Romans 8

Rom 7:19-25 NASB For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (20) But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. (21) I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. (22) For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, (23) but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. (24) Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (25) Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Rom 8:1-8 NASB Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (3) For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, (4) so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (5) For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (6) For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, (7) because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, (8) and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (bolds mine)

  • Verse 8:1 – “now” – what does that word indicate to you? When did Paul struggle (in verses 7:19-25). What changed in Romans 8:1-8?
  • What words touch your heart as you read Romans 8:1-3?
    • condemnation katákrima; gen. katakrímatos, neut. noun from katakríno¯ (G2632), to condemn. The suffix -ma makes it the result of judgment. A decision against someone, a condemnatory judgment. Only in Rom_5:16, Rom_5:18; Rom_8:1. Antonym is dikaío¯sis (G1347), acquittal, the process of pronouncing not guilty or justified.
    • free eleuthería; gen. eleutherías, fem. noun from eleútheros (G1658), a free person. Freedom, generosity, independence. The OT age was the age of childhood and revealed religion, when children were trained for independence by a course of obedience and subjection to authority (Gal_4:1). Freedom is the distinctive privilege of the saved. It is so profound and far- reaching that the believer is conscious of sonship in relation to God, who is his Father in heaven (Mat_5:48; Mat_7:11; Joh_1:12-13; Rom_8:16; 1Jo_3:1 f.). Of the believer Paul says, \”Thou art no more a servant, but a son” (Gal_4:7). God is thought of as Father, no longer as merely Ruler. The most distinct exercise of the liberty of the children of God is the boldness with which believers may draw near to Him (Heb_4:16; Heb_10:19). Christians are invested with the full privileges of the priesthood (1Pe_2:9). Liberty is freedom not license (Gal_5:13; 1Pe_2:16).
    • Flesh sarx: As implying sinfulness, proneness to sin, the carnal nature, the seat of carnal appetites and desires, of sinful passions and affections whether physical or moral
  • What is the difference in Paul\’s life between Romans 7:19-25 and Romans 8:1-8? Is this difference true for you, too?
  • What choice do we have (verse 6)?
  • What is the result of that choice (verses 6-8)?
  • What steps can the mind set on the flesh take to achieve righteousness?

Rom 8:9-23 NASB However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (10) If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. (11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (12) So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh– (13) for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (14) For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (15) For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” (16) The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, (17) and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (18) For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (19) For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. (20) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope (21) that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (23) And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for ouradoption as sons, the redemption of our body. (bolds mine)

  • How is someone not in the flesh, but in the Spirit?
  • What does that mean for you, personally?
  • Is the mortal body hopelessly lost and dead?
  • obligation: opheilete; one indebted for favors or morally bound to the performance of any duty
  • What power does living by the Spirit have over the power of the flesh?
  • What relationship do we have with God if we have the Spirit of Christ in us? What does it mean that we are fellow heirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him? What does that mean to you?
  • Who and/or what waits for redemption?

Rom 8:24-39 NASB For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? (25) But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. (26) In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; (27) and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (28) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (29) For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; (30) and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. (31) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? (32) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (33) Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; (34) who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. (35) Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” (37) But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. (38) For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, (39) nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • Are we given salvation because of hope? If not, then what do you think Paul means in verse 24? Note: the word saved (sozo) also means preserved safe from danger, protected.
  • How does your hope help you in your trials?
  • If the Holy Spirit is in us, should we be concerned that we don\’t know how to pray for someone or something in our lives? Why or why not?
  • Do you believe that God causes all things to work together for good (benefit) to those who love God? Why do you think Paul wrote this to the Roman church? Can you see how God used the slaughter of Christians during the times of this letter for good? How does this apply to your life?
  • Can anything or anyone overpower Christ? (Eph 1:18-23)
  • Verse 36 refers to Psalm 44 (Verses 1-8 praise and power, but the remainder pleas for God’s help) – do you see similarities in Psalm 44 and to the condition of the Church in Rome at the time of Paul\’s writing? Do you see this happening in our world today? What is Paul\’s point in using this Psalm?
  • How does Paul conclude chapter 8? Did the Psalmist believe this? Do you believe this? What hope is available for you in verses 37-39?

REFERENCES

free eleuthería; gen. eleutherías, fem. noun from eleútheros (G1658), a free person. Freedom, generosity, ind ependence(The Complete Word Study Dictionary ©1992 By AMG International, Inc)

(II) In the OT, the idea of spiritual freedom is not as prominent as in the NT (Psa_51:2; Psa_54:6; Psa_119:45). “The fear of the Lord” is a common expression for OT religion (Psa_34:11) and is the foundation of OT piety. “Servant” is the distinctive title of the good man (Psa_19:11 [cf. Heb_3:5]). God is thought of chiefly as the supreme, universal sovereign and ruler whose eminence is clearly recognized (Isa_33:22; Isa_57:15). Obedience is the central virtue of religious character to which all blessings are promised (1Sa_15:22). The OT age was the age of childhood and revealed religion, when children were trained for independence by a course of obedience and subjection to authority (Gal_4:1 f.). “The law has been our tutor to bring us unto Christ” (a.t. [Gal_3:24]). The provisions of the OT are called by Paul in Gal_4:9 as “weak and beggarly rudiment\” (a.t.). The prevailing spirit was a “spirit of bondage again to fear” (Rom_8:15). At the same time, the emphasis laid on God’s work of redemption might have given rise to thoughts of spiritual freedom (Exo_13:14; Deu_7:8; 1Ch_17:21), and in Isa_61:1 this truth finds glorious expression. The political system of Israel had certain elements of freedom which distinguished it from the despotisms of the day by many humane regulations unknown elsewhere, such as those with regard to slavery (Exo_21:2) and land (Lev_25:10, Lev_25:23).

Eph 1:18-23 NASB I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (19) and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might (20) which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (22) And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Psa 44:1-26 NASB For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. O God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us The work that You did in their days, In the days of old. (2) You with Your own hand drove out the nations; Then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, Then You spread them abroad. (3) For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them. (4) You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. (5) Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. (6) For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. (7) But You have saved us from our adversaries, And You have put to shame those who hate us. (8) In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah. (9) Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor, And do not go out with our armies. (10) You cause us to turn back from the adversary; And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. (11) You give us as sheep to be eaten And have scattered us among the nations. (12) You sell Your people cheaply, And have not profited by their sale. (13) You make us a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us. (14) You make us a byword among the nations, A laughingstock among the peoples. (15) All day long my dishonor is before me And my humiliation has overwhelmed me, (16) Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger. (17) All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You, And we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant. (18) Our heart has not turned back, And our steps have not deviated from Your way, (19) Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals And covered us with the shadow of death. (20) If we had forgotten the name of our God Or extended our hands to a strange god, (21) Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. (22) But for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. (23) Arouse Yourself, why do You sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not reject us forever. (24) Why do You hide Your face And forget our affliction and our oppression? (25) For our soul has sunk down into the dust; Our body cleaves to the earth. (26) Rise up, be our help, And redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness.