CENTER FOR CHURCH ENRICHMENT
ROMANS SURVEY

TEACHING OUTLINE 8

 

 



ROM 8:1-39

The Glory of Being In Christ

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Introduction

Rom 8 is written in response to Paul’s agonizing cry “Wretched man that I am, who can deliver me from this body of death?”

This chapter is the high point of Romans and Paul’s doctrine of justification reaches a climax in Rom 8.

Fundamental to the interpretation of this great chapter is the theological context of Romans, namely, justification, righteousness, or covenant relationship with God.

Paul has already demonstrated in Rom 7 that to seek righteousness through Torah keeping will only lead to frustration and guilt

In Rom 8 he will develop the thought that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”, and who have sought God’s covenant relationship of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul will show that with the indwelling  Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, and God on our side we cannot be denied our special relationship with God, and no one can destroy this special covenant relationship we have with God through faith in Jesus.
 

Rom 8:1-39 The Glory of Being in Christ

It will be imperative while teaching this material to keep the class focused on the central theme of Romans and this section, namely, Rom 7, 8.

Paul has established the fact that righteousness (which we must remember is understood as being in the right relationship with God, or more precisely, in a covenant relationship with God is not through Torah keeping, but through faith in Jesus Christ.

In this chapter Paul is concerned that believers know that their relationship with God is secure, and that suffering and persecution (Rome AD 58 ) cannot deny them their reward for faith in Jesus, namely, the right relationship with God.

God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus are all involved in the believers life enabling them to maintain that relationship with God against the challenges of trials and suffering.

In response to the cry, "Wretched man that I am, whop can deliver me from this body of death?" Paul responds, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!"

For those in Christ God has done what we could not do on our own, even with the law!

The Spirit of life, or the life giving Spirit has set us free form the spirit of death associated with our sin and the condemnation of the law!
 

Rom 8:1-11 The Spirit of Life

God through his Holy Spirit and the death of Jesus Christ has done what the Torah could not do, grant us righteousness and a special covenant relationship with God.  Since we are led by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit who is the spirit of life dwells in us we are assured of life and a resurrection with Christ.  The Torah could not promise this, but God has done this for us, and we have access to this not through the Torah, but through faith in Jesus Christ.
 

Rom 8:12-17 The Spirit of Adoption

Because we have faith like Abraham we are children of God (Rom 4).

Since we are not debtors to the flesh where Torah is to be found, and because we are debtors to the Spirit where life is found, and since we have faith like Abraham, we have been adopted into God’s family, through fait in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:26, 27).

In this spirit of adoption we cry out an acknowledge God as our Father, and the Holy Spirit agrees with us and witnesses to the fact that we are children of God.  Remember that the Holy Spirit was responsible for our new birth (John 3:3-5 and Titus 3:3-7).
 

Rom 8:18-25 Spiritual Frustration (Suffering) and the Future Hop of Glory

Spiritual suffering can develop into frustration unless we realize that we along with all of creation await a greater glory than the troubles we now encounter!

In a striking Apocalyptic passage which sets the suffering in persecution and oppression Paul encourages the believer to set their hope in God’s future and not in their own struggles.

The Apocalyptic mindset believes that God is working in his world to bring about the redemption of his creation.

By personalizing the sufferings of creation Paul sets our sufferings into the larger arena of suffering in which god has been working since before the creation and which will reach its goal in the future redemption of all at the end of time.

This paragraph sets the scene for the next one in which we see the holy Spirit, God, and Jesus all involved in working for our future to preserve our special covenant relationship with God.

This paragraph which is so heavily Apocalyptic, and the final paragraph of Rom 8:31-39 which is also heavily Apocalyptic become bookends for the intervening paragraph which set it also in the context of Apocalyptic. This realization is vital to the correct interpretation of Rom 8:28!
 

Rom 8:26-30 Divine Intervention and Assurance

The weakness Paul refers to in Rom 8:26 are set in the context of suffering and persecution (that is what the Apocalyptic genre defines).

When under extreme duress and suffering we do not know what or how to pray and can only sigh deep sighs, the Holy Spirit intercedes with God for us.

Paul then follows this divine intervention of the Holy Spirit in our behalf with the difficult statement that for those who love God all things work for their good.

We need first to determine what the good is that Paul has in mind!

From the context of Rom 7 and 8 we see that this is spiritual good that has to do with our justification or special covenant relationship with God.

Just as the Holy Spirit interceded in behalf of our prayers when struggling for righteousness, so God works in the affairs of our life to preserve our special covenant relationship with him

It is this that is the good for which he is working!

Be sure to keep the good within the context of Rom 7 and 8, namely, or justification and covenant relationship with God!

Note that the good worked is for those who have been called according to his purpose!

What was his purpose?

Paul will explain this in the next verses, Rom 8:29, 30.

In a beautiful and strong statement, most likely adopting an early Christian baptism confession or hymn, Paul demonstrates that we have been called according to God’s foreknowledge and predestination in order to be justified and glorified!  By stringing several verbs in the aorist tense Paul makes a strong statement of what God has done that assures us of our covenant relationship with God

Here we have it!

The purpose for which we have been called and for which God and the Holy Spirit have been working on our lives is our justification or special covenant relationship with God!

God has since before creation, and continues today thorough his Holy Spirit and his own “personal” intervention acted to preserve our righteousness or special covenant relationship with him which was brought about by the powerful death and resurrection of his Son.
 

Rom 8:31-39 We Are More than Conquerors!

Without leaving his major concern and doctrine, righteousness through faith in Jesus and not through Torah keeping, Paul shows that there is nothing that can take that special covenant relationship away from us.

In an impressive array of Apocalyptic terms Paul argues that neither tribulation, suffering, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness (shame), peril, or sword can deny the believer his reward or covenant relationship with God.  Because of the victory over evil won by Jesus on the cross, and our faith in him, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us!”
 

Conclusion

What the Torah could not do because of human weakness and sin, and what we have through faith in Jesus Christ and God’s grace, namely, righteousness or a covenant relationship with God is secure.

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us, God works for us, and Jesus also intercedes for us, in order to preserve the relationship we have with God through faith in Jesus!
 

Lessons From Rom 8

  1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!
  2. Being led by the Spirit and not by our sinful desires is most important.
  3. The indwelling Holy Spirit, the spirit of life, who was the power in Jesus’ resurrection, guarantees our future resurrection.
  4. Because we have received the spirit of adoption we cry “Father” and the Holy Spirit confirms this with God.
  5. When we struggle with deep spiritual problems, the Holy spirit intercedes with God for us.
  6. God has been working since before the creation according to his foreknowledge to secure our covenant relationship with him through faith in Jesus.  He continues today to see that that purpose he has for us is secure.
  7. Because God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus are for us, no-one can stand against us and condemn us, and deny us our victory and special relationship with God.
  8. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us!

 
Notes:

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