Romans 8 presents the Holy Spirit as the believer's remedy for the old Adam nature, resolving the struggle Paul describes in Romans 7.
Les Feldick points out that the Holy Spirit is absent from Romans 7, leaving Paul to cry, 'O wretched man that I am!' Then in Romans 8 the Spirit is mentioned 19 times in a single chapter. That explosion of Spirit references shows that the Spirit is the answer to the dilemma of the old nature. The Spirit works within the believer to bring newness of life and enable what the Law could not do.
Romans 8:2 — This verse directly identifies the Spirit's life-giving law as the power that frees the believer from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:5-6 — Paul contrasts living after the flesh with living after the Spirit, showing the Spirit's role in shaping a believer's mind and bringing life and peace.
Romans 8 reveals the Holy Spirit as the power that sets the believer free. Verse 1 declares, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Verse 2 says the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made the believer free from the law of sin and death. Verse 5 contrasts two kinds of people: "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." Verse 6 adds that to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Verse 14 further states, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." The chapter presents the Spirit not as an optional aid but as the defining reality of the believer's new life.
Les Feldick teaches that Romans 7 leaves the believer in a dilemma: "the good that I would, I do not" and "the evil which I would not, that I do." In the first seven chapters of Romans, the Holy Spirit is mentioned only once, so Paul has no remedy yet. Then Romans 8 breaks out with 19 references to the Holy Spirit in a single chapter. That is why Les says the Spirit is "the answer for all the dilemma of chapter 7." The Holy Spirit precipitates an activity within the heart and soul of the individual and becomes the force that enables the believer to overcome the old Adam nature. Les connects Romans 7:6's "newness of spirit" to the Holy Spirit, showing that because the believer is delivered from the Law, he serves in the Spirit's newness. The Spirit also convicts men by the Law of their need, because as sons of Adam every person has a sin-bent personality and cannot do it on their own.
Les Feldick observes that the Holy Spirit is never mentioned in Romans 7. He says Paul is almost bereft, asking, "Why is it that the thing I don't want to do is what I do?" The absence of the Spirit leaves the believer crying out, "O wretched man that I am!" It is only when Paul turns to Romans 8 that the Spirit appears 19 times, making the Spirit the answer to the old nature's influence.
Les says the answer for all the dilemma of chapter 7 is the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:2 tells us the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes us free from the law of sin and death. The Spirit moves upon the heart and soul of the individual, convicting by the Law of the need of something they cannot do on their own. Because the believer is now married to Christ and delivered from the Law, he serves "in newness of spirit," which Les identifies as the Holy Spirit.
The law of sin and death has been present in humanity ever since Adam took that first bite. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus counteracts and supersedes it. This verse sets the tone for the Holy Spirit's role in the chapter: the Spirit's indwelling presence becomes a new governing law in the believer's life.
The Universal Need After Adam's Fall
The problem of sin entered with Adam's first bite, and the only remedy is the Gospel—the predicament that makes the Spirit's work in Romans 8 necessary.
Why Romans 8 Is Filled With the Spirit
Les points out that the Holy Spirit is never mentioned in chapter 7, yet appears 19 times in Romans 8—an intentional emphasis that shows the Spirit is central to the chapter's answer.
The Spirit Is the Answer to Chapter 7
Les says the 19 mentions of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8 make the Spirit 'the answer for all the dilemma of chapter 7'—the remedy for the inner conflict.
The Spirit's Work in the Heart
The Spirit precipitates an activity within the heart and soul, and Romans 8 shows that the Spirit—absent from Romans 7—is the solution to the believer's 'I don't do what I want' struggle.
The Old vs. New Nature Conflict
Les explains that Romans 8's 19 Spirit references answer the question of how to do what the new nature wants when the old nature keeps tipping the balance.
The Spirit's Conviction and the Adam Problem
The Holy Spirit convicts people by the Law of their need, because as sons of Adam everyone has a sin-bent personality and cannot do it on their own.
Delivered From the Law to Serve in the Spirit
Les shows that Romans 7:6—'serve in newness of spirit'—points to the Holy Spirit, connecting deliverance from the Law with the Spirit's work in chapter 8.
From 'Wretched Man' to the Spirit's Explosion
Les notes that Paul has not yet mentioned the Holy Spirit's power in the first seven chapters, but in chapter 8 it explodes as the answer to 'Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?'
Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
This opens the chapter by declaring the believer's secure position in Christ, tied to walking after the Spirit.
Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
This is the key verse showing the Spirit's role in liberation from sin's power.
Romans 8:5: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Paul contrasts the flesh and the Spirit, showing that the Spirit directs the believer's mind toward spiritual things.
Romans 8:6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
The Spirit produces a spiritual mindset that results in life and peace, in contrast to death.
Romans 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
The Spirit's leadership is the mark of being a son of God.
Romans 7:6: 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.
Les identifies 'newness of spirit' with the Holy Spirit, connecting deliverance from the Law with the Spirit's empowering work.
Les Feldick counts 19 times in Romans 8, compared to only once in the first seven chapters of Romans. That heavy emphasis is why he says the Spirit is the answer for the dilemma of chapter 7.
Because Romans 7 is the believer's struggle with the old Adam nature, and the Spirit is absent from that chapter. In Romans 8, the Spirit appears 19 times, showing that the Spirit is the remedy that enables the believer to overcome the old nature and live in newness of life.
Les identifies the 'spirit' in Romans 7:6 as the Holy Spirit. Since the believer is married to Christ and delivered from the Law, he serves in newness of the Spirit, which is the framework for Romans 8's teaching.
Watch the Teaching: Romans 8:2 Explained — Free from the Law of Sin and Death