The little boy played his heart out, gave his all. He can't bear to look at the scoreboard again, as he walks off the field. His lip is bruised; he got a cut on his ear from sliding into third that last at-bat. He is dirty, exhausted and ... the final indignity: defeated. Barely holding back tears, he looks for his father...scanning the crowd. There he is, waving and walking toward his son! Approaching his dad, perhaps the boy makes the "L" symbol on his forehead...Loser. When they meet, the father takes a knee and opens his arms wide to gather his son up. "Son!", he exclaims. When those strong arms wrap around the son, the tears begin to flow. Tremendous disappointment, regret, self-recrimination for mistakes made or opportunities lost - - - all flow from the boy's eyes and in the words which tumble from his lips.
What does the good, good father say? He reminds his son of who that child is, assuring him that his love for that boy is greater than any failure. He promises that, while this disappointing game is over, there are wonders and joys ahead because that boy is HIS. He probably echoes a lot of what God tells His very own beloved children in Romans 8.
When we left chapter 7, we probably felt a lot like that child: defeated. But, then, Romans 8 dawns like a glorious morning and stands as the centerpiece of the entire book. Because of his deep understanding of the Christian life and a deep intimacy with Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul was able to re-frame for us the adverse circumstances of life in our fallen world. This is why Romans 8 is one of the most beloved chapters, in one of the most beloved books of the Bible. I am 100% certain I will NOT do it justice today.
When my precious uncle, a prominent West Virginia and Kentucky Baptist minister for several decades, died in 2017, his family, at his request, placed an open Bible under his hands, as his body lay in repose for the visitation of family and friends. The Bible was open to Romans chapter 8.
God recognized the problem elucidated in chapters 1-7 and devised a solution, revealed in chapter 8. He saw that the Law was serving merely as a leaking bandage on an oozing sore. He realized that the system was broken and that a deep healing was needed, a healing that would begin from within, down in the very core. In fact, He knew all this before Earth or a single soul on it was ever created. Elohim has always known.
Father Yahweh’s solution was to send His Son, purposefully and personally taking on the human condition, clothing Godhead in human flesh. Born as a human baby, Yeshua engaged the fractured mess called humanity, in order to set things right, once and for all and forever. Yeshua "put skin on" to take up residence here so that His Spirit could take up residence in us, so that we, although still experiencing daily the limitations of sin, can live life on God's terms: the Spirit-filled life. With His Spirit living and breathing in us, we are delivered from our former, dead lives. We are set free.
Jesus' resurrection life, which He beckons us to walk in, is not a life that keeps looking back and longing for the former, dead lives we lead. It is not a life that draws us to go regularly to place flowers on a grave of regrets. No! It is an expectant life, a life that asks our Savior, "What's next, my Love? I am ever Yours! Where's the next adventure?"
In verse 1, we are reassured that, no matter what adventure comes in this earthly life, we are not condemned if we walk with our Beloved.
{As has been the case, all Scripture references are from TAW, unless I make note otherwise.}
1 From now on there is no condemnation of those who do not walk after the flesh in Yeshua the Mashiyach.
If we have cast our souls upon Him, if we follow after Him to seek His heart and His ways, we are not condemned. If we walk like so, then the uprightness of the Torah will be completely filled full in our lives, because we won’t be trying to keep it in our own flesh, by our own merits; but, instead, we will be walking by His Spirit, Who will empower us to do so. Verses 2-5:
2 For the Torah of the Spirit of Life, which is in Yeshua the Mashiyach, has freed you from the law of sin and death.
3 For the law was weak through the weakness of the flesh, so Elohim sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin; in order to condemn sin by means of his flesh.
4 So that the uprightness of the Torah might be completely filled full in us, since it is not in the flesh that we walk, but by the Spirit.
5 For they who are in the flesh remember the things of the flesh: and they who are of the Spirit do remember the things of the Spirit.
A clarification on verse 3. This verse is not saying that the Torah was weak. How could it have been, as it was given by Father Yah Himself? No, rather, as AGR says in footnote 73 of this chapter “the weakness of the flesh was opposed to Torah and created temptation to break it. Therefore, it is the weakness of the flesh that makes Torah observance ineffective in a person who gives allegiance to sin, instead of to Torah.”
The key to successfully walking out the whole of Torah, revealed in both the Old and New Testaments, is to walk by the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit. He is our built-in powerhouse to walk in victory and joy.
Let’s keep reading. Verse 6:
6 For focusing on the things of the flesh is death, but focusing on the things of the Spirit is Life and peace.
The night before I wrote this teaching, earlier this week, I made a conscious decision to have a bowl of ice cream and a couple of pieces of candy. Now, lately, over the past six months, I’ve avoided such, for the most part and have as a result greatly improved my health. But, I really love ice cream, and had not had any for several weeks. So, I just decided I’d have some. And, it was delicious! I greatly enjoyed it. However, if I am not very disciplined in my spirit, I could once again fall into sugar enslavement. That thought is super-repugnant to me, as I have no desire to return to that way of living. So, although I greatly enjoyed the ice cream, I am not going to “walk in it”; such would be a very fleshly response. Doing so would not result in long-term “life” or peace, not for me anyway.
Reading on, verse 7 and following:
7 Because focusing on the things of the flesh is hatred toward Elohim; for it does not subject itself to the Torah of Elohim, because it is impossible,
8 and they who are in the flesh cannot please Elohim.
Hatred is a very strong word. It is hard for us to face, but when we practice besetting sins, or any sin, for that matter, regardless of what you call it, this is exhibiting hatred toward our Elohim. I want to borrow some words from a minister I follow on Facebook. David Hoffman is an evangelist, a street preacher. He was talking about how he has challenged people who say they “love Jesus”, but go on quite obviously sinning. These are his words:
“I will ask them, "who do you love most in life?" They'll often tell me their mom or their sister or dad is who they love most. And then I'll ask, "what is the sin that you struggle with most? I'll ask, "what would happen if every time you sinned, one of their fingers was cut off? Would you willfully want to persist in doing wrong?" They often look at me and say, "of course not!" I'll tell them in order to overcome sin in your life, you have to understand the effect that it has on God. God feels. When He was on the cross, He carried your sin. I'll explain to them that it breaks His heart when you live in sin.
It totally changes their perspective. When we operate in love, we think about how our choices affect other people. When we operate in true love, we think about how our choices affect God and His creation. Love is more powerful than the desire to sin. And so when you have the love of God living in you, and you truly have seen and understood who Jesus is, it creates great power to overcome sinfulness in your life.”
Verses 7 and 9 here are a very intimidating warning, if you ask me. Obviously, Father Yahweh is not pleased with this type of practice, this type of persistent sinful behavior in His children. This is the type of thing He routinely sees in those who do not belong to Him. His children however...well, let’s read on.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of Elohim truly lives in you, but if anyone does not have in him the Spirit of Mashiyach, this one is not his.
10 But, if Mashiyach is in you, the body is dead in regard to sin; and the Spirit is alive in regard to uprightness.
It is impossible to be part of the Bride of Messiah, the Body of Messiah, the Beloved, unless the Ruach HaKodesh has been imparted into the soul of that person. I believe the Bible teaches the receiving of the Holy Spirit occurs at the moment the person yields his or her heart to Yeshua, to become His own, dear, regenerated child. It behooves us, to examine our hearts, to verify that the Spirit of Elohim, the Ruach HaKodesh, truly lives in each of us. The proof is the fruit of a person’s life; that person is LED by the Spirit of Elohim and is therefore a child of God. Verses 12-14
12 now we are debtors, my brothers, not to the flesh, that we should walk according to the flesh;
13 For if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if, by the Spirit, the habits of your body you put to death, you will have Life.
14 For they who are led by the Spirit of Elohim, they are the sons of Elohim.
The Message version puts verses 12-14 like this:
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh 13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
"So then".... or "therefore" or "because of what I've said earlier" - - - and what did Paul say earlier?
Basically, he spent the several previous verses saying this:
Those who have accepted Yeshua HaMashiach have His Holy Spirit living inside of them. It is that Spirit who delivers them from the condemnation of spiritual death and who equips/enables them to live/"walk" according to the Spirit's leading.
Paul goes on to emphasize that he is speaking to "brothers and sisters", which means he is not speaking to unbelievers. He is speaking to those in Rome (and later, elsewhere) who have already decided for Yeshua and who already belong to Him. These are those who, by choosing Yeshua, have put to death the deeds of the body. The act of trusting in the Son’s finished work covers our sins positionally before God. The Holy Spirit we receive upon our conversion, our transformation, forever seals us as His.
And then, in verse 14, Paul tells us the mark of the true Believer. All who are led by God's Holy Spirit are His (Yeshua's). This is how you know someone belongs to the kingdom of God. It's not the words you hear a person say. The mark is whether or not they live a life that is "led by the Spirit of God". Resisting evil and seeking to do good - - this duality is not only the mark of the child of God; it is our holy obligation.
What does that mean - - - to be led by God's Spirit?
One thing it means is to embrace the truth contained in God's Word. There are people who want to ignore God's commands in the Bible. Certain truths make folks uncomfortable. Those led by the Spirit "walk in truth".
Yet, being led by the Spirit is not an act of passive surrender. This is a conscious act of a person's will, to resist evil. John MacArthur points out1 that being led by the Spirit is to be led into spiritual warfare. It is a life of conflict - - - conflict between "the flesh" and "the spirit" within a person. In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul calls this a state of being "strong in the Lord".
Being led by God's Spirit will also result in a life of love, brotherly love for our neighbors and agape love for our Savior, because God is love (1 John 4:7).
In Galatians 6:2 Paul writes this:
Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
In writing this, Paul was echoing the Mashiach, who said, "By this, will the world know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Jesus said these words to His disciples on the occasion of the last meal He ate with them before His arrest, mock trial, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection.
Verse 15 - -
For you have not received the spirit of bondage, again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, our Father.
There are two opposing spirits mentioned in this verse, and they lead to two different ways of approaching God. The first mentioned is the spirit of slavery, or bondage. This typifies a slave/master relationship with God. A slave serves because he or she must, in order to reach the end goal, which is survival to see the next day. This spirit is manifest in people who reject a relationship with God, because they wrongly predict this is how it would be. This spirit is also manifest in people who slavishly approach God with fear and dread, doing actions “for” Him in a legalistic fashion, believing that their efforts will curry favor with God, the end result being that their efforts will earn them a place in Heaven. This is false and wrong-headed, of course. But, even those who belong to Yeshua HaMashiach can behave/relate in such a fashion, even though the apostle Paul warned against this. Look at Galatians 5:1 from the NASB:
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
If you have ever been part of a so-called legalistic cult, you know what I’m speaking of.
A son, on the other hand, serves his Father out of love, not asking “what do you require?”, but instead asking “What else can I do for you?” John 3: 3 talks about how it is impossible to be born again, apart from the Holy Spirit of God, which is this same Spirit of adoption. All who belong to Yeshua are “adopted” into God’s kingdom of righteousness. Our natural birth was accompanied by a sin curse. But, that curse is removed when we are washed in the blood supernaturally of the Mashiach. We are then given a new heart, and a new Spirit within us. As a result, we enter a new family, the spiritual family of God. And, as sons and daughters, we then relate to our Father joyfully, as a child on earth is privileged to relate to his or her earthly father, with love and trust. We can then feel free to come to Him about anything and everything, as it says in Hebrews 4:16 - - to “come boldly before the throne of grace, that we might find help in our time of need.”
Verses 16 and 17 go on to speak of the inheritance sons and daughters of the Most High God can expect. Here are those verses from The Message translation.
God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!
Romans 8:16-17 (The Message)
Joint-heirs with Mashiach. All He has inherited and will inherit, we will inherit, whether that be hardship: all our skinned knees, black eyes, cut lips and broken bones in this life ... and then to follow the heavenly riches to come. All our troubles and trials will be healed, forever healed from within, by God's Spirit who lives within. And then the eternal love, OH the love that is ours!
Next, Paul speaks of an “-ion” we studied recently, glorification of the follower of Yeshua. Look at verses 18 through 23:
18 For I consider the sufferings of the present are not equal to the glory which will be revealed in us.
19 For the whole creation is hoping and waiting for the revelation of the sons of Elohim.
20 For the creation was made subject to futility, not by its own choice, but because of Him who subjected it
21 in the hope that also the creation itself would be freed from the bondage of corruption into the glory of the sons of Elohim.
22 For we know that all creatures groan and labor in pain to this day.
23 And not only then, but we also in whom are the first fruits of the Spirit, we groan within our souls and look anxiously for the adoption of sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Those of us who are Yeshua’s already are shining with His glory, or at least we should be. I’m sure you have met some followers of Jesus who just seem to “glow”, to be radiant with His Spirit within them. They are not immune from sadness, sickness, persecutions, pain, but they persevere, endure with joy through it. This is the beginning of glorification, which will have its culmination in the resurrection of the dead and in the Olam Haba, the world to come. Scripture is full of paradoxes. One of those is that the resplendent walk is characterized by both grief and joy, the two mediated by faith/hope. And, that's ok. It's all part of the "conformation process" God has ordained for His own, conforming each of His children into the image of His Son.
And, it’s not just followers of Yeshua who will be glorified, going from our groans to our glory. Paul points out that the sin curse which fell on Adam and Eve also fell on the entire created world, including animals, humans, inanimate forces in and round the earth, which groan under the burden and the pain of it. One day, the very earth and heavens themselves will be re-born into new glory, as the eternal abode of God with mankind.
HOPE is mentioned in verses 24 and 25. The biblical definition of “hope” is “expectant confidence in an unseen certainty, faith in an unseen for-sure.”
24 Therefore, we live in hope. Although hope that is seen is not hope; for if we saw it, how should we hope for it?
25 But, if we hope for that which is not seen, we hope to continue with endurance.
Here’s what you might view as a ridiculous personal example. On the upper half-story of our home is a beautiful room. The room is painted a soft, yellowed, linen color. It has antique twin beds with frilly floral and lace bedclothes. An antique floral print hangs on the wall between the beds, with an antique table below it. A pink upholstered chair with a floor lamp to enable reading sits in one corner. Sitting atop each bed is a frilly, pink ballerina doll. This is what I call my “twin granddaughters’ room”. Do I have twin granddaughters? No, my husband and I have two young adult sons, one married, but no grandchildren at all. So, why did I decorate this bedroom about 3 years ago in such a manner, and why do I refer to it with such a label? Unreasonable faith. I’m living in hope, with the expectation God has given me. I’m praying, and leaving the outcome up to God. To Him alone be the glory.
It’s okay to have unreasonable faith, particularly about those things over which you have no control. Some would argue that Abraham’s faith was “unreasonable”. I would call his faith legendary.
On to the next few verses, where Paul mentions the centrality of prayer.
26 So also the Spirit aids our weaknesses, for we do not know what is right to pray; but the Spirit prays on our behalf with groans beyond description.
27 Now he who searches the hearts, he knows what is the thinking of the Spirit, that prays on behalf of the set-apart ones, according to the will of Elohim.
28 But we know that those who love Elohim he aids in everything for good, those whom he determined beforehand to be called ones.
29 And he knew them from the first; and He sealed them with the likeness of the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born of many brothers.
Isn’t it tremendous that we don’t have to worry if we are praying correctly or saying in our hearts the most accurate things to our heavenly Father? How awesome that the Ruach HaKodesh who lives within each true believer/follower of Yeshua prays on our behalf! It can’t even be described by Paul in a way we can even understand. Furthermore, we are told that our Mashiach now sits at the right hand of the Father, and that He is interceding for us as we pray through our lives! We will see that in verse 34 of this chapter. No wonder we are told to “pray without ceasing”! Can the Son of God or the Spirit of God ever pray erroneously for us? God forbid! Of course not! How beloved, how precious are we to our Elohim! This is why we have those additional words of comfort in verse 28. You may more readily recognize them from the KJV:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Are your scales are leaning toward the grieving side this morning, for one or more reasons? Are you looking at seemingly insurmountable challenges? Are you grieving over a lost world, your country careening seemingly toward destruction or loved ones walking in disobedience? Unfathomable, "impossible" health situations .... Do you have any "weaknesses" this day? These verses help to clarify our vision and to refuel our endurance and, yes, our joy.
You may today, like me, be facing a situation that looks "impossible". The greatest weapon in our arsenals, Believers, is prayer. And, praise God! We can pray for "the impossible" not worrying about whether or not we are praying in the will of God. As long as we are not knowingly praying against God's will, we can pray fervently.
So, regardless of your "impossibles" today, take them to the Lord in prayer. Ask other believers to pray with you. This is very important. There is something mystically powerful about the accumulated prayers of God's children, our Lord Jesus' brothers and sisters. Accessing the throne of God our Papa (Abba, Father! vs. 15 ) is our right as co-heirs with Yeshua HaMashiach. Don't let the enemy deceive you into believing otherwise.
King David earnestly prayed and fasted over his ailing, failing toddler son, whose name we are not told. It was an "impossible situation", from a human standpoint. The child died (2 Samuel 12:18 ). We are not in control of God’s outcomes. We are required to pray in the will of God, best we know how, praying by exercising our faith muscles to the hilt.
Lately, I have been exercising on an elliptical machine. Each time, I really push myself to get better “numbers” at the end of the session. How greatly our faith would be increased if we did that about our everyday situations? What amazing things could God do through us?
The prophet Elijah breathed into the body of a dead youngster and, by the will of God, the child returned to life (1 Kings 17:17-24). Nothing is impossible with God, who longs to give good gifts to His children and who is ever working things out for both our good and His glory.
The Giver of Life and all good things is our Papa, but He works things out according His perfect plan. He is Sovereign. And, He uses all circumstances in our lives to "conform us to His Son's image" (vs. 29), to shape our souls to be more like our Messiah.
Don't give up or faint. Don't stop hoping/"faithing", or praying for "the impossible". Patiently endure! We serve the High King of Heaven, the God of the Impossible! And remember, no matter what the outcome, we are loved more than we can imagine, by the One who died so that He could know us and we could know Him, as we are about to see in the last two verses of this chapter.
First, though, let’s read verses 30 through 34.
30 And those whom He previously sealed, He called; and those whom He called, He made righteous: and those whom he made righteous, He glorified.
31 What then will we say of these things? If Elohim is for us, who is against us?
32 And, if He did not spare His Son, but delivered him up for all of us, how will He not give us everything, with him?
33 Who can accuse the chosen of Elohim, whom Elohim makes righteous?
34 Who condemns? Mashiyach died and rose and is on the right hand of Elohim and makes intercession for us.
Verse 30 speaks to us about the sovereignty of God and the doctrine of predestination, which I believe to be true along with teachings about the free will of man to come to Him willingly. Another paradox of Scripture.
Verses 31 and 32 reveal that we have all the treasures of Heaven through Yeshua our Messiah, the Son of God. What an amazing affirmation!!
Verse 34 I have already alluded to earlier. We are running out of time together today. Let’s look at the concluding five verses of this marvelous chapter, verses 35-39.
35 What will separate me from the love of Mashiyach? Is it trial or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or the sword?
36 As it is written: “For your sake, we die daily: and we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Rather, in these things we are victorious by way of him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor Messengers nor authorities, nor powers nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate me from teh love of Elohim which is in our Master Yeshua the Mashiyach.
Here are those verses from The Message version:
Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
Romans 8:35-39 (The Message)
And from the King James Version, 37-39
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Embraced and unfazed! It is the assurance of His love which enables us to look up to Him and anticipate the future, both here in Brokenville and later, in Foreverville!
I think of that beautiful testimonial from the song, “In Christ Alone” that says, "No power of death, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from your hand....", and I thank Him. I humbly thank Him.
