Brit Chadasha Foundations-Concepts in Romans-Chapter 8

Rom 8.1-39 tells us how our new marriage to Yeshua is contrasted with our first marriage to our old nature and condemnation.

v 1… There is, therefore (in light of what I have just said), now no condemnation (no guilty verdict, no damning power; not under arrest or indictment-Paul is explaining why believers are no longer under the Torah’s condemnation) for those in Messiah Yeshua.

v 2…For the Torah of the Spirit (Jn 3.36; Heb 4.12-the same as the Torah of Messiah-Gal 6.2, which is the Torah) in Messiah Yeshua has set us free from the Torah of sin (our new marriage to Yeshua is contrasted with our first marriage to the old nature) and of death (a legal release from penal servitude to the sin nature).

v 3… For what the Torah could not do (it never could give life, justification or salvation. It never was meant for that), weak as it was through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and an offering for sin (the sin nature), he condemned sin (sin nature) in the flesh,

v 4…in order that the requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us (Yeshua paid the price, and we fulfill the requirement by faith, obeying the Torah, being “set apart”) who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (his purposes; the work in us is his).

v 5… For those who are according to the flesh set their mind on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit (we feed on one or the other- believers are controlled by the Ruach ha Kodesh because the heart has been circumcised).

v 6… For the mind set on the flesh is death (unhappy, empty), but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (why?)

v 7… because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject (to be under obedience to) itself to the Torah of God (anyone claiming to believe and follow Yeshua is to learn the Torah and follow it), for it is not able to

v 8… and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

v 9…However you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (we were divorced from our first spouse, the old nature, at the new birth; the spiritual mind is set or listening to the Torah now), if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the spirit of Messiah (same as the Torah of Messiah-anyone who claims to love God and does not keep Torah is lying-1 John 2.3-6), he does not belong to him.

v 10…And if Messiah is in you (in his purposes and under his control; our life is a reflection of him), though the body is dead because of sin (the sin nature), yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

v 11… But if the Spirit of him who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you (what the Ruach did for Yeshua he will do for us).

v 12… So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh (the first spouse) to live according to the flesh (or what the first spouse tells you)

v 13… for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die (spiritually); but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live (adopted as a son and live eternally, saved).

v 14… For all who are being led by the Spirit of God (that is what “in the Spirit” means; to be led by his Torah; under his control and purposes) these are the sons of God (adopted, saved).

v 15… For you have not received the spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba, Father (sonship is based upon the paternal position of the father in Deut 32.6,18)!”

v 16…The Spirit itself bears witness (to confirm a truth) with our spirit that we are children of God,

v 17… and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

v 18… For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (the Olam ha Zeh) are not worthy to be compared with the glory (kivod) that is to be revealed to us (in the Olam Haba).

v 19…For the anxious longing (the panting) of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

v 20… For the creation was subjected to futility (the curse, creation not achieving its purpose), not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it in hope

v 21… that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption (because of the will of man) into freedom of the glory of the children of God.

v 22… For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now (the redemption of man and creation is what biblical eschatology is about).

v 23… And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit (a portion of the fuller manifestation that will come later in the Olam Haba-1 Cor 13.9-12), even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body (at the resurrection as we enter the Olam Haba in state of being)

v 24…for in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees?

v 25… But if we hope for what we do not see (but is based on God’s promises), with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

v 26…For in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness (whatever it is-the Spirit lays hold of our burden with us, allows us to work out the problem with his help. He moves us to pray and to intensify it in ways we are not capable of); for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (the creation groans, the believer groans and the Spirit groans)

v 27… and he who searches the hearts (mind, thoughts, desires and intentions-Heb 4.12) knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

v 28… And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

v 29… For whom he foreknew (loved before the world was-Eph 1.4, 2.10) he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son that he might be the first-born among many brethren (these ideas have to do with election, with Israel first)

v 30… and whom he predestined, these he also called, and whom he called these he also justified and who he justified, these he also glorified (here is how v 29-30 work. These apply to a Gentile believer because they first applied to Israel – Isa 43.1; 44.2; 43.1,7; 45.4- God has foreknew and loved us before the world was, but we are declared us wicked, dead, helpless. He proposes to save, reaches down and touches us while we were still dead. We had no thought of God, no need of salvation, but plants saving faith by the Holy Spirit, giving us conviction of our sin, but it looks like we were seeking God, when in reality seeking is the first sign that eternal life has been planted in us already. Some human agent comes along and we hear the good news and life is stirred and we confess our sin and come in faith. But the new birth is entirely his work).

v 31…What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us who is against us?

v 32…He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all (and will also save Israel as we shall see next), how will he not also with him freely give us all things (adoption as sons).

v 33…Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;

v 34…who is the one who condemns? Messiah Yeshua is he who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God (Psa 110.1), who also intercedes for us.

v 35… Who shall separate us from the love of Messiah (even Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, though temporary, cannot break God’s covenant with them, as the following chapters will show)? Shall tribulation, or distresses, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

v 36… Just as it is written, “For thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we are considered sheep to be slaughtered” (Paul quotes Isa 44.22-23 to show Israel’s suffering. This is applied to the Gentiles coming into the faith of Israel also).

v 37… But in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us.

v 38… For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord (Yeshua defeated all powers. These words are very similar to Psa 139 which speaks about the impossibility of going beyond the reach of the Lord).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Tying into the New Testament, Verse-by-Verse Bible Studies

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