Good News! Digesting the Book of Romans

Question of the Day:  What do you rest in?

Well we are finally to chapter 8.  Why do I say that?  Well, I love this chapter.  I can't remember an age when I didn't like verses or passages from this chapter.  When choosing to study Romans, this chapter had a lot to do with my decision.  I needed to dig into this chapter, but I wanted to do it in context of the entire book.  So here we are in chapter 8.

Read: Romans 8: 1-4


Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c]And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Let's just sit in that for a moment.  In fact let's reread it in different versions. 

In the message it reads: "1-2 With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."

What fateful dilemma?

I think we need to do a quick review.

So in Chapter 7 what was the struggle?  What was this fateful dilemma?  

So does this imply that there is no more work to be done?

Keep reading... Romans 8: 5-17

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 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 because of[e] his Spirit who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,[g] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 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.

Most of you know this has been a challenging week for me.  I have prayed over this lesson and was trying to find a way to state this passage.  Then, I received a hug from God.  Here it is... from our Pastors Facebook feed...

I think the Bible gives us room to see Jesus both dying for us and dying as us. The cross is a rich and inexhaustible theme for contemplation! So I don't think there is just one way of looking at the cross. I do think the fruit in a person's life is telling for whether they have let the gospel penetrate the heart. And if the fruit is sour there is probably a distorted picture of God somewhere (and that could be something like a shame-inducing "sinner consciousness" that you mention). I used to wonder how it was possible to be humble and confident at the same time. The gospel has taught me how and the Tim Keller quote above is a beautiful and concise way of summing up how that works, I think. Love and acceptance is the answer. Recognizing that God knows me and sees me (flaws and all) and loves me and accepts me (by creation and by redemption), is liberating. It seems to me that saying we are not flawed is only looking at half of the picture. It is true that in Christ I am perfect. But if that were the end of it, I would never get impatient with my kids or overeat when I'm stressed. Something about me is flawed and it causes me to take my eyes off Jesus and His completed work. Then I find myself working to figure stuff out on my own. But when I abide in Christ, remembering who He is and who I am, life is sweet. As a Christian I still make mistakes, but there is no condemnation. I am His dearly loved child. And He is patiently teaching me how to walk in the Spirit so I don't fulfill the lusts of the flesh. I understand how a word like "overcome" is fraught for Adventists. We have some dangerous theology in the church that makes salvation depend on human performance and it leaves people stressed out and selfish all the time (always wondering if they are good enough). But the Bible teaches overcoming (messages to the seven churches in Revelation). It teaches the reality of sin in our lives (1 John 1:8) - which is the other side of the picture to being perfect and accepted in Christ. The good stuff happens when we realize that our standing with God does not depend on our performance. Jesus has already saved us to the uttermost. I liken it to walking on a 2x4. Put the 2x4 100 feet off the ground and I will be paralyzed and unable to walk on it. Put it on the ground where there is no chance of getting hurt if I make a misstep and I can actually learn to walk on it. Of course, God provides all the resources for walking and doing. It is never I, by myself, doing any of it. Just sharing where I'm at. This has been a life-long quest to get to the sweetness of the gospel. It has penetrated my thick head and calloused heart. Jesus is awesome! And I know I still have lots to learn. Thanks for helping me to grow and ponder further.

This passage is about the freedom. It is the freedom that comes from what Christ has done for us... freedom to then without fear or a dark cloud weighing us down live, grow, and transform into a reflection of Him. It is a work for sure, but a work not for Salvation but to glorify the one who gave us salvation.  

I was recently talking to a young mom who was feeling like she was a complete failure.  After listening to her for a while, I asked her about her kids.  Now I know her kids.  They are smart, well behaved, giving, silly, and growing, developing and loving the Lord.  She said similar things.  I told her that how your kids are doing is a great reflection of who you are as a parent.  

Because we are adopted into the family of God, our transformation is not about us gaining Salvation, but us glorifying Him and who He is.  We now by serving Him speak to who He is. Paul and his life are a great example.  Jesus took a persecutor and transformed him into a man who spreads life. Instead of beating down the followers of Christ he built them up and strengthened them. Transformed? Absolutely! Paul doesn't get the glory.... Jesus does!!!

Let's keep reading....

I grew up in a family that loves to bike.  The family was always wanting to go on bike rides, and I'm not talking about bike rides, like a mile here and a mile there.  They liked to do long bike rides. Sometimes 50+ miles.  We easily got our cycling honor both the regular and the advanced one.  When we would bike, I hated hated hated most of it...especially when I was behind.  When I was behind, when everyone else was way ahead it was horrible.  Talk about a low-lying black cloud.  I would push myself but that didn't seem to get me anywhere.  It was horrible.   I hated it.  HATED IT!!

Now when I was near the front, when I was setting the pace, it still wasn't my favorite activity, I still struggled, but I felt optimistic and like the hill, or the road was doable.  The difference between chapter 7 and chapter 8 is that Paul isn't behind. He isn't in the back climbing up the hill and desperately wanting to quit. Because of what Jesus did for us we can ride without discouragement, or shame, we can ride knowing that we will finish the race.  We will still have to climb the hills, but we can do it without feeling defeated.  

Because of what Jesus has done for us, we are free, free to climb the hills of life.  

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness.