Gospel Experience-Romans 8:1-17

The highest peak. Romans 8 is without doubt one of the best-known, best-loved chapters of the Bible. It has been extolled by interpreters as the greatest passage within the greatest book in Scripture. These metaphors have been used: the highest peak in a range of mountains, the tree of life in the midst of the Garden of Eden, the inner sanctuary within the cathedral of Christian faith. Without a doubt Romans 8 displays a rich and comprehensive portrayal of what it means to be a Christian. Prominent in this description is the work of the Holy Spirit (pneuma occurs 21 times in Romans 8: 15x in 8:1-17 and 4x in 8:18-39).

The brightest gem. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the great 20th-century Welsh preacher, wrote of Romans: “It is one of the brightest gems of all. Someone has said that in the whole of the Scriptures the brightest and the most lustrous and flashing stone, or collection of stones, is this Epistle to the Romans, and that of these [chapter 8] is the brightest gem in the cluster. The most moving [chapter in Romans] is this chapter 8.”  (Romans Chapters 7:1 – 8:4, pages 258-259). Lloyd-Jones preached 35 sermons in Romans 8:1-17, averaging 2 sermons per verse!

The Spirit. In Romans 7 the law and its synonyms is mentioned 31 times, but the Holy Spirit only once. In Romans 8 the Spirit is mentioned 21 times–about once every 2 verses (1 Cor. 12 mentions the Spirit a little over once every 3 verses). The essential contrast Paul paints is between the weakness of the law and the power of the Spirit. Because of indwelling sin the law is unable to help us (Rom 7:17, 20). But the indwelling of the Spirit is now our liberator from “the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:2), and the guarantee of resurrection and eternal glory in the end (Rom 8:11, 17, 23). The Christian life is essentially life in the Spirit–a life which is animated, sustained, directed and enriched by the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit true Christian discipleship would be inconceivable , indeed impossible.

Romans 8 is not really about the Spirit. It is not so much on the Spirit as such, but on what the Spirit does. This is perhaps the best way to learn about the Spirit, for the Spirit is best known in his ministry on behalf of Christians. The theme of Romans 8 are those blessings and privileges conferred on believers by the Spirit–the central motif in Romans 8. Douglas Moo divides Romans 8:

1. Past: The Spirit gives life (1-13).
2. Present: The Spirit makes us children of God (14-17).
3. Future: The Spirit assures us of future glory (18-39).

Assurance. A single word to sum up these blessings is assurance (and final [eschatological] victory). Paul’s overaching theme is the absolute security of the children of God. Lloyd-Jones says, “The great theme (of Romans 8) is the security of the Christian.” From “no condemnation” (Rom 8:1) to “no separation” (Rom 8:39), Paul assures the Christian that his relationship with God is secure and settled. John Stott divides Romans 8:

1. The ministry of God’s Spirit (1-17): liberating, indwelling, sanctifying, leading, witnessing to and resurrection the children of God.
   1. The freedom of the Spirit (2-4).
   2. The mind of the Spirit (5-8).
   3. The indwelling of the Spirit (9-13).
   4. The witness of the Spirit (14-17).
2. The glory of God’s children (18-27): portrayed as a final freedom in which the whole creation will share.
3. The steadfastness of God’s love (28-39): works in all things for the good of those who love him and promises that nothing will ever be allowed to separate us as he ranges from eternity to eternity.

Flesh (Rom 7:5) is the “worldly” orientation that all people share. It is this power that the law cannot break. Indeed, Paul has made clear that the law serves to strengthen the power of sin (Rom 5:20; 7:5). Luther uses an analogy to make the point:

“It is as with a sick man who wants to drink some wine because he foolishly thinks that his health will return if he does so. Now if the doctor, without any criticism of the wine, should say to him: ‘It is impossible for the wine to cure you, it will only make you sicker,’ the doctor is not condemning the wine but only the foolish trust of the sick man in it. For he needs other medicine to get well, so that he then can drink his wine. Thus also our corrupt nature needs another kind of medinine than the Law, by which it can arrive at good health so that it can fulfill the Law.” Martin Luther.

“Abba is a very intimate word. The best translation for it is: ‘Daddy.’ The word Abba expresses trust, safety, confidence, belonging, and most of all intimacy. It does not have the connotation of authority, power, and control, that the word Father often evokes. On the contrary, Abba implies an embracing and nurturing love.” Henri Nouwen.

“In and through Jesus we come to know God as a powerless God, who becomes dependent on us. But it is precisely in this powerlessness that God’s power reveals itself. This is not the power that controls, dictates, and commands. It is the power that heals, reconciles, and unites. It is the power of the Spirit [that] empowers us and allows us to be healing presences. When we are filled with that Spirit, we cannot be other than healers.” Henri Nouwen.

Outline of Romans 8 (1-13, 14-17, 18-39)

1. Past: The Spirit gives life (1-13). Romans 8 describes what a Christian experiences.
   1. Total victory over sin (1-4). Trinity (2-4). Our defaults change from in Adam to in Christ.
      1. No condemnation for sin (1).
      2. No bondage to sin (2).
      3. …through Christ’s work (3).
      4. …through the Spirit’s work (4).
   2. Overcoming sin with the Spirit (5-13). The utmost importance and crucial role of the mind.
      1. Setting the mind on the Spirit (5-6).
         1. Whatever preoccupies the mind controls the life (5).
         2. …leading to either death or peace (6).
      2. The inability of our minds to deal with sin (7-8).
         1. Our minds are naturally hostile to God and so… (7).
         2. …make us incapable of a life pleasing to God (8).
      3. The ability of the Spirit to deal with sin (9-11).
         1. Without the Spirit you are not a Christian (9).
         2. If you have the Spirit, you have spiritual life now… (10).
         3. …and new, immortal bodies later (11).
      4. Killing sin with the Spirit (12-13).
         1. Our motive: we are in debt (12).
         2. Our power: Spirit; our aim: kill our sinful nature; our reward: life (13).
2. Present: The Spirit makes us children of God (14-17).
   1. The requirement for being a child of God (14): only those led/who have the Holy Spirit.
   2. The benefits of being a child of God (15-17):
      1. Intimacy: we have access to the Father.
      2. Confidence: we have security in the Father.
      3. Inheritance: we have riches with the Father, but not ease and comfort.
3. Future: The Spirit assures us of future glory (18-39).

References:

1. Douglas Moo —The Epistle to the Romans (New International Commentary on the New Testament, 1996).
2. Douglas Moo —Exegetical examination of Romans. This course was recorded during a D.Min. seminar at the Carolina Graduate School of Divinity in May 2012.
3. John Stott —The Message of Romans (The Bible Speaks Today, 1994).
4. Tim Keller —Romans 1-7 For You. Romans 8-16 For You. (The Good Book Company, 2014).