November 19, 2015 by Jeff Davis

Romans 8 Message and Observations

Romans 8:1-39 (NASB) Observations

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

1) There is a celebration to be had in the security and freedom of being a Christian. There is assurance found in Christ. In Christ we are a new creation.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

2) Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Because of His atoning sacrifice, we have been reconciled before God. The Spirit of life frees the believer from the power and penalty from sin. Through Christ and the work He did on the cross sin has been condemned.

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

3) The Spirit has liberated believers from sin and death and what the law was unable to do, God accomplished by sending His Son. The Holy Spirit is mentioned in almost half of the verses in this chapter. In addition, Paul illustrates how the flesh weakened the Law.

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

4) Relates to Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Paul is showing the contrast between the flesh and the Spirit to portray a new life that could be attained through faith in Christ Jesus. Paul is also illustrating the weakness of the flesh and explaining the power of the Spirit.

5) There is a battle between the Spirit and flesh. One leads to life and the other leads to death. Paul continues to play on the antithesis of the flesh and Spirit.

For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

6) We are capable of controlling our minds.

7) Flesh and a worldly attitude leads to death and the Spirit leads to life and peace.

8) You cannot entertain both; it is one or the other: flesh or the Spirit.

But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

9) As a Christian, the Spirit of Christ indwells inside them. “But” is an important transition point in this chapter referring directly to the Roman Christians shining light on the old age of sin and death versus the new age of Spirit, righteousness, and life.

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

10) While the body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit breathes in life and deliverance from condemnation. “If” is introduced as a conditional promise as we see Paul explaining how Christ is inside of them when they come to faith. We also see Paul beginning to use the Spirit and Christ interchangeably.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

11) Through Christ we possess the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Paul is affirming the same Spirit God sent to raise Christ from the dead will be breathed into believers.

12) The Spirit’s life-giving power is not limited by the mortality of our bodies. “But” denotes another conditional application as Paul describes the Spirit’s role in our body’s transformation.

13) The Spirit not only overcomes death, it also transforms our eternal life into a resurrected body. “Will give life,” points to resurrection, which was a huge topic of debate.

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14) The flesh represents the world and the consequences to our actions.

15) The flesh also represents rebellion against God. While He has provided an escape from it, we are still subjected to it and the decision is ours which path we choose: flesh or Spirit.

16) After coming to faith, we are no longer slaves to the world or to the masters of our sinful nature. Spiritual life trumps even death.

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

17) We are adopted by God and are joint heirs. Use of sons and children of God positions God as a spiritual Father who cares about His children. The Spirit of adoption must refer to the Holy Spirit.

18) We are transformed from slaves into sons through the sacrifice of Christ. Spirit of slavery could be in reference to the Spirit’s work under the Law.

19) We are God’s children and He is our Abba Father. The Spirit’s work allows the believer to experience joy and security.

20) Before the cross, we were slaves to our flesh and to the world. Slavery generally meant bondage, so the human spirit on its own was in slavery and bondage to sin.

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

21) By receiving the Spirit we are invited into the Godhead. The Holy Spirit testifies in our defense that we are His children.

22) The Holy Spirit enables us to be children of God and gives us the right to call out to our Abba Father when we suffer. Even our suffering, through Christ Jesus, will lead to glory.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

23) Suffering and glory stand in contrast and opposition to each other much like the Spirit and flesh do.

24) No matter what present sufferings we may endure, it will never match the future inheritance and glory that is still to come.

25) Having hope in the midst of suffering and death is only possible through faith in Jesus.
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

26) Creation and Christians agonize from a sense of incompleteness and even frustration and fervently hunger for their future transformation.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

27) Creation was no longer complete after the fall of man.

28) Man’s fall, Satan’s temptation, and God’s curse of judgment have led to our current state.

29) There is a hope and a restoration that still lies in the future of being set free. Creation itself will also be set free.

For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

30) Birth is painful and it came as a result of the Fall and sin entering the world.

31) Creation groans and suffers in a similar way to that of humans. Not so much with, but together. Birth pains were used to describe times of great distress throughout the New Testament.

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

32) First fruits represent our best sacrifices given to God and groaning within us points inward to our attitude. God sees the heart of the matter.

33) Humanity is frustrated, as they remain in their state of weariness, not so much in a state of anxiety, but more of expectation of what is to come.

34) We eagerly await the promise of eternal life and transformed bodies. In our present weakness, we hope for what is still to come.

35) The indwelling of the Spirit is just the first part of God’s redemptive plan.
For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

36) We are saved by hope, but waiting is necessary as hope turns into faith.

37) We cannot hope for something we have already seen. Salvation is secure at the moment of receiving Christ, but there is still a void or felling of incompleteness that will not be completely filled until Christ’s second return, so the best we can do is live according to the Spirit to fill us up as much is possible.

38) Hope involves looking for what cannot be seen. It requires perseverance to finish the race strong.

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

39) The Spirit intercedes for us when we do not know what or how to pray. The Spirit knows exactly what we need as well as the will of God.

40) The Spirit comes to our aid and the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. This illustrates how the Spirit bears our weaknesses, infirmities, and burdens.

41) The Spirit of God overcomes any of our weaknesses according to God’s will.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

42) If we love the Lord and are called according to His purpose, He will cause all things to work together for good. “If” is an interesting word to begin this proclamation with because it denotes another conditional promise.

42) Bad things can be used for our good when it refines our faith and strengthens our hope. This passage does not denote whose good it refers to specifically, but ultimately God’s good is our best in any circumstance.

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

43) God calls us, He justifies us, and He glorifies us.

44) God knew the end from the beginning. “Predestined”

45) God’s purpose is to work for our good, so we can glorify Him.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

46) God is on our side. “If” is used again here and as Christians, it should read, “Because God is for us, who can be against us?”

47) No adversary or circumstance stands a chance when God is for us. “Things” most likely points to the previous verses.

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

48) God took the initiative to provide a way to restore our fellowship with Him. He delivered His Son to be crucified to save us.

49) If God sacrificed His own Son, why would we think He would hold anything else back from us?
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?

50) Satan is the great accuser and he seeks to condemn us. This passage has a very judicial nature to it. It could point forward to the Day of Judgment when Satan will accuse us, but no accusation will be effective against God’s elect.

51) God justifies us. The world through Satan attempts to condemn us.
Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, and who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

52) Christ died, was raised from the dead by God, and now sits at His right hand of the Father. Psalm 110:1

53) Jesus intercedes on our behalf and He is our witness acting as the High Priest in the presence of God.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

54) Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. It is interesting the use of “who” and not “what.” Who seems to denote an opponent and this could stem from what Christ and Paul had endured under the cruelty of man for the sake of God.

Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

55) As Christians, we should not be surprised by persecution, suffering, and oppression. Paul is quoting from Psalm 44:22 illustrating humanity’s wickedness towards the goodness of God.
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

56) Through Christ who loves us, we are able to overcome any adversity. We are more than conquerors.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

57) Nothing and no one can separate us from God’s love. Death and life point to the natural world. Angels and principalities point to the spiritual world. Things present and still to come point to the temporal world. Powers points again to the spiritual realm. Height and depth point to the celestial realm or universe. Finally, created being most likely points to even believers not being able to separate us from God’s love.

58) Even death just brings one closer to God. In this time, death was a very real possibility because of one’s faith in God so martyrdom could be what Paul was contemplating.

WHAT DOES ROMANS 8 REVEAL ABOUT HOW AND WHAT WE SHOULD BELIELVE ABOUT GOD?

This chapter paints a beautiful picture of what it means to be a Christian and how nothing can separate us from the love of God. It also assures us that God is in complete control of all things for the good of His people. The Spirit of God is one with the Spirit of Christ and there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
God has adopted us, made us joint heirs, and He has invited us into the Godhead through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. As sons and daughters of God, we move from death to life and from condemnation to no condemnation. As His children, we are able to call out Abba Father, and He will listen and Christ will intercede for us.
In this chapter, we see God dealing with sin once and for all by sending His only Son to die for them. The law was not enough, so Christ, the spotless lamb became the atonement for all of mankind’s sin. God desires for us to stay focused on Him because He knows what the result will be when we look to the world for purpose and satisfaction. God has given us the Spirit in order to suppress our sinful nature and the desires of the flesh.

WHAT DOES ROMANS 8 REVEAL AS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT’S WORK IN OUR LIVES?

This chapter is rich with references to the Holy Spirit, but Paul’s motive in writing was meant to focus more on what the Spirit does and not so much on what the Spirit was. Upon meditating on this passage, it is hard not to picture Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writing it. The Holy Spirit liberates us from sin and death. It is our helper and comforter. In times when we do not know what or how to pray, the Holy Spirit will intercede in and through us.
As a believer invites Christ into their heart, getting the Holy Spirit is a package deal. The Spirit is living and breathing and longs to be active in and through the believer. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells inside every believer. The Spirit breathes life into our situations and us and assists us as we attempt to transform our lives becoming more Christ-like.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM MEDITATING ON ROMANS 8

The resounding theme of this chapter is God is for us regardless of past mistakes or current struggles. He sent His Son to die for us to provide a way for us to be redeemed while we were still sinners. He then equips us with the Holy Spirit so we can fight the temptations of this world and grow closer to God.
Nothing we have been through or will go through can compare to the future glory and inheritance we will receive. It has been said, “There are only two important days: today and that glorious day when Christ returns.” This chapter puts things in perspective and shows how nothing catches God by surprise. He knows the end from the beginning and He has given us the tools necessary to live a life, which brings glory to His name. So today, the application is: while we still draw breath, we must listen to the still small voice inside each of us and be about the Father’s business fulfilling the Great Commission.

June 25, 2015 by Jeff Davis

Praise Leads to Victory

By definition, insanity is doing the same thing again expecting a different result than the previous attempt yielded. We have all done this at some point, but we are also told if you keep doing the same thing, you will continue to get the same results.

In an ever-changing world, both of these assumptions hold some truth, but the one constant that is guaranteed in either scenario is change. Change happens whether we want it or not, so the best thing we can do is prepare ourselves for when it presents itself.
In life, we must always stay open to God’s plan while realizing just because something worked in the past, that doesn’t mean it will in the future. The only way you will know what to do in any circumstance is if you stay in close communion with God and are willing to make adjustments along the way according to His perfect plan for your life.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” This starts by making an effort to be open to trying new things and not continuing to do things just because that is always the way you have done them. To truly embrace change, you must listen to the still small voice inside your heart, be obedient to God’s Word, and be ready for God to do amazing things in and through you despite adversity and challenges.

As you walk through trying times it can feel like you are stuck in quick sand, it feels like you are losing control of everyone and everything around you, and that there is no way out. It is here where you must not succumb to feeling helpless or hopeless. The way out is up and the way up is down on your knees! God promises to neither leave nor forsake us and regardless of how we got ourselves in the mess, God is our ever-present help in time of need and He is there to help restore us, empower us, and make us useful again.
In this world, we are told we will have problems, but we are also told that God will cause all things to work together for our good. It may not happen today and it may not happen like you imagine it, but it will happen. Our finite mentality cannot comprehend the complexity of God’s plan. Seasons meant to steal, kill, and destroy us; God uses to provide, give new life, and build us up by equipping us with whatever we need to make it through that chapter of life.

Many of us so desperately await the next chapter of our lives to begin while others are ready for a completely new book free of all past errors and wrong choices, but God uses those too as a great sequel for your future. Always remember to praise God in the good and the bad and to give Him your complete trust even when you cannot see a way.
In times of adversity you can praise and be raised or you can complain and remain. God doesn’t need our praise, but He wants it because He knows how uplifting and empowering it is for us if we can praise Him even when the world is crashing in all around us.The Lord is Jehovah Nissi, our banner and our conqueror; He fights for us just as Joshua fought for the Israelites. Moses gave the Lord this name at the altar he built after the Israelites defeated the Amalekites. During this battle, as long as Moses kept his arms lifted high, the Israelites were winning, but the instant he lowered them the tables turned. This portrayal resonated in me as I pictured Moses trusting Joshua to lead the army while he was praising God with his arms held high, but as he weakened and could no longer keep them up, the Lord’s protection would leave God’s chosen people and the Amalekites would start to win. In this story, we are told two people: Aaron and Hur came up beside Moses when he could no longer keep his arms raised and they helped him keep his arms raised high.

God calls us to do the same thing when we see someone struggling, He calls us to come alongside to stand together, and He calls us to stand firm in our trust and our praise. A cord of three is not easily broken and I believe the same holds true today because if we can keep our hands lifted high and continually praise God especially in the trying seasons of life, God most assuredly will deliver us and give us victory to triumph over any obstacle or adversary. Today, despite what is going on in your life, some of you need to raise your hands and just praise God, while for others you need to look for people who need help keeping their arms held up, and for some of you, God is calling you to be a Joshua and to fight for those you love.

September 3, 2013 by Jeff Davis

Who or What Could Save Me?

There have been times in my life where it has felt like my relationship with God was like two ships passing in the dark with a sea of void between us. These times were very discouraging and very painful to walk through because my sinful life condemned me, my shame overshadowed me, my past haunted me, my circumstances frustrated me and my mistakes made me feel worthless. I found myself asking who or what could possibly save me?

In order to make it through life and everything which happens along the way, we must know the answer to this question! The moment we become a follower of Christ, our debt is paid in full; nothing can separate us from His great love and our worth and our value is found in Him alone. On our own, we will never make it, but with God as our ultimate source of strength, we will never grow faint or weary. I know this firsthand because when I would try to do things my own way, I opened the door wide open for attack. The enemy would whisper any number of malicious and contemptuous lies in my ear to which I had no defense, but when God was the center of my life I could honestly say because the Spirit of the Lord lived inside of me, I felt freedom. Instead of having to answer who or what could save me I could declare who or what could possibly separate me from His great love?

Despite our past or what we are currently walking through, God can use anything and He never wastes any painful experience as long as we give it all to Him. With God as the focal point in our life we can walk through fiery trials and emerge without even smelling like smoke. We will not only survive oppression, but we will thrive in the midst of it. It sounds crazy, but the more messed up our life is and the more junk God has saved us from, the more God can use us and the more we can begin to understand what it truly means to be redeemed by grace because of His mercy.

However, when God isn’t our number one priority in life, we are vulnerable to attack and one of the most important things I’ve learned is the devil is a very patient predator who is waiting for the exact moment in which we will experience the greatest harm so he can completely destroy and devour us. He is waiting for the kill shot, but what he fails to realize is the greater our fall, the greater our potential testimony will be when we humble ourselves enough to receive God’s unending grace. With this information, we should look for areas in our life in which we are vulnerable to attack and surrender them to God because it is much easier to avert a disaster than to clean one up. The instant we think we are above any pitfall, we open ourselves open up to it, so we must continually look to God in all things and trust that His ways are higher than our own, especially when we can’t see a way. Don’t get discouraged when life happens; just trust that God will work all things for your good when you love Him and are called according to His purpose.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NASB)

June 9, 2013 by Jeff Davis

Which Way Are We Looking?

To truly understand what it means to be whole, you must first understand what it means to be broken. God has a plan for each one of our lives, but we tend to deviate off the path from time-to-time. In some instances, we make a quick course correction, while others; we continue a downward spiral until we hit rock bottom.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NASB)

Last night, I was lying in bed and I was looking into my dresser mirror and saw the ceiling fan going the wrong way and it really got me thinking. The fan in reality was going the right way, but in the mirror it was going backwards. When we look at our lives, we often spend the majority of our time looking the wrong way. While we should never forget the past, we should be looking for the new and wonderful things our future holds as followers of Christ. Knowing the story of what God has done in your life makes it that much more powerful, but using those experiences to better the kingdom of God brings joy, purpose and peace! When we get stuck in the past or present, it becomes impossible to see the future, so never lose sight of the great things yet to come, and never forget we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb AND the word of our testimony!

Over the last 2 weeks, I have battled withdrawal from 3 narcotic medications I had taken following a car/cycling accident and then multi-level back fusion surgery. At times, it has felt like there is no end in sight, but in my heart, I know this to not be true. So far, the worst part for me has been the sleepless nights, depression, anxiety and aching pain, but even in these God has spoken to me and allowed me to see another side of His loving character. The other part to this story which has truly moved me is a man I personally know of is battling these same withdrawal symptoms at a treatment facility. I truly believe God is showing me exactly how to pray for this individual and that has really motivated me to see something beautiful in something so painful. Because God loves us so much, He doesn’t want to leave us where we are; He wants the very best for each of us.

When we can begin to let that rationalization be our filter in life, we will see the world and all its circumstances through a brighter lens. Not one bad or painful experience will ever be wasted and not one tear we shed will be lost when we love the Lord and are called according to His purpose!