Be Encouraged Saints!

This is the first edition of "Lets Dig" Romans 8 from Z180 Episode 13

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. 5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

Paul contrasts walking in the flesh walking in the spirit. To walk refers to a “Lifestyle”. To walk in the flesh is walking to sinful fleshy desires. Galatians 5:19 states it best..adultery, fornication (which is sex before marriage) hatred, jealousy, all consuming yet never yielding wants.
But to walk in the spirit is a life yielded to God. This life produces fruit. (Love, joy, peace, longsuffering (a willingness to stick with things), gentleness, and self control.

7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

Even what you think you do is good, if it’s done in the flesh, so its produced by the flesh and for its own selfish reasons. A rebellious heart is hostile towards God. Romans 8:8 says it best.. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

The spirit of God permanently indwells in every believer at the moment the individual trusts in Jesus Christ. The body is dead because of sin, it is unredeemed and dead in sin.

12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of son ship. And by him we cry, "Abba,[Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17Now 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.

Christians are debtors (one who owe; obligated; a person who owes). We don’t live according to the flesh, by the power of the Holy Spirit in us; we put to death the deeds of the body, and its fleshly desires. So what is the test of a personal relationship with the Lord? OBEDIENDCE!

We are God’s children and heirs by adoption! Esther 2 is a must read. The person adopted was regarded as a new person beginning a new life. You see legally the adopted one gained all the rights of one born into the family as the legitimate heir to the father’s estate. We enjoy security in our relationship with him; we also enjoy intimacy with him. (Abba/ Aramaic for daddy was the familiar expression to address their fathers, it connotes tenderness, dependence and a relationship free of fear or anxiety.

18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Paul had suffered greatly for the gospel. Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, you name it. He still stood boldness and said. 18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Even creation waits for the revealing… the uncovering or unveiling of the sons of God. You will see the real us when Christ return in Glory. As believers we should be looking forward to this with great expectation. If you look at verse 19 and 20 you will see that even creation long for the transformation from the curse and its effects.

23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Just like a first piece of produce appear on a tree provides hope for a future harvest the fruit which the spirit produces in us now provides hope that we will one day be like Christ. We have received the first fruits of the Holy Spirit as God’s down payment or guarantee of ultimate victory.

Be encouraged Saints!
Zerub