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Contents:
Ch.8
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Chapter 8
Introduction to Chapters 8 to 16: For a general introduction see the studies on chapters 1 to 7 of Romans.
In these studies we follow Paul's thinking as he logically moves on step by step working out aspects of this "justification by faith". We will consider it as follows:
It should be emphasised that these divisions are only for rough guideline purposes, for Paul's writing, as we will see, flows on gradually from one area of thinking to another, without there being any sharp changes in direction that would make divisions clearer. PART 1 : "Spirit Life and Conquerors"
If you have completed the studies on the first part of Paul's letter to the Romans, you may remember that in Chapter 7 he had come to a conclusion that when it came to living a "good" life, the more he tried the more he seemed to fail. He concluded that sin within him was the problem. How to overcome that? He had said that he was dead to sin and to the past but somehow when he concentrated on trying to be good, all that happened was that the old life seemed to prevail!
Now in Chapter 8 we are going to see his answer to all this: it is that we allow the Holy Spirit to live Christ's life in us! With the Spirit within us we are children of God who have partly received our full inheritance. As he thinks on these things Paul expands on this wonder as he realises that God is for us and has made us more than more than conquerors.
These are incredible truths which each and every one of us ought to ask God to burn on our hearts. In some ways this particular chapter is one of the most wonderful in the whole letter. Ask the Lord to make these truths come alive for you as you read it.
Chapter: Rom 8 Passage: Rom 8:1-4
A. Find Out:
1. What isn't there for Christians? v.1 2. Why? v.2 3. Why wasn't the law able to help? v.3a 4. So what did God do? v.3b 5. What effect did it have? v.4a 6. How do we now live? v.4b B. Think :
C. Comment :
Paul's main point here is that there is no longer condemnation for the Christian because God has dealt with our sin through Jesus on the Cross, and this leaves us free to live under the prompting and guidance of His Holy Spirit.
Doubting, weak Christians are sometimes heard to say, "I think God is punishing me!" Perish the thought! Jesus has taken all of our punishment and so God is NOT bringing it to us. The enemy or circumstances may appear difficult but God ISN'T punishing us.
Paul reminds us that the law (which is good) couldn't bring us to a place of blessing because the sinful nature in us brought death from constant sin. Instead God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and that condemned sin, or dealt it a death blow, because it no longer has the law to respond to. Jesus met the requirement of the law in our place on the Cross, and then sent His Holy Spirit into our lives so sin has no room to operate in us any longer!
Thus we are freed to live, not in condemnation and fear of judgement, not under the domination of sin and in spiritual death, but in a loving relationship with the Lord by His Spirit within us. D. Application?
A. Find Out:
1. What 2 sorts of people are there? v.5 2. What are the two end products? v.6 3. What does the sinful mind (flesh) do? v.7,8 4. What is essential if you belong to Christ? v.9 5. What is our twofold state with Christ in us? v.10 6. What will the Holy Spirit do? v.11 B. Think :
C. Comment :
First of all, observe a person's DIRECTION. A person sets their mind either in the direction of pleasing self or on what the Spirit of Jesus desires. The self-centred life concentrates on personal pleasure, is hostile to God and produces death (total absence of spiritual life). The God-centred life brings life and peace. The decision as to which direction we will take is OURS.
Second, observe a person's POWER SOURCE. The non-Christian by implication, has no power and is just pushed by the whim of desires. The Christian, in stark contrast, has the Spirit of Jesus within, and if we weren't quite sure what that means, Paul reminds us that the Spirit within us is the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead. This is the incredible power that is ours, the power that brought Jesus back from the dead! So, in the same way, as we have died to sin, He will bring us back from the dead with new lives than can now be lived for the glory of God. The decision as to direction may be ours but the power input is His. We cannot do this, it is all His work in us, but He does it freely and willingly as soon as we commit our way in HIS direction. D. Application?
A. Find Out:
1. What does Paul first say we have? v.12 2. What two ways are contrasted? v.13 3. What are those who are led by the Spirit? v.14 4. What does the Spirit confirm? v.15,16 5. What does this make us? v.17a 6. What 2 things are we to share in? v.17b B. Think :
C. Comment :
Paul's reasoning flows straight on from the above passage with a "therefore". Because (above) we have the Holy Spirit in us giving life to us, we are to live according to the Spirit. If you allow Him to, He will enable you to overcome the self-life (flesh) and you will really know what it means to live.
Now Paul goes a step further for he says those who are led by the Spirit are God's sons and he contrasts sons with slaves. Slaves are obedient in ignorance. Sons are obedient as they share in the life of the family, aware of Father's heart, sharing His plans and purposes. More than that, sons are heirs, they are the receivers of all of the father's possessions. Thus we, as God's "sons" share with Him now and are on the receiving end of His constant giving.
At the end of this passage, Paul quietly drops in a profound reminder. We have just said sons share in the family, but sharing for us also means sharing the rejection and the hostility of the world that Jesus experienced and which every Christian since has experienced in greater or lessor measure. Part of the sharing is also the wonderful greatness or glory of it all as well and that makes it all worth while.
D. Application?
A. Find Out:
1. What overshadows our present troubles? v.18 2. What is creation waiting for? v.19 3. What has happened to creation itself? v.20 4. But what will happen to it? v.21 5. What has creation been doing? v.22 6. For what are we waiting? v.23 B. Think :
C. Comment :
To the sufferings in yesterday's passage Paul now compares the glorious future that is to be ours, and as he starts thinking of the future glory, it seems to put the present world in stark perspective: it is groaning because it has been frustrated (limited) and brought into a place of constant decay. The Bible shows that God did this to all of Nature at the Fall when He removed His blessing from the ground and left it cursed (Genesis 3:17 -). The animal kingdom was not expressly mentioned but it was clear that it was originally at peace (Genesis 2:19 ,20) and will return to that state of peace (Isaiah 11:6-9).
We also similarly, as part of creation are not what we were, as our bodies now suffer sickness, pain, and decay. We too, long for that time when our bodies are not going to be like this, and such a time WILL come. The order for this would seem to be Jesus' return in triumph (1 Thessalonians 4:16 / Revelation 19:11 -21) and the coming down of heaven to join earth in forming a new habitation of men with God, free from all present suffering (Revelation 21:1-4). This indeed is a glorious hope. God started the world off in perfection and at the end He will restore it to perfection. D. Application?
A. Find Out:
1. What does the Spirit do with us? v.26 2. What does the Spirit do for us? v.26,27 3. What is God continually doing? v.28 4. What is His primary purpose for us? v.29 5. What are the 5 stages of God's working? v.29a,30
B. Think :
C. Comment :
First, because Paul has been speaking about the Holy Spirit, and us in a groaning world, Paul speaks now about the Spirit who helps us as He works within us, with us sensing His desires as He expresses God's purpose for us with deep inner groaning or yearning.
Then, as a follow on to thinking about God's purposes for us, Paul comes out with this key verse to bring reassurance, that in ALL THINGS God is working for OUR GOOD! We may make a mess of things but God will take it and use it somehow for our good. He is committed to bless us! Can we really allow this truth to settle in us?
Because Paul knows our tendency to question and query he relentlessly pushes on his argument. Look, he says, God knew you before the foundation of the world, He looked into the future and saw you, He knew you would be a responder to Him, so He gave you Jesus to respond to. Now, having given you Jesus to respond to, He called you by His Holy Spirit and when you responded to the Gospel message, He justified you so that you could know that you were accepted by Him, and even more, He glorified you, He placed His glory (His Holy Spirit) in you and called you His son and one day you'll be with Him in heaven perfected. Got that?? Right, don't be under any doubts - He IS for YOU, to bless you and purpose good for you always! D. Application?
A. Find Out:
1. What is God's attitude towards us? v.31 2. How did He prove this? v.32a 3. What can we therefore expect? v.32b 4. What also does He do? v.33 5. What is Jesus doing, from where? v.34 6. What does this make us? v.37 B. Think :
C. Comment :
Again these glorious verses ought to be burnt into the heart of every Christian. Paul first goes to show something that many of us doubt as we listen to the lies of the enemy: God is for us! God is totally committed to us, to bring us into the place of full sonship, receiving all of His goodness. And, says Paul, the way we know this is because God gave His one and only Son, Jesus, to die for us, to reconcile us to Himself. God has justified us, He won't condemn us. Jesus, at His Father's right hand, intercedes for us (see 1 John 2:1,2), so He won't be against us! Now, says Paul, the consequence of all this is that we are receivers of God's love and NOTHING can stop that happening. We may get into difficult, trying circumstances but God will be there with us in them. Demonic beings may try to come against us but God is so much greater and He is with us, so they won't be able to keep us from His love. In fact nothing can!
Look, he says, we don't have to fight to achieve this, because God has done everything necessary. We don't have to triumph over circumstances or the enemy to know and experience this, because God is with us in it and nothing can push God Almighty away. No, there is no fighting to achieve this, it is ours because God has made it so! D. Application?
RECAP: "Spirit Life & Conquerors" - Rom 8
SUMMARY :
In these first 6 studies we have seen that:
COMMENT :
Instead of concentrating on "being good", we realise we ARE good because God has made us so and we live as God's children, being lead by the Holy Spirit that He has placed within us.
We realise we have a marvellous future because God is for us and nothing and no one can separate us from His love. We don't have to fight to receive this, it is ours already, we are more than conquerors!
LESSONS :
1. I don't need to constantly feel guilty 2. Jesus wants me to joy in being His "son" 3. It is still often a struggle in this fallen world but the Spirit will help me 4. God will work all things for my good 5. He IS for me! PRAY :
Thank Him for the wonder of these truths. PART 2 : "The Sovereignty of God"
Having just been saying that God is supreme and working out things for our good, Paul next envisages his readers posing the question, "Well what about Israel ? He doesn't seem to have worked out everything for Israel 's good, does He?" In this chapter watch how he works through the idea that God HAS worked for the good of the REAL Israel . Indeed, what we see is His sovereign will exercising grace and mercy, when we deserved death but instead received His love. Watch as Paul works this through.
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