THE BOOK OF ROMANS, CHAPTER 8

There is no condemnation to those who have invested their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, since the Law of the Spirit has set us free from the Law of sin and death. For what the Law was unable to do because it had been weakened by the flesh, God accomplished by sending His Son in the guise of sinful flesh to be a sin offering for us.

And as Christ took upon Himself the sins of all men of all time, God was, through Him, in the process of overcoming man’s sinful nature. As a result, we are able to satisfy the requirements of the Law, if we simply avoid the ultimatums of the carnal man, and rather, we cooperate with the leading of the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh wants, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit wants. The mind governed which is by the flesh results in spiritual poverty and death, but the mind which is governed by the Spirit results in life and peace. The mind which is governed by the flesh is nothing less than the enemy of God. It does not submit to God’s Law, nor is it capable of doing so. Those who live according to the desires of the flesh are incapable of pleasing God.

You, however, do not live in and for the flesh, but in and for the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If a man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.  However, if Christ is in you, though your body is subject to death due to sin, the Spirit will provide you life because of the righteousness with which He endues you.  And if the Spirit which is responsible for Christ’ resurrection is alive and well in you, He will also give life to your mortal bodies, as a result of that quickening Spirit.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have no obligation to the flesh; to live according to its demands. For if you live according to fleshly desires, you will die. But if you, by the Spirit, put to death the inappropriate thoughts and actions of the body, you will, without any doubt or contradiction, live.

For those among us who voluntarily submit to the unction of the Holy Spirit are the children of God. The Spirit which you received does not lead you into spiritual slavery, so that you continue in fear. But rather, the Spirit you received has caused you to be adopted as sons. And by Him God has gifted you with the wherewithal to use the words, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself agrees with our spirit that we are the children of the living God. Yes, if we are children, then we are heirs, and we will share all that is His. If indeed we share in His sufferings, we cannot help but share in His preeminence!

In my humble estimation, I believe that which we endure now is hardly comparable with the inestimable, and everlasting future God has promised us.  For all of creation is desperately waiting for the sons of the Father to inherit all that God has stored up for them in heaven.

For the creation cannot, as yet, see the reward, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it to this present dispensation. And yet, there is that hope which God instills in us. And the expectation is that every known and unknown creature will, one day, be released from its bondage to aging and decomposition, and will inherit the freedom and glory of the children of the Most High God!

 It is obvious that every animate, and inanimate thing which currently exists has been groaning, as does a woman in childbirth. Not only this, but we, ourselves, who are recipients of the first fruits of the Spirit are groaning within ourselves, as we wait eagerly for our heavenly adoption; the redemption of these frail human bodies. For as a result of this hope, we will be saved.

During this little season in which we now wait, we should encourage one another that hope requires waiting for something which has not yet transpired, but which is of inestimable and lasting value. If we exercise a spirit of hope, that which is invisible, but more real than what we call “real,” we must also exercise a spirit of patience.

The Spirit always inspires us to believe our redemption is at hand, and helps us when weakness overcomes us. So often, we find ourselves unsure just how to pray, but the Spirit, Himself intercedes and intervenes for us with inarticulate groanings. And He who searches the compulsions of our souls knows the Spirit’s aspirations for us, since the Spirit intervenes for believers in accordance with the will of the Father.

And we know that in all things, God works for the benefit of those who invest their expectations in Him; who were foreordained to achieve His wonderful plans. For those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to emulate the life, words and actions of His Son, that He might be the first among a myriad of brothers and sisters.

And God foreordained the destinies of many children before He ever breathed the earth and stars into place. And having foreordained them, He also appointed them. And having appointed them, He also validated them. And having validated them, we know and we are sure that He will exalt them.

How then can we adequately respond to all of these things? If God stands with us, who can ever stand against us? If this magnificent God of ours refused to intervene for His Son, and allowed Him to die a sacrificial death for us, why would we doubt His willingness to fulfill our every need?

Who would dare bring a false accusation against those whom God has chosen for Himself? After all, God is the justifier of men. Who then has any right to denounce us? Only Christ, Himself, (and He has no intention of doing so). For it was Christ who surrendered His life for us, and more than this, Who was raised to life for us, and more than this, who sits at the very right hand of His Father, and more than this, He has never failed to intercede for us.  

Who or what can possibly remove us from the never-failing, ever-enduring love of Christ? Will difficulty or hardship or persecution or suffering or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (I tell you, no)!

As it is written,

“For Your sake we encounter death on a daily basis.
 We are like sacrificial sheep ready to be slaughtered.”

In every circumstance with which we contend, we win. We win! And we owe our victory to the One who has so often proven His love for us, and Who has never failed to fight the good fight with and for us.

For I am absolutely convinced that neither this life, nor the cessation of this life, nor the angels of heaven, nor the angels of hell, nor the status quo, nor that which awaits us in the future, nor rulers, nor mountains, nor valleys, nor anything else God ever created will be able to separate us from the overwhelming love of our Abba Father; which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

from the McDonald Paraphrase of the New Testament

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