Romans by Chuck Missler Lesson 9

Romans Chapter 8: Empowering of the Holy Spirit

The Most Inexhaustible Book
One of the must frustrating things about teaching the Bible is its in-
exhaustibility, especially the Book of Romans. For many chapters of
the Bible, you can consult a dozen commentaries, do a little further
background research, explore a few pivotal exegetical issues, and feel
that you have a reasonable grasp of the chapter.

Not so with Romans! It would be easy to lecture over an hour on each
verse! Romans is, perhaps, probably the most inexhaustible book in the
entire Bible. But we shall attempt a balance... And we are now about to
embark on one of the most uplifting chapters in the entire Bible!

Godet: “This is the Holy of Holies of the Word of God.”

The Challenge of Romans 7
Paul cried out for outside help: “O wretched man that I am! Who shall
deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom 7:24). Who is going to
enable me to live for God?

The Work of the Trinity
God the Father - in creation - Rom 1:1–3:20
God the Son - in salvation - Rom 3:21–7:25
God the Holy Spirit - in sanctification - Rom 8:1–39

The Holy Spirit is only mentioned twice so far in Romans; in Chapter
8, He is mentioned 19 times! Sanctification is the work of the Holy
Spirit in the regenerated life of a believer, delivering the believer
from the power of sin and performing all of God’s will in the life of
the believer.

Contrasts
In Chapter 5: A summation of the saving work of Jesus Christ;
In Chapter 8: A summation of what Christ did to provide Victory
in each of our lives.
In Chapter 5, justification (declared righteous) by faith is forever;
In Chapter 8, we learn that a godly life is insured through the
power of the Holy Spirit.
In Chapter 5, our performance is based on our understanding of God’s
love for us;
In Chapter 8, our performance is based on the power of the Holy
Spirit.
In Chapter 5, it reveals our relationship to God;
In Chapter 8, it reveals our relationship to the world, conflict,
the flesh, tribulation.
In Chapter 5, the Holy Spirit is mentioned only once (v.5);
In Chapter 8, the power available to us through the Holy Spirit is
developed in its fullness to give us assured victory.
Chapter 5 is the capstone on our salvation in Christ;
Chapter 8 is the capstone on our victory in Christ.

Romans 8: The High Water Mark of Romans
First four verses are a continuation from Chapter 7. These opening verses
are a summing up of the truths unfolded from Rom 5:12 through 7:25:
The chapter divisions are not “inspired” (they were devised by Stephen
Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury in the early 13th century).

Verse 1]
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

“Now” in the sense of logic, summarizing and concluding the argument of what has gone before. This is one of the greatest assurances
a Christian can receive: No condemnation from any source, for any
reason, at any time (Jn 3:18). No qualifying clause; it does not depend
upon our walk! It is not how I feel, but it is what God says...

[“Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” was added in KJV
from v.4. Not in any of the original reliable texts—all the oldest manuscripts agree. It first appears around the 6th century; not in manuscripts
in the 3rd and 4th century. Added by either scribal error, or misguided
attempt at smoothing the transition to v.2. Yet this would promote a
contradiction to all that has gone before.]

•Chapter 8 opens: no possibility of condemnation.
•Chapter 8 closes: no possibility of separation!

How does one become “in” Christ? By the baptism of the Holy Spirit
(Rom 6:3-4; 1 Cor 12:13).We are in an inseparable organic union with
Him! The safest place in the entire universe is on that Cross! That was
validated by emptying a tomb. And that’s where we all need to be.

We Are Under a Different “Law”
Verse 2]
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free [set me free]
from the law of sin and death.

Summarizes Romans 7 (cf. 7:23). While the law of sin and death will
be with us as long as we are in this body; but it doesn’t necessarily have
dominion. The “law” of the Spirit can have dominion.

Example: The law of gravity is upon all of us. However, with a proper
air foil, and sufficient velocity through the air, we can enjoy dominion
over gravity. We can take advantage of the greater power over the law
of gravity.

“The law of the Spirit of life”: genitive case = “The law of the Life giving Spirit.”

Organic Union (Abiding in Him: John 15:1-5)
•Menorah: six + 1 = 7.
•One Body, caught up (Rev 12:5,6). Yet, not all who enter, inherit (Rom 8:17). One Body, caught up (Rev 12:5,6). Yet, not all who enter, inherit
(Rom 8:17).
•Enoch translated before judgment (Gen 5:24).

Verse 3]
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

“For” appears 17 times in this chapter. [Follow Paul’s flawless logic…]
Summary of Chapters 7 and 6:3a = Rom 7:15-19: The flesh (our selves)
will always fail. 3b = Rom 6. Christ died, not only for my sins, but for
the sinner, that is, my sin nature. [The Book of Romans is more about
God’s problems than ours; however, if those are solved there aren’t
any others!]

“...in the likeness of sinful flesh.” He was truly human, yet without sin: the
perfect man. The virgin birth, as prophesied in Gen 3:15, Isa 7:14...

Verse 4]
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.

“That” = purpose clause. All that has been said now converges to this
fact: all righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in [not by] us, who
walk according to the Spirit and not according to flesh. [That is, not
trying by our own efforts]. A statement of fact, not an imperative (Gal
5:16 is an imperative).

Indwelling of Holy Spirit
Verses 5-27 develop a wide range of truth regarding the indwelling of
the Holy Spirit. Verses 5-7 emphasize the impossibility of living by any
system of resources other than the Holy Spirit: “Positive Thinking;”
“Positive Confession;” et al. (AVIS: “We Try Harder.” That’s why they
are always second best.)

Verse 5]
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

“Flesh” = human resources. The contrast between two believers: the
impossibility of trying to live for God by human effort, vs. those that
are truly walking by the Spirit.

Which is controlling you? The “human” viewpoint [your capability]
or God’s viewpoint [His ability through you]?

Sincerity, or the lack thereof, is not the issue; the basis is. Is your mind
on the things of the Spirit or on the things of the world?

Verse 6]
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

The Greek is more blunt: “For the mind of [under the domination of]
the flesh is death. The mind [under the domination of] the Spirit is life
and peace.” (Genitive case in each.) These are both believers: “death”
= out of fellowship; separated.

6 Different “Deaths”
1.Physical Death: when the soul leaves the body. (When the software leaves the hardware...)

2. Spiritual Death: separation of the human spirit from the soul.

Mt 8:22: “Follow me; let the dead bury the dead.” Let those who are
spiritually dead bury the dead...

Eph 2:1: “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and
sins;

Col 2:13: “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses;

3. Sexual Death:
Rom 4:19: “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own
body [which is] now dead, when he was about an hundred years old,
neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb...”

4. Positional Death:
Rom 6:3-5: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him
by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection...”
Col 3:3-4: “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with him in glory.”

5. Operational Death:
Eph 5:14-18: “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise
from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk
circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because
the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what
the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;
but be filled with the Spirit...”

Addressed to the believer who is not filled with the Spirit is, thus,
operationally dead... [Trammeled by their grave clothes... Jn 11.] Cf.
Rev 3:1; Heb 6:1; Heb 9:14.

6. Second Death:
Rev 20:6, 14: “He that is born once will die twice. He that is born twice
will die but once.”
Many uses for the term “death”: Mt 8:22. Eph 2:1; 1 Cor 15:31. Thus,
v. 6 refers to operational/temporal death (Gal 5:22: “...peace...”).

The Flesh Cannot Please God

7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against [hostile toward] God: for it is not
subject [continually, present tense] to the law of God, neither indeed can be
[for it is not able to do so].

Romans 7 again. The things I hate I keep doing...The flesh will never
be improved. We are powerless to change our nature; therefore, we
cannot—in our own efforts—really please God. He alone is the source
of power for holiness.

Verse 8]
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

“In the flesh”: Under the dominion of the flesh; an unbeliever. [vs. “according to the flesh”]: a lapse in a believer. To be proud is to be blind;
to be discouraged is unbelief; to be disappointed in yourself means
you relied on yourself; to hope to do better is to fail to see yourself in
Christ only.

The Spirit of God
Verse 9]
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells
in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [does
not belong to Him].

“But” = However... “in” = under dominion of... “Spirit of Christ” =
Holy Spirit, whose mission is to reveal Christ; (Jn 16:13, 14. et al. cf.
Isa 11:1, 2; Rev 1:4; 3:1, et al = the Seven-fold Spirit of God).

Every believer has the Holy Spirit. But is He in control of your life?
Do you have the Spirit of Christ in you? Are you in the power of His
presence? Do you take advantage of it?

Verse 10]
And if Christ be in you, [though] the body is dead because of sin; but [yet] the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Cf. Rom 6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin. [“Destroyed” = “rendered powerless.”]

“Righteousness” = whose? His!

Verse 11]
But if [since] the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead [continuously]
dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit [who] that indwells [take residence in] in you.

The Holy Spirit is the One who raised Jesus from the dead: Paul reminds
us that we, too, need a resurrection life! And he is speaking operationally, right now...

Conditional Classes for the Word “If...” in Greek
•If and it’s so; “since, indeed,”
•If and it’s not so;
•If: maybe it’s so and maybe it’s not;
•If: I wished it was so but probably not;

Greek is the most explicit language ever devised. (Perhaps that is why
God chose it for the New Testament.)

•“If”: First class conditional = “Since.”
•“indwells” (dwelleth) = take up residence in (present tense, continuous process).
•Paul, ostensibly blameless before the law exclaims (answers Phil
3:6), “ O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the
body of this death?” (Rom 7:24).

Verse 12]
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors [under obligation], not to the flesh, to live
after the flesh.

We owe nothing to the flesh . We are not its debtors to do its service,
not since victory is guaranteed in Christ (1 Cor 10:13).

Verse 13]
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Summary of Romans 6, 7 and 8 (so far)
If you keep on living after the flesh ye shall [keep on] dying. “Die” is in the
present tense! (e.g. operational death; separation from fellowship...)

“Deeds” = pra/xij praxis, something that it’s a deeply ingrained habit.
Re: the commands of Rom 6:12, 13. Empowered by the Spirit. Mortify:
Active voice = requires volition on our part.

Realization of Sonship
Verse 14]
For as many as are [being continually] led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God.

Present tense: continually. Passive voice: subject receives the action. “Son”:
ui`oj , , huios, adult son.. The Prodigal Son never lost his sonship...cf. Luke
15. No child of God can be happy in living for the things of the flesh.

The prodigal son may get into the pig pen, but he will never be content
to stay there. He is bound to say, “I will arise and go to my father.”

Verse 15]
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

In Roman law, adoption was required, even of a legitimate son, to inherit.
This ceremony, legally held in the forum, was called the “Adoption.”
All born in his family were children, but only those adopted were recognized as sons. After adoption, they could never be disowned. [Cf.
Lew Wallace, Ben Hur: the Roman admiral adopted Judah Ben Hur as
his legal son...] But they can be disinherited. We will be taking this
up in Chapter 9 and following.]

Hebrew Language: An Alphabet Lesson
[The Hebrew alphabet consists not only of phonemes, but of sememes,
units of meaning. Aleph, a the first letter, originally written like an ox’s
head, means strength, or leader (being first). Bet, b originally written
like a tent or teepee, means house. (Beth-Lehem, house of bread; Beth El, house of God, etc.) An Aleph + Bet = “the leader of the house”;
i.e., Father. Insert a Heh, h or breath, and you get the essence of the
father, Ahab, the word for love, which is indeed, the heart or essence
of the Father: John 3:16.]

“Abba” is the familiar form of Father; perhaps, “Daddy” comes close;
endearment, intimacy. Jesus Himself used the double term in Gethse-
mane: Mark 14:36.

Verse 16]
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

“Itself”: The Greek requires a neuter because the word Spirit, pneu/ma
pneuma, is a neuter noun. In English, it is correct to use the personal
pronoun, He. He communes with our spirits; He illumines, instructs,
and guides...

“Children”: te,knon, teknon, born one.

Verse 17]
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

You and I cannot begin to imagine what this really means. This is a
conditional reward. Many may arrive in heaven sorely disappointed!

Rewards
“...if so be that we suffer with Him.” There are conditions to our specific
destiny that will be taken up when we explore inheritance (in contrast
to salvation alone). Will all who enter, inherit?

What is a Metachoi? me,tocoj metochos {met’-okh-os}: sharing in,
partaking; a partner (in a work, office, or dignity); cf. 1 Cor 3:12-15 .

Jesus suffered trials; all the apostles suffered. Jesus promised us trials
(Jn 16:33). There are two possible errors we can make:

1)No trials anticipated;
2)Morbid fear of trials (1 Cor 10:13).

Why Do Christians Have Trials?
1. To glorify God, Dan 3:16-18, 24-25
2. Discipline for known sin , Heb 12:5-11; James 4:17; Rom 14:23; 1 Jn 1:9
3. To prevent us from falling into sin 1 Pet 4:1-2
4. To keep us from pride—Paul kept from pride by his “thorn in the flesh.” 2 Cor 12:7-10
His eyes? Gal 4:15; 6:11
5. To build faith, 1 Pet 1:6-7
6. To cause growth Rom, 5:3-5
7. To teach obedience and discipline Acts, 9:15-16; Phil 4:11-13
8. To equip us to comfort others, 2 Cor 1:3-4
9. To prove the reality of Christ in us, 2 Cor 4:7-11
10. For testimony to the angels, Job 1:8; Eph 3:8-11; 1 Pet 1:12

Thus: James 1:2-4.

Next Session
Savor the rest of Romans 8. Are the Entropy Laws a result of the curse
in Genesis 3? What are the three most important words in Romans 8:28?
What can separate us from the Love of Christ? God’s Paradigm: Fore-
known; Predestinated; Called; Justified; Glorified.