Romans

Romans Chapter 8

• Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Do we hear that? There is no condemnation from God to all those who are in Christ Jesus......who walk in the spirit and who are not walking in the flesh.

It does not say there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus but there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus and who are walking in the Spirit. Of course if one is really "in Christ Jesus" he or she would be walking in the Holy Spirit and not in the flesh.

To walk in the Spirit, one has to be obedient to the Spirit and obedient to the word of God. In other words we don't just receive Jesus into our lives and then do our own thing. This is to be a lifetime commitment to to Lord.

Chapter 7 describes a carnal Christian who is trying to serve God in the mind but his flesh is still serving sin. The law is still condemning that kind of person because he or she has not overcome sin. The flesh is still giving them problems and is defeating them until we get to verse one of chapter 8 and see liberty coming as the creature becomes a victorious believer who is walking in the Holy Spirit.

This may be what the second blessing people call sanctification. Sanctification is sometimes a one time experience where a person is delivered from the bondage of the flesh and God removes all love of the world from their lives. Some believers receive this at the time they are first saved. Some of us though are a little more stubborn and our sanctification is gradual or progressive as we grow in the Lord. The Holy Spirit is given to us who have received Jesus. When we keep seeking God and are baptized in the Holy Spirit, as we obey and walk with Him, we overcome the desires of the flesh.

• Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

This is what we must all remember. Walking in the Spirit cannot be accomplished by our own will power or going it alone. Jesus Christ made the way for every one of us to be completely free from the law of sin and death. The reason some of us have trouble with the flesh is that we forget that we have been saved from sin and that our sins are under the blood.

Peter describes this situation:

• 2Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
• 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
• 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
• 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
• 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

When we forget our first love and forget how Jesus died for our sins and removed them, we may tend to fall back into the lusts of the flesh. We must keep moving forward following the Lord on a daily basis.

• Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
• 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Before Christ comes into a person's life, they were too weak to obey any law of God. The law was perfect and holy but the flesh was too weak to keep the law. Jesus came into the likeness of human flesh. God became flesh. He became one of us and condemned sin in the flesh. The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in one who walks in the spirit. To walk in the Spirit we must be willing to listen and be obedient to the Spirit of God.

First step though is to repent of sin and trust in Christ for deliverance from sin. We have to make up our minds that we want Him to completely remove our sins and baptize us with the Holy Spirit. Like water baptism is being completely immersed in water, the baptism in the spirit completely immerses us in the Spirit of God.

Even then though daily walking and yielding to the Holy Spirit obeying the word that God provides to us through the written word, is the way to go. This is ongoing, it is going to produce fruit if we stay the course, stand strong and don't look back. God never leaves us without the power of His Holy Spirit available to all who desire to receive this gift from our Lord.

• Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
• 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
• 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
• 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

This sadly can be an unbeliever who has never been saved or a believer who has gone back into sin and is not in fellowship with the Lord. It is what some call backslidden. Backslidden just means sliding back closer to the place we were in before we met Jesus. It is not a place I care to be in.

• Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

If we reject God's Spirit and reject His correction, leading, conviction and all He has for us, we do not belong to Him even if we were saved once a few years back. It is not what happened years ago it is how we are walking now that counts.

• Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Remembering this will keep us from desiring to return to sin. We are dead to sin. It is gone. Jesus washed it away. Studying the word continually washes and cleanses us as we read and understand. Praying without stopping keeps us in contact with God so that His Holy Spirit can give us direction. This doesn't mean we stand on a street corner and keeping praying without stopping. It means that we don't go through long periods of time without praying and seeking out the will of God, the presence of God and listening to God.

We are as close to God as we want to be.

• Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

We need to be filled with God's spirit and walk in the spirit, not fulfilling the lust of the flesh. We must be this way when Jesus comes or we will be as the 7 virgins that took no oil in their lamps. I don't necessarily believe the oil is the Holy Spirit but the parable shows us that they were not ready when that bridegroom came. They were unprepared as we can be unprepared spiritually if we do not watch.

Here is another way not to be ready. Turning back and thinking the Lord delays his coming so we can go about our own business and be careless in how we treat our neighbors. This evil servant is one who once knew his lord but forgot his commands. 

• Matthew 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
• 49 And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
• 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
• 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Thinking the Lord delays His coming and we stop watching but get wrapped up in the carnal things of this world is dangerous to our fruitfulness. We begin to find fault with the brethren and get out of the Lord's will thereby losing our first love.

• Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
• 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Once we come to Christ we are to maintain our walk and mortify the deeds of the flesh. This shows us that there is something we must do. We have to trust Christ for strength always remembering His death and His price He paid for our sins. That is a must. Yet we must be willing to obey the Holy Spirit and be corrected by the word and by the spirit as we daily walk in the spirit.

We must be led by the spirit to be sons of God.

• Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
• 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

If we call ourselves Christians because we have repented of sin and come to Jesus Christ to be saved from sin, then we must start living like we believe. To say we trusted in Christ and then turn around and walk back into sin, is no sign of a believer. Yet we must not give up but restore ourselves back into fellowship with the Lord. We ask, we seek and we love. This doesn't mean that we always feel something. Sometimes we have to walk by faith when there is no feeling. We all go through those times. Yet remember seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened. Waiting on the Lord renews our strength. We shall mount up with wings as eagles. We shall walk and not be weary, we shall walk and not faint.

• Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
• 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Some of us suffer persecution for the cause of Christ but the suffering mentioned here is mortifying the flesh by denying the love of the world and choosing to follow God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

Moses is an example of that:

• Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
• 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
• 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

Some times we may have to identify with those that are unaccepted by the world are suffering affliction because they choose Christ. In the long run though we are better off.

• Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

If only we could just cling to that hope and promise instead of worrying about pleasing those that love this present world.

• 1Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

When we are waiting for the Lord's return in expectation and we love the Lord's return, we are more mindful of the things that pertain to the spirit rather than the flesh.

• Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

When we truly walk in the spirit, our desire will be to see the day when Jesus returns and all who belong to God will be made known or manifested to all to see.

• Romans 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
• 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

This describes a true conversion from an unbeliever deep in the bondage to sin to a glorious transformation into a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Sin brought bondage, salvation brings liberty.

Remember to walk in the spirit we must constantly seek to be filled with the spirit. There is no way we can use our own will power to overcome the flesh.

• Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
• 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

This describes our deep desire to be clothed with our new body that is promised to us by our Lord. We grown and travail to be with the Lord and overcome this life.

• Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
• 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
• 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

This is one reason for praying in the Spirit or praying in tongues. The Spirit prays for things our natural mind cannot think of.

• Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us by using our own voice to pray. This is really a mystery that I do not fully understand yet but it is exciting to read and begin to seek God for more knowledge on praying in the spirit.

• Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

If we pray in the Spirit we know for sure that all things we pray for are going to work out for those who are called of God and who love God. If we willingly get out of God's will or start walking in the flesh in disobedience, we are not promised that all things will work for our good.

• Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

God planned for all who obey the calling of His Spirit to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. This promise is for all who believe. It is not His will for any one of us to be lost. We all have a free will or a choice to receive all God has for us. Also we have the right to receive only part of what He has for us or to refuse anything He has for us.

God made the way for our salvation but our part is to yield or say yes to His Holy Spirit when that conviction comes and tugs at the heart of someone in need of God in their lives. This conviction can come also to one that does know God but has strayed away from that first love.

• Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Let us be careful not to believe God predestinates some to be saved and some to be lost. God predestinates all who believe to be saved and all who obey His calling to be saved. It is not His will that any should perish.

• 2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Those who obey His calling are justified or made just as if they never sinned.

• Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
• 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

We are never to stop seeking God. He freely gives us all good spiritual things and supplies all we need to share His gospel and to live in holiness until His return.

• Romans 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
• 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

All God promises come by way of Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection and faith in the same is why all these promises are given to us who believe. We must not be moved away from the simplicity of the gospel. We are saved by what He did. Our part is to receive Him into our lives. Not just mentally believe but believe to the point that we turn from sin and trust in Him for salvation from sin.

• Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Once we have trusted in Christ no one can separate us from His love. The only thing that could do that is our own unbelief if we stop believing in Him and allow sin back in our lives. Unbelief allows us to return to sin quicker than anything. We forget that we have been purged from sin.

• Romans 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
• 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
• 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
• 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is our hope until He returns again. We are more than conquerors through faith in Him who loves us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. We conquer through walking in the Spirit and forsaking the life in the flesh. We turn from our miserable existence in chapter 7 where sin is still giving us problems to a life in the Spirit in chapter 8 that Jesus' death and resurrection provided for us to have. DC