Romans,
Chapter 8
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Chapter 8 represents one of the great
statements of God's love and power in the entire Bible.
This chapter may be placed with the first two
Chapters of Genesis, Isaiah 53, the 23rd Psalm, and 1 Corinthians 13
as chapters that may be considered as studies within a study.
Romans 8:1-2
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from
the law of sin and death.
“Condemnation” (Gr. katakrima-katakrima) implies a negative judicial sentence.
There is no such thing as a negative judicial
sentence in Christ and cannot be among those that are "in" Christ.
There is no negative judgment against those
of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus!
Romans
6:3 Know ye
not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death?
Gal 3:27 For
as many of you as have been baptized into Christ
have put on Christ.
We are "in" Christ Jesus, therefore
we are not judged according to carnality.
There can be no judgment against Him
therefore there can be no judgment against us!
Not all Church attendees have been baptized
into Christ!
The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4,
Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38), however we do not live by
"our" faith.
We live by the faith of Christ that lives
within us.
Our position is with and in Christ!
Colossians 3:3 “For you died, and your life is hidden with (Gr. sun-sun) Christ in (Gr. en-en) God”
(NKJV).
Those who teach that a Christian may be saved
and lost again on an hourly basis have no concept of the power or love of
God.
After being saved, we cannot be
"lost" again.
There is finality in Salvation.
At the same time, any person that tries to
use the security found in Christ as an excuse for sin has not found security in
Christ.
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
makes us free from the law of sin and death.
Instead of enmity, we now have peace with God
through Christ.
Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we
experience God's peace.
John 10:10b “I have come that they may have life, and that they
may have it more abundantly” (NKJV).
The Law of the Abundant Life is in and with
Christ Jesus! It cannot be taken from Him and it will not be taken from us!
Verse 2 does not mean that Christians are
lawless people.
Quite to the contrary, Christians establish
the law!
Romans
3:31 Do we then make void the law through
faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
We detest sin, and sin is a transgression of
the law (1 John 3:4).
Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God, and
the Spirit of God will not lead us in ways that are contrary to the law of God.
Romans 8:3-4
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God
sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin
in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
"Could not do" indicates a total
lack of power.
“Weak” denotes feebleness.
Our flesh is feeble, because it is powerless
in comparison to Christ’s power!
His power to save is infinitely more power
that our ability to sin!
If that were not true, we would have no hope
of salvation.
Romans 8:5 For
they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that
are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Those people that live according to carnal
desires do so, because they are controlled by those desires.
Those people that life according to Godliness
do so, because they are controlled, or led by the Sprit of God.
We cannot teach or live those things that are
not internalized.
Mankind has internalized sin.
As we begin to internalize things of the
Spirit, we can teach those things that are based in the Spirit.
That is part of our spiritual maturing
process.
Romans 8:6 For to
be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
When Adam "fell," a carnal mind-set
was placed within him.
That carnality has been handed down from
generation to generation.
Carnality brings with it death.
The Spirit brings Life.
Romans 8:7 Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be.
Enmity speaks of a state of hostility.
Those that are unrepentant are living in a
state of hostility toward God!
In the new birth, we become new creatures.
Due to the indwelling of the Spirit, we are
able to express true Love.
As our mind is renewed in Christ, we gain the
ability to express love.
Paul said that we are to be renewed in the
spirit of our minds (Ephesians 4:23).
He also said that as believers we "have
put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him
who created him" (Colossians 3:10/NKJV).
Romans 8:8 So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
“Cannot” (Gr. ou dunantai-ou dunantai)
literally means, no power, rights, ability, or qualifications.
Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in
response to God’s call to salvation in Christ we have "no power, rights,
ability, or qualification" to please God.
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but
in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
This verse can only be understood by adding the phrase "As
Christians."
As Christians, we are "in the
Spirit."
If you are not positionally "in
Christ," and yet think you are a Christian, you are deceived!
Here again, the Bible gives us a contrast
between the living and the dead, the unrepentant and the saved.
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the
dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
“Quicken” (Gr. zoo-opoieesei-zwopoihsei) speaks of restoration to life.
The Spirit within us is our guarantee of
restoration to life.
Without the Spirit we have no assurance of
resurrection, and we have no hope.
Romans 8:12-13
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the
flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
“Debtors” means being under and
obligation.
We are not obligated to the
world for our salvation.
We owe none except God.
If we live in manner of "normal"
society, we may exist, but we will not live.
However, if we live according to the Word of
God, we shall surely live.
Romans 8:14 For
as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
The sons of God are
chosen by God and led by the Spirit.
You cannot claim to
be led by the Spirit of god while acting like the son of Satan!
The Church I attend
has a wonderful bass singer in the choir.
His name is Wallace
Reynolds.
When I say he is
very good, I must also say that as a singer myself, I do not compliment other
singers unless they are really good.
Wallace is a
professional level singer.
He is very
good!
One Sunday morning,
I was standing in the congregation, and we were singing a hymn.
The voice behind me
was remarkable.
After the hymn, I
turned the man behind me and asked, “Are you related to Wallace Reynolds?”
He replied, “I am
his son!”
My point is that if
we are sons of God, it will be discernable.
Romans 8:15 For
ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received
the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
“Again” speaks of a repetition of past
experiences.
When we come to Christ, we are not fear sin’s
bondage or loss of spiritual benefits again.
When Christ taught the model prayer, He said,
“Our Father.”
When He cried out from the cross as he died
because of our sins, He said, “My God, My God.”
Jesus said, “Our Father,” as the sinless Son
of God.
Jesus said, “My God,” as a sin-covered
sacrifice for our sins.
Is He your God or your Father?
If you still live in your sins, He is your
God.
If you live in the righteousness of Christ,
He is your Father.
Romans 8:16-17
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
The Spirit of God is our inner witness to
things that the world cannot accept or understand.
1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not
yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we
shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (NKJV).
The benefits of being a child of God are
awesome!
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us.
Christ became poverty stricken so that we
might become wealthy (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Christ endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2),
because he understood the reward that was his and in Him shall be ours.
Our "suffering" cannot be compared
to His glory!
Romans 8:19 For
the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for
the manifestation of the sons of God.
“Creature” should have been translated
“creation.”
All creation that waits for the manifestation
of the sons of God!
Let me take a side trip.
We say that God is eternal, but is that true?
It is my belief that eternity is a created
time-frame, and therefore cannot accurately describe God, because the Creator
is always greater than the creation.
Romans 8:20-21
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason
of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Did you know that all creation was subjected
to the effects of our sin?
Our sin does not affect only us.
But, creation was subjected in hope of
reconciliation.
What about “free will?”
“Free will” is not found in the New
Testament.
“Freewill” is found only in the Old Testament
and only in relation to freewill offerings.
So, what about our
“freewill?”
Prove your freewill and give something to
your Church!
When the children of God are revealed, all
creation will be restored to original perfection.
Christ called it the "regeneration"
(Matthew 19:28).
Romans 8:22-23
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to
wit, the redemption of our body.
At this time, all creation is groaning and
travailing in pain as if in child birth.
And, it shall continue to do so until the
return of Christ.
As the pains come closer and harder as birth
comes closer, suffering will be intensified.
Paul writes that the suffering will not only
be felt among the unregenerate, but also even among Christians.
Verse 23 speaks in direct opposition to those
that tell us that Christian will gain a victory and that “our” victory will
usher in the age of peace.
"Waiting for" (Gr. apekdechomenoi-apekdecomenoi)
expresses an attitude of eager anticipation.
We eagerly anticipate the redemption God has
promised in Christ.
Romans 8:24 For
we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Hope is not an inert ingredient in
salvation.
The Greek word translated hope is found 13
times in Romans, and 3 of those times are in this one verse.
We are to believe in hope, rejoice in hope,
and in the expectation of hope.
In this verse, Paul points out the
obvious.
Hope that is seen is not hope.
When the promise comes to fruition, hope is
no longer necessary.
Romans 8:25-26
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we
with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Hope strengthens us.
It helps to strengthen out weaknesses.
Many misunderstand the “groanings”
mentioned in verse 26.
The groanings are not attempts to speak.
The Greek text indicates an inhaling.
Speaking is done by exhaling.
Notice to that these groanings
"cannot be uttered."
They are not known or unknown tongues or
languages.
Romans 8:27 And
he that searcheth the hearts knoweth
what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
This verse points to the Trinity.
It is God the Father, through the Holy Spirit,
who investigates the hearts of men.
It is Christ the Son who intercedes for the
saints (as we shall see in verse 34) which is according to the God’s
will.
Romans 8:28 And
we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose.
Do you honestly believe this verse?
Be honest about it.
If we believe it, why don’t we act as if we
believe it?
Romans 8:29-31
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he
called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us?
This section refers to those that God
foreknew.
This concept has been greatly abused.
Some teach that we chose to come to earth and
are now working our way back to heaven.
“Predestinate” (Gr. pro-oorisen-prowrisen) is a good old-fashioned biblical word that has fallen into disrepute
due to incorrect application.
The predestination concept is never used in
relation to the "lost."
To say that any person is predestined to be
"lost" is an abuse of scripture.
Those that follow Christ Jesus have been
declared innocent of their sins.
If God has declared us innocent, none can
raise an accusation against us!
Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely
give us all things?
Do you understand the lengths God has gone to
in order to free us from sin?
Christ Jesus freely gave His Life so that we
might live free from sin.
If God did that, He will provide all you
need.
Stop begging for what he freely has given
you.
God will not give based on your greed.
He shall give based on your need!
Romans 8:33 Who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
The question here
is rhetorical.
God justifies us
based on His judgment.
No human being is
involved in the decision.
There are no human
beings now alive that are infallible in any area.
God may justify the
Pope, then again He may not!
Romans 8:34 Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of
God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Christ died and was raised again for the
express purpose of making intercession on behalf of the redeemed.
Why would Christ need to intercede on behalf
of those already redeemed?
Paul addressed our need for intercession in a
special prayer of his!
Eph 1:18 The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that
ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints,
Christ does not intercede to get us saved
over and over again!
When we answer the call to come to Christ we
become as saved as we ever shall be!
As the redeemed of Christ we cannot go back
into sin for any extended period!
Christ intercedes for us to gain insight into
the power of His saving grace!
As children, which
all newly born Christians are, we need to know the hope of His calling!
Those who are saved are pure, holy, and
blameless before God!
We need to understand our position in Christ
and that is why He intercedes for us!
He is seated at the right hand of God the
Father for that purpose.
Romans 8:35 Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ?
The answer is nothing and no one.
God's love is beyond description, although
the Bible does attempt to describe it to us.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade
itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no
evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8a Love never fails. (NKJV)
These are the attributes of God's love.
Notice the last attribute, Love never
fails.
Human love can and often does fail.
God's love for us is not subject to failure.
Romans 8:36-37
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all
the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.
Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
The cross is an instrument of death.
Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it;
and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
“Persuaded” means to be totally void of all
uncertainty.
It also means to have complete assurance in
God's power to perform His Word.
Nothing in all creation whether physical or
spiritual has the power to separate us from God's love, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Do you believe that?