Romans 8 - Nothing Can Stop God from Loving You!
Life Through the Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Paul now talks about the difference between living in the Spirit and living according to our sinful nature. Importantly says, "There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus!". Many people live with a feeling of condemnation, as they think about their standing before God. A spirit of condemnation often comes from the devil. The Holy Spirit brings conviction of our sin, but there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
The reason there is no condemnation is because Jesus took the condemnation we deserved on the cross. Jesus took our sins in his body on the cross so that the righteous requirements of the law would be fulfilled. This is why we don't rely on the flesh, because it is of no use to us. But we rely on the Holy Spirit, who now lives in us.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
So how do we live our life in the Spirit? Paul makes it clear that it starts in our mind. Our mind is set on what the Spirit desires. When we think about and listen to the Spirit, our life our life is characterized by life and peace. However, if we live according to the flesh, we experience death. Not necessarily physical death but spiritual death. When we live our lives under the influence of the Spirit, we can live a life pleasing to God.
Paul gives an easy way for us to determine if we walk in the Spirit or walk in the flesh – to simply see where our mind is set. The mind is the strategic battleground where the flesh and the Spirit fight. - Guzik
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[e] his Spirit who lives in you.
Paul talks about how the Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit is a person and makes his home in us when we come to faith in Christ. You cannot be a Christian without having the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not optional, or just for "super spiritual people". The Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood person in the Trinity. The Spirit is the fuel for our Christian life, but it is also the Spirit who will give life to our bodies when we die. Since the Holy Spirit cannot die, because the Spirit is God, because we have the Holy Spirit will never die.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,[g] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
It is the Holy Spirit who assures and reminds us that we are children of God. Because of the Spirit, we are co-heirs with Christ. We are part of the family of God because God has adopted us as his sons and daughters. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the family resemblance with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit gives us peace with the Father. We call on God our Father and say "Abba", which is the same words in Aramaic for a baby that says, "dada'. It is a term of affection and trust.
So you see how important the Holy Spirit is in our lives. God the Father created us. Jesus the Son redeemed us. The Holy Spirit sustains and sanctifies us as God's children.
Do you sense the power of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you ever ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with His peace and presence It is the Holy Spirit which gives you confidence before your Heavenly Father to know you are loved and cherished by Him!
Present Suffering and Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
Though we live in this life as God's child, it doesn't make us immune to suffering. Paul suffered greatly in prison. The Christians he was writing to were consistently being persecuted by the Roman government. But Paul says something significant. He says, "Our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to the glory we will have in Christ Jesus one day!"
This is a passage I often read at a funeral. Some people suffer more than others, but we all suffer and die at some point. But compared to what we are going to be like in heaven, and the joy we will experience being in God's presence, it is nothing. Paul says that even creation waits with eager expectation for God's children to come to heaven.
Paul personifies creation and says it is subject to the Fall. Our planet is always undergoing changes and showing signs of decay. But when Jesus returns he promises us a new heaven and a new earth. Just like our bodies will be resurrection so will the earth and everything in it.
While it is important to care for God's creation, we realize one day it too will pass away. But since God has given us creation we need to be stewards of it. Our choices of what we consume and the cars we drive should be guided by the fact that we are stewards of God's Creation.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Creation waits for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed by the Spirit, who groans in us. The Holy Spirit gives us the hope that heaven is ahead because we are sons and daughters of God. That's why though it is sad when we age and sad when our friends and families die, we have the hope that they are going to be glorified in God's presence and receive a body that will never die. This is Good News.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Paul gives another huge benefit of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit actually intercedes in and through us as we pray. A lot of times people are nervous to pray in front of others. I get that. But before you pray in private or public, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say. Pause and wait for the Holy Spirit to initiate and guide your prayer. It is quite an amazing experience to realize the Holy Spirit is praying through you and gives you the words to say. One word from the Holy Spirit is better than a lot of our words. Why? Because the Holy Spirit intercedes in accordance with the will of God.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Romans 8:28 is a famous verse that you will hear quoted many times. It is a very comforting verse, as when bad things happen we know God can cause any situation to be turned into good. Sometimes we can't see how it could possibly happen, and sometimes it happens later. But God gives us a promise that he can turn any bad situation into something good.
As God works all things together for good, it is an example of how He is forming us into His image. Though Satan had only evil intent for humankind, God sent His Son to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. God even used our sinful nature to show us his grace and mercy through His Son. No matter how many bad choices you make, God can redeem them for something good.
God redeemed Joseph's brother choice to sell him into slavery to save them from famine. God used Paul's zealous nature and persecution of Christian, and redeemed him to be the greatest messenger of Christianity. Throughout history God has turning our bad choices into good, because He predestined us to be his sons and daughters. Even our bad choices are molding us to be more like His Son.
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
Paul says something amazing that we always need to remember. "If God is for us who can be against us!" We talk about self-image and self-esteem, but our true confidence lies in what God thinks of us. If God is on your side who can be against you. If God loves you, why does it matter if someone else chooses not to. How do we know God is for us?
Because God gave us His most precious possession, His only Son! Not only did Jesus die for us, but God raised him from the dead, and He sits at the right hand of the Father. Listen to this, "Jesus not only sits at the right hand of the Father, but He is also interceding for us!"
I love knowing people are praying for me. I have several people I rely on and share my requests with and know they will pray for me. But I have the Son of God as my prayer partner too. He already knows what I need and is interceding for me before the Father's throne. Yes we have, "Friends in High Places!"
There is no one or no thing that can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus.
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul's incredible chapter 8 comes to conclusion with these iconic verses. Note Paul is convinced. He doesn't think, wish, or hope, but he is CONVINCED. He is convinced that absolutely nothing can separate Him from the love God has for us in Christ. Not even death can separate us from the love of God. When we breath our last breath we will go right into the loving arms of God. Death is just a doorway into love.
Do you hear this? Nothing can separate you from God's love, not even your bad choices. I can relate to it as I think of my children. There is nothing they could do to make me stop loving them. And if I am like this as an earthly parent, how much more is God like this as our heavenly parent!
No matter what you are feeling or what you are going through today, remember how much God loves you. He will never stop loving you. He will never stop loving you in this life and you will meet this love face to face in the next life!
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