What I Noticed Today (Romans 8-10)
Romans 8
In Romans 8, Paul addresses the question of how a Christian can lead a holy life. The prominence of Paul in Romans 7 as he described his own difficulties is replaced in Romans 8 by a focus on the role of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.
In verses 1-11, Paul proclaims, there is no condemnation (punishment) for those in Christ Jesus because the Holy Spirit has set us free from the law of sin and death.
Note: Paul mentioned the Holy Spirit only twice in Romans 1-7 but eighteen times in Romans 8.
Note: The phrase “set me free” is aorist tense, which suggests a once and for all action that occurred at a specific point in time (when you confessed Christ, you were once and for all set free from the law of sin and death).
God sent His Son in the flesh, under sin’s domain, as a sin offering, and He accomplished what we could not.
Note: Jesus’ accomplishment (v. 4) is that He conquered sin and death by living a righteous life according to the Holy Spirit.
Paul draws a comparison between those who live according to the flesh versus those who live according to the Spirit. According to the flesh, those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the flesh, which is contrary to God. Therefore, they cannot please God. This mindset of the flesh ends in death. According to the Spirit, those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the Spirit and have peace and eternal life.
Paul addresses believers directly, saying you do not live in the flesh since you have the Spirit. If the Spirit is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life. Therefore, the Spirit that raised Christ will also raise your mortal bodies.
Note: The Holy Spirit gives us a spiritual resurrection now and will raise our mortal bodies in the future.
In verses 12-17, therefore, Paul concludes, we are not obligated to live in the flesh but by the Spirit, which brings life. All those who the Spirit leads are God’s sons. The Holy Spirit has adopted us into God’s family, that we might call God Father (Abba, Father). The Holy Spirit testifies that we are heirs of God and coheirs with Christ.
Note: “Abba” is Hebrew for “Father.”
Note: As coheirs with Christ, believers will share in His sufferings in this world but will also share in His glory in eternity.
In verses 18-27, Paul describes the goal of the Holy Spirit—our sanctification.
Despite the suffering that may come to us, Paul says he believes the glory that will come to us in the future far outweighs any suffering we face on this earth.
Paul says creation awaits the revealing of God’s sons when God’s children will be set free from the bondage of corruption, and our bodies will be redeemed. But, while the redemption is promised, we await it with patience.
Note: The phrase “eagerly awaits” is used seven times in the New Testament, and in each case, it is a reference to Christ’s return (Romans 8:19, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:25, 1 Corinthians 1:7, Galatians 5:5, Philippians 3:20, and Hebrews 2:10).
The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For example, because we do not know what to pray, the Spirit intercedes for us, searching our hearts, making requests on our behalf according to the will of God.
Note: The “unspoken groanings” (v. 26) are not a reference to speaking in tongues. The Greek word for groanings is stenagmois. It is used only twice in the New Testament and means either to sigh or to groan.
In verses 28-30, after describing the goal of sanctification (vv. 1-27), Paul now describes the certainty of sanctification in the believer’s life.
Paul begins by explaining that all things work together for good in the lives of believers who have been called according to His purpose.
Note: This does not suggest that all things in the believer’s life are good. They are not; we still live in a fallen world. However, for those who love God and have been called according to His purpose, He has promised to weave even the trials together for good.
Paul explains the relationship between the believer and God. We are first called (Romans 1:6), we are justified (Romans 3:24), and are being glorified (Romans 8:17).
In verses 31-39, switching from prose to poetry, Paul completes his discussion of the certainty of sanctification with five questions:
- Question 1. If God is for us, who can be against us? No one. God gave His own Son for us, who died and was raised, and sits at the right hand of God.
- Question 2. How will He not also with Him grant us everything?
- Question 3. Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?
- Question 4. Who is the one who condemns?
- Question 5. Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
Note: Paul lists seven things (all of which he experienced) that believers might think would separate us from Christ’s love (in increasing intensity): trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and the sword.
Paul concludes by saying he is convinced not even death or life, angels, or rulers, things present, or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any living thing has the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ.
Romans 9
The focus of Romans 9 is on God’s sovereignty as it relates to the nation of Israel.
In verses 1-5, Paul expresses deep sorrow over the Israelites because of their rejection of the Gospel. They had the benefit of 1) adoption as sons (Exodus 4:22), 2) the divine glory (Exodus 16:10), 3) the covenants (Genesis 15:18), 4) the Law (Deuteronomy 1:1-22), 5) the temple worship (Deuteronomy 7:6), and 6) the promises of God (Acts 2:39). From them came the Messiah, who is God over all, praised forever.
In verses 6-18, the rejection of the word of God (Gospel) does not mean that it failed. Paul gave three examples of God’s sovereignty with respect to Israel:
- Isaac and Ishmael (vv. 7b-9). God chose Isaac.
- Jacob and Esau (vv. 10-13). God loved Jacob.
- Pharaoh (vv. 14-18). God raised up Pharaoh to display His power.
God’s sovereignty means He will have mercy on whom He wishes to have mercy and will harden whom He wants to harden.
Note: God sovereignly raised up Pharaoh to display His power, but Pharaoh was responsible for his own actions in rejecting God’s message.
In verses 19-29, Paul anticipates the questions of his readers asking:
- Then why does God still find fault, and
- Who can resist His will?
Paul affirms God’s sovereignty by explaining the clay does not tell the potter what to do. Neither should man presume to tell God what to do or question His purpose.
- What if God wants to be patient and not pour out His wrath?
- What if He did this to display His mercy to those He prepared beforehand for glory (Jews and Gentiles).
Paul quotes Hosea 2:23, and 1:10, Isaiah 10:22-23, and Isaiah 28:22, Isaiah 1:9 to demonstrate God, in His sovereignty, always preserves and protects a remnant of Israel.
In verses 30-33, Paul concludes, saying Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have obtained the righteousness that comes through faith while Israel, who pursued righteousness through the Law, has not achieved righteousness. Why? Because they (Israel) did not pursue righteousness by faith but by works. The works became a stone over which they stumbled (Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16).
Romans 10
In verses 1-13, Paul emphasizes righteousness comes by faith alone.
In verses 1-4, speaking to the Christian brothers, Paul explains he prays for the salvation of the Jews. He knows they have a zeal for God but not true knowledge of God. They attempted to create their own righteousness rather than submitting to the righteousness of God. Christ is the end of the Law of righteousness for everyone who believes in Christ.
Note: To serve God, one must have both zeal for God and the true knowledge of God. Paul is saying while the Jews had great zeal for God, their zeal was not based on a true understanding of God.
In verses 5-13, Paul quotes from the Old Testament to prove his point:
- Leviticus 18:5. You shall keep my statutes, and if you do, you shall live.
- Deuteronomy 9:4 and 30:12. Do not wonder who will go to heaven.
- Deuteronomy 30:13. Do not wonder who will go to the abyss.
- Deuteronomy 30:14. The message is in your heart and mouth. If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth Jesus Christ is Lord, then you shall be saved. Belief in the heart results in righteousness, and confession with the mouth results in salvation.
- Isaiah 28:16. Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.
- Joel 2:32. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
In verses 14-21, Paul describes what must occur for someone to call on the name of the Lord (in reverse order).
- How can they believe without hearing?
- How can they hear without a preacher?
- How can the preacher preach unless he is sent?
Note: The word translated “preach” means “to herald, or to announce.” Paul is not limiting who should do this, announcing to a professional preacher!
Paul says the feet of those who announce the Gospel are beautiful (this means their message is welcome, see Isaiah 52:7).
In verses 16-18, Paul acknowledges that not all Israelites accepted the Gospel. He uses several Old Testament passages to illustrate how the message had been preached, but the Jews had not responded (Psalm 19:4, Deuteronomy 32:21, and Isaiah 65:1). Paul repeats faith comes through hearing, and the message is about Christ. Finally, he concludes (quoting Isaiah 65:2), God had held out His hands to them, but they were disobedient and defiant.
Some thoughts for further consideration:
- In Christ, we have a new life, an inheritance in God’s family, the hope of a future in heaven, the Holy Spirit to guide us, and the knowledge that nothing can separate us from the love of the Father. In this, we are more than conquerors!
- God is sovereign. He was not obligated to save anyone. Yet, in His tender mercy, he made a path for us to become an heir and coheir with Christ.
- The message of the Gospel is not just for professional pastors to proclaim but is for all of His children.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
