6“生命之灵”……这辞在全本圣经里只用过一次。罗马书直到八章二节才启示“生命之灵”这辞。然而，在八章以前，的确有好几次说到神圣、永远、非受造的生命。生命这辞在罗马书里首次出现在一章十七节；这节说，义人必本于信得生（生命）并活着。这里义人本于信所得的生命，是指神圣的生命。生命这辞在罗马书里第二次出现在二章七节，那里告诉我们：“凡恒心行善，寻求荣耀、尊贵和不朽坏的，就以永远的生命报应他们。”我们若不断寻求神，祂就会赐给我们永远的生命。五章十节说，我们要在祂的生命里得救；五章十七节告诉我们，我们受洋溢之恩，并洋溢之义的恩赐以后，就要在生命中作王。五章十八节提起称义得生命；五章二十一节说，恩典作王，叫人得永远的生命。六章四节告诉我们，要在生命的新样中生活行动。二十二至二十三节说，永远的生命是圣别的结局，并且神的恩赐，在我们的主基督耶稣里，乃是永远的生命。因此，罗马书前六章多次说到神圣的生命。生命是神救恩的目标。神救赎了我们，称义了我们，并使我们与祂和好了，使我们有分于这生命。一旦我们接受这生命，我们就应当在生命里得救，在生命中作王，在生命的新样中生活行动，并在生命里被圣别（罗马书生命读经，一九八至一九九页）。
6This term [the Spirit of life] is used only once in the entire Bible. In the book of Romans the term the Spirit of life is not revealed until 8:2. However, before chapter 8 we do have several references to the divine, eternal, uncreated life. The first occurrence of this word life in the book of Romans is in 1:17, which says that the righteous shall have life and live by faith. The word life in this verse denotes the divine life. The second occurrence of this word in Romans is in 2:7, where we are told that “to those who by endurance in good work seek glory and honor and incorruptibility, life eternal.” If we continually seek God, He will give us life eternal. Romans 5:10 says that we will be saved in His life, and 5:17 tells us that, after receiving the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, we will reign in life. Romans 5:18 mentions justification of life, and 5:21 says that grace might reign unto eternal life. In 6:4 we are told to walk in newness of life. Romans 6:22-23 says that eternal life is the end of sanctification and that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thus, in the first six chapters of Romans, there are many references to the divine life. Life is the goal of God’s salvation. God has redeemed us, justified us, and reconciled us so that we might share this life. Once we receive it, we should be saved in life, reign in life, walk in newness of life, and be sanctified in life. (Life-study of Romans, pp. 162-163)