Serve in the New Way of the Spirit - Romans 7-8

 Romans 7:5-6 (ESV)

5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. 

Serve in the New Way of the Spirit 

To fully appreciate Paul’s argument in this section of Romans, we have to go back to what he wrote in the previous chapter.  Remember, in the original letter there were no chapter headings.  It was just one continuous argument.  Here is what he stated in the previous chapter:

Romans 6:12-14 (ESV)

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Paul is telling us that our “members” (seeing, hearing, lust, desires, speech, etc.) are servants in our body.   When we are in unbelief those members submit themselves to the rule of sin.  When we live in faith, we submit those members to righteousness and they obey the law of righteousness.   But, as we walk in the Spirit (chapter seven) we are released from the law of sin and can bear fruit, via the Spirit, for righteousness.   There are two fruits we can produce.  We can produce fruit unto death (it is fruit that "fulfills" the law what we are now dead to!!!  See Matthew 5:12).   Or we can produce fruit, by the Spirit, that produces righteousness.   (See also Matthew 7:15-20 about the good tree bearing fruit vs. the bad tree that doesn't bear fruit. See also Matthew 12:33; 13:23.   See also Colossians 1:9-10)

If” we go back to living in the flesh and by our own strength we are living under law ... which will arouse our sinful passions.  If we walk in the Spirit, the Spirit of God produces fruit for righteousness ... righteous acts.   Walking in the Spirit is done by faith.  Christ gave us the Spirit of God, Who guides us and empowers us.   Note what he is about to write:

Romans 8:12-16 (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,

When we serve in the flesh we produces fruit for unrighteousness.  When we serve in the Spirit through faith we produce fruit for righteousness.   Not really that complex.  A life of faith trust the Spirit to do the work.  A life of the flesh trust our own ability to do the work.