Romans 8:1-16: Life and Glory Through the Spirit
Chapter seven ended with a depressed man who had done everything he could to do what God wanted of him. He tried hard to be good. But the harder he tried, the worse he did. He ends up saying, What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (7:24-25)
He does show a glimmer of hope, though, with his thanks to God through Jesus. He recognizes and wants to tell us that there is something better than trying to do what is right all by yourself: the grace of God.
In chapter 8, the depressed man begins with the fact that when we are in Jesus and his grace, we do not have condemnation. We are not saved nor lost by what we do. We are saved or lost by who we are. If we are in the grace, we are saved. If we are not, we are lost. It is grace that saves us, not our own strength. If it is up to us, life is depressing in our futility. But in Jesus it is joy.
Grace takes up the slack. It enables us to do what we want to but are unable to do because of our weakness. It is divine strength.
SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS PASSAGE FOR YOUR OWN PRIVATE STUDY;
1. V1 What does that mean that there is no condemnation? Does that mean we cannot do any wrong?
2. What about when we feel condemned ourselves, in spite of what God says? (cf 1 John 3:20-22)
3. If the law was so powerless, why do you think God put so much emphasis on it? Even in v4, he says the righteous requirements of the law must be fully met in us?
4. V5 How do you have your mind set on what the Spirit desires? What do you think that means exactly?
5. V7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. How is the sinful mind hostile? Is it a conscious decision or a lifestyle or what?
6. Why can the sinful mind not submit to God’s law?
7. There is a matter of control mentioned here a bunch of times. Why is the issue of control so important?
8. There is also a matter of mindset. How does mindset work in our Christian lives?
9. V12 says we have an obligation. What is the obligation? Why would he put it that way? Doesn’t that sound a lot like duty?
10. How does that Spirit of sonship work?
11. Abba means Daddy in Aramaic. What does this kind of relationship look like to you? Can we really have that kind of relationship with God?
12. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children? How do you feel that work in your own life?
13. How are we co-heirs with Christ if we are subject to him?
14. Can you share in his glory if you never really suffer?
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