Romans 8 Life Through the Spirit
Verse 1 - 2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of Life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Because of the cross of Christ, in the realm of the Spirit we have already entered into triumph and glory, we have already been forgiven everything. We need now only to acknowledge wrong, confess it, and the moment we do forgiveness is already ours.
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Ray Stedman tells a story from when he was a young boy growing up in the North Dakota plains. He recalls seeing at night the flames of a prairie fire lighting the horizon, sweeping across the grass of those prairies. He knew that such prairie fires were terrible threats to the pioneers who crossed the plains in their covered wagons. When they would see a threatening fire coming toward them, driven before the wind, they would simply light another fire and the wind would catch it up and drive it on beyond them and then they would bet in the burned-over place and when the fire coming toward them reached it, it found nothing to burn and went out.
The cross of Jesus is such a burned-over place. Those who trust in it, and rest in the judgment that has already been visited upon it, have no other judgment to face. |
Verse 3 - 4 For 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, in 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.
Verse 5 - 8 Those 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. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
Verse 9 - 10 You, however, are controlled not by he 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. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Verse 11 - 14 And 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.
Verse 15 17 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 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.
What does it mean to be an heir? (Got Questions)
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Verse 18 - 21 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
Verse 22 - 25 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not 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. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Verse 26 - 27 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 with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
How does the Spirit help us in our weakness? He helps us is by telling us why our sufferings are worth enduring for Christ. All of verses 18-25 give reasons for why we should hold fast to our hope in the midst of futility and decay and groaning and death. Verse 27 also tells us the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness by praying for us...He intercedes for us in accordance with God's will. Verse 26 indicates that this verse is also in context of us seeking God in prayer. Prayer is a spiritual dialogue. We not only need to praise Him, thank Him and tell Him our requests....we need to wait and listen to Him speak to us via prayer.
When I think of intercession, I often reflect on the fact that Jesus intercedes on our behalf as our high priest (Hebrews 7:25). Verse 27 presents the Holy Spirit in a different light....not necessary interceding on our behalf to the Father like Christ does...but interceding on behalf of the Father to us! He speaks truth to us according to God's will. The Holy Spirit intercedes and prays for us so that God's will will be evident in our life as we following His leading. John 16:13 "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth by speaking to us. This does not mean it is an audible voice but a voice not of ourselves that we spiritually hear and discern. Ezekiel 2:2 "... the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me." Matthew 10:19-20 "But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 "What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words." John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." Galatians 4:6 "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Galatians 5:25 "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Romans 8:16 "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,..." Isaiah 30:21 "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." ----------------- Further Notes ------------------ Got Questions: How Can I recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Francis Chan: The Holy Spirit intercedes for us (starting about 27:00) John Piper: The Spirit helps us in our weakness I strongly believe that when we pray for others, we are interceding on their behalf and our prayers are affecting and effecting change in their lives because the Holy Spirit honors the prayers of the righteous (those praying according to His will) and speaks that truth into the heart of the one whom we are praying for. Of course, the one we are praying for has to develop those spiritual ears and may choose not to respond to the Spirits leading. Knowing this, we need to be persistent in our prayers - not because we are trying to get God's attention - but because we know He is working on the stubborn heart of the one we are praying for. |
What does it mean that the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings?
While I'm not a biblical scholar, I have read commentary's that attempt to explain this verse. And with much study in relation to the context of this verse (note that the verse says "in the same way" means that we are to connect this verses with preceding verses. My understanding, in short, is that the Holy Spirit strongly yearns for us to be restored completely to Him. We were created in God's image and because of sin, we have an earthly nature that competes with our new spiritual nature given to us at the time we accept Christ as the Lord of our life and savior (recognizing that we cannot save our selves but must accept His free grace filled gift). As we submit to the Holy Spirit, most often during times of struggle, laying our life and our will down to Him daily, the Holy Spirit conforms our will to His and transforms our image and nature into the image and nature of Christ. The Holy Spirit yearns and intercedes on our behalf to be conformed to the will of the Father. Timothy Keller in his book, Prayer (Ch 5, pgs 72-73) states: There has been debate over the meaning of "the Spirit groans". Some believe this is the Spirit helping us when we are desperate and groaing but it is unlikely that this is describing only times of depression. Rather, the "weakness" referred to is the weakness described in the preceding verses, which refer not just to times of despondency but to our entire human situation of frustrated longings as we await the future glory. We know that God is working out all things for our good according to His will but seldom can we discern what that good actually is. Most of the time we don't know exactly what outcome we should pray for. The Spirit makes our groaing His groaning, putting His prayers to teh Father inside our prayers. He does so by placing within us a deep inexpresible longing to do God's will and see His glory. This aspiration - this "groaning" desire to please Him - comes through in our petitions to God. In every specific request, then, teh Father hears us praying for what is both truly best for us and pleasing to Him, "and the intercession of the Spirit is ansered as God works all things for our good." The Spirit enables us to long for the future glory of God and His will, even though we don't know the specific thing we should pray for here and now. Prayer is the way to experience a powerful confidence that God is handling our lives well, that our bad things will turn out for good, our good things cannot be taken fro us, and the best things are yet to come. Does this groaning refer to speaking/praying in tongues? There are two theologies that are polar opposites of each other. One theology instructs us regarding the cessation of certain gifts of the Spirit; while another theology instructs us that the gift of speaking in tongues is not only a current gifting of the Holy Spirit but evidence of the indwelling Spirit. I will admit that I have not intentionally studied teachings that avow the cessation of certain spiritual gifts. My stand is that many ascribe to this teaching because it eliminates fears associated with such practices or because it is an explanation as to why they do not practice these gifts themselves. When I read the Scripture, I understand that spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit 'as He determines' (1 Corinthians 12:11). If I don't speak in tongues it is because the Holy Spirit has not given me that gift or perhaps I have limited Him working as such. If I believe in the cessation of these gifts, than I will most certainly limit Him working in my life. I pray that I submit to Him for any gifting that He chooses to give. I also recognize that there is a huge responsibility that comes with spiritual gifts because these gifts are to be used, not for personal edification...or at least not exclusively, but for the edification of the church (1 Corinthians 14:12). So if I read this verse with the lens of a doctrine that believes in the cessation of certain spiritual gifts, than I most definitely will not allow for the interpretation that it is a reference to speaking in tongues. However, if I practice a doctrine that emphasizes speaking in tongues, then I may conclude that this verse is a reference to that gift (as I have heard many attempt to explain). In reading commentaries and teachings which explain this verse to mean that it is a reference to speaking in tongues, I find that these explanations do not teach HOW we are to come to that conclusion but ASSIGNS a meaning based on adhered to doctrines and theologies. These doctrines become the lens by which they interpret this verse rather than allowing this verse (and the context of the verse) to provide explanation. In parsing out this verse and reasoning this concluding interpretation, if this were speaking in tongues, then the application of this truth (that the Spirit intercedes for us would only apply to those who were gifted with speaking/praying in tongues. As we, as believers, are commanded to follow God's will and to walk and be led by the Spirit, I have to conclude that this is a reference to the Holy Spirit interceding on behalf of all believers to conform to God's will. |
Verse 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.
In context with the prior verse, we know that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us according to God's will we can also trust Him in all circumstances. As believers, we have been summoned (called) to serve His purposes. Because God is sovereign and in control, I can trust that what the devil meant to harm that God can turn it for His glory and purpose. Like Joseph, I may not be delivered from my circumstances but I know that God will never leave me or forsake me and may have a greater purpose in mind.
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Verse 29 - 30 For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
Verse 31 - 34 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Verse 35 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced 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.