thus searching the hearts of His people is working all this work in them:

"...LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast WROUGHT ALL OUR WORKS IN US..." Isa 26:12.

Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ. Even death itself shall not, for we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Paul was persuaded by the Spirit that..

"....Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord..." Rom 8:38-39.

OAB