THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION NOW. Condemnation is in every sense out of the question! [But there are some qualifiers! See note on James 2:19.] In chapter 6, Paul shows us that in BAPTISM, the Christian dies to sin. In chapter 7, he shows us that this death terminates our "marriage" to the Law. In chapte... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT. _Wesley_ says: "Gospel has freed us from the Mosaic Law." The "law of the Spirit" is the GOSPEL, the Good News of God's act in Christ to set us free, including the facts, commands, and promises that form part of this. HAS SET ME FREE. "In my union to Christ, I am already s... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO. The Law, which Jews were so proud of, could not change human nature. It had no real answer for the problem of sin and death. It was not the righteous demands of the Law that were weak, but human nature. There were many devout and holy men under the Law, but the fact that t... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THAT THE RIGHTEOUS DEMANDS OF THE LAW. Paul said the Law was spiritual (Romans 7:12; Romans 7:14). It offered life to all who kept it PERFECTLY, but crushed all who violated its righteous demands. Christ fulfilled the Law (gave it real meaning) in the fact that he perfectly kept all of its righte... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THEIR HUMAN NATURE TELLS THEM TO. Those who live without Christ are described in Galatians 5:19-21. AS THE SPIRIT TELLS THEM TO. The Spirit tells us what we should know through the _written word!_ It is not _fear of punishment_ which makes us live as the Spirit tells us, but LOVE (1 John 4:18).... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HAVE YOUR MIND CONTROLLED. Compare what Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, and see note there. Allowing our human nature to make us its slave, brings death. Allowing the Spirit to make us his "slave" brings life and peace! The quality of our faith is demonstrated in our life.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SO A MAN BECOMES AN ENEMY OF GOD. Human nature is hostile to God. All who ALLOW themselves to be slaves to their human nature find it impossible to obey God's law.... [ Continue Reading ]
CANNOT PLEASE GOD. No one, in all ages of time, could ever please God by allowing the evil desires of human nature to control himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YOU DO NOT LIVE. _"You_ can please God, because you are not controlled by your human nature." He speaks to those who have been set free from the law of sin and death. IF, IN FACT, GOD'S SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU. See Romans 8:16. THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST = the Spirit of God = the Holy Spirit. _Shepherd_ s... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF CHRIST LIVES IN YOU. Both God and Christ live in the Christian through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22). Note that "God's Spirit lives in you," "have the Spirit of Christ," and "Christ lives in you," all express the same important fact. ARE GOING TO DIE. Not "dead _in_ sin," nor "dead _to_ si... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE SPIRIT OF GOD. _Lipscomb_ says: "The Holy Spirit actually dwells in every obedient believer." WHO RAISED JESUS FROM DEATH. See John 5:21; John 5:28-29. WILL ALSO GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES. Compare Ephesians 1:13-14_ :_1 John 3:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20.... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION. Our HOPE in Christ obligates us to him! But we have no such obligation to our human nature.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF. After dying with Christ, you could return to sin and let your human nature drag you down to death (2 Peter 2:20-22). BUT IF, BY THE SPIRIT. Note it is not your _mortal body_ which you _kill,_ but the SINFUL ACTIONS of your human nature. We cannot do this by our own strength. We do it with th... [ Continue Reading ]
THOSE WHO ARE LED. See Acts 10:34-35. How are they led? (1) They have given themselves as "slaves" to God; (2) the Holy Spirit is their Helper (Romans 8:26). Compare Philippians 2:12-13. GOD'S SONS. Compare John 3:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
DOES NOT MAKE YOU A SLAVE. _Slave_ is contrasted with _son._ In the world of the first century, about half the population were slaves. They knew the fear and terror of slavery. This is not what God's Spirit gives. Christians are God's sons (and daughters) through the Spirit. Compare Galatians 4:6 FA... [ Continue Reading ]
TO DECLARE THAT WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN. See 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14_. Lipscomb_ says: "The Spirit gives directions through the word of truth how to become children of God. Our spirits bear witness as to whether from the heart we have complied with these conditions,... [ Continue Reading ]
SINCE WE ARE HIS CHILDREN. He speaks to those who can look back to a point in time where they were adopted as God's children. See note on Colossians 2:12. WE WILL POSSESS THE BLESSINGS. A son inherits everything his father has. We, as God's children, will inherit the riches of Eternity! Everything t... [ Continue Reading ]
I CONSIDER. "The thoughts of suffering with Christ should not terrify you." Paul gives three reasons: (1) the groaning of creation (Romans 8:19-22); (2) we groan as we wait in hope (Romans 8:23-25); (3) the groaning of the Holy Spirit, who is our prayer-partner (Romans 8:26-27). CANNOT BE COMPARED A... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL OF CREATION WAITS. _Chrysostom_ says: "Paul personifies the world, just as the prophets do when they make the floods to clap their hands." The total created universe looks forward to that time when God's children will have reached their climax and be revealed in all their glory! Compare Colossia... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR CREATION WAS CONDEMNED. _Lipscomb_ says: "As a result of Adam's sin, the whole creation was cursed and fell away from its original design and became subject to the reign of death." _"Was condemned"_ points back to the sin of Adam, when God cursed the earth (and all creation). See Genesis 3:17; I... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT CREATION ITSELF. This _ties in_ with the promise of Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL OF CREATION GROANS WITH PAIN. These groans of pain are a prophecy of the time of future freedom!... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WHO HAVE THE SPIRIT. This is Paul's second reason (_see_ Romans 8:18). This also points to the glorious future! AS THE FIRST OF GOD'S GIFTS. APARCHE - FIRST-PORTION (Jewish term for anything set apart to God before the remainder could be used). The Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive eve... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT WAS BY HOPE. In the Bible, "hope" is something you expect to happen. We are "put right with God" now, and we are children of God now! However, our whole being has not been set free yet, and we look into the future _expecting_ this to happen! Romans 8:24-25 explain the _"we wait"_ of Romans 8:... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF WE HOPE. Read the introduction to Revelation. Without hope, we would sink into despair!... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME WAY. This is Paul's third reason (see Romans 8:18). The Spirit himself helps our weakness and is our prayer-partner. _R. W. Dale_ wrote: "The whole passage illustrates in even a startling manner the truth and reality of the coming' of the Holy Spirit - the extent to which, if I may ventu... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GOD. KNOWS. Neither the Spirit nor Christ plead with God for men in general, but only for those who are united to Christ - his people. Only Jesus brings God and men together [mediator] (1 Timothy 2:5), but others can plead with God for us (compare Genesis 18:23-33). Even though we cannot find wo... [ Continue Reading ]
WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS. God is able to use suffering, sadness, poverty, imprisonment, death, etc., to call his people to Eternity. "Every problem contains an opportunity, and every opportunity contains a problem." Compare 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; Acts 28:16_ and note._ THOSE WHOM HE HAS CALLED. The... [ Continue Reading ]
HAD ALREADY CHOSEN. _Lipscomb_ understands this in the sense of Hebrews 11:39-40_.That_ is, the men of the Old Testament who _"would be made perfect only with us."_ Add to this the men of old who raised from death after Jesus' resurrection (Matthew 27:52-53), who Lipscomb thinks went into Eternity w... [ Continue Reading ]
HE ALSO SHARED HIS GLORY. We can imagine God saying: "I see that you love me and believe in Christ; and therefore I decree that you will become like My Son and share His glory.... [ Continue Reading ]
FACED WITH ALL THIS, WHAT CAN WE SAY? He has shown us God's love and mercy, and the future glory of God's people. IF GOD Is FOR US? No doubt about it! God is for us (who believe in him). WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? No one, man or angel or Devil, can cheat us of our promise in Christ! They may persecute u... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DID NOT EVEN KEEP BACK HIS OWN SON. If he gave his Son to die for us, it is impossible that God would be against us or cancel his promises.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WILL ACCUSE GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE. Neither God nor Christ will do this, and Satan cannot, since we are pronounced "Not Guilty." This shows how _secure_ we are in God's love!!! But note we are still responsible for our own actions (Hebrews 6:4-6; Romans 2:5-6; Matthew 12:41-42).... [ Continue Reading ]
CAN ANYONE, THEN, CONDEMN THEM? See Romans 8:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO, THEN, CAN SEPARATE US? No external force or condition can do it!!! The Book of Revelation is written to show us the victory that is already won in Christ!!! It may _look like_ the Devil is winning, but Christ conquered the Devil at the Cross and the Empty Tomb!!!... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS. He quotes Psalms 44:22 in the Septuagint, to show that the suffering mentioned in Romans 8:35 is in perfect harmony with God's promises.... [ Continue Reading ]
NO, IN ALL THESE THINGS. Suffering will not cause us to abandon Christ! WE HAVE COMPLETE victory! The ordeal of suffering not only _does not cut us off from_ Christ's love, but it actually gives us more intimate [intrinsic] and thrilling experiences of it!!!... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM CERTAIN. Paul is certain that no hostile power in all the universe can separate us from his love!!! NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE. These go in pairs. "If Christ's love can hold us in and through death, what is left for us to fear?" See John 8:51; John 10:28; John 11:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; He... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER THE WORLD ABOVE NOR THE WORLD BELOW. No limitations of time or space. There is nothing. This shows our promise through Christ!!! God gives us his love through Jesus Christ, and Paul sings his PRAISES in these last eight verses!!! Only Eternity will show us the completeness of God's love in C... [ Continue Reading ]