Romans 8.
I 'discovered' this Bible passage years after I began my walk with Christ, I have known this passage for years now, but each time I study it, I am shown something new. It gets better on those days when I am in fasting.
Romans chapter 8 has a storyline which not everyone may see, or maybe it is just me who see it as a story. Well, I write to share my views on that Bible portion with you.
From There Into Here
The chapter opens with the first verse telling us that the Christian should have no fear of condemnation hanging over his or her head because first, we are in Christ Jesus and also because we are walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh. So it gives us an assurance that we won't, can't be condemned as long as we are in Christ and we deliberately, consciously walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. What great assurance!
It goes on telling us the difference between walking after the Spirit and walking after the flesh. It also shows us the rewards and the endpoints of each path. This makes sure that we are not unaware of the rewards of our choices and actions.
We are called from darkness into light, let us walk therein. We learn that what makes us children of God is not what we call ourselves or even what people call us, we are children of God BECAUSE we are led by the Spirit of God. So it is the spirit in and behind our actions that determine whose child or children we are!
The Future Glory
You know, we serve a God who doesn't leave us to struggle on our own. He assures us of our salvation in Him, and then He reminds us that things will get hard, but the glory which will be seen in us is far more rewarding and fulfilling than we can imagine.
The eighteenth verse of the chapter says it clearly, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." This is actually one of my favourite verses in the Bible. It tells me not to give up on my Christian journey, it tells me I will be glorified, it tells me that I have a reward waiting for me and I should just try!
The Work of the Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the One we have with us now. He is the one teaching, prodding, leading, encouraging and helping us as we journey on. He is our faithful guide. He is our comforter, He is the one who reminds us where we have fallen, He is the one who pulls us up, He is the one who helps us walk again, He is our everything. So it is humourlessly funny when He is not invited into our daily lives, it is not okay when we don't relate with Him, it is not right when we ignore His voice and then pray when we get into trouble.
After telling us of our rewards, the passage goes on to reintroduce us to the one who helps our infirmities, the one who prays for us in groanings which cannot be uttered, the one who searches our hearts and prays accordingly. We are reminded of Him who we have to be led by to be called God's children. We are reminded of Him who we have to follow to avoid condemnation. We are reminded of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The Assurance of God's Children
This is my favourite part, where we go into reminders of who we are.
We are reminded of who our Father is. We are reminded of the fact that the difference in our struggles is if we are called according to our father's purpose. The reason our struggles would be worth it is if and only if we are called ACCORDING to God's purpose.
We are the told that nobody or anything can overcome us or separate us from the love of our Saviour. We are told that whatever it is, both seen and unseen, that troubles us can't and won't conquer us or separate us from the love of Christ except we allow it to.
Now that is a blessed assurance.
Finally
The book of Romans has many lessons, but the eighth chapter teaches, admonishes, reminds and assures the weary, travelling Christian. If you have not studied it, please do. You will be blessed. Amen