OUR FATHER FROM WHOSE LOVE WE CANNOT BE SEPARATED

The book of Romans chapter 8 verses 31 - 39, concludes the chapter with the apostle Paul expounding how awesome it is to be among Godˋs elect.  Paul asks that if God is for us, who could possibly successfully be against us? Who could possibly bring a valid charge against those who God has chosen for Himself for it is Him who justifies and who can possibly condemn those whom God has undertaken so costly a sacrifice to save us and furthermore, He who was sacrificed, sits at the right had of God and intercedes for us. 

What God has done for those He has chosen to make His own is beyong imagination and demonstrates how deep the love that God has for us actually is and that there is nothing in existance that can separate us from the love of God.

Paul then rhetorically proclaims that in view of this stupendous gift that God has given us, is there any contrary circumstance that we should be unwilling to undergo for the sake of Him who saved us?. 

Paul points out the prophecy that decribes the people of God being slaughtered all day long and being marked for slaughter and he indicates that this fate is an honor in light of what God has in store for those whom He has foreknown and predestined and called and justified and glorified.

There is nothing, even life nor death, nor angles nor principalities nor powers nor present things nor things in the future that can separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ who has made us more than conquerors like himself.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 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.

Amen

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OUR FATHER WHO WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSES

Romans 8 verses 26 - 30 says this; 

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans that God worked circumstances (both good and bad) for the benefit of those who loved God and were called to fulfill the purposes God set for them to do and having explained this, he lists where in the progression of spiritual milestones this calling was.

1. Foreknowledge - God knows in advance of the advent of time, whom He wants as His confidants
2. Predestination - God then sets a purposeful destiny where those people are made to be like His Son Jesus
3. Calling - When each person enters into time, God then places a call on each person that is a prerequisite of that eternal destiny
4. Justification  - Then God justifies each person by the faith they have towards the provision of salvation that was made through the Lord Jesus.
5. Glorification - Then each person is  lifted up to the great eternal calling that they were predestined to occupy

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE CHILDREN ENTER INTO GLORIOUS LIBERTY

The book of Romans chapter 8 verse 18 - 25 says this; 

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER TO WHOM WE CRY ˋABBA, FATHERˋ

In the book of Roman chapter 8 verses 12 - 17, the Apostle Paul continues explaining the transition that a believer undergoes from being a creature of the flesh to a being of the spirit.

Whereas the directives and actions of the flesh lead to death, the directives and actions of the spirit lead to life. The Spirit of God will guide us to put to death the deeds of the flesh and everyone who is led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God because after having believed and having been freed from bondage of sin and having begun to walk by the the Spirit of God, we received the Spirit of adoption that translates us into the sons of God who related to God as their father in the way a young child relates to their loving father.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

This translation into sons of God is witnessed to our spirits by the Spirit of God and we can then live fully as heirs with Christ (who is the first born among many sons) where our lives are rendered to God such that we would suffer for him and after suffering, be glorified with Him.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE SPIRIT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD

The book of Roman chapter 8 verses 1 - 11 says this;

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE SON DELIVERED US FROM CONDEMNATION

The Apostle Paul, in the book of Romans chapter 7 verses 13 - 25 explains that in each of us is a duality whereby our mind serves the law God but our flesh serves the law of sin.

Paul shows us that when a believer finds that they are sinning when they intend to do good, it is not they who are sinning but rather the sin that dwells in us is expressing its contrary nature. This contrary nature compels us to do that we do not wish to do and to fail to do that which we ought to do.

This frission is so distressing that Paul cries out, ˋWretched man that I am - who will deliver me from this body of deathˋ.

He answers his own question by simply stating that it is thanks to God through Jesus Christ that he has any hope because he himself serves the Lord but the flesh serves the law of sin.

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO GAVE THE LAW THAT WE MIGHT KNOW OUR NEED FOR GRACE

In the book of Roman chapter 7 verses 7 -  12, the Apostle Paul asks of there is something corrupt with the law if sin was able to take advantage of it to produce the array of evils desires that the law maps out regarding our conduct.

Paulˋs answer is that the law is not corrupt but is instead a chart by which we are informed of our corrupt proclivities and reveals to us our true nature of rebellion against a standard that is set by God. The law, which is clearly a presciption to preserve life if it were possible to obey it, instead, prescribes death as we are deceived by sin and killed by it under the standard of the law. 

Sin stirrs up rebellion against the law within us and when we contravene the law, then sin condemns us ti death using the same the law for the ulitmate aim of sin is to compel  us to continually bear the fruit leading towards death.

Paul concludes that the law is holy and just and good because it provides us with benchmarks against which we can confirm our sinfulness and thus our need to be saved.

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Amen

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