Romans 8

The word pneuma occurs 21 times in Romans 8.[] All but three references refer to the Holy Spirit (vv.10, 15-16).

Romans 8:1-13 (Spiritual Mindset)

This section is difficult to interpret because Paul moves back and forth between our position in Christ and our condition in the flesh. Our position refers to our new identity in Christ. We cannot change our position. Because we belong to Jesus, we are loved, secure, blameless, pleasing to God, etc. However, we don’t always act this way! This is where our condition comes in. Our condition refers to how we’re acting moment-by-moment every day—for good or for bad. Our experience shows that even though we have an unchanging position in Christ, we live with an ever-changing condition. Those who reject the concepts of “position” and “condition” have an extremely difficult time consistently reading Romans 8. As you read through this section, you should consider when Paul is referring to our unchanging position in Christ and when he is referring to our current condition in life.

(8:1) “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Why does Paul return to the security we have in Christ at this point in his letter? He must do so because this is a place of worry for the believer. When we try to serve God, we repeatedly fail and wonder if we’re really in a position of security with God at all. Some Bible teachers like to threaten the believer at this point: “Perhaps you’re not even a Christian… Or you may have even lost your salvation.” Yet how different is Paul’s perspective? The “fear-threat” motivation wasn’t Paul’s method for motivating spiritual growth. Instead, he brackets this entire section with the security we have in Christ (8:1, 39). Mounce comments, “It follows that if condemnation as an objective reality has been removed, there is no legitimate place for condemnation as a subjective experience. To insist on feeling guilty is but another way of insisting on helping God with our salvation. How deeply imbedded in human nature is the influence of works-righteousness!”[]

Can a fear-threat motivation change us? Yes, it can. Indeed, we see this happen all the time. If a person is showing up late for work, a threat from his boss will motivate him to show up on time. Likewise, people give up various addictions because they see the consequences of their actions, and want to change. However, the goal of spiritual growth is love (1 Tim. 1:5), and a totally changed outlook on life (Rom. 12:2). Fear cannot change us into a loving person. Threats do not free us to love others. We need more than threats to change at such a fundamental level. We need the security of a new identity.

“No condemnation.” Earlier, Paul used the term “condemnation” at the beginning of this long train of thought (Rom. 5:16, 18). Now, he brings this to a conclusion, and later he will write, “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died… who also intercedes for us” (Rom. 8:34). In Greek, the first word gives the emphasis. In this opening verse, the sentence opens with, “No.” It is as if Paul is saying, “There is NO condemnation for those in Christ.” It literally means “not one.”[]

“Now.” Remember the context: Paul was wrestling with sin at a very deep level (Rom. 7:14-25). His conclusion? Even in the midst of sin, there is “now,” at this very present moment, no condemnation for the believer. We have security “in Christ” even in the midst of sin.

(8:2) “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Does the “the law of the Spirit of life” refer to the moral law (or Ten Commandments)? No. For one, this would overthrow the entirety of Paul’s argument about the impotence of the Law—an argument he’s been making for 2.5 chapters. Second, the context states that the moral law was unable to do anything for us. The next verse states, “What the Law could not do, weak as it was” (v.3). This doesn’t fit with the idea that “the law” can “set us free” (v.2). God didn’t empower the Law, but by giving us Jesus and thereby “sending His own Son” (v.3). Third, Paul mentions two different kinds of laws in the same verse, and these cannot both be the moral law. Fourth, the term “law” (nomos) has a wide semantic usage by Paul—especially in this section of Romans. Just a few verses earlier, Paul uses the word “law” (nomos) in a more general sense: “I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, ²³ but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members” (Rom. 7:22-23).

In conclusion, the “law of the Spirit of life” doesn’t refer to the moral law (or Ten Commandments). Instead, we agree with Moo,[] Keller,[] and Mounce that Paul is using the word “law” (nomos) in a more general sense—similar to how we refer to the “law of gravity” or a “principle… of controlling power.”[] Paul is saying that if you live according to the Spirit, you’ll be set free from the death that occurs by living under law. By contrast, this is the reason why Paul was failing in Romans 7:14-25. Those “difficulties of the Romans 7 experience [were] self-imposed.”[] He was depending on himself—not the “law [power] of the Spirit of life.”

(8:3) “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.”

Does this refer to the moral law? Yes. The word lacks any kind of modifier as in verse 2 (“the law of the Spirit… the law of sin”). Here, Paul simply writes “the Law.”

Did God’s Law cease to be fulfilled? Not at all. The law has been totally fulfilled—just not by us. It was fulfilled by Christ (Mt. 5:17-20).

“Sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin.” The expression “for sin” (peri hamartias) often refers to a sacrificial offering—both in the NT (Heb. 10:6, 8; 13:11) and in the OT Septuagint (LXX, 44 of 54 uses).[] The author of Hebrew writes, “[Jesus] He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17).

“He condemned sin in the flesh.” This is a good passage for substitutionary atonement. God took out his judgment (katakrino) on Christ. This is why there is “no condemnation” (katakrimo) for those who are in Christ (v.1).

(8:4) “So that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

“The requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us.” This refers to our condition (i.e. our current spiritual state). Paul’s use of the passive verb (“might be fulfilled”) implies that God is doing the work in our lives. If we are walking by the Spirit, we’ll naturally carry out the requirements of the Law. But ironically, if we focus on the Law, we cannot fulfill the Law. We only fulfill the Law when we focus on our standing in Christ, and when we act in love (Rom. 13:8-10).

Mounce[] offers a helpful illustration at this point. We do not store up spiritual power from God like a car filling its tank with gas. Rather, we access spiritual power by staying in contact with the Spirit like a tram touching the rails: Once we lose touch with the Spirit, the power is gone. We need to remain in close contact with the Holy Spirit at all times, rather than store up big experiences of the Holy Spirit to endure over time.

How do we walk according to the Spirit? The battle begins in our minds!

(8:5-7) “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. ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷ 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.”

The key to spiritual growth is our mindset. Paul refers to our mindset four times in these three verses. Are we focusing on Christ or the Law? Keller writes, “The twentieth-century Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple once said: ‘Your religion is what you do with your solitude.’ In other words, wherever your mind goes most naturally and freely when there is nothing else to distract it—that is what you really live for. That is your religion. Your life is shaped by whatever preoccupies your mind. The overcoming of sin in our lives begins in our minds; and victory over sin is only ever the result of having minds set on the Spirit.”[] He continues, “We are to be preoccupied with our standing in Christ. We are to drill into our minds and hearts his love and adoption of us.”[] We agree. Apart from the “renewing of our minds” (Rom. 12:2), we are unable to “please God.” This is our role: to consciously set our minds on our new identity in Christ. We should revisit what it means to know, consider, and present in Romans 6 for more detail.

This cognitive aspect of spiritual growth is a real battle. Paul writes that we will either think about the things of the Spirit or the things of the flesh. We can do one or the other, but we cannot do both (and we cannot do neither!). The battleground is in our minds (Gal. 5:17).

Does the mention of “death” refer to eternal separation from God? Lordship theologians often bring in fear-threat at this point. They often claim that “death” refers to spiritual death (i.e. hell). Douglas Moo doesn’t bring a fear-threat motivation, but rather, he argues that this entire section (vv.1-8) is descriptive of Christians and non-Christians. He writes, “It is fair to say that Paul is contrasting two groups of people: the converted and the unconverted.”[] Therefore, from this perspective, Paul is not teaching how to grow spiritually, but merely what Christians and non-Christians do.

We disagree with both of these perspectives. We understand the terms of “life,” “peace,” and “death” to refer to our condition—not our position. Paul is referring to our spiritual growth—not our eternal state.[] The context of Romans 8 refers to spiritual growth, and Paul is explaining just how exactly we can grow spiritually. This is why Paul uses the present tense (“The mind set on the flesh is death”), not the future tense. Moreover, throughout Romans 7-8, Paul has been using the term “die” or “death” in a variety of ways. Earlier Paul wrote, “I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; ¹⁰ and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; ¹¹ for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me” (Rom. 7:9-11). This usage (obviously) cannot refer to Paul going to hell; instead, it refers to how the law was stalling his spiritual growth.

What is the difference between “according to the flesh” and being “in the flesh”? In our view, the language of “according to the flesh” refers to our condition, while “in the flesh” refers to our position. Therefore, a Christian could be living “according to the flesh,” but could not be “in the flesh.”

(8:8-9) “And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

Does “in the flesh” refer to our condition or our position? Paul seems to be referring to our position. Those who are “in the flesh” are non-Christians. However, when he uses the expression “according to the flesh,” this is different. This seems to refer to carnal Christians, who live for sin in their condition.

“But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” If we have the Holy Spirit, then we are believers. There is no such thing as a believer who does not possess the Holy Spirit.

(8:10) “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”

Paul brackets our condition (“though the body is dead because of sin”) with our position. Our old self was crucified with Christ (“James Rochford is dead”). But our spirit is alive, because we have been identified with Jesus’ resurrection.

(8:11) “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 dwells in you.”

“He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.” This could refer to our future bodily resurrection. After all, Paul uses the future tense (“[The Spirit] will also give life to your mortal bodies”). Moreover, the parallel here seems to be between Jesus’ bodily resurrection and our bodily resurrection.

On the other hand, this could also refer to our current sanctification. After all, this is the context of our chapter, and Paul uses the first-class conditional clause[] (“If and I’m assuming this is the case that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you”). In verse 10, Paul is referring to the current power of the Spirit in the life of the “dead” believer. So, when Paul says that God will “give life,” this could refer to our spirits being alive for spiritual growth (v.10). We think the context favors this latter view: Paul is referring to our current sanctification.

(8:12) “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.”

When Paul uses the expression “according to the flesh,” this refers to our condition. Paul’s point is that we don’t need to live for the flesh anymore. We don’t owe the flesh anything, because we died to the flesh. Before we came to Christ, the flesh was all that we had. But now, we have a new position and a new identity.

(8:13) “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.”

Lordship theologians understand this to refer to eternal separation from God in hell. For instance, Moo writes, “We must not eviscerate this warning; Paul clearly affirms that his readers will be damned if they continue to follow the dictates of the flesh.”[] This is why it is so crucial to understand the difference between being “according to the flesh” rather than being “in the flesh.” The former refers to our condition and spiritual growth, while the latter refers to our position and eternal state. Paul mention of “death” refers to spiritual alienation from God in our condition (“you must die”). That is, sin leads to the death of our spiritual growth. Earlier Paul wrote, “I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died; ¹⁰ and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; ¹¹ for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me” (Rom. 7:9-11). The death and killing cannot refer to future judgment, because Paul already said that he was dead and killed! Instead, this “death” refers to our present alienation from God. Paul is calling for us to line up our position with our condition. In a parallel passage, Paul explains how to “put to death the deeds of the body.” Elsewhere, he writes, “Consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry” (Col. 3:5).

What does it mean to have your mind set on the flesh?

There are a number of ways to have a mindset on the flesh. A fleshly mindset refers to focusing on (1) self, (2) sin, (3) the law, and (4) the world. In our new identity, we are dead and severed from all of these things. Therefore, focusing on these brings a fleshly mindset.

(1) Self. Paul writes, “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection” (Rom. 6:5). We shouldn’t focus on “I… I… I…” but instead, “Him… Him… Him…” When believers spend 90% of their time focusing on themselves, they are in a fleshly mindset.

(2) Sin. Paul writes, “How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:2) In much Christian literature, the suggestion is to spend the first several minutes confessing your sins. There are surely times when we need to bring conscious sin to God and repent of it. But the emphasis of much Christian literature doesn’t fit with what Paul wrote. Where do we read that the new covenant believer should be constantly thinking about and confessing all of our sins to God? This morbid introspection is all wrong. Should I focus on what I’ve done before God?—or what he’s done for me?

(3) Law. Paul writes, “We have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter” (Rom. 7:6). Many believers approach God focusing on what they have to do for him. Yet Jesus said that in him we will “find rest for [our] souls” (Mt. 11:29). If we feel burdened by our walk with Christ, then we are probably under law. Of course, in the same context, Jesus said that we find rest when we take up his “yoke” (Mt. 11:28). Paradoxically, we find rest when we are serving and working for him. We just need to make sure that our focus is on him—not on law.

(4) The world-system. Elsewhere, Paul writes, “The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). Christians who are focused on the “world” (kosmos) have a mind set on the flesh (cf. 1 Jn. 2:15-17; Mt. 6:24).

Questions for Reflection

What is the significance of Paul opening and closing this chapter with our security in Christ? (vv.1, 38-39)

Paul emphasizes our “mind” being set on the Spirit (vv.5-7). What are key ways to set your mind on the Spirit today? What are ways you’ve found helpful to set your mind on the Spirit in the past? What are new ways that you might try to set your mind on the Spirit?

Romans 8:14-17 (Sonship)

(8:14) “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Paul’s use of the word “for” relates to his teaching on spiritual growth in verse 13. The key to spiritual life is being led by “the Spirit.” Elsewhere Paul writes, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.”[]

If a Christian is not being led by the Spirit, does this mean he is not really a Christ? No. To say this commits the negative inference fallacy.[] Paul is not affirming a negative, but only a positive: All people being led by the Holy Spirit are sons of God. This is not introducing a fear-threat motivation. After all, in the very next verse, he writes, “You have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again” (v.15). Moreover, this passage is not an imperative. The believer is being passively led by the Spirit. The picture here is that of a father leading his little son by the hand—not an executioner leading a prisoner down death row.

(8:15) “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’”

Paul is the only NT author to use the adoption metaphor to describe our relationship with God. The idea that we have received a “spirit of adoption” could be a general reference to a sense from God. Elsewhere, however, Paul states that it is the Holy Spirit who confirms our sonship. He writes, “Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Gal. 4:6).

Our adoption as sons has an “already-not-yet” tension as well. We currently are sons of God, but we wait to be revealed as God’s sons: “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” (Rom. 8:23). This, of course, makes a certain amount of sense: What kind of Father would God be if he didn’t take his sons into his presence? Currently, God places his Spirit inside of us to give us his presence, but later, we will come directly into the presence of God.

(See “From Slaves to Sons: The Fatherhood of God and Spiritual Adoption”)

(8:16) “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Both the Holy Spirit and our spirit testify to us that we are children of God. Regarding the word “witness” or “testifies” (martyria), Keller writes, “The word originally meant an authoritative witness who solved a difficult case and put the solution beyond doubt. The picture Paul is painting looks something like this: There is a trial going on and the defendant is being accused of a crime. There seems to be some evidence against her and some evidence in favor of her claim of innocence. Then, suddenly, the defense comes in with a new witness who can be proved to have been at the scene of the crime! …This person ‘testifies with’ the defendant. He says the same thing and puts the verdict beyond doubt.”[] This is the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives: He assures us of the reality of our adoption as God’s children.

(8:17) “If children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

In the first century, one “heir” would inherit the money, land, etc. Since God has so much to give, Paul can write that we are all heirs of God’s estate. We are all fellow heirs with Christ.

“If indeed we suffer.” This is a first-class conditional clause,[] which assumes the consequent for the sake of argument. We will reign and rule with Christ to the extent to which we suffered for him. Reward is in view here (v.18). Mounce writes, “What appears to be a condition on this promised inheritance (“if indeed”) is actually a simple statement of fact. Sharing the sufferings of Christ leads to sharing his glory.”[]

Questions for Reflection

What are some signs that you are beginning to relate to God as a slave, rather than a son? (vv.14-17)

Romans 8:18-39 (Glorification in Christ)

(8:18) “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.”

Paul will continue to expound upon the terrible suffering that we endure in a fallen world when we are trying to follow Christ. But here he tells us, “It’s all worth it!” Right now, Paul is in heaven, and there is no doubt in his mind that his suffering was worth it.

“The glory that is to be revealed to us.” The word “to” (eis) could also be translated “in.” Therefore, Paul could be writing, “The glory that is to be revealed in us.” This reading seems to be more likely. In the next verse, Paul writes of seeing “the revealing of the sons of God” (v.19), and later he refers to “the glory of the children of God” (v.21). This implies that we will be beautiful beyond imagination, radiating the glorious restored image of God in our physical bodies.

(8:19) “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.”

Creation itself waits to see the image-bearers restored and glorified. Indeed, Paul refers to the “whole creation” (v.22). The purpose of the Earth was for sinless people to rule over it and take care of it (v.21; cf. Gen. 1:28). This purpose has never come to its ultimate fruition. But someday, it will.

(8:20) “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope.”

Young Earth Creationists argue that God cursed the natural world after the Fall. This is what is meant by the “creation was subjected to futility.” However, the reason that the creation groans is because humans are poor rulers of the planet (Gen. 1:28). But one day, we will be perfect leaders. This fits with the context that states that creation will be set free when humans are revealed as glorified (v.21). Moo writes, “The word probably denotes the ‘frustration’ occasioned by creation’s being unable to attain the ends for which it was made. Humanity’s fall into sin marred the ‘goodness’ of God’s creation, and creation has ever since been in a state of ‘frustration.’”[]

“Him who subjected it, in hope.” This seems to refer to God’s act of decreeing that the world would be fallen because of the fall of humans. Yet, he made this declaration “in hope.” One day, God knew that he would get the final word (Gen. 3:15).

(8:21) “That the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Paul personifies creation as eagerly waiting for its own redemption through the redemption of believers. Again, when humans become glorified and perfect rulers, then creation will experience perfect leadership and healing.

(8:22) “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

Again, Paul personifies creation as “groaning” until its redemption.

(8:23) “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.”

Everyone can see that the world is “not the way it’s supposed to be.” But Paul takes this a step further: We are not the way we’re supposed to be. Whether we look outside of ourselves at creation or inside ourselves as fallen image-bearers, we yearn for God’s restoration. Paul had taken so many beatings that his body must’ve uniquely ached for a resurrected body. Our adoption is “already-not-yet.” We are currently sons (Rom. 8:15). But to a much fuller extent, we will later be revealed as sons.

(8:24-25) “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

Paul is confident that this hope will be realized. He calls for patience—not uncertainty. The term “hope” (helpidi) means “the looking forward to something with some reason for confidence respecting fulfillment, hope, expectation” (BDAG).

 (8:26) “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.”

“In the same way” could refer to (1) the way that hope enables us to persevere,[] or (2) the way that the Spirit “groans” even as we “groan” (v.23). Regardless, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid—even for activities as obvious as basic as prayer. We are so weak that we can’t even pray without the Holy Spirit’s help.

“We do not know how to pray as we should.” This passage can be translated as “we do not know how to pray as we should” (NASB) or as “we do not know what we ought to pray for” (see NET note). The Spirit helps us with the content of our prayers—not the style of our prayers.[] Sometimes, we pray for something that is biblically sound, but might not be in the omniscient will of God. For instance, we might pray for someone to come to a Bible study, but it would actually be better if they didn’t make it that night. While we are praying a biblical prayer, the Holy Spirit knows what the person needs more than we do. So, he intercedes to bring about the intention of our prayer. Perhaps it would actually be better for the person to stay at home that night and receive Christ, and the Bible study would actually distract that person from deciding to receive Christ. Of course, we would never make such a request, but that’s precisely the point: The Holy Spirit knows what people need far more than we do.

“With groanings too deep for words.” This could refer to our “groanings” of the heart that are difficult to articulate to God (see v.23). However, we agree with Mounce[] and Moo[] that this refers to the Spirit’s “groanings” before God the Father. When we pray something that is good-hearted but out of God’s will, the Spirit intercedes between us and God the Father to correct what we prayed.

As a thought experiment, suppose we prayed for an unbelieving friend to come to our Bible study to see the love of Christians and to hear a moving Bible teaching. But suppose that from God’s omniscient perspective, he knows that the person will come to faith in Christ if they stayed home that night and had time alone to reflect on their life and the claims of Christ. Indeed, the people at the Bible study might actually be a distraction from the person coming to Christ (!). Surely this scenario sounds strange: Why would we pray that an unbelieving person to not hear a Bible teaching and enjoy fellowship? Obviously, we would likely never pray such a thing, and this is exactly the point of this thought experiment: The Holy Spirit knows all things, and he intercedes with what we should pray according to God’s will. This means that if we spend time in prayer, we cannot fail. This is the only means of spiritual growth where God himself personally fixes any mistakes!

(8:27) “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.”

What is it like for the omniscient third person of the Trinity to communicate with the other omniscient members of the Trinity? This is mind-blowing to consider. We agree with Mounce who writes, “We stand at the edge of mystery. It is better to acknowledge humbly our spiritual incapacity than to reduce the action of the Spirit to human terms.”[]

(8:28) “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

“God causes all things to work together for good.” This promise allows the believer to trust in the sovereignty of God. Keller writes, “This must lead to some ability to relax! We are not in the grip of blind chance or fate. The Greeks thought that even Zeus was subject to the fates. Not us! The universe is not a mechanism run by blind chance; it is run by a person—and not just any person, but our Father. We don’t need to fear life and circumstances.”[] He continues, “If we think we require some good thing that God has withheld from us, in reality we don’t absolutely need it. It also means that if we feel our life has been ruined by some bad thing, in reality it is playing some very important role in our lives.”[] We would simply qualify his statement by noting that the suffering may not be for our earthly good (or even for us at all). But we can know that God will use it for the cause of Christ, having implications far ahead of us in eternity.

“Those who love God.” Paul typically focuses on God’s love for us, rather than our love for Him (1 Cor. 2:9; 8:3; Eph. 6:24). Why does Paul bring up our love for God here? He mentions this because this promise is contingent on loving God and putting him first. We don’t receive this promise if we are rebelling against God’s will.

“Those who are called according to His purpose.” Even though this is similar in structure to the clause above (“Those who…”), this isn’t a condition on God’s will. In the first clause, we actively “love God,” but in this clause, we are passively “called” by God. The former describes what we do, while this describes who we are. This means that this promise only applies to Christians (“Those who are called”). This sets up Paul’s description of how we come to Christ in the first place.

(8:29-30) “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

This has been called the “golden chain of redemption.” Once the process starts, God takes us step by step into glory. It’s possible that we are “glorified” in the (aorist) past tense because our glorification is such a certainty. Mounce writes, “Our future glorification is so certain that God speaks of it as already having taken place.”[] Yet, it’s also possible that we are already glorified through our growth with God (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18).[] We favor the earlier view, but the latter is not impossible.

(8:31) “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

Because we are in Christ, we can have confidence that God is for us. What can a human being do to us, if we know that God is with us?

(8:32) “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

If God gave us the ultimate gift of his Son, why would he be stingy on giving us anything else?

(8:33) “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.”

God is the ultimate judge. If we’re clear with him, no one can make us guilty.

(8:34) “Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

God “justifies” us (v.33), and Jesus “intercedes” for us (v.34). Jesus won’t condemn us; after all, he died for us. Why would he turn around and condemn us? With an intercessor like Jesus and a judge like God, we have nothing to fear in the divine courtroom!

“Intercedes for us.” Incidentally, Jesus doesn’t intercede for us before God the Father by saying that we’re “not that bad” or that we’re “really sorry” for what we’ve done. If Jesus was to make an appeal for us, he would say that we have been “justified.” He would intercede by saying, “The penalty for him has already been paid. If he is judged or condemned, then that’s a breach of justice, because my death on the Cross already paid for him.”

(8:35) “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

This list comprises all of our greatest fears in life. Yet none of these can separate us from the love of God. There is no need to fear anything when we are secure with God’s love. In fact, Paul lists all of these (except the final one) in his letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 11:26-27; 12:10). In other words, Paul isn’t writing abstract theology in these verse. He lived through each of these nightmares, but the love of Christ carried him through each and every one.

(8:36) “Just as it is written, ‘For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’”

Paul quotes Psalm 44:22 to show that believers can be persecuted for doing the right thing—yet we need to cling to the promises of God.

(8:37) “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”

We don’t conquer by avoiding suffering but by persevering in suffering. We “overwhelmingly” conquer suffering through Jesus who loves us. Even in suffering, we don’t rely on self-effort or moral willpower. We conquer suffering by relying on the love of Christ.

(8:38-39) “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Keller writes, “The central question of the Christian life—the one that prompts all our doubts and worries and tensions—is this: Is there anyone or anything that can separate me from Christ’s love for me?”[]

Questions for Reflection

Paul writes that we are sons of God (vv.15-17). Then, he goes on to list the great privileges and gifts that we have as God’s sons (vv.15-39). What are some of the most important gifts that God has given to us?

• We have personal assurance of our future salvation (v.16).

• We will be rewarded for how much we’ve suffered (vv.17-18).

• The Holy Spirit personally helps us to pray—as long as we try (vv.26-27).

• When followers of Jesus suffer, our suffering has an eternal purpose (v.28).

• We have eternal security (vv.29-30, 33-39).

• God will not hold back gifts from us (v.32). If he gave the ultimate gift of his Son, why would he hold back anything else? He will only withhold gifts if it is for our benefit.