Romans 9:6-13, "True Israel"

Paul quickly runs to the defense of the veracity of the Scriptures despite a seemingly failed promise on the part of God. Paul had previously plead his compassionate love on his Jewish brethren, to the point he was willing to give up his own salvation (if that were possible) for the sake of their accepting the Messiah. He, however, remained firm with them in regards to their rejection of Christ, "he was saying that, in rejecting Jesus Christ, Israel rejected God and lost her status as God's favored, divinely blessed nation. She would no longer be the apple of God's eye, no longer be the people upon whom God would pour out His great blessings of care and protection" according to MacArthur. This would obviously bring to mind the question, 'doesn't this make God a liar, He did not follow through with His promises to us?' This reasoning would in turn bring about the questioning of Jesus as Messiah. For if Jesus was rejected, and God's promise is true, He is surely not the Messiah. Paul approaches this subject in v.6 as he says, "But it is not as though the word of God has failed". Paul reassures his people that in no way, does your rejection nullify God's promise to Israel. MacArthur writes, "The Lord had not abrogated or in any way invalidated the ultimate fulfillment of His unconditional promises to the Jews". Instead, Paul states, "They are not all Israel who are descended from Israel". Paul is basically saying that although one may be in the line of Isaac and Jacob and were termed an 'Israelite', this did not make them 'true Israel', or the ones to whom salvation was promised. Paul, once again, was reaffirming that salvation is not through ones heritage, but only through Jesus Christ. He reiterates this again by saying, "neither are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants". Paul will pull from Jewish history and God's word to show them this is the case. MacArthur writes, "The first male descendants of Abraham was Ishmael, whom he had by Hagar, the Egyptian maid of his wife Sarah. Disbelieving God's promise that Abraham would have an heir through her, the barren Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham as another wife and insisted that her husband would father a male heir through her (Gen 16:1-3). As soon as Hagar became pregnant, however, Sarah became resentful and jealous. In due time Ishmael was born, and, had he been Abraham's only son, would have become the only heir. Sarah soon demanded that Hagar and her newly-weaned son be driven out of the household (vv.4-6) . . . Although Ishmael was a son of Abraham, and although Sarah was past the age of normal child-bearing, it was through her, Abraham's true wife, that God gave assurance that the true son of His promise would be born: "Sarah you wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting convenant for his descendants after him . . . My covenant I will establish with Isaac". Abraham also went on to have other children with Keturah after Sarah died, therefore having many children in the flesh, however, there was only one child of promise. Therefore, the promise was meant only for Isaac not all children from Abraham. Paul's point is that not everyone that is physically a descendant of Abraham was included in the promise, just as not everyone who is physically a descendant of Abraham receives God's spiritual promise. It is saved only for true Israel. MacArthur points out, "The unbelief, sin, rejection, and hostility of Israel toward Christ is not proof He is not Messiah. To the contrary, they fit perfectly with God's promise, which anticipated that not all Jews would believe in Jesus and be saved".

What we can see is that several times in the Old Testament, there were many ungodly and unfaithful Israelites, who were physically descendants of Abraham, however, did not have faith in God, and therefore would not attain salvation. In Rom. 11:3-4, "Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, they have torn down Thine altars, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life. I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (cf. I Kings 19:10, 18). God held for himself a remnant, which tells us that the majority of physically descended Jews would not receive the promise of salvation, because they were not considered true Israel which had always necessitated faith in God and ultimately Jesus Christ.

Another example in OT history is the story of Jacob and Esau. Paul starts, "And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac". If it were true that all the descendants of Abraham would receive the promise, surely twins born of the same mother at the same time would equally share in this promise, however, God in His sovereignty chose one over the other. Paul also brings up the point that these men had not even been born yet when their status was already decided. "For though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, 'The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated". Even going against Jewish culture in which the older was given the inheritance and the superiority over the younger, in God's plan he chose the opposite, to show His sovereign power. MacArthur writes, "God did not choose both sons to continue the physical line of promise but sovereignly elected Jacob and passed over Esau before they were even born. And just as He chose them without any regard for what they would do in their lives but purely that God's purpose . . . might stand with no regard for any human work, so God has chosen some Jews, not all, for salvation".

Paul has once again used their history and heritage, scriptures they had lived by their whole lives to show them that God's promises are always true, and that salvation has the promise to his elect has always involved faith in God rather than heritage or good works. The very foundation on which the Jews had stood on was being destroyed by Paul and scripture. Paul wanted to make clear that God chooses some in His sovereignty, and that not all the physical descendants are included in God's promise as scripture has clearly shown.

Romans 9:1-5: "Israel's Unbelief"

There seems to be a big parenthesis between chapter 8 and 12, in which Paul speaks about the nation of Israel, and how God's plan for His chosen race fits into redemptive history. It can be quite a struggle for somebody to read about the Jews being the chosen race and seeing their blatant rejection of the Messiah. Paul looks to sort this mystery out of the next few chapters.

Paul begins the chapter with a heartfelt plea for his readers to understand his sincerity. After eight chapters of explaining the wonderful divine truths of salvation found only in Christ through faith, many of his Jewish readers caught in a works system righteousness for generations must have felt like complete and utter outcasts. In fact, they may have had hard feelings and perhaps even some ill feelings towards Paul rejoicing in this "Christ". Paul, understanding this, reaches out to his Jewish brethren. He begins by assuring them of his love for them, "I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying". Anyone who had read his previous eight chapters of this book, would know his absolute love and respect for Christ. Saying that as Jesus as his witness he is not lying, but, rather, telling the truth, they could understand his personal honesty in what he was about to say. He even goes a step further to say that "my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit". Other times in his life Paul had called his conscience as a witness. Before the Sanhedrin in Acts 23:1 he says, "Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day". In 2 Cor. 1:12, Paul says, "the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you". For Paul to bring his conscience in as witness truly added to the validity of his statement. Being a Christian, he even had the witness of the Holy Spirit to further add to the truthfulness of his statement, "that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart". Paul wanted his Jewish Brethren to understand, that he wants them to understand he is not just trashing their heritage and the works system they had grown up in their whole lives for any personal vendetta. In fact, he is showing them that his heart is grieved over their rejection of the gospel up to this point. He had made a similar plea to being able to see them at the beginning of the first chapter, "For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established". Paul's heart for his brethren could hardly be questioned. Paul then tells us why the grief in his heart, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites". MacArthur writes, "It was for the salvation of his fellow Jews that Paul expresses himself in hyperbole, saying he was willing even to forfeit his salvation, if, somehow, that could save them from God's condemnation". Paul was basically saying he was willing to give up his most prized possession for the salvation of his Jewish brethren. Paul obviously knew he could not be "separated from Christ" once he was joined to Him in faith, for he had just finished telling us that "nothing can separate us from the love of Christ". However, he was trying to make the point that he would do anything he could, give up anything he had to have his brethren trust in Jesus Christ. What a heart he had for the lost. This passage is so convicting to see Paul's true heart for the lost. I can honestly say that I would have a hard time saying that about anyone I saw that did not have Christ. MacArthur writes, "Only Christ's own gracious love in the hearts of those who belong to Him can produce such self-sacrificing devotion. The more we obey His Word and surrender to His will, the more we will love as He loves".

Paul reflects on the wonderful blessings that have been bestowed on Israel by God, which only adds to his sorrow for them. They were privileged by the mere fact that they were "Israelites". God has chosen them out of all the races to copy and preserve His Words, they were given the prophets of God, witnessed numerous miracles, the very own Messiah was passed through their line. Not only that they were to "whom belongs the adoption as sons". MacArthur explains, "Beyond their patriarchal ancestry, Jews are privileged to have adoption as God's sons. God commanded Moses to 'say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, 'Israel is My son, My first-born'" (Ex. 4:22). . . . Israel was separated out to be His unique and righteous witness to the rest of the world". It was through their very own heritage that all the promises of God flowed, including adoption. Salvation, however, has always been an individual gift, never a national gift. Romans 9:6 declares, "They are not all Israel who are descended from Israel". MacArthur continues, "Yet, while not in the sense of salvation, it was a nation that God sovereignly bestowed on Israel His special calling, covenant, blessing, and protection. The Old Testament does not refer to God as the Father of individual Jews - in the way the New Testament does of God as Father of individual Christians - but as the Father of Israel. It was for that reason, among others, that the Jewish leaders were so incensed when Jesus referred to God in a personal relationship as His Father". Paul continues to show them the wonderful privileges they have been blessed with because they were His chosen race, "the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers". Israel had truly been blessed to receive all these privileges from God, and yet they continued to receive Christ as Messiah, and for this reason, Paul was extremely grieved.

Lastly, and most importantly, Paul points out that they were privileged to be in the same lineage as "Christ according to the flesh". God had "preordained [Christ] to be a human descendant of Abraham and of David", MacArthur states. His human lineage came from Mary who was in the line of Abraham and David, His heavenly lineage came from God. Paul concludes this small introduction with the wonderful praise of his precious Christ, who he sees as Savior and "is over all, God blessed forever. Amen". This is the beginning of Paul's explanation of Israel's role in all of redemptive History.

Romans 8:31-39: "Nothing Shall separate Us"

A grand conclusion to the 8th chapter of Romans, Paul gives us some more amazing truths of the security a believer has in Christ. This chapter started with the statement that "there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus", and it will finish with the confident truth that those who are in Christ Jesus will never be separated from Him.

Paul begins by asking, "What then shall we say to these things?" By "these things" Paul is referring to all that has been said previously in this chapter, most specifically to the wonderful thoughts portrayed in vv. 28-30, where we see God's wonderful hand in every step of our salvation. Paul is basically going to reaffirm what was said previously. He will tackle it from a different perspective now. He is asking, 'now that we understand God's plan for us in salvation and we see how we were sovereignly chosen before the foundation of the world to be adopted as a child of His, what does that mean for us? what implications can we make from this?' He begins his answers by asking more questions. "If God is for us, who is against us?" paul questions. The use of the word "if" could be better translated "because", basically 'because God is for us'. Paul has rightly placed God above all other things created, asking us, if the all-powerful God is on our side, what could possibly defeat us, or take Him away from us? The obvious answer is nothing. MacArthur writes, "The obvious implication is that if anyone were able to rob us of salvation they would have to be greater than God Himself, because He is both the giver and the sustainer of salvation". Now that we no longer have condemnation in Christ Jesus, who could possibly place us back in our condemned state? Obviously no one can. We must stand firm in the truths of God as no one can keep Him from doing what He has said.

Paul continues to bolster his case by stating, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" Paul wants to bring the readers attention back to the gospel. If we are to truly understand Christ's sacrifice for us, and believe in that for our salvation, we must be most confident to believe that if God was willing to sacrifice His own Son to reconcile my relationship with Him, He would freely bestow all things good upon me. Wouldn't he want "all things to work together for the good of those who love Him", and wouldn't he desire our "adoptions as sons"? MacArthur writes, "How could it possibly be that God would sacrifice His own Son for the sake of those who believe in Him and then cast some of those blood-bought believers out of His family and His kingdom? Would God do less for believers after they are saved than He did for them prior to salvation?". It also begs the thought, 'would it makes sense for God to do less for us after we become covered in Christ's righteousness, than before it when we were enemies of God? "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:6-8). To summarize: If God did all he could to restore a relationship with us before we had Christ, would he not do all He could to then keep that relationship with Him after we have received Christ? His grace to us was "freely" given, therefore, there is nothing we can DO once we are in Christ, to have that taken away.

Paul continues his case for our assurance with another question, "who will bring a charge against God's elect?". MacArthur commentates, "The world and Satan are continually bringing charges against God's elect, but those charges amount to nothing before the Lord, because He is the one who justifies, the one who decides who is righteous before Him". It is true that Satan will try to get followers of Christ to doubt their salvation and question their security in Him. However, Paul once again brings our attention back to Christ, he asks us to remember "God is the one who justifies". Therefore, God is the only one who has the power to justify us and declare us as righteous. Only the one who we have sinned against has the power to declare us as righteous. David understood this when he wrote after sinning with Bathsheba, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge". With this understanding we must look back to what was said at the very beginning of this chapter and believe it in our hearts, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". Since God is the only one who has the power to justify and we are told in His Word that if we are in Christ Jesus, we are no longer condemned, we should easily be able to answer the rhetorical question Paul asks "who is the one who condemns?" The answer is no one can condemn those who are in Christ Jesus.

To further make his case and substantiate that Christ Himself could not and would not take away our salvation Paul writes, "Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us". Certainly, Christ would never take away what He has done for us. It was Christ, who endured all the pain on the cross (physical and spiritual separation from His Father), and now sits at the right hand of God and intercedes for those covered with His blood. It would be absurd for Christ to have gone through all He went through only to take it back. MacArthur writes, "For Christ to take away our salvation would be for Him to work against Himself and to nullify His own promise. Christ offers no temporary spiritual life but only that which is eternal. He could not grant eternal life and then take it away, because that would demonstrate that the life He had granted was not eternal". The very point of Christ conquering sin and death by dying on the cross and raising from the dead would be rendered pointless.

In vv. 35-37, Paul brings up all the earthly circumstances that may seem to threaten our security, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, 'For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered'". What can keep Christ from loving those who put their faith in Him? Basically Paul is reiterating that nothing on earth can keep Christ from loving us as well. Many Christians will face trials while here on earth, but instead of those things keeping us from Christ, they encourage the Christian to trust in Christ all the more. God, in fact, uses all the circumstances to "conform us to the image of Christ" by relying on His strength to get us through. Philippian 4:12-13, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength". Paul also said in II Cor. 12:10, "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong". For the Christian, not only do hardships not separate us from Christ, but they draw us towards Him. Not only does persecution not defeat the Christian, it encourages him and gives him assurance that He is one of God's children. Therefore Paul says, "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us". Thanks be to God, we can never be separated from Christ and his atonement for us. MacArthur writes, "we overwhelmingly conquer because our ultimate reward will far surpass whatever earthly and temporal loss we may suffer. With Paul, we should view even the most terrible circumstance as but 'momentary, light affliction' that produces 'for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison' (II Cor. 4:17)".

Lastly, Paul's beautiful conclusion to this chapter and his final findings on the security of the believer, "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 Christ Jesus our Lord". So we have learned that no person, or circumstance, no earthly nor ethereal being can take away our salvation and Christ's eternal love for His elect. Paul does not just think or hope, but is truly "convinced" through all that God had revealed to Him. MacArthur writes, "There is nothing anywhere at any time that shall be able to separate us form the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Our salvation was secured by God's decree from eternity past and will be held secure by Christ's love through all future time and throughout all eternity". Paul wrote Timothy in 2 Tim. 1:12, "For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day".

How can we read these wonderful verses and not be overwhelmed with joy over the security we have in Christ? How can anyone ever feel that salvation can be lost once it is received?

Romans 8:29, 30: "God's Plan for Salvation"

Paul will now detail out for his readers, God's perfect plan of salvation. We learn from this, as we did with the last section, that every point along the way is God-initiated, and God glorifying. This is an amazing text to show the progression of salvation through the eyes of God. It can also give comfort to those who might struggle with the idea that they can lose their salvation. I believe the text clearly shows that since God is the author and perfector of our faith, he will see us through to the end.

Paul continues his thoughts from v. 28 in which he described God's sovereignty in working out all things for the good of those who "love God, who are called according to His purpose". He now transitions to God's sovereign plan for us in salvation. "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined", Paul begins. When I first heard about the idea of predestination, I was completely turned off by it. There is something inside of all of us that wants to take credit for our salvation. We want to know that we had some choice in the matter. I thought to myself that election would basically render us equal to robots. However, the more you study the scriptures you understand that our salvation is completely the work of God "so that no man may boast". It wasn't until I understood the complete and utter depravity of man that I was to see that we couldn't ever desire to choose God, therefore, it must be God that chooses us. As we have learned all through the first 8 chapters of Romans, we are all sinners and left to ourselves we would never choose God. It is only when we understand our complete and utter depravity and inability to save ourselves that we can deeply understand the magnificence of God's grace. Without our understanding of our condition there is no need for a savior. Does this leave us completely helpless in the matter of faith and salvation. No, it does not. God's Word is explicit in God's absolute sovereignty, yet completely clear that man has the responsibility to respond. Perfectly clear? No - but we must understand that in God's perfect mind this is completely feasible, and is, in fact, completely the case. MacArthur writes, "Scripture is clear that repentant faith is essential to salvation and is the first step that we take in response to God, but repentant faith does not initiate salvation. Because Paul is here depicting the plan of salvation from God's perspective, faith is not even mentioned in these two verses". Foreknew is from proginosko, which is a word that carries with it an intimacy. It is a deep rooted personal before-hand knowledge of someone. Does this mean that God looked down the corridors of time and saw who would choose Him and declared them as redeemed? It could not mean this because then our salvation would be dependent on us choosing God, and we have learned that no one would choose God left to themselves. MacArthur writes, "If that were true, salvation not only would begin with man's faith but would make God obligated to grant it. In such a scheme, God's initiative would be eliminated and His grace would be vitiated". Therefore, we must understand that in God's perfect sovereignty He has foreknew and foreloved those He would choose to save. He deeply knew me before I was even born as a child of His. Ps. 139: 15-16, "My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them". Also, in Jer. 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you". Spurgeon, in his book "Lectures, book 2" wrote, "I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite sure that if God had not chosen me I should never have chosen him; and I am sure he chose me before I was born, or else he never would have chosen me afterwards; and he must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why he should have looked upon me with special love. So I am forced to accept that doctrine". The bible is clear that God will never turn away any who would seek, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" (John 6:37). However, He also made it clear that no one would come to Him unless the Father initiated it, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him" (John 6:44). Our finite minds must balance between man's responsibility and God's sovereignty, however, with a humble understanding that even our faith is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9). A good example of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility can be found here.

"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will" (Eph. 1:4-5). Predestined means to, "literally mark out, appoint or determine beforehand" according to MacArthur's commentary. We can draw from the example of Christ as well, as Jesus was crucified "by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). All this to say that as our sinful minds may desire the need to take credit for something, we have to understand that everything in the plan of salvation turns everything back to God, and gives Him all the due glory He deserves. MacArthur writes, "Much contemporary evangelism gives the impression that salvation is predicated on a person's decision for Christ. But we are not Christians first of all because of what we decided about Christ but because of what God decided about us before the foundation of the world. We were able to choose Him only because He had first chosen us, 'according to the kind intention of His will'".

Paul explains to us that God foreknew and predestined us "to become conformed to the image of His Son". This is the whole purpose of salvation is that we are conformed to the image of Christ. God's desire is for a collection of His people to become more and more righteous until that day it is perfected and we can fellowship with Him in all eternity as we are conformed to the image of His Son. MacArthur writes, "Consequently, ever true believer moves inexorably toward perfection in righteousness, as God makes for Himself a people recreated into the likeness of His own divine Son who will dwell and reign with Him in heaven throughout all eternity". We can see Paul's full progression from His statement in v.1, that "there is therefore now no condemnation", to seeing the work of the Spirit led life of the believer, to our adoption as sons and daughters, to divine heirs of God, to our completion of being conformed to the image of His Son and given our glorified bodies in eternity with God.

Paul slips in a little statement that acts almost like a parenthetical statement, then he picks back up with the plan for salvation. This statement is "that He might be the first-born among many brethren". This statement does not speak of Christ being created or born, but rather, is a statement of his rank and position as preeminent. MacArthur writes, "God's primary purpose in His plan of redemption was to make His beloved Son the first-born among many brethren in the sense of Christ's being uniquely preeminent among the children of God". Our purpose is to worship God in all eternity, giving praise to the preeminent Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:18 shows our Lord as head of the church, but also preeminent and first place in everything, "He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything".

Paul then picks up again back with predestination and "whom He predestined, these He also called". This is where God's plan intersects our lives here on earth, and He uses the Holy Spirit to draw us to Him, illuminate our eyes and minds to trust in Him with faith that saves. A person cannot respond outwardly to God's call unless inwardly the Holy Spirit has already called Him. MacArthur brings up the hope that this statement should give us, "The Lord's sovereign calling of believers gives still further confirmation that we are eternally secure in Christ. We were saved because God 'called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity'" (2 Tim. 1:9). It should be a relief to us as Christians that God does have a plan and is in control of our salvation. If I could fall in and out of the graces of God based upon my works, I would be in a wretched position. Instead, I can walk in confidence knowing that if I do sin, "He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins".

The next link in the chain of salvation is from those He has called to "these He also justified". For those that God foreknew and predestined, He called them by His Holy Spirit, and through the righteousness of Christ being imputed to them through faith they are declared righteous, or justified, in His sight. It is a one time act in which God declares His children as righteous for believing in His Son, whose perfect righteousness is then given to us as if it was our own. Again, we can see that so far everything in this chain of events is initiated, empowered, and maintained by God.

And lastly, Paul gives us the last step in salvation which is when God takes those He justified and "these He also glorified". As Paul spoke of earlier, just as the earth groans to be returned to its original state, so we should also long to be in our glorified state. This is the pinnacle or completion of our salvation in which we live eternally with God, sinless and without fear to stand before our holy and perfect God. MacArthur points out, "This promise of final glory was no uncertain hope as far as Paul was concerned. B putting the phrase these He also glorified in the past tense, the apostle demonstrated his own conviction that everyone whom He justified is eternally secure". It is a rich truth and a great comfort as a believer to know that "He who began a good work in [me] will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil 1:6). We must see that God has his hands on every part of our salvation so that all glory goes to Him. And practically, this should give us confidence to know that "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined . . . and whom He predestined, the He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified". Therefore, if we were to say that a Christian can lose their salvation we would be calling God a liar.

Romans 8:28: "All things for our Good"

This passage in scripture is one of the most encouraging found in the whole Bible. It is amazing to meditate on this promise, and helps give us the right perspective on all things. It is a testament to the sovereignty of God, and proof that nothing happens without his knowledge or approval. It is amazing to think that God has planned our paths and knew us before the foundation of the earth. Paul begins this verse with a foundational truth that must be understood by all Christians as he says, "and we know". There is no uncertainty in this statement, rather it is an absolute truth that is always true. The statement Paul is referring to is that, "God causes all things to work together for good". MacArthur writes, "Paul emphasizes that God Himself brings about the good that comes to His people. This magnificent promise does not operate through impersonal statements, but requires divine action to fulfill". It is important to understand that Paul says, "ALL things". There are no qualifications to what God does or does not orchestrate, instead we are told He "causes all things". Rom. 8:39 explains that there is nothing that, "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus". MacArthur explains that "Paul is not saying that God prevents His children from experiencing things that can harm them. He is rather attesting that the Lord takes all that He allows to happen to His beloved children, even the worst things, and turns those things ultimately into blessings". There may be times where it is hard to see the good in a tragedy in life, however, we can rest assured that somehow God is working this out for good, even if we are never aware of it. As believers, we must have this trust to know that no matter what comes our way 1) God knows about it, and 2) He will work it out for good. Sometimes the "good" that is spoken of will have temporary benefit to us, and other times it will have eternal benefit to us, that we won't see here on earth. David writes, "All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies" (Ps. 25:10). Oftentimes, we are confronted with difficult circumstances here on earth, and we will begin to doubt God, questioning, how can anything good come out of this? However, we must look to the example of Joseph in the OT when he said, "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive". Also, we can draw from the very example of Christ. To the disciples, they were devastated and down trodden over the death of their close discipler and Lord, Jesus Christ. However, it was that very event of crucifixion and resurrection that allowed the disciples, as well as all others, to bee redeemed.

It is amazing to think that God can even use sin in someone's life to work out for good. We must understand that God does not cause sin or use it as an instrument in any way, however, he allows it in the lives of His children to show His power. MacArthur writes, "The Lord uses sin to bring good to His children by overruling it, canceling its normal evil consequences and miraculously substituting His benefits. Because it is often easier for us to recognize the reality and the wickedness of sin in other than in ourselves, God can cause the sins of other people to work for our good. If we are seeking to live a godly life in Christ, seeing a sin in others will make us hate and avoid it more". Therefore, as Christians, we must allows take every trial with the understanding that God has allowed this, and nothing happens outside of His will. It must be our goal then, not to just "get through" the trial, but to learn what God has for us to learn because of it.

Although there is no qualification in the "all things" Paul is referring to, there is one qualification to who these good things are worked out for. He continues, "to those who love God, to those who are called". It is only for the adopted children of God, that receive this divine promise. A believer can simply be defined as one who loves God. Only those who truly love God, will be saved by the blood of His Son, and only those who are saved, are those "who are called". MacArthur writes, "Just as our love originates with God, so does our calling into His heavenly family. In every way, the initiative and provision for salvation are God's. In their fallen sinful state, men are able only to hate God, because, regardless of what they may think, they are His enemies (Rom. 5:10) and children of His wrath (Eph. 2:3)". Believers are never saved on anything they can do, or any intrinsic value they have, it is always based on the grace and sovereignty of God, that we are chosen. We are redeemed, "according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity" (2 Tim. 1:9). Later on, Paul uses an example from the OT to show us that we are chosen before we were even born, "For though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, 'The older will serve the younger.' Just as it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated'" (Rom. 9:11-13). So Paul is again showing us that salvation is initiated with God and His grace toward us. This does not negate our responsibility to respond in faith, however, salvation would never be possible if God did not initiate this on our behalf.

So Paul has shown us that God works all things out for those who love God, who are those that only love God because they have been called, and we learn that they have been called, "according to His purpose". It is because it is God's will and desire that he causes all things to work for good. MacArthur writes, "God's broader purpose is to offer salvation to all mankind. As our Lord declared at the beginning of His earthly ministry, 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him" (John 3:16-17). In the context, of this verse in Romans, "Paul is speaking of the narrower, restricted meaning of God's purpose, namely His divine plan to save those whom He has called and 'predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son' (v.29). Therefore, the motivation for causing all things to work for those who love God, is because it is what God has purposed before the foundation of the world. In God's perfect sovereignty it has been His plan to save those who are His chosen, conform them to the image of His Son, and cause all things to work for God's good. What amazing promise to behold that it is God's purpose and plan to look out for us and use everything that happens to us for our and His ultimate good.

Romans 8:19-27: "The Groaning Earth"

Previously Paul encouraged us in our current struggles by reminding us of the future glory of God that we get to partake in. With that in mind we should be longing for that day. In the same way, God's very own creation is longing for that day when it will be loosed from its subjection to death and decay. Paul writes, "For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God". Gen. 3:17-19 tells us, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, "You shall not eat from it"; cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because form it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return". We can see that after Adam and Eve's fall, God subjected the earth to the curse as well. The earth would now undergo death and decay, not as it was originally intended. Paul tells us that the earth has an "anxious longing" and it "waits eagerly" to be returned to what it once was. MacArthur writes, "Apokaradokia (anxious longing) is an especially vivid word that literally refers to watching with outstretched head, and suggests standing on tiptoes with the eyes looking ahead with intent expectancy". The earth is eagerly waiting for "the revealing of the sons of God". Revealing carries with it the idea of uncovering or unveiling that which was once covered. Col. 3:4 reads, "when Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then [believers] also will be revealed with Him in glory". The earth is anxiously and eagerly awaiting the day that Christ returns so that the curse will be lifted. For we learned in the earlier reading of Gen. that God subjected the earth to the curse which it currently is under. Paul writes, "the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it". MacArthur writes, "Because of man's sin, no part of nature now exists as God intended it to be and as it originally was. The verb 'was subjected' indicates by its form that nature did not curse itself but was cursed by something or someone else. Paul goes on to reveal that the curse on nature was executed by its Creator". It was God's will that not only man but the earth that he occupied be subject to the curse. It only takes us a walk around to see the decay, disease, death, and pollution of the earth, and yet God in His perfect plan, has allowed glimpses into what they beauty of the uncursed earth looked like with the beautiful sky, mountains, flowers, etc. Nature and man are inextricably linked together while here on earth. Just as man is longing to rid himself of his sinful human nature and be given his glorified body, so also "the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God". MacArthur writes, "Just as man's sin brought corruption to the universe, so man's restoration to righteousness will be accompanied by the restoration of the earth and its universe to their divinely-intended perfection and glory". These verses can all be seen in the light of Paul's previous statement, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (v.18). Despite the curse on man and nature we are in hopeful expectancy when we will be given our new bodies. John wrote in Rev. 21:1, 4-5, "[I] saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making things new'. And He said, 'Write, for these words are faithful and true'". We should all be in expectant waiting for the time that God will set us free from this wretched body, and free the earth to what is was created to be as it, "groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now". I Cor. 15:51-54, "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory".

Just as the earth is groaning for the coming of the Lord, so too the believer is waiting for the day. Paul transitions our focus to the groaning of the believer in V. 23-25, "And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 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? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it". Because as believers, we have "the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons". This verse should be evident in our hearts. Is our deep desire to be given our heavenly bodies, and experience the completion of our salvation, or do we cling to the pleasures of this world? Do we hope that we can stay here on earth 'at least until I can do _____?' Our most deep desire and longing should be to desire God's presence, and rid ourselves of our sinful flesh. MacArthur writes, "Because the Holy Spirit now indwells us, His work in us and through us is a type of spiritual first fruits. They are a foretaste of the glory that awaits us in heaven, when our corrupted and mortal bodies are exchanged for ones that are incorruptible and immortal". Although we have been adopted into the family of God through grace by faith in Jesus Christ, we have yet to achieve our final adoption in which we are given our new and sinless glorified bodies. However, we are secure and comforted in the fact that "in hope we have been saved", and will soon receive our glorified bodies based on the promises of God. MacArthur explains, "It is true, on the other hand, that the completion of our salvation is presently a hope and not yet a reality. Explaining the obvious, Paul states the axiomatic truth that hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? In other words, in this life we cannot expect to experience the reality of our glorification but only the hope of it". However, the believer can be comforted and confident in his adoption being seen all the way through. Phil. 1:6 says, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus". Of the believer, Paul concludes, "if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it". Christians will lean on and rely on the Word of God for its truth. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we will persevere in the hope that we know is true. That is, that we eagerly await what we cannot see, but what we will know will happen, because all the God promises us will come true.

Paul has spoken of the earth groaning, awaiting the removal of its cursed nature. He has spoken of the believer eagerly awaiting the consummation of his adoption with the receiving of his heavenly body. And lastly, Paul speaks of the groanings of the Holy Spirit in v. 26-27, "And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God". Here we see Paul giving us a glimpse into the work of the Holy Spirit. He is referring to the help the Holy Spirit gives to us as believers and nature as we groan for our redemption. As our advocate the Holy Spirit comes alongside us in our weakness and "intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words". MacArthur writes, "Because of our remaining humanness and susceptibility to sin and doubt, the Holy Spirit also helps us in our weakness. In this context, weakness doubtless refers to our human condition in general, not to specific weaknesses. The point is that, even after salvation, we are characterized by spiritual weakness. Acting morally, speaking the truth, witnessing for the Lord, or doing any other good thing happens only by the power of the Spirit working in and through us despite our human limitations". We must not look at "groanings too deep for words" as some mystical experience. Instead, we can understand this as a way in which the spirit acts on our behalf, in which we could never express ourselves. Paul wrote in I Cor. 2:11, "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God". Just as Christ is constantly interceding on our behalf, so is the Holy Spirit within us. MacArthur calls them, "intertrintitarian communication, divine articulations by the Holy Spirit to the Father". Thankfully, it is not dependent on our depraved humanity to do all the work, but we can rely on the intercession of God the Son and God the Holy Spirit on our behalf. It is a fact that without the intercession of the Son and the Spirit we could easily lose our salvation for it would be up to us to maintain a right relationship with God. However, we have learned all through scripture that Christ's continual mediation for us as High Priest (Heb. 7:25-26), sustains us and sees our salvation through to its completion.

Paul continues, "And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is". The 'He' refers to God the Father who is constantly looking to the heart (I Sam. 16:7, I Kings 8:39, I Chron. 28:9, Ps. 139: 1-2), and also, "knows what the mind of the Spirit is". MacArthur writes, "If the Father knows the hearts of men, how much more does He know the mind of the Spirit. The Father understands exactly what the Spirit is thinking because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Because the Spirit's will and the Father's will are identical, and because God is one, Paul's statement seems unnecessary. But he is pointing up the truth in order to give encouragement to one believers. Because the three persons of the Godhead have always been one in essence and will, the very idea of communication among them seems superfluous to us. It is a great mystery to our finite minds, but it is a divine reality that God expects His children to acknowledge by faith".

May our hearts continually be longing for our Lord. May we eagerly await our redemption as the earth groans to be returned to its original state. So we, as Christians, should long to depart from our sin and be able to worship God in the way in which we were originally created: from a pure heart.

Romans 8:17-18: "Our Future Glory"

Paul continues to show us the benefit of being a child of God. He continues his thoughts from v. 16 with, "and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him". What a magnificent thought to know that when we come to faith in Jesus Christ we inherit in all that God and Christ have. Heir comes from the Greek word kleronomo and means one who has acquired or obtained the portion allotted to Him. This allotment is not earned or worked for, and the one who gains did nothing except receive the gift. As believers we are in line to receive the divine glory that God bestows on all His children. MacArthur writes this, "The ultimate purpose of salvation is to forgive and to cleanse men of their sin and to restore to them God's glory and thereby bring to Him still greater glory through the working of that sovereign act of grace". Ultimately, glorification is the pinnacle of salvation and marks its perfect completion.

As we learned in the last section, believers are adopted by God, and through the adoption we are then made children of God, in line to receive all the blessings as if an original child. We now go a step further to see that we are not only children, but we are "heirs also". Colossians 1:11-12 says, "strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness, and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light". It is the righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer through faith that "qualifies us" as heirs to receive the glory of God. MacArthur writes, "This inheritance is only God's to give, and He sovereignly bestows it, without exception, on those who become His children and heirs through faith in His divine Son, Jesus Christ". God Himself is our greatest inheritance. As children of God, we now have access to the Most High God. What an amazing and rich inheritance we do have. The Psalmist understood this in Ps. 73:25, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth". Our inheritance is generous and infinite, and yet can all be found in our new standing before God.

Paul continues that we are, "fellow heirs with Christ". God has appointed Jesus Christ as "heir of all things" (Heb 1:2), which He then gives to us as we are "fellow heirs". MacArthur writes, "In His great high priestly prayer, Jesus spoke to His Father of the incredible and staggering truth that everyone who believes in Him will be one with Him and will share His full glory: 'The glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one' (John 17:22)". Christ willingly gives of the glory He receives by God, and we are forever joined in Christ. Paul has taught us through Romans that when we believe in Christ, we partake in His righteousness, His death, His resurrection, and now we learn that we partake in His glory. Do we truly understands the depths of His grace. For we are, "justified by His grace [in order that] we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:7). The very gift of God's grace does not stop at justification, He will see it through to its completion in our glorification in Heaven.

Paul, desiring to give encouragement and the proof of their adoption, writes, "if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him". MacArthur writes, "strange as it seems to the earthly mind, the present proof of the believer's ultimate glory comes through suffering on his Lord's behalf. Because we suffer with Him, we know that we will also be glorified with Him". Just as we partake in the blessing of divine glory and salvation, we also partake in the suffering of Christ while here on earth. John 15:18 says, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you". Paul also wrote, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions". We must understand that as the world hated Christ, it will also hate you who are followers of Him. This was said as encouragement to those Christians who were being persecuted for the sake of Christ, reassuring them of their glorious destiny that is eternal, rather than focusing on the temporary suffering. "The more we willingly suffer for Christ's sake on earth, the more we are driven to depend on Him rather than on our own resources and the more we are infused with His power", MacArthur explains. All things are done "for good, to those who love God", even suffering, as it allows us to depend on God, and make us long for eternity with Him.

Continuing his encouragement to those who are "suffer[ing] with Him", Paul again turns our attention to the glory we have waiting for us, "For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us". It is no doubt that Paul lived his life in the grand perspective. If, as Christians, we held every trial up in the right perspective we would never complain. However, it is those times we focus on our current trials without perspective of all God is trying to accomplish, and the wonderful hope we have in the future, that we complain. Paul went through more suffering than most people ever will, and yet he was able to say, "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am". It was Paul's great understanding of this wonderful truth that, "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us". If we believe this and remember this the next time we suffer sickness, persecution, ridicule, trials, etc. we can truly say in our hearts that, "God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose". That is why Christians have such great hope, and those apart from Christ have none.

May we constantly be reminded of the riches we have in Christ Jesus. May we meditate on His promises to us as adopted children and heirs of His divine glory. May we remember, MacArthur says, "As followers of Christ, our suffering comes from men, whereas our glory comes from God. Our suffering is earthly, whereas our glory is forever. Our suffering is trivial, whereas our glory is limitless. Our suffering is in our mortal and corrupted bodies, whereas our glory will be in our perfected and imperishable bodies".

Romans 8:14-16: "Adopted by God"

Paul continues to authenticate the believer who lives by the Spirit. This short section is a beautiful passage that confirms our adoption by God as eternal sons and daughters through the evidence of the Holy Spirit.

Paul begins with, "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God". Paul again reaffirms the fact that those who live their lives according to the Spirit, this is evidence that you are now a child of God. It is important to note the tense that is used in "being led". MacArthur writes, "Are being led translates the present passive indicative of ago, indicating that which already exists. The phrase are being led does not, however, indicate uninterrupted leading by the Spirit". The Spirit is constantly leading us in a way that will lead to our sanctification and ultimately glorification. However, as still having the temporary sinful nature, we do not always listen to it. So it can be understood that the Spirit is constantly working on us, however, we do not always give it control of our lives.

MacArthur writes, "Our finite minds cannot comprehend how the Spirit leads a believer, just as we cannot fully understand any of the supernatural work of God. We do, however, know that our heavenly Father does not force His will on His children. He seeks our willing obedience, which, by definition, cannot be coerced". Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all you heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight". This is the Spirit lead life. It is when we put off the old mind set that was on the flesh and avail our hearts and minds to what God has for us. Prov. 3:6 says, "in all your ways acknowledge Him". If we truly sat down and acknowledged the truth about God and sought His infinite wisdom through His Word and through prayer, it could be easy to say we would always make the right decision. Unfortunately, we too often rely on our own strength and our own so-called wisdom to get us through. The more we are "led by the Spirit of God", the more our lives will line up with God's desires. David understood this reliance on the Spirit as he cried out in Ps. 143:10, "Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God; let Thy good Spirit lead me on level ground". Paul in I Cor. 2:14-16, also speaks of the Spirit of God's work in our life, "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ". The Spirit allows us to comprehend and understand the things of God, because we "have the mind of Christ". Before salvation, our minds were "set on the flesh". We saw everything through the fallen, fallible minds we were born with. However, when God opened our eyes to His truth and imparted His Spirit to us at conversion, we were then given the ability to understand His Word and see the world through the "mind of Christ". It is the Spirit that opens our eyes and minds to the deep truths of Scripture, and through this shape our thinking and actions.

Not only does the Spirit open our eyes to the truth, but He enables us to be obedient to it as well. We all remember Paul explaining our condition before Christ: In Rom. 3:10-11, "There is none righteous not even one. There is none who understands, there is no one who seeks for God". In Rom. 6:17, "But thanks be to God though you were slaves of sin", in Rom. 6:20, "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness". In Eph. 2:1-3, "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest". A pretty bleak picture of what we were before we were given the Spirit of God. Paul now exclaims in Gal. 5:16-17, "I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please". Paul also tells us that we are now "to walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4), and, "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness" (Rom. 6:17-18). The Spirit gives us a new life that allows us to be obedient to the will of God. How precious is our adoption that we might now be able to understand God and be empowered to obey it.

We now get to see the wonderful reward of being adopted by God. We now have access to the all-powerful God of this universe and can call Him father. The word adoption defined by Merriam Webster dictionary states, "to take by choice into a relationship; to take voluntarily (a child of other parents) as one's own child". The second we are saved by grace, we are immediately adopted into the family of God. MacArthur writes, "The term adoption is filled with the ideas of love, grace, compassion, and intimate relationship. It is the action by which a husband and wife decide to take a boy or girl who is not their physical offspring into their family as their own child. When that action is taken by the proper legal means, the adopted child attains all the rights and privileges of a member of the family". Not only this but Paul says, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again". When we are adopted into the family of God, we are no longer slaves to our sin, we are no longer in bondage to the fear that gripped us before we came to God. In I John 4:18, "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love". Now that we are at peace with God, He gives us the assurance of our adoption through the Holy Spirit, and we no longer should fear anything as we can now call the God of the universe our Father. Paul in fact says, "we cry out, 'Abba!Father!'". According to MacArthur's commentary, "Abba is an informal Aramaic term for Father, connoting intimacy, tenderness, dependence, and complete lack of fear or anxiety. Modern English equivalents would be Daddy, or Papa. When Jesus was agonizing in the Garden of Gethsemane He was about to take upon Himself the sins of the world, He used that name of endearment, praying, 'Abba! Father! All things are possible for Thee; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt' (Mark 14:36)". How wonderful to know that we have the almighty God as our loving and caring Father, who has adopted us before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:3-5 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. in love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will". Before we were even born God in His perfect knowledge and will chose us as adopted sons and daughters.

Lastly, Paul gives us comfort and assurance of our adoption as evidenced through the Holy Spirit, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God". We can be assured of our faith through the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we grow in our desire for the Lord, our hatred of sin, our love for Scripture, our desire to encourage those in the faith and witness to the ungodly, we can know that it is the Spirit working in us, for none of these desires come from ourselves. MacArthur writes, "the indwelling Holy Spirit Himself is constantly present to provide inner testimony to our divine adoption. He certainly does that through the inner work of illumination and sanctification, as well as through the longing for communion with God". John writes in I John 3:19-21, "We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God".

Let us constantly be reminded of God's wonderful adoption of us. Let us remember that if we have the Spirit of God, we were chosen before the foundation of the world, based on nothing we had done. Remember that is is only because of Christ and His sacrifice that we are able to be adopted by God. Let us meditate on what the wonderful truths we have in our adoption, as MacArthur writes, "When we are saved, our old sinful life is completely cancelled in God's eyes, and we have no more reason to fear sin or death, because Christ has conquered those two great enemies on our behalf. In Him we are given a new divine nature and become a true child, with all the attendant blessings, privileges, and inheritance. And until we see our Lord face-to-face, His own Holy Spirit will be a ceaseless witness to the authenticity of our adoption into the family of God".

Romans 8:5-13: "Flesh vs. Spirit"

In the last section Paul wrote of the transforming work of the Spirit in our lives. He told us there is "therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". He also exhorted us to "not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit". In this next section Paul will explain to us what it is to live in the Spirit versus our old way of life, which was living in the flesh.

Paul will help dichotomize the two types of people in this world: those with the Spirit, and those without. He will help us to understand the way to identify if we truly are "in Christ". On this section, MacArthur writes, "The Holy Spirit is mentioned but once in the first seven chapters of Roman, but is referred to nearly twenty times in chapter 8. The Spirit is to a believer what God the Creator is to the physical world. Without God, the physical world would not exist. It has been created and is continually sustained by the omnipotent power of God. So the Holy Spirit - who also, of course, participated in the creation of the world - is to the Christian. The Holy Spirit is the divine agent who creates, sustains, and preserves spiritual life in those who place their trust in Jesus Christ".

Paul begins with, "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit". There is a huge difference in what is going on in the mind of the Christian and the non-believer. Those who do not have Christ and therefore, do not have the Holy Spirit, continually set their minds on earthly, fleshly, and sinful things. Setting your mind has to do with your basic thought patterns and behaviors. For what your mind believes your body will carry out. The unregenerate have no way of keeping their focus on God, because they are focused on self. MacArthur writes, "The basic disposition of the unredeemed is to 'indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires' (2 Pet. 2:10)". Of course, this is the way of all men unless, they have divine assistance. This assistance comes to those who, "are according to the Spirit". The regenerate, saved by grace, are given the Holy Spirit for their sanctification here on earth. They are given a new spirit and a regenerate soul which is now able to set their minds on holy and righteous things, "the things of the Spirit".

Paul then moves to the results of the two opposing lifestyles. "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace". The unregenerate who seek only themselves and every thought or work is in absolute enmity towards God (regardless of how moral it may be), their end is eternal death and torment in hell. If, while on earth, a person is so bent on their own self-interests, and does not see the desire or need for salvation, they feel they do not need God. God grants them this wish and punishes them with eternal separation from him in hell. For the Christian filled with the Spirit, their end is "life and peace". As Christians, we are promised eternal live with the God of peace. We can have peace and assurance knowing our eternal destiny is already secured and promised to us by a omniscient and all-powerful God. We can have peace knowing that those of us who were once at enmity with God, are now reconciled to Him by His Son.

Paul also gives us the reason why the "mind set on the flesh is death". He tells us, "because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God". We must understand that if we do not have the Holy Spirit, we are not saved by God. If we are not at peace with God through Christ, then we are hostile towards God. Everything we do, apart from Christ, is for self, and because of that our works are like dirty rags, unable to please God in anyone.

Paul then turns to the Spirit filled believer and writes, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you". For Christians, the opposite is true. After explaining that the unregenerate cannot please God because they are living in the flesh, the Christian can please God because of what Christ did for us. God was pleased and satisfied with the work Christ did on the cross, and as we have "been crucified with Christ", God is now pleased with our lives. Our works, which are now empowered by the Holy Spirit can now be a sweet aroma to God. This statement also shows that every believer will have the Holy Spirit, and conversely, anyone who does not have the Holy Spirit is not a believer. "But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him". As Christians, we understand that works do not save us, however, they are clear evidence as to our salvation. Once we receive Christ as Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us against sin and allows the fruits of the Spirit to operate in our lives, as evidence that Christ has saved us from our sins. Conversely, those who do not have the Spirit, will not have evidence of transformation in their lives and a habitual pattern of disobedience to God, this is proof that they do "not belong to Him".

To help us understand that as Christians we will still commit sins, but our spirit has been renewed by God writes, "And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness". MacArthur writes, "if God's Spirit indwells us, our own spirit is alive because of righteousness, that is, because of the divinely-imparted righteousness by which every believer is justified (Rom 3:21-26). In light of that perfect righteousness, all human attempts at being righteous are but rubbish (Phil 3:8)". As we can see, the good we do is only by the grace of God, any attempts we might make at self-righteousness in our lives would still be considered sin.

Just as we find those whose mind dwell on flesh their end is death, we are given new life in the Spirit. "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you". MacArthur comments, "It was again the Holy Spirit who was the divine agent of Christ's resurrection. And just as the Spirit lifted Jesus out of physical death and gave Him life in His mortal body, so the Spirit, who dwells in the believer, gives to that believer new life now and forever (cf. John 6:63; 2 Cor. 3:6)". Basically Paul is just reiterating that as the Holy Spirit raised Christ from the dead, he does the same to our dead souls before conversion.

The Spirit is an essential gift that Jesus promised all believer's who would be a helper to us after He left earth. We must be sensitive to listen to the Spirit and be careful to walk in its ways as the flesh still cries out for sin. Paul, as a brother in Christ comes alongside us and exhorts us, "So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live". For those who are still clinging to the flesh and living in the flesh, you must die to yourself and look to Christ in order to live in the Spirit. Those of us who have the Spirit "are under obligation" to live in the Spirit as it now reigns in our life. MacArthur writes, "To live according to the flesh is to be ruled and controlled by that evil complex. Because of Christ's saving work on our behalf, the sinful flesh no longer reigns over us, to debilitate us and drag us back into the pit of depravity into which we were all born. For that reason, we are no longer ruled by the flesh to live by its sinful ways". Those characterized by the way of the flesh are dead in their sins and it takes the miracle of the regeneration of the soul, that can only be done by putting your faith in Christ. As Christians, we should be grateful to no longer be under the reign of the flesh, in which, nothing we do can please God. Rather, we should be, "putting to death deeds of the body" so that we might "live".

Romans 8:1-4: "Living in the Spirit"

Coming to Romans 8 we have found Paul making a case for salvation through faith alone through Christ alone. We have found Paul defending the Law, yet explaining its inability to save. He has explained to us that as unbelievers we are slaves to sin and that as believers we are slaves to righteousness. We have just finished the section in which Paul has explained that as Christians we will still sin because of the sinful human flesh we still have. Yet, our spirit has been renewed and is no longer a slave to sin, and we can choose righteousness. It is an everyday battle as we choose to fight with sin and holiness, but ultimately the believer will be glorified one day to never have to battle with sin again. We now come to a transition in Romans 8, in which the believer is called to practically walk in the new spirit he has been given through salvation. How, we might ask, can Paul in Rom 7:14 say, "For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin", and then in Rom. 8:1,2 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death". I have had this written in the back of my bible for years. I forget the commentator, but he had this to say about these two verses not contradicting one another, "How can I be sold as a slave to sin but also through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit of life set me free? How wonderful is the Word of God! What a true picture it draws of the person I really am! On the one hand I am a slave, a prisoner, for sin has such control over me that I cannot lead a sinless life (Jer. 17:9, Matt. 6:12, I John 1:8, 10) yet, on the other hand, I am a free person, for though Satan tries with all his might and trickery to keep me from doing what is right - such as trusting God for my salvation, invoking Him in prayer, rejoicing in Him, working for His causes, etc. he cannot throughout stop me from doing so. He cannot completely prevent me from experiencing the peace of God that transcends all understanding. The sense of victory, which I possess in principle even now and will possess in perfection in the future, sustains me in all my struggles. I rejoice in the freedom which Christ has earned for me! (Gal. 5:1)".

So after all Paul has said in the past 7 chapters he now writes, "There is therefore now no condemnation". What beautiful words for the sinners ears. The 'therefore now' refers to those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior. Paul will now begin and continue in explaining the wonderful results of justification. According to MacArthur condemnation comes from the Greek word katakrima which, "appears only in the book of Romans, here and in 5:16, 18. Although it relates to the sentencing for a crime, its primary focus is not so much on the verdict as on the penalty that the verdict demands". We have been told that all are guilty and all have fallen short of the glory of God. We know that the wages of sin is death (3:23), and apart from Christ we will spend eternity under his wrath and judgment. However, we get the wonderful and amazing news that we are no longer under the power of sin and have "now no condemnation". MacArthur writes, "That is the heart and soul of the gospel - that Jesus completely and permanently paid the debt of sin and the penalty of the law (which is condemnation to death) for every person who humbly asks for mercy and trusts in Him". This is a complete washing of sin and a right standing before a Holy God. What a wonderful sentence for us who deserve full condemnation and death.

Paul qualifies his statement for who no longer receives condemnation, it is only, "for those who are in Christ Jesus". For those of us who now have Christ in our hearts, we are cleansed from all unrighteousness and can stand just before a Holy and sinless God. Just as we have been "baptized with Christ" and have been "resurrected with Christ", so we also partake in the sinlessness of Christ, for those of us who are "in Christ Jesus". Paul tells us because, "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. MacArthur writes, "Those who believe in Jesus Christ are delivered from the condemnation of a lower divine law, as it were, by submitting themselves to a higher divine law. The lower law is the divine principle in regard to sin, the penalty for which is death, and the higher the law is the law of the Spirit, which bestows life in Christ Jesus . . . it should not be concluded that the law Paul is speaking of in this passage has no relationship to obedience. Obedience to God cannot save a person, because no person in his unredeemed sinfulness wants to obey God and could not obey perfectly even if he had the desire". However, it can be said that a believer will now desire complete obedience because of the new spirit he has received.

Paul, now focuses his attention on Christ as the substitute for us. He writes, "For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did". MacArthur writes, "This verse is perhaps the most definitive and succinct statement of the substitutionary atonement to be found in Scripture". As expressed earlier, Paul has told us that the Law has never had the ability to save. The misconception of the Jews that salvation through obedience to the Law, was the very fallacy Paul was trying to expose. He begins, "For what the Law could not do", that is grant salvation, "weak as it was through the flesh". Again, Paul upholds the Law as righteous and good, and the reason it was unable to save was not because it is deficient, but rather, because our flesh is deficient. If we were able to follow the law perfectly and never transgress against it, there would be no need for a Savior, however, we have established the fact that, "for all have sinned" . . . "there is no one who is righteous", and therefore are in desperate need for an alternative way to please God. And Paul gives us this alternative way, he tells us that "God did". God, "sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh", provided that way. Since our flesh is weak and unable to fulfill the demands of the Law, God in His perfect love and mercy, provided the way for reconciliation. He sent His perfect Son, as "an offering for sin". Christ was the only offering that would have been acceptable to God. No other person or thing could have been worthy to take on the sins of the world. It was Christ, who lived a perfect life, upholding every word of the Law, that was able to propitiate God's wrath against the world. It is against God and God alone that we have sinned, therefore, Christ being 100% God, was able to forgive us our sins. He had the right and the power to do so. There could have been no other acceptable substitute. MacArthur writes, "Jesus Christ condemned sin in the flesh. Whereas sin once condemned the believer, now Christ his Savior condemns sin, delivering the believer from sin's power and penalty".

All of this was done "in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us". MacArthur comments, "The believer's freedom from sin results in his present as well as in his ultimate sanctification. The true Christian has both the desire and the divinely-imparted ability to live righteously while he is still on earth. Because God sent His own Son to redeem mankind by providing the only sacrifice that can condemn and remove their sin (v.3), the requirement of the Law is able to be fulfilled in us, that is, in believers". When a person accepts Christ in their life and believes in Him in faith, they are immediately restored in their relationship to God. God now looks down on the believer through the life of Christ. Christ took all of our sins on Him at the cross, and imputed His perfect righteousness to us. In that way we have met "the requirement of the Law". What takes place after justification, is the process of God shaping us into Christ-likeness. This process of sanctification takes place over time as He desires us not to "walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit". God, through the Holy Spirit, allows our works to be of righteousness and pleasing to him. Whereas, before salvation every single deed was as a filthy rag. MacArthur writes, "It is God's great desire that believers live out the perfect righteousness that He reckons to them when they are saved - that they live like His children and no longer like the children of the world and of Satan. Positional righteousness is to be reflected in practical righteousness. Christ does not want a bride who is only positionally righteous but one who is actually righteous, just as He Himself is righteous. And through His indwelling Spirit, He gives believers that desire".

It is truly amazing to know that God not only desires for us to be reconciled to Him, but then desires us to live a life in holiness to Him. He knows we are of sinful flesh temporarily here on earth, however, he gives us His Spirit in order to allow us the ability to fight sin and be fruitful. However, he will even use the sinfulness in our own lives for His glory as He draws us back in repentance and restoration, constantly reminding us of our need for Him.

Romans 7:14-25: "The Battle Within"

This section of scripture has been hotly debated as to whether Paul is speaking of a Christian or an unbeliever. It has also been questioned whether he is speaking of himself in this section as well. Paul speaks of the demoralizing battle with sin he has in his members, he talks about "doing the very thing I hate", and he speaks of, "nothing good dwells in me". Taking into account all the Paul has spoken of previous to this section we must believe that Paul is speaking of himself as a believer. An unbeliever will not hate his sin, we have learned that he is a slave to sin and knows nothing else. An unbeliever will often think that if he does enough good he can get to heaven. He would be too self-righteous to say "nothing good dwells in me". If we take this passage in context to what had just previously been said by Paul, only a believer who has been crushed by the understanding of God's perfect standard, could understand the fullness of their depravity and sin. In fact, awareness of sin and the maturity of the believer often have an inverse relationship. Ironically, the more mature a believer is the acutely aware he is of his sin. I find this to be true in my own life. Before I was saved, I would try to do good, but it was a "good standard" I had created. This standard was quite low as I would try to tell myself I was good, or at least better than others. When I first became a believer, my awareness of sin was far greater as I desired to now compare myself to God's Holy standard. However, as I look back on that time in my life, most of those were behavioral and external things I wanted to change. As a more mature believer, I am now aware of sinful motives and attitudes and emotions that I was not aware of when I first became a believer. Each day the Holy Spirit is working on us, desiring to make us more like Christ. Often times this will lead us to understand more and more the depths of our sinfulness. All this is done in order to draw us back to Christ and realize our dependence on Him. MacArthur writes, "Beginning in verse 14 there is also an obvious change in the subject's circumstances in relation to sin. In verses 7-13 Paul speaks of sin as deceiving and slaying him. He gives the picture of being at sin's mercy and helpless to extricate himself from its deadly grasp. But in verses 14-25 he speaks of a conscious and determined battle against sin, which is still a powerful enemy but is no longer his master. In this latter part of the chapter Paul also continues to defend the righteousness of God's law and rejoice in the benefits of His law, which, although it cannot save from sin, can nevertheless continue to reveal and convict of sin in the believer's life, just as it did before salvation".

Paul begins this section as a continuation of his thoughts in the previous section. He is defending the scriptures saying that, "For we know that the Law is spiritual". Paul is saying the law is not the problem, for it is spiritual, it is the sin that is the problem. "But I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin". MacArthur points out an important point in this phrase, "It is important to note that the apostle does not say he is still in the flesh, but rather he is still of the flesh". Basically, Paul is saying that he is still bound in his mortal and sinful body, with a new heart and soul that has been saved by Christ. MacArthur again, "He has already explained that believers are no longer 'in the flesh' (7:5; cf. 8:8), no longer bound by and enslaved to its sinfulness as they once were. The idea is that, although believers are not still in the flesh, the flesh is still in them". The main idea to grasp from this is that a believer can never rid himself of sin while he is still in his human flesh, however, a Christian will never be happy and never be satisfied for his sin, and there will be a great desire to rid himself of this earthly body. Unbelievers live for the now. They live for instant gratification in everything they do. They want to get as much out of their time here on earth because they feel they need to have as much fun on earth as they can before they die. The believer has a more eternal perspective, knowing they will never be truly satisfied until they can get out of their human bodies and attain their glorified bodies. C.E.B. Cranfield said, "The more seriously a Christian strives to live from grace and to submit to the discipline of the gospel, the more sensitive he becomes to . . . the fact that even his very best acts and activities are disfigured by the egotism which is still powerful within him - and no less evil because it is often more subtly disguised than formerly".

Paul then gives an example of his previous statement by saying, "For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate". Paul was frustrated and upset by the fact that when he looked into God's Law and all that it said he could not measure up to it. MacArthur writes, "It was not that he was unable to do a particular good thing but that when he saw the fullness and grandeur of God's law, he was not able to measure up completely. It was not that he could never accomplish any good at all, nor that he could never faithfully obey God. The apostle was rather expressing an inner turmoil of the most profound kind, of sincerely desiring in his heart to fulfill the spirit as well as the letter of the law (see 7:6) but realizing that he was unable to live up to the Lord's perfect standards and his own heart's desire". This could not be said for an unbeliever. A man in bondage to sin and has not been saved by the blood of Christ would never say that he hates not being able to follow God's law.

Paul continues, "But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law". Someone who understands God's law and desires to follow it, will be saddened by sin. Paul is basically saying that because he hates sin and is upset when he transgresses against it, he is upholding that he agrees with what it says. Again, he is defending his respect for God's law, in fact, "confessing that it is good". Every Christian will have a deep rooted desire to obey and follow the law. Not for salvation, but for obedience to the one who saved us. Paul again shows us why we do in fact not always obey the law even though we desire to, "so now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me". Paul is not trying to escape personal responsibility for sin. He is dichotomizing and contrasting the two opposing forces in our life. By "no longer" Paul is speaking of his conversion. After conversion, Paul is given a new spirit, this spirit is still stuck with his old sinful flesh that still desires evil. There is a constant battle between these two, and the desire of the Christian is to "discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified" (I Cor. 9:27). MacArthur writes, "Whereas before his conversion his innerself approved of the sin he committed, now his inner self, a completely new inner self, strongly disapproves. He explains the reason for that change in his letter to the Galatians: 'I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me" (Gal. 2:20).

Paul goes on to say, "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh". MacArthur explains, "In order that his readers will not misunderstand, the apostle explains that the me in whom nothing good dwells is not the same as the 'I' he has just mentioned in the previous verse and which referred to his new, redeemed, incorruptible, Christlike nature". Currently, as he lives as a Christian his sin still dwells in his flesh, which has not been glorified yet. Again Paul speaks of his sorrow of his inability to completely be obedient to all of God's law, "for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not". Paul's desire is to do good always, however, he is incapable (as we all are) at this time to do so. Again, we can see that the heart of an unbeliever would not have the "wishing" in which Paul speaks of. Paul again reiterates the same point, "For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish". MacArthur writes, "It is important to understand that this great inner struggle with sin is not experienced by the undeveloped and childish believer but by the mature man of God".

Paul now explains, once again, where the source of this comes from, "But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me". Before salvation it was the inner most of his being (all of him) agreeing and partaking in the sin. However, now it is his fallen flesh which allows sin to still be present. In Philippians 3:12 writes, "Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me".

Paul begins to draw some conclusions, "I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good". He comments on what can be found true in ever believer's life, that is, the we still sin and transgress against God's perfect law, yet, our desire is still strong to obey Christ in all things. This may be a hard thesis to argue on paper, but a rather easy one to agree with for every believer, as we find ourselves falling into sin's deceptive trap, yet our desire is to honor and obey Christ. God told Cain in Gen. 4:7, "Sin is crouching at the door; and its desire for you, but you must master it". He goes on with another example of himself, "For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind". Again, the justified believer's inner man will uphold and revere God's holy law. Paul says in II Cor. 4:16, "Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day". In contrast to his inner man rejoicing in the law, his members (or unredeemed human body) are operating by a different law. MacArthur writes, "That opposing principle is continually waging war against the law of the believer's mind, a term that here corresponds to the redeemed inner man about whom Paul has been talking. Paul is not setting up a dichotomy between the mind and the body but is contrasting the inner man, or the redeemed 'new creature' (cf 2 Cor. 5:17), with the 'flesh' (Rom. 7:25), that remnant of the old man that will remain with each believer until we receive our glorified bodies (8:23)". Paul continues, "and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members". Again, Paul shows us the source of our inability to fully obey the law, and that is the "law of sin which is in my members". What we can take from this is as a believer we should constantly be looking to Christ. We should constantly be looking for Christ for sufficiency and strength against temptation while here on earth, and we should constantly be longing for our redeemed bodies in heaven where this "war" will no longer take place and we will have complete separation from our sinful flesh and dwell in our redeemed bodies.

After discussing his frustration with his inability to fully obey the law of God because of his sinful flesh, Paul exclaims, "Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" Paul's rich understanding of God's perfect law left him feeling completely wretched and sinful when compared to God's holy standard. This is exactly what God wants from us. David in his 51st Psalm writes, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise". Paul, here, is complaining of his flesh, he does not ask for his soul to be delivered (for that has already occurred in Christ), he is asking for his fallen, depreciating body that is only good for death, to leave him so that he might enjoy perfect fellowship with God. Paul asks a rhetorical question, "Who will set me free from the body of this death?" Obviously knowing the answer he cries, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" All his praise and worship for saving his should and one day his human flesh, Paul thanks God, who allowed all this to happen through Jesus Christ His Son. Paul can see the 'light at the end of the tunnel' as he knows one day he will be in his glorified state. MacArthur writes, "Frustrating and painful as a believer's present struggle with sin may be, that temporary earthly predicament is nothing compared with the eternal glory that awaits him in heaven".

Paul concludes the whole section with a summary of what has been said, "So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin". May we all long and yearn for the day when we no longer have to battle with our flesh, but partake in perfect fellowship with God as He has ordained it!!