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The eighth chapter of Romans has stamped its mark on the church down through the ages.
It follows the Christian from the moment the burden rolls off at the cross
until the moment he is called to go through the gates of heaven where he will see
Jesus face to face.
In Romans 8, Paul draws the ultimate conclusion of his theme.
It is that the Christian through faith is righteous, and that the Christian is
free from wrath, sin, and the law, and also "free from death."
The Christian is "free from death."
The Spirit has been given to him, and the Spirit gives life.
Chapter 8 can be divided into four divisions:
1. Free from death, through the Spirit. (Vs. 1-11)
2. Free from death, that we may have life. (Vs. 12-17)
3. The sufferings of this present age and glory of the age that is to come. (Vs. 18-30)
4. Conclusion: God's love in Christ. (Vs. 31-39)
Living In The Eighth - 8:1f
" There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. "
The word, no, is as great as it is brief.
It declares that God has placed those who are in union with Christ on ground where they will never
be condemned - now or never. ... More
No Condemnation - 8:1
The Christian does not have to face judgment, for we have already passed from death to life.
( John 5:24)
It is not possible to exaggerate the importance of the affirmation of Romans 8:1.
Here we are told most emphatically that there is now no condemnation to them which are
in Christ Jesus. ... More
In Jesus - New Life - 8:1-4
The one who receives Jesus Christ as his Saviour is pardoned.
By the grace of God he is brought into a new position of righteous living.
All that God has is his through Jesus.
His past sins are no more.
His present is provided for by His heavenly Father.
His future is assured forever in Christ. ... More
Purpose Of The Law - 8:4
When we are “in Christ”, the law’s positive purpose is fulfilled in us.
It Is not fulfilled in us by our keeping the of the law, but through Christ, and by the fact
that we are “in Him.” ... More
Two Great Results - Life Or Death - 8:5-8
No one minds all things of the flesh, yet each one of us mind one or the other of these things.
Even the spiritual man may often struggle with the lusts of the flesh, and be for a moment
cast down by them. ... More
The Indwelling Spirit Of Christ - 8:9
To be in Christ means to be free from wrath, sin, the Law, and death.
Christ in us is therefore both the place where we are deprived of our liberty
and the place where we receive it.
It is both the place where we are judged and the place where we are justified. ... More
Man Cannot - God Can! - 8:5-8
Of ourselves we can do nothing.
There is no Creator, but God!
There is no Saviour, but Jesus! ... More
Led By The Spirit - 8:14
It is necessary that believers be led by the Spirit of God, for the believer is a traveler
to the eternal world.
And in spiritual things, we are little children who need to be led because of our weaknesses. ... More
Sons Of God - 8:14
If led by God's Spirit, rejoice in the reality of your divine sonship.
As God's children, let us evermore seek to be led by His Spirit.
By this we may know that we are sons of God. ... More
Two Spirits: Bondage And Adoption - 8:15
Those with the spirit of bondage do not see themselves as slaves.
There is no fear of God in their minds. ... More
Two Witnesses - 8:16
So, as the Spirit witnesses with us, not only by way of assurance, but by way of assistance,
His testimony has an influence upon ours.
He helps us to witness to ourselves. ... More
If Children - Then Heirs - 8:17
So, we are heirs of God, not because we succeed Him,
but because we are admitted by God into the enjoyment of Himself. ... More
Joint Heirs And Sufferers With Christ - 8:17
It is with the exalted Christ that we are joint heirs.
Joint heirs means that the children of God enter into the possession of the inheritance
which was bestowed upon them. ... More
Not Worthy Of Comparison - 8:17
Paul would compress all the suffering of the world into a tiny spark, while he expands its glory
as the blaze of a burning forest or as a drop of water into a mighty ocean.
So, Paul encourages us to endure afflictions because there is no comparison between
this present suffering and our future glory. ... More
Firstfruits- 8:23
The influences of the Spirit are not merely a promise of the future, they are the actual
commencements of the golden harvest of eternal glory.
Whatever blessings the Spirit has bestowed are pledges of the future possession. ... More
Redemption Of The Body - 8:23
In the last analysis -- this is all we know: God in Christ stands at the end of history in general.
God in Christ stands at the end of the life of every individual person. ... More
Saved In Hope - 8:24
The soul of man, looking onward in faith, is conscious of hope, and the soul, looking around
in faith, is conscious of peace. ... More
We Wait For Patience - 8:25
The men of the world hope for riches and the material, the perishable things of this life.
But we, as believers, hope for an inheritance in heaven that will never fade away.
The person who is earth-bound is not heaven-bound. ... More
The Spirit Helps Our Infirmities - 8:26
The Holy Spirit indwelling the Christian, comes to the aid of that Christian in his spiritual problems
and difficulties, not by taking over, but by helping him to bear his weaknesses.
If we are not delivered from them, we are enabled to bear them. ... More
What To Pray For? - 8:26-27
This is one of the most important passages on prayer in the New Testament.
Paul says we do not know what to pray for because of our weakness, but the prayers we ought
to pray are offered for us by the Holy Spirit of God. ... More
Unutterable Groanings - 8:26
It is our hearts that groan, but the operation and emotion are from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit who produces them must not be confounded. ... More
The Searcher Of Hearts - 8:27
Our heavenly Father searches the hearts of His children, and understands the intent
of our unutterable prayers. ... More
The Spirit's Intercession - 8:27
Our text says that God searches our hearts and knows the intentions of the Holy Spirit
who is interceding for us even when we cannot properly express the objects of our prayers. ... More
We Know! - 8:28
We know it because God has said it, and because saints of God have testified of it from Joseph
all the way to Paul and to us. ... More
All Things - 8:28
Paul was not hesitant to claim that nothing can take place, which does not fit with God's purpose
for His children. ... More
Work Together! - 8:28
The working of God is made up of so many parts, it tends to baffle the mind and the understanding
of man.
Yet all is clear to the eye of God, and all is under the sovereign hand of God. ... More
To Those Who Love God - 8:28
What is said of all things working together for good is limited to those who love God.
All believers love God, and only believers love Him. ... More
The Called - 8:28
God has called us to salvation, and has sent into our heart such an influence, as to make the call
effectual to our salvation.
In this way, our salvation is traced to its source -- God. ... More
Predestination - 8:29
So, the destiny of those who abide in Christ have His destiny.
His destiny is our destiny.
He is the predestinated One, and we, as believers, are predestinated in Him. ... More
Firstborn Among Many Brethren - 8:29
So, He who is the firstborn is not alone in the Father's house of many mansions;
He has many brethren who are members of the divine household. ... More
To Be Like Him - 8:29
The word, "conformed," means, "to bring to the same form with," some other or thing.
Here it is used of the believer who is to be conformed to the image of Christ.
It is not as a penny bears the subscription of a king or a president.
There is something more required of us than having in some dark corner the name of Jesus
tattooed into the skin of our profession.
And it is not a cold morality that is conformity to the image of Christ.
A statue may present the very image of a statesman or a president, but that statue is blind,
motionless, and has no life.
We are not to be mere dead pictures of Christ.
We are to be like Him because He lives within us. ... More
He Also Called! - 8:30
Let us consider the process by which the soul was dead in trespasses and sins hears the voice
of God and passes from death into life.
In the Scriptures this is set forth as God's call.
The call of our text is a particular, personal call.
This call is by grace, and it is not a mere outward call or invitation.
It is an inward calling made effectual by the Holy Spirit.
The verb used here for "called" is the very common Greek word, "kaleo".
Godet says that this call embraces the outward invitation by preaching, and the inward drawing
by the Spirit of grace.
As we did earlier with predestination, let us do here with calling.
Let us look at calling generally.
Let us began by looking at Revelation 22:19: "And the Spirit and the Bride say,
'Come, and let him that is athirst come.
And whomsoever will, let him take the water of life freely.' " ... More
He Also Justified! - 8:30b
Many try to justify themselves before men and God, not so much by good works as by just plain work.
After all it is hard work and success which make a man worth something.
They give a person self respect.
They prove that he is a good husband and father.
They win approval for him and win the admiration of others.
So, a man works harder and harder.
After all -- isn't that the answer? ... More
He Glorified - 8:30c
In the divine foreknowledge our glorification is already seen as an event accomplished.
Even the future glory of believers is a present reality in the mind and purpose of God.
And we are already experiencing some foregleams of that glory.
So, glorification is listed here in Romans 8: 30 as the final and concluding act of redemption.
Glorification is itself called salvation in Hebrews 9: 28; 1 Peter 1: 5; Romans 13:11.
This is the great theme of Romans 8: 18-25.
Glorification is complete conformity to the image of Jesus Christ. ... More
God is For Us! - 8:31
Paul begins with clear and ringing questions:
"What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Here that question sums up the whole previous argument.
What conclusion shall we draw from these facts?
Paul replies.
But his reply took the form of further questions.
If God has set us free from sin and death, and has given us His Spirit, and has made us
sons and heirs, and has chosen us for glory; then who can prevail against us?
The real effect of this is to reduce all that has gone before to a single, mighty statement:
"God is for us; therefore, we have nothing to fear." ... More
Divine Giving - 8:32
In order to confirm our confidence in God, Paul presents this text to prove that God
is certainly with us, and also to assure us that we shall receive from Him every blessing.
There are circumstances which are calculated to inspire distrust in the mind of Christian.
There are afflictions which press upon us in this world.
Afflictions which are common to all men, and are peculiar to the followers of Christ.
There are circumstances calculated to cloud the hopes of Christian, and there are sins
of which the Christian is guilty. ... More
More Than Conquerors - 8:35-37
Paul's notes of assurance and victory now reach their highest pitch.
Paul reaches this new and final level of thought.
Can anything cut us off from the love of God?
Can suffering do what sin cannot do?
Thinking of these glorious and divine consolations that Paul has been unfolding, he had demanded
an answer.
Who shall accuse?
Who shall condemn the children of God?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Paul has pointed out to us how our fears from within are relieved.
Now he fortifies us against fears from without.
The question is: "Will anything ever make Christ cease to love us?" ... More
Nothing Shall Separate - 8:38-39
“I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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."
These tremendous words are the conclusion of Paul's long demonstration that
the gospel is " the power of God unto salvation."
No one has ever set forth the results of justification so completely, compactly, and so profoundly,
in a way that is so stimulating, effective, and uplifting.
And all this in a letter to a single congregation.
This is a chapter in which every Christian should immerse his soul. ...More
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