By addressing his readers as brothers
in Romans 8:12–13 the Jewish apostle Paul ratifies his connection to his Gentile Christian readers. They are now brothers and sisters
of one another in Christ. It was not the law but the Spirit of Christ which has united them. His indwelling imposes a whole new obligation on them. They must no longer live according to the flesh but must put to death the deeds of the flesh through the Spirit and must now live through him as the one body of Christ.1
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.