Romans 8

Romans 8:1

Romans 8:1 : There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Now in this gospel dispensation, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. Under law it was different; all sinned and were under condemnation. The law could not save it condemned, and made people realize their sinfulness and their helplessness. Conscious of this helplessness, the doomed man cried out: “Who shall deliver me?” But when the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ broke in upon him, he joyously exclaimed “I thank God that through Jesus Christ there is deliverance.” Now, being in Christ, having been forgiven of his sins and made righteous, he is free from the condemnation that formerly rested upon him. As to whether he may or may not again come into condemnation is not the matter under consideration; and one does violence to Paul’s line of reasoning to try to make his language apply to anything more than the fact that the person who has come into Christ is free from his former condemnation.

A person might run into a cave and be free from the storm that raged without, but that does not guarantee future safety. Hence, we must not conclude that this freedom from our former condemnation insures us against falling again into condemnation. To free a person from the condemnation formerly resting upon him does not rob him of personal responsibility for his conduct in the future. In the very nature of things, sin must be condemned anywhere, at any time, and in any place. No government could stand if sin were not condemned and punished. But in Christ condemnation can always be avoided.

Romans 8:2

Romans 8:2 : For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. It seems to me that the phrase “in Christ Jesus” modifies “made free,” for it is in Christ that we are made free. To connect this phrase with the “law of the Spirit of life” leaves us in doubt as to its significance. “For” connects this verse with the preceding verse, and assigns the reason as to why there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, for in Christ Jesus we have been made free from that which causes condemnation–namely, the law of sin and of death. This freedom is accomplished by the law of the Spirit of life. Many descriptive titles are applied to the Holy Spirit, each such title growing out of some particular work the Holy Spirit does, or some office he fills. “It is the spirit that giveth life” (John 6:63).

Hence, the Spirit of life. But what is the law of the Spirit of life?

If we can determine what the law of sin and death is, from which the law of the Spirit delivers us, we should be able to see what the law of the Spirit is. The death here mentioned is spiritual death, for in becoming a Christian a person is not delivered from the law of physical death. This law of sin and death cannot be the law of Moses for, taking Romans 8:2 and Romans 8:3 together, we see that the law of Moses could not do what the law of the Spirit had done. If the law of sin and death is the law of Moses, then we have Paul making the absurd statement that the law of Moses could not de-liver us from the law of Moses! But Paul never wrote such foolishness. The law of sin and death is the law set forth in Romans 7:23 : “But I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin, which is in my members.” To be in captivity under the law of sin is to be dead spiritually.

Hence, this law of sin in our members is also the law of death. Freedom from that law is salvation.

But the law of the Spirit of life makes us free from the law of sin and death that is, it is that by which we are saved. In Romans 1:16, Paul tells us that the gospel is God’s power for saving people. We conclude, therefore, that the law of the Spirit of life is the gospel. This conclusion harmonizes with Paul’s line of reasoning. It would be absurd to think that Paul started in to prove that the gospel is God’s power for saving people, and then reached the conclusion that some other law saves us, or frees us, from sin and spiritual death.

Romans 8:3

Romans 8:3 : “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” The main thought in this verse seems clear enough, but the grammatical construction is difficult. As it stands, the first part–“for what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh” –has no grammatical connection with the rest of the sentence. The meaning of the verse may be expressed somewhat as follows: For what the law could not accomplish, in that it was weak through the flesh, God accomplished by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin (or, and as an offering for sin marginal reading) condemned sin in the flesh. The law of Moses could not free a person from the law of sin and death, but God did that very thing by the plan of salvation perfected by the mission of his Son into the world, including his death as a sin offering. The death of Christ procured for all who accept him re-lease from the condemnation that rests upon all sinners. And thus in his flesh he condemned sin.

Formerly sin reigned as master, and held the sinner in captivity. When a person accepts Christ, sin as his master is destroyed–blotted out.

So far as we know, there was no way to destroy the reign of sin except through the death of Jesus Christ; but that death benefits only those who yield obedience to him as their King. He came in the likeness of sinful flesh. Human flesh is not sinful in and of itself; if so the flesh of Jesus was sinful. But some commentators seek to evade this by stressing the word “likeness.” His flesh, they say, was not sinful, but was like sinful flesh! But he was man (1 Timothy 2:5), and frequently spoke of himself as the Son of man. He, therefore, had in his nature all that the word “man” implies. “Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same” (Hebrews 2:14). “Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren” (Hebrews 2:17).

If his brethren were born sinful and he was not, then he was not like them in all things. But as Jesus was made in all things like his brethren and was without sin, it shows conclusively that sin is not a part of man’s nature.

When Adam arid Eve were first created, they had all that belongs to human nature. Sin came into their lives as a foreign element. Sin is no more a part of your nature than dust in your eye is a part of the nature of your eye. Because the desires, appetites, and passions of the flesh so often lead to sin, flesh is called sinful. But we should remember always that fleshly desires lead to sin only when the mind, or heart, purposes to gratify the flesh in an unlawful way.

 

The law was not weak in itself it was weak because in man’s folly the urgings of the flesh are stronger than man’s regard for law, and because in his ignorance and selfishness man could not meet its requirements.

Romans 8:4

Romans 8:4 : That the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Commentators are not agreed as to whether the Greek word translated “ordinance” should be translated ordinance, requirement, righteousness, or justification. They are, therefore, not agreed as to what is fulfilled in us, nor as to how it is done. Neither are they agreed as to whether it is fulfilled in us or by us. Macknight thinks the law here referred to is the gospel. It seems to me that the context–the trend of Paul’s argument–must decide the whole matter. Of course, due regard must be had to the truths set forth in other parts of the Scriptures. Let us notice the trend of Paul’s reasoning.

 

Tinder the law, the righteousness of the law could be fulfilled only by perfect obedience. In such obedience there would have been no sin–God would have had nothing against one who so lived. Now, it is the mission of the gospel to take sinners and make them righteous. When a person’s sins are forgiven he is freed from all guilt, and is then as righteous as if he had never sinned. There is then no guilt attached to him–God has nothing against him. And so the thing that the law required, but could not accomplish, is fulfilled in those who obey the gospel.

If this is not a correct exegesis of the first part of verse 4, it is certainly in harmony with Paul’s line of reasoning and also with the general teaching of the Scriptures. Paul certainly did not mean that we were delivered from sin by the gospel that we might obey the ordinance of the law of Moses, but that the gospel, in freeing us from sin and making us righteous, accomplished in us exactly what the law was unable to accomplish, but what it would have accomplished in us had there been no transgression of it.

 

“Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” There is no “if” about this. The clause is descriptive of the characters in whom the righteousness of the law is fulfilled. “Walk” refers to manner of life. As flesh and spirit are here contrasted, it seems certain that Paul meant the human spirit, and not the Holy Spirit. To walk according to the flesh is to lead an animal life. Such a one may be an immoral wretch, or he may be a respected citizen. No matter what his character is, he is one who lives a worldly life. He lives as if this life were all that is worthwhile. To walk according to the spirit is to keep the flesh under control so as to promote spiritual growth in the service of God.

Romans 8:5

Romans 8:5 : For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. To mind the things of the flesh is to give our time and attention to the things of this life. To do so is to leave God and our eternal welfare out of consideration. We need to be careful, for it is easy for us in our struggles to make a living to forget God and look only to our material interests. To mind the things of the spirit is to look to the things that fit the spirit for acceptable service to God in this life and that will prepare it for the joys of the next life.

Romans 8:6

Romans 8:6 : For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. The mind of the flesh, as the connection shows, is the mind devoted to the flesh. The minding the flesh is death. To be devoted to the things of the flesh is death. Such a state not only tends to death, it is death itself. The one who thus lives is dead to God.

For the mind to be devoted –to the things of the spirit–to the needs of the spirit is life and peace. It is life from spiritual death and peace with God and conscience. The phrases, “mind of the flesh” and “mind of the spirit,” do not mean that a person has two distinct minds–that is, that the flesh has a mind and the spirit has a mind. If so, the flesh would always be dead to God, for the mind of the flesh is death; and the spirit would always be alive to God, whether in righteousness or sin, for the mind of the spirit is life. In that case the spirit would never need conversion, and the flesh could not be converted.

Romans 8:7-8

Romans 8:7-8 : Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Minding the flesh is spiritual death, because it is enmity against God. While devoted to the flesh, while minding the flesh, a person is not subject to the will of God, and in that state a person cannot be subject to God, for such a life is in direct conflict with his will. It does not mean that a person who lives a worldly life cannot turn from it and himself become subject to the law of God; but it does mean that a person cannot live for the things of this life and at the same time be subject to God. If you live a worldly life, you are not living a Christian life. To live a worldly life–a life devoted to the flesh–is to be in the flesh.

As Paul uses the terms in this connection, to walk according to the flesh, to be after the things of the flesh, to mind the things of the flesh, and to be in the flesh, are all one and the same thing. But Christians are not in the flesh–that is, they are not living a life devoted to the flesh.

Romans 8:9

Romans 8:9 : But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. The contrast, “not in the flesh but in the Spirit,” shows that the human spirit is meant. Lard’s comment on this verse seems to be to the point: “Not to be in the flesh is not to live according to it, and not to live according to it is not to allow it to control us it is, in a word, not to sin under the pressure of its influence. But in the Spirit.’ The word ‘spirit’ here denotes the human spirit; nor can I see how any one ever comes to think otherwise. It is sheer assumption to say that it denotes the Holy Spirit. To be in the flesh is to live the life of a sinner; to be in the spirit, to live the life of the Christian. . . .

It is virtual tautology to say that we are governed by the Holy Spirit provided the Holy Spirit dwells in us, for the very purpose for which the Holy Spirit dwells in us is to control us.” But the Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit. He dwells in the Christian; that is plainly affirmed. And I dare not deny what Paul here affirms. The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Christ. “But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” That state-ment should engage the serious attention of every professed Christian.

Romans 8:10

Romans 8:10 : And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. This verse has given no end of trouble to commentators. They are not agreed as to what is meant by the clause, “the body is dead because of sin.” Lard thinks it means that the body is dead on account of sin in the sense that it is doomed to death on ac-count of Adam’s sin. Some others hold practically the same idea. But it sounds foolish to say: “If Christ is in you, the body is doomed to death on account of Adam’s sin.” That would imply that if Christ did not dwell in us the body would not be doomed to death on account of Adam’s sin. As a matter of fact, the body is doomed to die physically, whether Christ dwells in us or does not dwell in us.

Besides, that construction does not agree with the context. In the latter part of chapter 7, Paul spoke of the flesh as the source of sin. Because the appetites and passions of the flesh lead to so much sin Paul calls it “sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3). For that reason the flesh is crucified–put. to death as to sin. “And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and lusts thereof” (Galatians 5:24). Hence, “if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of the sin to which it leads”; or, more exactly, “the body is dead on account of sin that dwells in it.” “But the spirit is life because of righteousness”–that is, on account of the righteousness to which we attain in the forgiveness, or blotting out, of our sins. Hence, if Christ is in you, the body is dead on account of sin which it tends, but the spirit is life on account of the righteousness to which we attain in Christ.

Romans 8:11

Romans 8:11 : But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Here again we have a condition stated. The making alive of our mortal bodies depends upon his Spirit’s dwelling in us. Does this refer to the resurrection? Some think so. But does our resurrection from the dead depend upon the Spirit’s dwelling in us? Do not the Scriptures plainly teach that the wicked, as well as the righteous, will be raised? The future resurrection from the dead is not the matter under discussion at this point.

He had just stated that the body was dead because of sin. That means that it is no longer active in sin–no longer an instrument of sin. But is it to remain altogether inactive? Is it not to be brought into any kind of activity in the life of the Christian? If the Spirit of God dwells in you, he will make your bodies alive to righteousness. That seems to be in harmony with the context. Besides, I am not sure that in the resurrection God will give life to our mortal bodies. Here our bodies are mortal; they are subject to death and decay they return to dust.

In the resurrection will God again form the dust into a mortal body and then give it life? Are we to be mortal when raised from the dead? If not, then this verse is not talking about the resurrection from the dead. “Shall give life also to your mortal bodies” is stated in the future tense, because there are conditions to be performed by man. The word “also” connects this giving life to our mortal bodies with the life already given to the spirit. The fact that Jesus was raised from the dead that we might– be saved–might be made alive to his service is a guarantee that even our bodies, as well as our spirits, shall be made alive to righteousness. By the teaching of the Holy Spirit we are required to present our bodies a living sacrifice. So if the Spirit of God dwells in us, not only are our spirits alive to righteousness, but our bodies will also be made alive to the service of God. “For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:11).

 

The following note seems to be worth inserting here “The section (Romans 8:1-11) balances the preceding section (Romans 7:7-25). There the inability of the law by itself to produce the higher spiritual life was shown, and the argument dealt primarily and mainly with human life as it is now. Here the whole object is to show that the gospel provides just such a power as law lacks that is, to revive and renew the human spirit so as to enable it to mold and master the whole life. The life and death spoken of are the spiritual life and death already described; the raising is the present liberation of the spirit which affects the body also, making it, too, serve its true ends and live its true life. The raising of Jesus is a proof both of the will and character and power of that Spirit, which operated then and operates now through the risen life communicated now to man (cf. Romans 6:2-11). The future resurrection is not referred to but it is, of course, implied as a consequence of the whole relation thus described between God and man.” (Cambridge Greek Testament).

Romans 8:12

Romans 8:12 : So, then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. “So then” seems to cover the whole argument beginning at Romans 5:12. “We are debtors” to what? Not to the flesh we have already learned that attending to the flesh leads to death. We could not be under obligation to follow a course that leads to our own destruction. To live after the flesh is to live a worldly life. If we are not debtors –to the flesh, then what? Evidently to our spirits that is, we are obligated to attend to the things of the spirit. As the spirit controls the body, we must keep our spirits pure. Also, the spirit endures to eternity. We must guard it well, lest we fail of eternal life.

Romans 8:13

Romans 8:13 : For if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. It is certain that the death here mentioned is spiritual death, for we shall die physically, no matter how we live. To live after the flesh results in spiritual death. All the arguing that an advocate of the impossibility of apostasy can do cannot change what Paul says. A person must accept it or reject it he cannot explain it away. But if the spirit gains the ascendency and subdues the flesh and makes it serve God, we shall live.

Romans 8:14

Romans 8:14 : For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. And only such are children of God. The statement indicates a continuous process. Nothing is here said as to how the Spirit leads people; but as Paul is still developing his theme that the gospel is God’s power to save, it is certain that the Spirit leads through the power of the gospel. The gospel was revealed by the Spirit. In that revelation the Spirit tells us how to live, and sets motives before us to induce us to follow his directions. But if the Spirit, independent of the gospel, leads people to become children of God, then the gospel is not God’s power to save. We are sure Paul did not make an assertion about the Holy Spirit that contradicted his theme and his argument.

Romans 8:15

Romans 8:15 : For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Notice the word “again.” In becoming children of God we do not again enter into a bondage wherein we serve through fear. The Jew under the law was moved principally through fear, and idol worshippers were moved by fear. But not so with the Christian. “But ye received the spirit of adoption;” or, more exact, “Ye received the spirit of sonship.” A Christian is one who has been born again he is a child of God by birth, rather than by adoption. He serves God, not through a spirit of slavish fear, but through a spirit of filial obedience. “Spirit” as used in this verse does not refer to an individual personal intelligence, but to disposition or attitude. Instead of being moved by fear as slaves, the child of God renders trusting obedience to God, and confidently calls upon him as Father.

The spirit of fear is displaced by a spirit of reverence, trust, and worship. The term “Abba” means “Father.” It seems that the two terms are here used for emphasis.

Romans 8:16-17

Romans 8:16-17 : The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. These verses do not seem to ex-press thoughts additional to those expressed in Romans 8:14-15, for there is no connecting conjunction; they seem rather to be an explanation or further development of what had just been said. All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God and yet, though they are children of God, they are also servants of God. But these children of God, though they are also servants, serve in the spirit of children, not in the spirit of slaves. They have received the spirit, or disposition of sons. Serving in the spirit of sons, they have assurance that God is in reality their Father. “The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God.” In Barnes commentary on Romans we have this: “Beareth witness, testifies, gives evidence.

With our spirit. To our spirit.

This pertains to the adoption; and it means that the Holy Spirit furnishes evidence to our minds that we are adopted into the family of God.” Barnes thus changes “with” to “to,” and yet there is quite a difference in the meaning of the two prepositions. Besides, the language of the verse shows that our spirit is one of two witnesses. To say that the Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit is to make our spirit a judge, and not in any sense a witness. Many who hold this theory regard what they feel as superior to what God says. A theory that discredits the word of God is wrong. Then another idea is presented, namely, that the Holy Spirit has given his testimony as to what one must do to become a child of God, and our spirit testifies that we have done those things and thus the two witnesses bear witness together, that we are children of God.

This idea has this merit: It does not discredit the word of God, nor encourage disobedience; but does it set forth the meaning of Rom 8:16? Does the term “our spirit” refer to our inner man, or to the spirit, or disposition of the Chris-tian?

Notice the context. The preceding verse spoke of the “spirit of bondage” and the “spirit of adoption,” or sonship. The “spirit of bondage” did not refer to an intelligent being, but to a disposition, or an attitude ; and so also did the “spirit of adoption.” Then why should not “our spirit” refer to the disposition, or attitude, of the Christian? Our spirit as Christians is the spirit of faithful sons, the spirit of loving obedience. That is the spirit Paul had just mentioned, and that is our spirit–the Christian spirit. The Holy Spirit gives testimony as to what one must do and be to be a child of God, and our spirit of filial submission shows that we possess the characteristics of sonship.

In this way we prove, not only to ourselves, but to the world also, that we are children of God. A life of devotion guided by the testimony of the Holy Spirit is double evidence that we are children of God.

It is convincing evidence to right thinking people of the world. Jesus said “Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The fruits of sonship; Heirs of God–joint-heirs with Christ. But this is not an unconditional inheritance. Weigh well the condition “if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.” This however does not mean cannot mean–that we will have the same degree of glory that he has.

Romans 8:18

Romans 8:18 : For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to usward. In Romans 8:16-18 Paul reaches the climax of his argument on the theme that the gospel is the power of God for saving people. Even the sufferings which we undergo for the gospel serve a purpose in helping to fit us for the glory that shall be revealed to usward. “For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). The time of our suffering is short, but the glory and bliss of the reward are eternal. The greatness of the reward encourages the Christian to undergo the suffering that comes upon him, even though the suffering is not according to his will nor of his own choosing. To draw back on account of suffer-ing is to fail of the reward. “Faithful is the saying For if we died with him, we shall also live with him if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:11-12).

Romans 8:19-23

Romans 8:19-23 : For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected, it, in hope that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain togeth-er until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:19-23 has given commentators no end of trouble. No one has given an explanation that was satisfactory to all.

Where students differ so, it is not well for anyone to be overly dogmatic. The main trouble is in determining the meaning and application of the terms, “the creation,” “the whole creation,” “the first-fruits of the Spirit,” and “we ourselves.” Some assume that “the creation” and the “whole creation” are the same in extent of meaning and refer to all living things below man; that all living things, both animal and vege-table, suffer the curse of death along with man and that they are represented as looking forward to the time when the curse of death shall have been removed.

But it seems to me that there are insurmountable difficulties in the way of this interpretation. Where did anyone get the idea that death came upon animals and vegetables as a result of Adam’s sin? Upon what did the animal and fish feed before Adam sinned, and on what would they have continued to feed had he not sinned? What did Adam and Eve eat before they sinned? Any living thing that becomes food must die, whether that thing be animal or vegetable. The thing that kept Adam and Eve alive before they sinned was the fruit of the tree of life. It can hardly be conceived that the fishes and animals and vegetables were kept alive by the same means. It does not seem possible that Paul had in mind the lower creation in Romans 8:19-21.

It seems unreasonable that he should, by a figure of speech, represent animals and vegetables as expecting and awaiting the revealing of the sons of God; and it seems especially strange that he would affirm that animals and vegetables “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God,” or that they were subject to vanity, “not of their own will.” Every statement indicates that he was talking about intelligent beings who had a real interest in the resurrection and glorification of the children of God. The verses are closely connected with Romans 8:18, and evidently were written to encourage the Christian to endure the suffering for the sake of the glory that shall be revealed to usward. It would not help me to endure suffering to be told that the lower creation was longing to be delivered from suffering into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

What, then, is the creation of Rom 8:19-21? Who or what is it that with earnest expectation–strong hope–waits for the revealing of the sons of God? Who but Christians are so hopefully interested in that event? Of what creation could it be said that it hopes to be “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God”? Who hut Christians have such hopes? But are Christians, either as individuals or as a group, ever referred to as a creation?

Paul says: “Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The marginal reading has new creation. The Greek word for “creature” in this verse is the same as the word for “creation” in Romans 8:19; Romans 8:21. The church is said to have been created. “That he might create in himself of the two one new man” (Ephesians 2:15). Here we have the verb form of the word from which we have creation. Jesus created the church; hence, it is a creation.

And the things Paul says of the creation are true of the church–true of its members. The same things are elsewhere said of the sufferings, the hope, and the final glory of faithful Christians. If this view is not correct, it at least has the merit of being in harmony with what the scriptures elsewhere say concerning the present condition and future destiny of Christians. In Romans 8:22, Paul speaks of the whole human race. He reminds Christians that sufferings, death, and decay are not peculiar to Christians, but are the common lot of all human beings. But the reader will notice that no hope–no future outlook–is attributed to the whole creation.

 

But who is referred to in Romans 8:23? and what are the “first-fruits of the Spirit”? It seems to be taken for granted by many commentators that all Christians are here referred to and the “first-fruits of the Spirit” is the same as the “earnest of the Spirit” as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5 Ephesians 1:13-14. But I cannot see how in any sense the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Christian can be called the “first-fruits of the Spirit.” It rather seems that the “first-fruits of the Spirit” in the Christian dispensation were the miracu-lous powers conferred on the apostles. Hence, to encourage Christians to endure their sufferings he re-minds them that suffering is the common lot of the whole human family, and that even we, the apostles, who have all these miraculous endowments of the Spir-it, also groan within ourselves on account of our bur-dens and afflictions, “waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies.”

Romans 8:24-25

Romans 8:24-25 : For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. The “for” shows close connection with the preceding verses. Christians are now subject to vanity, the bondage of corruption; but they hope to be “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21). In this hope we were saved.

 

 

In the Greek text there is an article before hope in the first clause which equals this hope. In the hope of such glorious deliverance we are saved; not saved by this hope, but in this hope. In salvation, which is a process and which began at conversion, faith guides and hope stimulates us to patient endurance. The whole process is carried on in an element of hope, and culminates in our full deliverance into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. “But hope that is seen is not hope.” The word see frequently means to possess, to enjoy, to suffer, to experience. That is true even in our everyday speech. We see a good time; we see much sorrow; we see much pain.

We experience these things. A person does not hope for what he sees that is, for what he already has or experiences. If our redemption was already complete, if there was nothing yet to be desired or expected, there would be no hope. But we desire and expect a glorious future, and this hope for full deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God causes us to be patient during our period of waiting. Without hope we would not endure–we would not strive. Hope anchors our soul to the eternal world. “Hope lost, all is lost.”

Romans 8:26

Romans 8:26 : And in like manner the Spirit also help-eth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Or unutterable groanings. Hope helps us to endure afflictions, and in like manner the Spirit helps us in our infirmities. Perhaps there is more in this than we know. The infirmity here mentioned is that we know not how to pray as we ought to pray. What we already know about how to pray we learned through the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

And there are urgings and longings in the heart of a sincere child of God that he cannot ex-press. He has a feeling of helplessness, or of a deep need, without knowing what that need really is, or what would meet the need. It is what Paul calls “unutterable groanings.” It is the groaning within ourselves mentioned in Romans 8:23. These groanings are silent groanings–unutterable feelings of need. The Spirit helps us in these groanings, for he understands our needs and longings and can make them known to God.

Romans 8:27

Romans 8:27 : And he that searcheth the hearts know-eth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. God is the great heart searcher. He knows our lightest thoughts and purposes and the deepest longings of our hearts. But what is meant by the mind of the Spirit? Mind may refer to the intellectual faculty or to the mental disposition, or mood. It is foreign to Paul’s line of reasoning to make mind of the Spirit refer to the intellectual faculty of the Spirit or to the mental disposition of the Spirit.

Verse 6 may help us out “For the mind of the flesh is death but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.” “Mind of the flesh” is evidently the mental disposition, or mood, of the per-son dominated by the flesh–the disposition of mind produced by the flesh. And so the “mind of the Spirit” is the mental disposition, or mood, produced by the Spirit. All that the gospel contains stirs up in the heart of the honest believer feelings and aspirations that he cannot express in words. But God, the heart searcher, knows the mental disposition, the feelings, and aspirations thus produced by the Spirit. It is easy to understand Paul, if we understand him to mean that God, who searches the hearts, knows the mental disposition produced by the Spirit. It is probable that God searches the heart through the agency of the Holy Spirit; “for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 : And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose. The expressions “them that love God” and “them that are called according to his purpose,” refer to the same persons. What is included in the all things of the verse? Does Paul include the devil and all his works and agents? Does he include the lusts of the flesh, which war against the soul, and to our infirmities in which we need help? It seems to me that the context and the very nature of the case demand that we take the all things in a limited sense.

In all that he had said up to this point Paul was talking about what God had done and is doing for us through Christ and by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He had also shown how hope sustains us and how the Holy Spirit interprets to God the unutterable longings of our hearts. Why not understand Paul to refer to the things he had been talking about? And all of God’s dealings in the past with men and nations worked for the good of those who love God, and whom God called. Paul’s statement is a sort of conclusion from what he had said. It is not fair to him to make his conclusion include things he had not mentioned.

Why, then, should we conclude that he now speaks of every conceivable thing, every conceivable force and circumstance, and that he affirms that all these things, both good and bad, work together for good to those who love God? To do so is to entirely miss the trend of his thought.

 

Who are those who love God? “He that bath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me” (John 14:21). “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3). “And this is love that we should walk after his commandments” (2 John 1:6). But what is meant by the words “called according to his purpose”? God’s purpose in sending his Son into the world was to save those who believe in him. He, therefore, purposed to save men through his Son. It is his purpose to save all who want to do right (Matthew 5:6). Hence, all who feel the burden of sin and their need of righteousness, or justification, are called. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

 

Those who answer this call are the called according to his purpose. This calling is spoken of in 2 Timothy 1:9 : “Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eternal.”

Romans 8:29-30

Romans 8:29-30 : For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. This is one of the very difficult passages in the Roman letter. The terms and scope of the passage are not so difficult to understand, but commentators have difficulty in deciding to whom the language applies. Some have argued or assumed that the persons mentioned are the saints who arose when Jesus arose from the dead (Matthew 27:52-53). But that explanation seems farfetched. (1) It does not fit in with Paul’s line of thought. He was showing what the gospel does for people, and not what became of certain Old Testament saints.

To introduce them at this time would seem to have no point. (2) The record in Matthew does not say that the saints who arose ascended to heaven and were glorified. So far as we know, they may have died again. (3) Paul’s language shows that all who were foreknown were also glorified; whereas Matthew tells us that many of the saints arose.

Not all of them arose. This is further proved by the fact that Peter makes a point out of the fact that David had not been raised (Acts 2:29). There was a purpose in raising these saints. It helped to emphasize the claim that Jesus arose. If people of past ages, whom no one then living in Jerusalem knew, had been raised and had walked the streets of Jerusalem, they would have seemed to the people to be strangers who had come to Jerusalem to the Passover but if saints whom the people of Jerusalem had known, and whom they had known to be dead and buried, appeared on the streets of Jerusalem, it would have opened their eyes and prepared them to believe that Jesus also arose. (4) Romans 8:29-30 is a further development of the thought presented in Romans 8:28. Romans 8:28 refers to those who are called by the gospel, called according to God’s purpose. Notice that Romans 8:29 begins with for, which shows that Romans 8:29-30 is closely connected with Romans 8:28, and that all three verses refer to the same class of people.

 

The verses are directly connected with God’s purpose, as expressed in Romans 8:28. The whole purpose of God with reference to the redemption of man through the gospel of Christ is viewed as completed, so as to show how all things do work together for good to those who are called according to his purpose. The plans and purposes of God which are certain of fulfillment are sometimes spoken of as fulfilled when the fulfillment is yet future. Before Isaac was born God said to Abraham: “The father of a multitude of nations have I made thee” (Genesis 17:5). “For whom he foreknew.” To know (Greek, ginosko) a person is to approve him. God approved certain characters before they were actually called. Hence, there are certain conditions of heart that God approves even in those who have not yet become Christians.

He approves the poor in spirit that is, those who feel their sinfulness and need of salvation, and, therefore, hunger and thirst after righteousness justification (Matthew 5:3; Matthew 5:6). Such characters were foreordained, or appointed, to become conformed to the image of his Son. (This language shows that Paul was speaking of people under the gospel dispensation). Jesus guaranteed, or foreordained, that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled–that is, shall receive that for which they hunger and thirst. Such characters are the ones who are called, and no others. Jesus did not come to call the self-righteous, who do not realize their sinfulness and need of salvation. The called are those who have answered the gospel invitation, and not those to whom the call has merely been issued.

Those who are actually called are justified–that is, forgiven and made righteous. And these are the ones who, in the final day of accounts, are glorified. These verses are not so difficult if we understand Paul as viewing the whole process of redemption through Christ. It is a sublime conception.

Romans 8:31-32

Romans 8:31-32 : What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how(shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Here again we have “all things,” as in Romans 8:28. To all these things we can say: If God is for us, it matters little who is against us. Certainly if God gave us the greatest, the most precious gift, the gift of his Son, he will not withhold any of the lesser things that might be good for us and are not the “all things” which he gives us with Christ the “all things” that work together for our good?

Romans 8:33-34

Romans 8:33-34 : Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. The word elect has been much abused by religionists of the Calvinistic type. The original word means, according to Thayer, picked out, chosen. God does not choose at random there is a reason for the choice he makes.

He chooses, or elects, all who obey him, regardless of race, social standing or financial rating. Certainly God will not lay anything to the charge of his chosen ones he justifies them. Hence, no one can bring a charge against God’s elect, so as to induce him to condemn them. Will Christ condemn them? It is he that is to be judge (Matthew 25:31; Matthew 25:46; John 5:22; Acts 17:30-31). But certainly he will not condemn them that God justifies, for he died for them and now makes intercession for them.

Hence, only those whom God does not justify will be condemned.

Romans 8:35-36

Romans 8:35-36 : Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. The phrase, “the love of Christ,” can mean either the love Christ has for us or the love we have for him. Here it evidently means the love we have for him, for no one would think that the harsh things we suffer for him would separate his love from us; whereas it might appear reasonable to some that the sufferings we undergo in serving Christ might cause our love to grow cold, and even vanish. It will be noticed that all the evils mentioned are things that come upon us–things from without. If a man loves Christ as he should, none of the things mentioned will destroy that love only the conditions of our own heart can cause us to cease loving him.

Jesus shows how we can be led astray: “And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:11-12).

Romans 8:37

Romans 8:37 : Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. “In all these things”–the sufferings and hardships just mentioned. “More than conquerors”–if we successfully endure all these things, we have done more than merely to triumph over them; we have made a decided gain in Christian character. In conquering we have grown in character and in favor with God. Hence, even the evil things with which our enemies meant to crush us may be so used as to work to our good.

Romans 8:38-39

Romans 8:38-39 : For 1 am persuaded, 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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. It will be noticed again that all the things mentioned are things without. Nothing here is said as to what corrupting influence might do to the heart. No powers or persecutions can force one to quit loving God. If he quits, he does it of his own accord. Love cannot be destroyed by force or by imperial command, but it may wax cold.

Some even depart from their first love (Revelation 2:4). Paul recognized that people might depart from the faith, but he was persuaded that no evils coming on us from without could destroy the love of God. In Christ, God’s love for us and our love for him meet.