Romans 8:1-38
If you are in the habit of reading these posts without reading the chapter it is on, please do yourself a big favor and open to Romans 8 and soak in what I consider to be the greatest chapter in all of the Epistles if not all of Scripture. I won't even pretend to be able to cover it in this short post. God leads us down different roads in our lives. Some of them are peasant while some are painful. However, the reality is that all of them are designed and directed by God for His purpose and glory.
THE ROAD TO SPIRITUALITY: This first section is a summary of the previous two chapters that taught that we can be free from the law of sin's dominance over our lives through identification with Christ in His death and the Holy Spirit's ministry in our lives. Christ has released us from the condemnation of sin as well as from power of sin. When we are justified through faith, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and He gives us a new nature. This act of salvation puts to death the old nature in the sense that it no longer has authority over our bodies. As believers, God has called us to set our minds upon and live in obedience to the new nature he has given to us. The old nature has its mind completely consumed with gratifying the sinful desires of the flesh. Our new natures are attuned to the Spirit of God. The old nature leads to death while the new nature leads to life. God's desire and destiny for every believer is that they yield control of their lives to the new nature that the Spirit has given us.
THE ROAD THROUGH SUFFERING: Life on this sin cursed planet will naturally be identified by suffering. All of creation is impacted by and groans under the blight of sin. Whatever sufferings we might be called upon to face on this earth are very small when compared with the glory that God has planned for us in eternity. There is no way to deny that we as believers suffer. Unbelievers suffer as well. The difference is that we suffer with hope. We have not seen nor experienced the hope that Christ has promised us in eternity, but it is the reality that has been promised to us in the future. When we face suffering, we must not allow ourselves to focus on the circumstances of the earth on which we live; we must anchor our souls in the hope of heaven and the glories that are set before us. This is easy to say but much harder to live. But God knows this and has sent the Spirit to remind us of eternity during our trials but He also provides comfort for our souls as we endure trials. He knows our pain and He also knows God's perspective so He helps us to pray even when we do not know how to articulate our own prayers. The Holy Spirit takes our groanings as we life on a groaning planet and He translates them that they might accomplish God's glory in the midst of suffering.
THE RAOD OF SECURITY: Perhaps the most difficult road on which we sometimes travel is the road of doubt. We doubt our faith, we doubt God's goodness, we doubt God's sovereignty and we doubt our ability to endure. God has given us a bridge of assurance over the seas of doubt that torment our hearts. We can rest in His provision and promises because we know that He is working to make us like Christ through the trials we face. Our sufferings are demonstrations of His love for they are used for our good and His glory. Too often we think that the "good" promised in this passage is comfort or ease. The reality is that the "good" that God promises is conformity to the image of Christ. That character is usually forged on the anvil of suffering and the Refiner's fire. But we can take comfort in knowing that it is God who as at work to bring this about. This is His path and He has set His affections upon us. If we have placed our hope on Christ alone for forgiveness and freedom from sin; God has promised to bring that faith to fruition by making us like Jesus. This is the true demonstration of God's love, that we might be like Christ. As His children, nothing can separate us from His glorious purpose for our lives. Suffering, sickness and Satan himself are powerless to separate us from His loving purpose for our lives. In this purpose we can rest secure.
THE ROAD TO SPIRITUALITY: This first section is a summary of the previous two chapters that taught that we can be free from the law of sin's dominance over our lives through identification with Christ in His death and the Holy Spirit's ministry in our lives. Christ has released us from the condemnation of sin as well as from power of sin. When we are justified through faith, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and He gives us a new nature. This act of salvation puts to death the old nature in the sense that it no longer has authority over our bodies. As believers, God has called us to set our minds upon and live in obedience to the new nature he has given to us. The old nature has its mind completely consumed with gratifying the sinful desires of the flesh. Our new natures are attuned to the Spirit of God. The old nature leads to death while the new nature leads to life. God's desire and destiny for every believer is that they yield control of their lives to the new nature that the Spirit has given us.
THE ROAD THROUGH SUFFERING: Life on this sin cursed planet will naturally be identified by suffering. All of creation is impacted by and groans under the blight of sin. Whatever sufferings we might be called upon to face on this earth are very small when compared with the glory that God has planned for us in eternity. There is no way to deny that we as believers suffer. Unbelievers suffer as well. The difference is that we suffer with hope. We have not seen nor experienced the hope that Christ has promised us in eternity, but it is the reality that has been promised to us in the future. When we face suffering, we must not allow ourselves to focus on the circumstances of the earth on which we live; we must anchor our souls in the hope of heaven and the glories that are set before us. This is easy to say but much harder to live. But God knows this and has sent the Spirit to remind us of eternity during our trials but He also provides comfort for our souls as we endure trials. He knows our pain and He also knows God's perspective so He helps us to pray even when we do not know how to articulate our own prayers. The Holy Spirit takes our groanings as we life on a groaning planet and He translates them that they might accomplish God's glory in the midst of suffering.
THE RAOD OF SECURITY: Perhaps the most difficult road on which we sometimes travel is the road of doubt. We doubt our faith, we doubt God's goodness, we doubt God's sovereignty and we doubt our ability to endure. God has given us a bridge of assurance over the seas of doubt that torment our hearts. We can rest in His provision and promises because we know that He is working to make us like Christ through the trials we face. Our sufferings are demonstrations of His love for they are used for our good and His glory. Too often we think that the "good" promised in this passage is comfort or ease. The reality is that the "good" that God promises is conformity to the image of Christ. That character is usually forged on the anvil of suffering and the Refiner's fire. But we can take comfort in knowing that it is God who as at work to bring this about. This is His path and He has set His affections upon us. If we have placed our hope on Christ alone for forgiveness and freedom from sin; God has promised to bring that faith to fruition by making us like Jesus. This is the true demonstration of God's love, that we might be like Christ. As His children, nothing can separate us from His glorious purpose for our lives. Suffering, sickness and Satan himself are powerless to separate us from His loving purpose for our lives. In this purpose we can rest secure.
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