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. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
New Life Through the Spirit
Romans 8 affirms our release from condemnation. Our new life, energized by the Spirit (the law of the Spirit) overcomes the principles of sin and death. Romans 7 mentions “law” 20 times, “I” 22 times, and “I do” 14 times! Its conclusion is, “I try, but I cannot!”
In Romans 8, “law” is mentioned only 4 times and “Holy Spirit” 20 times! Its conclusion is “I cannot, but the Holy Spirit within me will!”
Through Christ’s death sin has been condemned and the Holy Spirit given. He is now within to guide us. When we live in harmony with his promptings, we find that he controls the sin nature within.
1 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.
6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
It is the Spirit of God within us, who raised Jesus from the dead, who is also to lift us up too, to a new and righteous kind of living. Our obligation is not to “try,” but to trust the Spirit of God within us and let him lead us.
We are God’s children now, and heirs to a righteousness which is his.
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. And by him we cry, “Abba, 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.
Final Glorification
The promise of righteousness is for now — and for ever. What now seems a struggle will become full liberation when Jesus returns, when the fact of our sonship is made plain to all. Then even the Creation will share in a great purification, as every trace of sin is removed.
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 hope21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
In the meantime we have the assurance that the Spirit “helps us in our weakness.” We have the confidence that whatever enters our life is designed for good, that we might grow toward likeness of Jesus and our destiny.
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.
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.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
More than Conquerors
A great promise is ours. We are beyond condemnation. Christ has died for us and is risen for us, and nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against 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.”
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.
Young man taking selfie
