The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
July 23
Romans 8:9-25
Commentary by Nick Boork
July 23
Romans 8:9-25
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July 23 ~ Romans 8:9-25
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—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 as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
I’m sure that you have picked up on the depth of teaching that Paul is revealing about the work of the Holy Spirit in the children of God. This particular chapter of Romans eight is one of the most complete chapters in the whole Bible on the place and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the people of God. When Jesus walked the earth he had several discussions about the coming work of the Holy Spirit. One of the things that he told the apostles was that it was better for him to go away because if he did not go away the Comforter would not come but if he departed he would send him from Heaven and that when he came he would teach us all things and show us things to come. Here are several ways that the Holy Spirit is working in our lives today.
The Holy Spirit lives in us and brings life to our mortal bodies. This is the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead the third day and has power to bring life into our bodies and even our dead situations. Notice that Paul says we are debtors but not to our flesh in other words now that we have been saved and the Holy Spirit lives within us we don’t need to obey our flesh in anything sinful anymore. We don’t have to conform to being controlled by it’s sinful ways. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit helps us to put to death the misdeeds of the body with the promise of life.
The Word teaches us that if we live according to the flesh we will die. Doesn’t this sound like the original warning that God gave to Adam and Eve saying if you eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and of evil you will surely die. Now, being redeemed in Christ we have the opportunity to make a choice to live according to the Holy Spirit and the word of God and not follow the ways of the first Adam that plunged humanity into sin, corruption and death.
Next it says that those that are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. This is referring to the same way that the Spirit lead Jesus up into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil and overcome! True born-again believers are the sons and daughters of God with the Holy Spirit living in them and in order to produce maturity in us leads us to confront all the temptations of the devil and our own flesh. When we’re listening to the Holy Spirit we are not fulfilling the sinful desires of our old carnal nature. No, now we’re learning to resist the devil and confess the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit and defeat the devil as Christ did saying it is written and putting the evil on to flight! The Holy Spirit in you will make you a victorious warrior that walks in freedom and power as you learn to rely on Him.
The Holy Spirit within us brings us great reassurance that we are in fact the children of God and also produces within us a spiritual cry Abba father! Daddy Father, coming to know the Father as a loving Father. Being saved does not lead a person into a life of condemnation by relating to God as some distant hard to please deity but rather now in Christ we are his beloved son’s and daughter’s. So the Holy Spirit creates in our hearts great assurance that we are loved and belong to God. We now have a new spiritual identity that we have been adopted into the family of God. The spirit causes us to realize that we are now the heirs of God as joint heirs with Christ! Think of it, joint heirs with Christ means that in the eyes of God because you and I have received Jesus Christ he has elevated us to the place of being joint heirs or equal recipients to the total inheritance of God Almighty the creator of heaven and earth! Everything that the Father gave to Jesus now belongs to you, a portion of the riches of God belongs to you and me as children of God. You can say praise the Lord now!!!
However, there is a price to pay in following Jesus from here to glory. Notice that the Scriptures teach us that we may need to suffer with Christ in the process of being glorified together with him. It’s a fact that millions of Christians suffer persecution around the world for their faith. But in light of eternity Paul says that he does not even think it worthy to compare our current sufferings with the glory that will be revealed in us. Yes, we may suffer persecution, people rejecting us, the attacks of the devil and death to living in sin which can be a painful process as we follow Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives but I tell you it’s totally worth it! All of creation is waiting eagerly for the full manifestation of the sons of God at the return of Christ. This is what the Bible describes as birth-pangs and we who have the first-fruits of the Holy Spirit experience this pressure between our current state and the glory to come. Thank God we have the Holy Spirit living in us to keep that eternal perspective and hope alive as we wait for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and our being glorified together with him according to his promise.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The Holy Spirit has been given to us for many important purposes.
2) Your spiritual identity in Christ and relationship with the Father should come out of the Word of God and the revelation knowledge that only the Holy Spirit can give.
3) Remember that the Holy Spirit is always with you and will bring you through the deepest valleys and lead you to the highest mountains in God.
4) Read Romans chapter 8 often and pray that God help you by the Holy Spirit to apply it.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—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 as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
I’m sure that you have picked up on the depth of teaching that Paul is revealing about the work of the Holy Spirit in the children of God. This particular chapter of Romans eight is one of the most complete chapters in the whole Bible on the place and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the people of God. When Jesus walked the earth he had several discussions about the coming work of the Holy Spirit. One of the things that he told the apostles was that it was better for him to go away because if he did not go away the Comforter would not come but if he departed he would send him from Heaven and that when he came he would teach us all things and show us things to come. Here are several ways that the Holy Spirit is working in our lives today.
The Holy Spirit lives in us and brings life to our mortal bodies. This is the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead the third day and has power to bring life into our bodies and even our dead situations. Notice that Paul says we are debtors but not to our flesh in other words now that we have been saved and the Holy Spirit lives within us we don’t need to obey our flesh in anything sinful anymore. We don’t have to conform to being controlled by it’s sinful ways. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit helps us to put to death the misdeeds of the body with the promise of life.
The Word teaches us that if we live according to the flesh we will die. Doesn’t this sound like the original warning that God gave to Adam and Eve saying if you eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and of evil you will surely die. Now, being redeemed in Christ we have the opportunity to make a choice to live according to the Holy Spirit and the word of God and not follow the ways of the first Adam that plunged humanity into sin, corruption and death.
Next it says that those that are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. This is referring to the same way that the Spirit lead Jesus up into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil and overcome! True born-again believers are the sons and daughters of God with the Holy Spirit living in them and in order to produce maturity in us leads us to confront all the temptations of the devil and our own flesh. When we’re listening to the Holy Spirit we are not fulfilling the sinful desires of our old carnal nature. No, now we’re learning to resist the devil and confess the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit and defeat the devil as Christ did saying it is written and putting the evil on to flight! The Holy Spirit in you will make you a victorious warrior that walks in freedom and power as you learn to rely on Him.
The Holy Spirit within us brings us great reassurance that we are in fact the children of God and also produces within us a spiritual cry Abba father! Daddy Father, coming to know the Father as a loving Father. Being saved does not lead a person into a life of condemnation by relating to God as some distant hard to please deity but rather now in Christ we are his beloved son’s and daughter’s. So the Holy Spirit creates in our hearts great assurance that we are loved and belong to God. We now have a new spiritual identity that we have been adopted into the family of God. The spirit causes us to realize that we are now the heirs of God as joint heirs with Christ! Think of it, joint heirs with Christ means that in the eyes of God because you and I have received Jesus Christ he has elevated us to the place of being joint heirs or equal recipients to the total inheritance of God Almighty the creator of heaven and earth! Everything that the Father gave to Jesus now belongs to you, a portion of the riches of God belongs to you and me as children of God. You can say praise the Lord now!!!
However, there is a price to pay in following Jesus from here to glory. Notice that the Scriptures teach us that we may need to suffer with Christ in the process of being glorified together with him. It’s a fact that millions of Christians suffer persecution around the world for their faith. But in light of eternity Paul says that he does not even think it worthy to compare our current sufferings with the glory that will be revealed in us. Yes, we may suffer persecution, people rejecting us, the attacks of the devil and death to living in sin which can be a painful process as we follow Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives but I tell you it’s totally worth it! All of creation is waiting eagerly for the full manifestation of the sons of God at the return of Christ. This is what the Bible describes as birth-pangs and we who have the first-fruits of the Holy Spirit experience this pressure between our current state and the glory to come. Thank God we have the Holy Spirit living in us to keep that eternal perspective and hope alive as we wait for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and our being glorified together with him according to his promise.
WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) The Holy Spirit has been given to us for many important purposes.
2) Your spiritual identity in Christ and relationship with the Father should come out of the Word of God and the revelation knowledge that only the Holy Spirit can give.
3) Remember that the Holy Spirit is always with you and will bring you through the deepest valleys and lead you to the highest mountains in God.
4) Read Romans chapter 8 often and pray that God help you by the Holy Spirit to apply it.
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll