Romans Chapter 8 Continued
Romans 8:10 "And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness."
This body referred to is actually “our old man”.
Our old self died with Christ, and the life we now enjoy is a new divinely given life that is the life of Christ Himself.
We have been removed from the unregenerate self’s presence and control, so we should not follow the remaining memories of its old sinful ways as if we were still under its evil influence.
It is best to translate the word “spirit” as the person’s spirit, not the Holy Spirit.
Paul is saying that if God’s Spirit indwells you as we discussed (in verse 9), the human spirit is alive and can manifest true righteousness.
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.
As a believer, the same Spirit dwells in you.
God’s Holy Spirit raised Christ from the dead and it is the same Spirit who will quicken the believers, and shall also resurrect us too.
Romans 8:12 "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh."
Our old flesh died with Christ and the life we now enjoy is a new divinely given life that is the life of Christ Himself.
We have been removed from the unregenerate self’s presence and control, so we should not follow the remaining memories of its old sinful ways as if we were still under its evil influence.
Therefore we are debtors, not to the flesh which is our old selves, but to the Spirit of Christ as we saw in verse 9.
You see we do not owe our bodies anything.
The flesh is our enemy.
If we obey the lust of the flesh, we are living in sin.
We must overcome the flesh and put it in subjection to the spirit.
Romans 8:13 "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."
Here again, we see the warfare that goes on within each of us.
Our spirit wants to do the things of God and our flesh lusts for the things of the flesh and also of the world.
If we choose to let the Spirit of God rule our life, and in so doing "kill the flesh" we shall live for all of eternity in heaven with Jesus.
If we choose to follow the ways of the world, it brings eternal damnation and total separation from God.
Paul’s instruction is what to do in the struggle with sin in this verse, then destroys several false views of how believers are made holy:
1.That in a crisis moment we are immediately made perfect;
2.That we must “let God” take over while we remain idle;
3.That some turning point decision will propel us to a higher level of holiness.
Instead Paul tells us that the Spirit provides us with the energy and power to continually and gradually be killing our sins, a process never completed in this life.
The means the Spirit uses to accomplish this process is our faithful obedience to the simple commands of Scripture.
Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
Scripture does not teach us that we are led through subjective, mental impressions or promptings to provide direction in making life’s decisions.
Instead God’s Spirit objectively leads His children sometimes through the orchestration of circumstances by:
1.Illumination, that’s divinely clarifying Scripture to make it understandable to our sinful, finite minds;
2.Sanctification, divinely enabling us to obey Scripture.
When a person experiences the Spirit’s leading in those ways, he gains assurance that God has adopted him into His family.
That Spirit within us makes us God's children.
Galatians 3:26 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
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."
Unregenerate people are slaves to their fear of death because of their life of sin, and to fear their final punishment.
A very similar Scripture is in 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God."
“Spirit of adoption”:
This isn’t a reference to the transaction by which God adopts us, but to a Spirit produced awareness of the rich reality that God has made us His children, therefore we can come before Him without fear or hesitation as our beloved Father.
When God adopted us into his family, then that made us heirs to all he possesses.
We will be
There are 3 places in the New Testament Abba is used; one here (here in Romans 8:15); once (in Mark 14:36), and once (in Galatians 4:6).
Mark 14:36 "And he said, Abba, Father, all things [are] possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."
Galatians 4:6 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
We see in all of these 3 verses, that this name is reserved for only the children of God to call Him by meaning Daddy or Papa and connotes tenderness, dependence, and a relationship free of fear or anxiety.
Romans 8:16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"
In Roman culture for an adoption to be legally binding, seven reputable witnesses had to be present, attesting to its validity.
God’s Holy Spirit confirms the validity of our adoption, not by some inner, mystical voice, but by the fruit He produces in us and the power He provides for spiritual service.
Notice, this first Spirit in the sentence above is Capitalized meaning the Holy Spirit of God (or the Spirit of the risen Christ).
This Spirit within us is God's Spirit.
There is plenty of evidence in our lives when this Spirit dwells within us, because we allow Christ to live through our actions and deeds.
We become Christ like.
Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
If you are a believer, you are an heir of God.
We will then inherit eternal salvation, God Himself, glory and everything in the universe.
Unlike the Jewish practice of the primacy of the firstborn son, under Roman law the inheritance was divided equally between the children, where the law more carefully protected possessions that had been inherited.
God has appointed His Son to be heir of all things.
Every adopted child will receive by divine grace the full inheritance that Christ receives by divine right.
“Suffer with Him”:
This is proof of the believer’s ultimate glory in that he suffers, whether it comes as mockery, ridicule, or physical persecution, because of his Lord.
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."
In short, this describes the trials and tribulations that we go through in this life on earth.
Paul puts this clearly (in 2 Cor. 4:17), when he says: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”.
Paul’s own testimony lists a seemingly unbearable litany of sufferings and persecutions he endured throughout his life, yet he viewed them as weightless and their lasting for only a very brief moment.
To Paul the future glory he would experience with the Lord far outweighed any suffering he experienced in this world.
Paul understood that the greater the suffering, the greater would be his eternal glory.
Paul can speak from
He was stoned, shipwrecked, and so many times left for dead: suffering was no stranger to him.
“Glory”:
Looks forward to the resurrection of the body and the subsequent complete Christ likeness which is the believer’s eternal glory.
We can easily see that this present suffering is minor compared to the great glory we will receive when Jesus recognizes us as His when we stand before Him in heaven.
Romans 8:19 "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God."
The creature or creation eagerly looks forward to the revelation of the sons of God in the Millennium (the 1000 year earthly reign), because that is the time when the curse will be lifted and creation will be restored to Edenic conditions.
Everyone who believes in Jesus the Christ is also earnestly awaiting the coming of Christ and our eternal life as a son of God.
While we are in a fleshly body, it is our most blessed hope.
When we leave this body, and are in heaven with Jesus, it will be a reality.
Romans
Vanity has several meanings.
Futility, emptiness, frailty, folly, all references to the curse of Genesis and considers the whole thing as unnecessary.
Creation did not actively participate in the Fall.
This refers to the inability to achieve a goal or purpose.
Because of man’s sin, God cursed the physical universe and now, no part of creation entirely fulfills God’s original purpose.
“Delivered from the bondage of corruption”: There will be no more death.
The creature or creation looks forward to the Millennium when redeemed man is glorified and will never again have to face God’s curse.
Romans Chapter 8 Continued Questions
1.In verse 10 we see (if Christ be in you), the body is _______.
2.The Spirit is _________ because of righteousness.
3.When Jesus' flesh died, what happened to His Spirit?
4.What is different about the everlasting home of a Christian and someone who is still living the flesh life?
5.Who will quicken our mortal body, if we are a Christian?
6.In 1 Corinthians 15:20, what has Christ become in his resurrection?
7.Who brought death to all on the earth?
8.In 1 Corinthians 15:45, the first man was made what?
9.The last Adam was made what?
10.While we are at home in the body we are absent from whom?
11.Jesus is what 2 things that guarantees us everlasting life?
12.What Spirit dwells in all believers?
13.What do we owe the flesh?
14.In verse 13, we learn, if we live after the flesh _____ _______ ______.
15.If ye through the Spirit we do mortify the flesh, _____ _______ ______.
16.Who are the sons of God in verse 14?
17.In Galatians 3:26, how are we Christians children of God?
18.When we receive the Spirit of adoption, what do we call the Father.
19.Where else is this name found in the Bible?
20.Who are not permitted to use this name?
21.What bears witness that we are God's family?
22.What must we do to be
23.Why should we not be too concerned about suffering for Christ now?
24.2 Corinthians chapter 4:17 calls this suffering what?
25.What suffering did Paul go through for Christ?
26.In verse 19, we find the earnest expectation of the creature waits for what?
27.Who have put on Christ?
28.What must happen before we go up with Jesus?
29.Death is swallowed up in __________.