Encouragement from Romans 8

I hope you all are doing well as you find your joy and strength in the Lord and the amazing truth that the God of the universe has personally paid for our sins, forgiven us, counted us righteous in the Son and called us into eternal fellowship with him. When we grasp these gospel truths everything else falls into place!

I have been studying Romans 8 with our kids. It has been sweet to share these truths with them - and we haven't got past verse 13 yet!

There are some amazing promises from God in this wonderful chapter. Chapter 7 describes our sad predicament under sin, a seeming unconquerable foe for the believer. But chapter 8 promises us the God-given means to overcome the penalty, power and presence of sin. Let these verses encourage you:

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8: 1 -4, ESV)

[Our sin was already condemned - therefore there is no condemnation left!]

"Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit" (Romans 8:8-9 a , ESV)

[We can actually please God by the power of the Spirit!!]

"But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness . 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." (Romans 8:10-11, ESV)

[The life we receive from the Spirit starts at conversion and completes its work in the final day of new sinless bodies - yahoo!]

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"" (Romans 8:15, ESV)

[We experience our adoption by the Spirit - God is our "dad" now - wow!]

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29, ESV)

[Our destiny in God's great love is to make us like his Son! - amazing grace & love!]

" What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32, ESV)

[Why worry? We are guaranteed "all things", that is, all that is truly necessary!]

Take some time this week to prayerfully meditate on these verses. May God the Holy Spirit speak to your soul through these promises and fill you with faith, hope, love & joy and holiness!