Children of God (Romans 8)
Those in Christ stand without condemnation.
We are to walk after the Spirit, not the flesh.
We are God's children.
All things work together for our good.
God is for us.
God's love for us is inseparable.
1. Those who follow Christ stand before God without condemnation.
They are on God's spiritual path.
They are not on their own carnal path.
2. There are two laws that distinguish between the spiritual and the non-spiritual:
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus - Obedience brings freedom from sin and eternal life.
The law of sin and death - Obedience brings bondage to sin and eternal death.
3. The law (the 10 commandments), which reflects the character of God, was not able to liberate from sin.
Residing externally on stone, it could not penetrate carnal flesh to fallen hearts.
Residing externally on stone, it could not serve as a living example of victory over sin.
Jesus, who is the image of the invisible God, was sent by God as Substitute for and Liberator from sin.
Invited into the heart, Jesus rescues the soul and transforms the character to the image of God. (Ro 8:29, 2Co 3:18)
Coming in the flesh and overcoming all of its temptations, Jesus is our Example and Way. (Heb 4:15, Jn 14:6)
For each person, either by consummation or by liberation, sin, which brought death, is now condemned to die. (Ro 6:23, 1Jn 3:6)
4. The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us. (Mt 5:17, Col 1:27, Heb 8:10)
Again, the key distinguisher is repeated: following the Spirit rather than the flesh.
5. Our state of being (carnal or Spiritual) determines our thoughts and actions. (Pr 23:7, Mt 7:16-18)
6. The carnal path is death (present and future). (1Ti 5:6, Rev 20:11-15)
The spiritual path is life and peace (present and future). (Jn 10:10, Jn 6:47)
7. Those on the carnal path are in opposition to God and His holy character. (Mt 12:30, Jas 4:4)
Those of the carnal state do not obey the 10 commandments, neither in specifics nor in essence. (compare Jn 14:15,21, 1Jn 2:4, 1Jn 3:4-8, 1Jn 5:2,3)
External efforts to enforce obedience will never succeed. (1Co 2:14)
8. To please God, we must be in the Spirit, not in the flesh. (Mt 3:16,17 compare Jn 8:29, Heb 11:5,6 compare Ge 5:24, 1Jn 1:6,7, 1Jn 2:6)
9. The condition for being in the Spirit is unequivocally defined:
The Holy Spirit must dwell (have residence) in us. (Jn 14:16,17, 1Co 3:16)
Note the emphasis here that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. (Jn 15:26, Jn 16:13,14, Gal 4:6)
It is only through an intimate, internal relationship with Christ that we can be spiritual. (Jer 9:23,24, Jn 17:3, Heb 8:11)
We are, essentially, to become one with Jesus. (Jn 17:20-23)
10. Righteousness and eternal life is by Christ in us. (Jn 14:6, Php 3:9, Col 1:27, 1Jn 5:12)
11. Quicken - "Primarily, to make alive; to vivify; to revive or resuscitate, as from death or an inanimate state." (Webster's Dictionary 1828)
If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, death will not be able to keep us permanently in the grave. (Ps 71:20, Jn 5:21-29)
If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we should experience spiritual renewal now. (Ps 119:40, Eph 2:1-7, Col 2:12,13)
12. We should no longer feed our sinful nature. (Ro 13:14, 1Jn 2:15-17)
13. We must cooperate with the Spirit to destroy our carnality (old nature). (Mt 16:24,25, Ro 6:6, Col 3:5-10)
14. The children of God are those who obediently follow His Spirit. (1Jn 3:9,10)
15. We are brought into an intimate relationship: children of God, our Father. (Jn 1:12,13)
16. By aligning and uniting our entire being with God's Spirit, we are manifest as His children.
17. The children of God will inherit the future kingdom. (Ps 37:9,29, Mt 25:34, Jn 14:2,3, 1Pe 1:3,4)
The children of God overcome the world and the flesh. (Rev 21:7) (compare Jn 16:33, 1Co 6:9,10, Rev 3:21)
The children of God share in the sufferings of Christ. (Mt 19:29, Jn 15:20, Php 1:29, 2Ti 3:12)
The children of God are persecuted by the children of the flesh. (Gal 4:29)
18. God is transforming us through temporal trials and sufferings. (Isa 48:10, Zec 13:9, 1Pe 1:6,7)
19. This world is expectantly waiting for the revelation of the children of God.
20. This world was allowed to be corrupted by sinful rebellion, with the intent that its barren, lifeless path never be repeated. (Ge 3:17,18, Na 1:9)
21. When the children of God are finally liberated from sin, the paradise of God shall also be restored. (Isa 51:3, Isa 65:25)
22. This world is groaning and travailing in pain--to give birth to the children of God. (compare Ge 3:15,16 compare Eph 5:22-24,30-32)
23. The children of God also groan as they wait for their adoption to be fully realized in immortality. (1Co 15:52,53)
24. True hope has as its subject a future event.
The blessed hope for Christians is the personal return of Jesus Christ. (Tit 2:13)
Without this event, there would be no hope for anyone.
25. Hope in the return of Christ requires patience and perseverance. (Gal 6:9, 2Th 3:13)
26. The following groan for the children of God to be completely formed:
This world (verse 22)
The children of God (verse 23)
The Holy Spirit (this verse) - Whose interceding groans are spiritual
27. Unlike our own prayers (verse 26), the Spirit's intercessions are always according to the will of God.
28. God's will is to use all circumstances for the good of His children. (compare Ge 50:18-20)
29-30. God's involvement in the formation of His children:
Foreknowledge - In the mind of the Creator (Ps 139:13-16, Jer 1:5, Ac 15:18)
Predestination - To the character of His Son (Ac 17:26,27, Eph 1:4,5)
Through faith in His Son, God offers everyone (without exception) the opportunity to become His child. (Jn 3:16, Jn 6:40, Jn 7:37, Ro 5:18, Ro 10:13, 1Ti 2:3-6, 1Jn 2:2, Rev 22:17) (compare Gal 3:26)
Calling - Through the sacrifice of His Son (Jn 12:32,33)
Justification - Through faith in His Son (Gal 2:16)
Glorification - Through the Lordship of His Son (2Co 3:18)
In this verse, we see that God has a comprehensive plan of goodness for His children. (compare Jer 29:11)
31. Since God is for His children, no one will be able to thwart His plans for them.
32. The Father made the supreme sacrifice in sparing not the life of His Son.
This gracious gift was not exclusive, but rather, intended "for us all".
The matchless magnitude of this gift gives us supreme confidence that God will continue the work He has begun in us. (Php 1:6)
33. Who vainly imagines they have some accusation that merits an overruling of God's perfect will?
God's choice is His "vote"--His "election".
The "elect" are the object of His election.
God has elected that no one should have to perish. (Eze 18:32, Eze 33:11, 2Pe 3:9)
Each individual determines their own eternal destiny through their own free will choice to accept or reject Jesus. (compare 1Co 1:18)
34. Who is the audacious condemner who voices accussations purported to outweigh the sacrifice of Christ?
Who is so proud so as to presume to challenge the personal intercession of Christ in our behalf?
35. No external agent can separate us from the love of Christ.
The only possible separating element is our own sinful choice. (Ps 66:17,18, Isa 59:1,2)
Even though separated, God continues to call for their return. (Isa 55:7, Jer 3:14,22)
Through His death on the cross, Christ proved once and for all His perfect love for us. (compare Jn 15:13)
The pages of history are also filled with testimonies of the love of God's people for their Saviour.
Although destroyed, they were not defeated by tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, peril, or sword. (Heb 11:35-40)
Following their Lord, His people are found faithful unto death. (Da 3:16-18, Mt 10:38, Rev 12:11)
36. Like their Shepherd, the sheep are also slaughtered. (from Ps 44:22) (Jn 10:11) (Zec 13:7, Jn 15:20, 2Ti 3:12)
37. Spiritual conquest is the highest form of victory.
Through Christ, God's children overcome the world. (Rev 6:1,2)
38-39. God and His children are inseparable.
God's love is perfectly expressed in Christ His Son. (Jn 14:9, Heb 1:1-3)