Romans 8 Bible Study (2)

Introduction

Verses 5-9 transition from good news to some bad news as Paul talks about our mindset

There is tension between the flesh and the Spirit here that we have to note in order to fully understand

Live according to flesh/spirit

Think according flesh/spirit

Mind of flesh/spirit

In flesh/spirit

What does it mean to live “according to the flesh?”

Paul has contrasted the flesh and spirit throughout Romans and even in Romans 8. Therefore it follows that living according to the flesh would be in opposition to God’s Spirit.

It means that sin has a grip on this person and has control over them in many respects - therefore, they are hostile to God and do not submit to GOd’s law because they are unable to do so.

Why would someone in the flesh be unable to submit to God’s law?

Because God’s law is diametrically opposed to the flesh and sin! Because we must be born again and given a new heart and be led by the Spirit!

If you don’t have this and if you aren’t led by the Spirit, verse 9 says that you cannot please God and that you do not belong to Him… Going back to verse 1, this means that this person is facing condemnation from Christ

V. 10-11

If Christ is in someone, the person’s body will die, but inside them the Spirit imparts life and delivers them from condemnation into eternal life

Romans 6:4 CSB

4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

Implies that Christ was raised from the dead by the Father and will one day raise us too! We have this same resurrection hope and Paul concludes in verse 11 by sharing that the Spirit transforms what was dead and imparts immediate and eternal life… We are a new creation as we have been born again by His power and presence in us!

What is the main point of this text to apply to our lives?

The main point is not that we will never have problems as Christians or that we are exempt from difficulty

The main point of the text is that because of the Father’s plan, the Son’s sacrifice, and the Spirit’s presence, we are saved from the wrath of God and set free to serve God as His children.

Think of some necessary questions to ask ourselves and others in light of Romans 8:1-11:

What does it mean to be in Christ?

Am I in Christ?

Why did Jesus have to come as an offering for sin?

Am I walking according to the flesh or Spirit?

What is my ultimate hope, even in times of difficulty? (See Romans 8:11)

Context:

What does Romans 8 tell us about God?

God is holy and demands that sin be punished

Jesus alone is the sacrifice for sin because He is the Son of God and He alone condemned sin in the flesh

God can only be pleased by those who walk according to His Spirit

_______________

Romans 8 continues to tell us this great news as we have been given the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit saves us and raises us from the dead. Now, Paul transitions to share with us what the Holy Spirit does inside of us each and every day. Let’s continue to look this evening at God’s Word and see how the Spirit helps us obey God.

Romans 8:12–17 CSB

12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Paul starts this section off with a concluding thought from the previous section talking about the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our life. In our flesh, we cannot please God… But the Spirit changes things up. Verses 10-11 say that Christ gives us life and not only life today but the hope of resurrection through His Spirit. As a concluding though, he says in verses 12-13 that we are no longer slaves to our flesh!

Paul has been clear with us for 2 chapters now, you are either walking according to the world or walking according to Christ. You’re either of the flesh or of the Spirit. You’re either in Christ or you’re not! Here are the destinations according to verse 13: If you live according to the flesh you will die. If you kill your flesh, you will live.

What does Paul mean by “put to death the deeds of the body?” How do we do this?

By denying ourself, taking up our cross and following Christ

Ironic how the cross became the symbol of early Christians. The term Christian was supposed to be an insult and was coined of followers of Christ in Antioch - it meant that they were “mini-Christ’s” and instead of being an insult became a badge of honor! Further, think of the cross for a moment. The cross was this evil weapon of torture and destruction used by the Roman empire on its victims and enemies. The cross was painful and something everyone wanted to avoid… Yet, the cross became the symbol of the early church. Many Christians died on crosses in the early centuries of the church as there was widespread persecution under Roman emperors and many Christians have died on crosses and in other ways since… Persecution and tribulation have always been a part of the Church of Jesus Christ… But even if you don’t face a physical cross, every Christian is demanded by Christ to take up his or her cross. This means exactly what Romans 8:12-13 say: If you want to follow Christ, you must put your old self to death. You must become a new creation. You need a new heart. You need to live according to the spirit, not according to the flesh. Even though we likely won’t die on a cross, we all need a cross to put to death our former self. We must kill our sin or else our sin will eventually kill us.

What does Paul mean when he says if you do this, “you will live?”

The only way to inherit eternal life is to walk according to the Spirit

Paul continues to share that Jesus changes us not only by giving us life, but also by making us God’s sons/daughters. Notice what he says here, “all led by God’s Spirit are God’s Sons.” This doesn’t mean that there are humans who are not created by God - God is the Father and Creator of all creation… But He is Father in Spirit only to those who are led by His Spirit. There is a clear distinction in Scripture between those who are walking according to their flesh and those walking according to His Spirit.

Paul continues on to talk about how we have received the Spirit of Adoption. What is significant about adoption in our world?

Adoption gives you a new family

Adoption can change your name

Adoption is a legal declaration

In the United States, 135,000 children are adopted each year and chances are you know someone who has either adopted a child or you know of a person who was adopted as a child. Adoption is a beautiful picture in our world as someone possibly without a family is given a new family to call their own. Again, we have to understand what the Bible says in its context. How is adoption similar and different today than it was back then?

Similar:

Adoption gave someone a new family

Adoption changed the name of the adoptee

Adoption was a legal declaration

Adoption can be expensive

Different

Roman Adoption was focused on finding a suitable heir

Roman Adopted children were looked at as superior because they were chosen by their parent

In the Roman world, being adopted meant that you were a completely different person. Your previous relationships? Gone. Your previous friendships? Gone. Your previous debts? Gone. Think about this term in reference to our standing before God. God adopts us into His family… What does this mean? Your previous standing is no more. Your previous debts are forgiven. Your previous inheritance is no longer your current inheritance. We read in Ephesians 2 that before Christ, we were children of wrath who were dead in our sins. We deserved destruction. Our debt of sin was too great for us to fix by ourselves. Left to ourselves, we would be doomed. Yet, God doesn’t give His children a spirit of slavery/fear… He gives us a spirit of adoption. He adopts us to His forever family and changes our name. He changes our family. He changes our legal standing.

JI Packer states this, “Adoption is the highest privilege that the Gospel offers: higher than even justification. To be right with the judge is a great thing, but to be loved and cared for by the Father is even greater.”

For the judge to declare you innocent in the courtroom is a great thing but to have the Father welcome you into the living room is even greater because God - in adoption - truly becomes your Father and you His child. This picture of adoption is an honor that we could never deserve on our own!

The Bible talks about God adopting us into His family… Today adoption is expensive. Was your spiritual adoption into God’s family costly?

Galatians 4:4–5 CSB

4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Our adoption cost Jesus His life as He died for our sins to redeem us and save us!

Our adoption brought us out of a very bad situation. Before you get to the good news of being adopted into God’s family you have to grapple with the bad news… Our sin separates us from God. God hates sin - He cannot stand it. If someone is not “in Christ Jesus” as we talked about last week in Romans 8:1 they are condemned because they are not adopted and they do not experience the blessing of being in that special relationship. The Holy Spirit not only opens our eyes but He also opens our heart to see that we are in fact God’s children.

What should we expect as adopted sons and daughters? (See verse 17)

Suffering

Glorification

What did Christ get? He got suffering… We will suffer too. But Jesus also got glorification and resurrection. We will share in those things as well!

So many people today doubt their salvation and wonder if they truly are a child of God… Many “want a word from the Lord” so desperately that they will look for all of these whispers and emotions that they often fail to look at the Word itself. Look inside your soul today… Is your heart’s desire to worship and glorify Christ above all else? If so, continue to seek His Word and continue to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. As you look to Christ, remember that He has made a way for you and I to be adopted into His forever family.