WEBVTT 00:00:01.899 --> 00:00:04.759 Welcome to Life Group. We invite you to join 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:07.400 us in this verse -by -verse study through the 00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:11.919 Word of God. Romans chapter 8 is one of the richest 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.259 and most Spirit -filled chapters in all the Bible. 00:00:15.460 --> 00:00:19.000 Some people even call it the mountaintop of the 00:00:19.000 --> 00:00:22.039 New Testament. It teaches us that the Christian 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:25.579 life cannot be lived by human effort, but only 00:00:25.579 --> 00:00:29.660 by the power of the Holy Spirit. It begins with 00:00:29.660 --> 00:00:33.990 no condemnation. continues with no defeat, and 00:00:33.990 --> 00:00:38.950 ends with no separation. Let's pick up in Romans 00:00:38.950 --> 00:00:44.090 8, verse 5. Those who live according to the flesh 00:00:44.090 --> 00:00:48.329 have their minds set on what the flesh desires. 00:00:48.850 --> 00:00:51.649 But those who live in accordance with the Spirit 00:00:51.649 --> 00:00:55.590 have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 00:00:56.170 --> 00:01:01.020 The mind governed by the flesh is death. But 00:01:01.020 --> 00:01:05.760 the mind governed by the spirit is life and peace. 00:01:06.859 --> 00:01:10.680 In these verses, Paul gives us an easy way for 00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:14.040 us to determine if we walk in the spirit or walk 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:17.799 in the flesh. We just have to realize what we 00:01:17.799 --> 00:01:22.620 are thinking about. See, the mind is a strategic 00:01:22.620 --> 00:01:27.000 battleground where the flesh and spirit fight. 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:30.840 When we are constantly setting our minds on the 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:33.299 things of the flesh, that means that we're carnally 00:01:33.299 --> 00:01:37.340 minded. We're inviting death into our lives. 00:01:37.859 --> 00:01:41.280 But when we set our minds on the things of God, 00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:46.040 we are walking in the Spirit. And this brings 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:50.620 us life and peace. Let's pick up with verse 7. 00:01:50.900 --> 00:01:55.299 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to 00:01:55.299 --> 00:01:59.799 God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:04.659 it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh 00:02:04.659 --> 00:02:11.199 cannot please God. See, a mind focused on what 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.659 can be seen, tasted, heard, smelled, and felt 00:02:14.659 --> 00:02:20.180 will always oppose God. A mind controlled by 00:02:20.180 --> 00:02:23.819 the physical senses cannot receive or understand 00:02:23.819 --> 00:02:27.699 spiritual things. Trying to live the Christian 00:02:27.699 --> 00:02:32.159 life from our own ability is living a fleshly 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:37.319 or soulish life. We must deny our natural way 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:41.340 of thinking and be led by the Spirit of God in 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:47.639 order to walk pleasing to God. Verse 9. You, 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:52.520 however, are not in the realm of the flesh. but 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:55.740 are in the realm of the Spirit. If indeed the 00:02:55.740 --> 00:02:58.860 Spirit of God lives in you, and if anyone does 00:02:58.860 --> 00:03:01.939 not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong 00:03:01.939 --> 00:03:06.280 to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even 00:03:06.280 --> 00:03:09.439 though your body is subject to death because 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:14.740 of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 00:03:16.360 --> 00:03:19.159 You see, because the Holy Spirit is given to 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:22.680 each believer when they are born again, Every 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:26.759 Christian has within themselves a principle higher 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:32.560 and more powerful than the flesh. Many continue 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:36.819 to live spiritually under John the Baptist's 00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:41.180 ministry of repentance. And those people live 00:03:41.180 --> 00:03:44.379 under the struggle that we looked at in Romans 00:03:44.379 --> 00:03:51.340 7. But in Christ, we have changed realms. We 00:03:51.340 --> 00:03:56.919 have moved from the flesh to the spirit. Verse 00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:01.580 11. And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:05.180 from the dead is living in you, he who raised 00:04:05.180 --> 00:04:09.099 Christ from the dead will also give life to your 00:04:09.099 --> 00:04:13.280 mortal bodies because of the spirit who lives 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:18.139 in you. Many miss out on living the Christian 00:04:18.139 --> 00:04:22.680 life. Living the Christian life in the constant 00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:26.319 fullness of the spirit, because they're not constantly 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:30.040 being filled with the Holy Spirit, as Paul commanded 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:34.180 in Ephesians 5, 18. They're not experiencing 00:04:34.180 --> 00:04:39.319 what Jesus said when he described rivers of living 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:44.060 water flowing from the believer. When Jesus described 00:04:44.060 --> 00:04:49.939 that in John 7, verses 37 through 39. Here's 00:04:49.939 --> 00:04:51.879 what we need to understand. The quickening power 00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:57.060 of the Holy Spirit is for this life, as well 00:04:57.060 --> 00:05:00.839 as the ultimate victory when our physical bodies 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:06.959 will be resurrected. Verse 12. Therefore, brothers 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:11.759 and sisters, we have an obligation, but it is 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:15.459 not to the flesh to live according to it. For 00:05:15.459 --> 00:05:18.399 if you live according to the flesh, you will 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:23.019 die. But if you live by the Spirit, you put to 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:27.259 death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:32.139 In these verses, we understand that the flesh 00:05:32.139 --> 00:05:36.259 in rebellion against God actually gave us nothing 00:05:36.259 --> 00:05:41.800 good. So we have no obligation to oblige or pamper 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:46.759 it. Our debt is to the Lord, not to the flesh. 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:50.860 And Paul constantly reminds us that living after 00:05:50.860 --> 00:05:55.680 the flesh ends in death. What do I mean by that? 00:05:55.779 --> 00:05:59.779 Well, it allows the effects of sin into our lives. 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:03.839 We need to remember this because we often feel 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:09.939 that our flesh can offer us life. Actually, we 00:06:09.939 --> 00:06:13.439 must force our flesh to submit to the Spirit 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:18.730 by the power of the Spirit. See, we choose between 00:06:18.730 --> 00:06:23.069 defeat and victory according to what our minds 00:06:23.069 --> 00:06:28.550 are continually focused on. We're not only saved 00:06:28.550 --> 00:06:32.449 through the work of the Spirit when He moves 00:06:32.449 --> 00:06:35.670 us from being immersed in sin to being immersed 00:06:35.670 --> 00:06:40.949 in Christ, we must also live and walk in the 00:06:40.949 --> 00:06:44.089 Spirit, if we want to grow spiritually, and if 00:06:44.089 --> 00:06:46.829 we want to enjoy the benefits of the kingdom 00:06:46.829 --> 00:06:51.649 of God. Verse 14. For those who are led by the 00:06:51.649 --> 00:06:55.990 Spirit of God are the children of God. This verse 00:06:55.990 --> 00:06:58.269 teaches that it's only fitting that the sons 00:06:58.269 --> 00:07:02.610 of God should be led by the Spirit of God. Paul 00:07:02.610 --> 00:07:05.430 didn't say here, as many as go to church, these 00:07:05.430 --> 00:07:08.490 are the sons of God. He didn't say as many read 00:07:08.490 --> 00:07:12.610 their Bibles. He didn't say as many as are patriotic 00:07:12.610 --> 00:07:16.470 Americans or as many as take communion are the 00:07:16.470 --> 00:07:19.209 sons of God. No, he says in this text that the 00:07:19.209 --> 00:07:22.509 test for sonship is whether or not a person is 00:07:22.509 --> 00:07:26.829 led by the Holy Spirit. It's important to realize, 00:07:27.050 --> 00:07:29.189 though, that there are varying degrees of being 00:07:29.189 --> 00:07:32.009 led by the Holy Spirit and that no believers 00:07:32.009 --> 00:07:35.209 are following the leading of the Spirit 100%. 00:07:35.209 --> 00:07:39.949 Only Jesus did that. If an absolute standard 00:07:39.949 --> 00:07:44.069 was implied to this verse, no one would qualify 00:07:44.069 --> 00:07:46.750 to be a son of God. So that's not what it's saying. 00:07:47.350 --> 00:07:50.370 But what does it mean for the Christian to be 00:07:50.370 --> 00:07:54.310 led by the Holy Spirit? Well, we must acknowledge 00:07:54.310 --> 00:07:59.079 him. We must consult him. We need to ask him 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.579 questions, right? And we need to expect to hear 00:08:01.579 --> 00:08:06.939 from him, expect to receive answers. Acknowledging 00:08:06.939 --> 00:08:10.519 and being led by the Holy Spirit would mean obeying 00:08:10.519 --> 00:08:14.240 those instructions, right? Obeying what he says 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:20.439 and also relying on him day by day and yielding 00:08:20.439 --> 00:08:24.720 to his will and to his way. submitting ourselves 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:31.519 to him. Verse 15. The spirit you received does 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:34.419 not make you slaves so that you live in fear 00:08:34.419 --> 00:08:38.259 again. Rather, the spirit you received brought 00:08:38.259 --> 00:08:42.940 about your adoption to sonship. And by him we 00:08:42.940 --> 00:08:47.519 cry, Abba, Father. The spirit himself testifies 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:52.789 with our spirit that we are God's children. These 00:08:52.789 --> 00:08:56.950 verses teach us that living as a child of God 00:08:56.950 --> 00:09:01.210 means an intimate, joyful relationship with God, 00:09:01.389 --> 00:09:04.809 not like the bondage and fear demonstrated by 00:09:04.809 --> 00:09:09.250 the law. A child of God can have a relationship 00:09:09.250 --> 00:09:13.190 with God so close that they may cry out, Abba, 00:09:13.289 --> 00:09:16.629 Father, meaning Daddy. You could say it's like 00:09:16.629 --> 00:09:21.169 our English equivalent of like Daddy, God. It's 00:09:21.169 --> 00:09:24.190 easy. for us to think of Jesus relating to the 00:09:24.190 --> 00:09:27.870 Father with this joyful confidence, but we may 00:09:27.870 --> 00:09:29.889 think we couldn't have that kind of relationship 00:09:29.889 --> 00:09:35.289 with God. But in Christ, we have this privilege. 00:09:35.710 --> 00:09:40.250 We can relate to the Father just like Jesus does. 00:09:41.830 --> 00:09:44.730 Paul says that those who are God's children, 00:09:45.009 --> 00:09:49.009 born again by the Spirit of God, know their status. 00:09:49.580 --> 00:09:52.539 They know this because the Holy Spirit testifies 00:09:52.539 --> 00:09:55.500 this to their spirit. The Holy Spirit reveals 00:09:55.500 --> 00:09:59.980 this to them. So this means that for the Christian, 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:02.500 we don't have to wonder if we are really Christians 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:06.840 or not. By the witness of the spirit, we can 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:13.440 know we are. Verse 17. Now, if we are children, 00:10:13.700 --> 00:10:18.100 then we are heirs, heirs of God and co -heirs 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:22.129 with Christ. If indeed we share in his sufferings, 00:10:22.129 --> 00:10:25.610 in order that we may also share in his glory. 00:10:27.350 --> 00:10:31.169 This teaches us that, well, it's important to 00:10:31.169 --> 00:10:33.590 realize that in the Roman world of the first 00:10:33.590 --> 00:10:37.929 century AD, an adopted son was a son deliberately 00:10:37.929 --> 00:10:42.850 chosen by his adoptive father to perpetuate his 00:10:42.850 --> 00:10:46.710 name and inherit his estate. He was no different 00:10:46.710 --> 00:10:50.149 than a naturally born son. He didn't consider 00:10:50.149 --> 00:10:52.409 him like, oh, well, this is my adopted son and 00:10:52.409 --> 00:10:55.710 this is my born son. No, it's like they were 00:10:55.710 --> 00:11:00.309 considered the same. Under Roman adoption, the 00:11:00.309 --> 00:11:03.610 life and standing of the adopted child changed 00:11:03.610 --> 00:11:07.970 completely. The adopted son would lose all rights 00:11:07.970 --> 00:11:11.789 in his old family, but he gained all new rights 00:11:11.789 --> 00:11:15.250 in his new family. The old life of the adopted 00:11:15.250 --> 00:11:18.200 son was completely wiped out. All debts were 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:21.440 canceled. Nothing from his past counted against 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:25.220 him anymore. This is a great picture in what 00:11:25.220 --> 00:11:30.200 Paul is trying to communicate to us of us being 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:36.200 in Christ. This is us in Christ. Because we are 00:11:36.200 --> 00:11:39.340 in Christ, we have the privilege of relating 00:11:39.340 --> 00:11:43.970 to the Father as Jesus does. Therefore, we are 00:11:43.970 --> 00:11:48.529 heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Being 00:11:48.529 --> 00:11:51.730 a child of God also means having an inheritance. 00:11:52.470 --> 00:11:56.389 In Luke 18, 18, the rich young ruler asked Jesus, 00:11:56.549 --> 00:12:01.129 what must I do to inherit? But the rich young 00:12:01.129 --> 00:12:03.929 ruler missed the point because inheritance is 00:12:03.929 --> 00:12:07.149 not a matter of doing. It is a matter of being, 00:12:07.330 --> 00:12:12.879 of being in the right family in Christ. Verse 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:16.679 18, I consider that our present sufferings are 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:19.500 not worth comparing with the glory that will 00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:23.379 be revealed in us. What does this mean? It's 00:12:23.379 --> 00:12:26.159 such a powerful statement, right? Think of some 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:28.379 of the terrible things people have suffered in 00:12:28.379 --> 00:12:33.820 this life. Wars, slavery, sickness, hatred, tragedies. 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:38.279 And Paul is saying that nothing compares to the 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:42.460 wonderful things God has planned for us. This 00:12:42.460 --> 00:12:45.580 is not lessening the suffering or those bad things. 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:49.259 It's really placing our future prize so highly 00:12:49.259 --> 00:12:52.679 above all tragedy that there is no comparison. 00:12:53.299 --> 00:12:57.360 The glory that God has prepared for us is infinitely 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:01.220 greater than all the pain sin has inflicted. 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:06.899 Right now, we have all the awesome glory of God 00:13:06.899 --> 00:13:11.389 inside our born -again spirits. In Ephesians 00:13:11.389 --> 00:13:16.850 1, 17 -18, Paul prays this and explains this 00:13:16.850 --> 00:13:20.210 further, that the Lord would grant us a spirit 00:13:20.210 --> 00:13:22.830 of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of 00:13:22.830 --> 00:13:26.409 Him, so that we could see the glory of His inheritance 00:13:26.409 --> 00:13:32.009 already in us. As we grow spiritually, we will 00:13:32.009 --> 00:13:35.590 see more and more of His glory in us, and more 00:13:35.590 --> 00:13:39.620 of His glory will be revealed through us. Verse 00:13:39.620 --> 00:13:43.379 19, For the creation waits in eager expectation 00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:47.759 for the children of God to be revealed. For the 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:51.340 creation was subjected to frustration, not by 00:13:51.340 --> 00:13:54.120 its own choice, but by the will of the one who 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:57.940 subjected it in hope, that the creation itself 00:13:57.940 --> 00:14:01.940 will be liberated from its bondage to decay and 00:14:01.940 --> 00:14:05.659 brought into the freedom and glory of the children 00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:09.769 of God. We know that the whole creation has been 00:14:09.769 --> 00:14:13.590 groaning as in the pains of childbirth right 00:14:13.590 --> 00:14:17.769 up to this present time. Not only so, but we 00:14:17.769 --> 00:14:21.350 ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, 00:14:21.529 --> 00:14:26.330 groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption 00:14:26.330 --> 00:14:32.370 to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. These 00:14:32.370 --> 00:14:36.820 verses make it clear. That all creation is eagerly 00:14:36.820 --> 00:14:40.600 and intensely anticipating the day when the glory 00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:44.019 of God that is already deposited within God's 00:14:44.019 --> 00:14:47.960 children will be revealed. That day will not 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:51.240 completely arrive until the second coming of 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:54.840 Christ. But it is logical to think that creation 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:58.799 rejoices to some degree every time a believer 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:05.289 manifests God's glory in the earth. is an indication 00:15:05.289 --> 00:15:09.990 of the existence or presence of something previously 00:15:09.990 --> 00:15:15.110 unrevealed. All of creation is waiting for us 00:15:15.110 --> 00:15:21.570 to manifest what is already in us. We have a 00:15:21.570 --> 00:15:26.210 taste of greater glory to come. We are waiting 00:15:26.210 --> 00:15:29.870 for our adoption. Although we are already adopted, 00:15:30.350 --> 00:15:34.509 Romans 8 .15, There is also a sense in which 00:15:34.509 --> 00:15:37.730 we wait for the consummation of our adoption, 00:15:38.049 --> 00:15:42.470 which will happen at the redemption of our body. 00:15:43.409 --> 00:15:47.370 God does not ignore our physical bodies in his 00:15:47.370 --> 00:15:51.450 plan of redemption. His plan for our bodies is 00:15:51.450 --> 00:15:58.629 resurrection. Verse 24, For in this hope we were 00:15:58.629 --> 00:16:03.360 saved. but hope that is seen is no hope at all. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:08.059 Who hopes for what they already have? But if 00:16:08.059 --> 00:16:12.460 we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait 00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:17.299 for it patiently. This verse tells us that the 00:16:17.299 --> 00:16:19.799 fulfillment of our redemption is something still 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:24.440 in the future, yet we hope for it in faith and 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:28.279 patience, trusting that God is faithful to his 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:33.580 word. and that the promised glory will be a reality. 00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:40.799 Verse 26, In the same way, the Spirit helps us 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:44.480 in our weakness. We do not know what we ought 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:48.159 to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:53.659 for us through wordless groans. And he who searches 00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:58.399 our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit. Because 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:02.279 the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:07.819 with the will of God. This verse tells us that 00:17:07.819 --> 00:17:11.480 when we are weak and don't know exactly how we 00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:16.039 should pray, God himself, through the Holy Spirit, 00:17:16.259 --> 00:17:22.079 helps by making intercession for us. The idea 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:26.140 is communicated. Beyond our ability to express, 00:17:26.500 --> 00:17:30.400 the deep groanings within us can't be articulated 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:34.700 apart from the interceding work of the Holy Spirit. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:39.579 This help from the Holy Spirit may include praying 00:17:39.579 --> 00:17:43.000 with the spiritual gift of tongues. 1 Corinthians 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:49.079 14 .2, verses 14 and 15. But it is certainly 00:17:49.079 --> 00:17:53.150 not limited. to praying in an unknown tongue. 00:17:53.549 --> 00:17:57.670 The Holy Spirit's help and intercession is perfect 00:17:57.670 --> 00:18:01.650 because He searches the hearts of those whom 00:18:01.650 --> 00:18:05.890 He helps, and He is able to guide our prayers 00:18:05.890 --> 00:18:12.710 according to the will of God. Verse 28, And we 00:18:12.710 --> 00:18:16.490 know that in all things God works for the good 00:18:16.490 --> 00:18:20.230 of those who love Him, who have been called, 00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:25.279 according to his purpose. What does this verse 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:28.819 tell us? I believe it tells us that God takes 00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:32.720 the things and situations of this fallen world 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:37.099 that come actually to steal from us, destroy 00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:41.920 us, and kill us, and he takes those things and 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:46.700 brings about positive results and glorious testimonies 00:18:46.700 --> 00:18:53.559 of his work and faithfulness. Verse 29, for those 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:59.119 God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:03.579 into the image of his son, that he might be the 00:19:03.579 --> 00:19:07.779 firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And 00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:12.000 those he predestined, he also called. Those he 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:16.259 called, he also justified. Those he justified, 00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:23.470 he also glorified. This verse has been interpreted 00:19:23.470 --> 00:19:26.950 many ways, but I believe it's saying in God's 00:19:26.950 --> 00:19:31.549 omniscience, he knows who will turn to him for 00:19:31.549 --> 00:19:38.130 salvation. I see it as he foreknows, not that 00:19:38.130 --> 00:19:42.890 he predetermines. However, he does predetermine 00:19:42.890 --> 00:19:47.809 that those who come to him in faith will be transformed 00:19:47.809 --> 00:19:52.779 and conformed. To look like and live like Jesus. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:58.640 Our participation in this eternal plan is essential. 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:04.539 This is a process that God does with our cooperation. 00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:10.099 It goes on to say that he calls us. We become 00:20:10.099 --> 00:20:12.579 the called out ones. That's what the word church 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:15.380 means. It's the called out ones. So he calls 00:20:15.380 --> 00:20:22.369 us. He justifies us. He clothes us in his righteousness. 00:20:22.470 --> 00:20:27.730 We are made right with God. And he also glorifies 00:20:27.730 --> 00:20:33.410 us. He puts his glory in us and we can experience 00:20:33.410 --> 00:20:39.509 his glory. Verse 31. What then shall we say in 00:20:39.509 --> 00:20:43.289 response to these things? If God is for us, who 00:20:43.289 --> 00:20:47.130 can be against us? He who did not spare his own 00:20:47.130 --> 00:20:59.130 son. If all we had were the first few chapters 00:20:59.130 --> 00:21:01.789 of the book of Romans, some might believe that 00:21:01.789 --> 00:21:05.470 God was against us. Now that Paul has shown us 00:21:05.470 --> 00:21:08.869 the lengths of what God went to, to save us and 00:21:08.869 --> 00:21:12.069 to equip us for victory over sin and death, we 00:21:12.069 --> 00:21:16.589 can joyfully celebrate that God is for us. God 00:21:16.589 --> 00:21:20.769 is for us. And since God is for us, what does 00:21:20.769 --> 00:21:24.089 it matter if others are against us? One person 00:21:24.089 --> 00:21:29.190 plus God makes an unconquerable majority. Since 00:21:29.190 --> 00:21:31.750 the Father already gave us his ultimate gift, 00:21:32.069 --> 00:21:34.930 how could we think that he wouldn't give us smaller 00:21:34.930 --> 00:21:39.069 gifts? All of his promises and blessings are 00:21:39.069 --> 00:21:44.640 really secondary to salvation. Verse 33. Who 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.039 will bring any charge against those whom God 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:51.920 has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who, then, 00:21:52.059 --> 00:21:56.700 is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus 00:21:56.700 --> 00:22:00.839 who died. More than that, who was raised to life, 00:22:01.019 --> 00:22:05.039 is at the right hand of God and is also interceding 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:08.480 for us. This means that there can never be more 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:11.779 charges brought against us. Since we have been 00:22:11.779 --> 00:22:15.119 declared not guilty by the highest judge, who 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:19.220 could bring any additional charge? We are also 00:22:19.220 --> 00:22:22.799 free from all condemnation. Since Jesus is our 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:26.099 advocate, the lawyer handling our case in the 00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:30.259 highest court, promoting our benefit, then who 00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:40.759 could condemn us? Verse 35. Our persecution, 00:22:41.180 --> 00:22:45.559 our famine, our nakedness, our danger, our sword. 00:22:46.980 --> 00:22:49.920 Here Paul is saying that no matter what circumstances 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:53.720 we face, none of the sufferings of this fallen 00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:58.460 world can separate us from the love of God. Verse 00:22:58.460 --> 00:23:03.119 36, as it is written, for your sake we face death 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:08.460 all day long. We are considered as sheep to be 00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:12.940 slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more 00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:17.299 than conquerors through him who loved us. This 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:20.940 means that through Christ, in Christ, we are 00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:25.460 always victorious. We are victors and not victims. 00:23:25.940 --> 00:23:31.059 We are more than conquerors. What does more than 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:34.660 conquerors mean? How can we create a picture 00:23:34.660 --> 00:23:38.329 of that? Think of a boxer who trains for years 00:23:38.329 --> 00:23:42.029 to have his once -in -a -lifetime shot at a heavyweight 00:23:42.029 --> 00:23:45.970 title. The prize for winning is $25 million. 00:23:47.150 --> 00:23:51.529 And guess what? He wins the fight. He's the conqueror, 00:23:51.529 --> 00:23:56.609 right? He's the one who won the battle. But he 00:23:56.609 --> 00:24:00.049 goes home and he hands his wife that $25 million 00:24:00.049 --> 00:24:05.880 check. Now, we can consider her... more than 00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:09.099 a conqueror, right? That's a good picture or 00:24:09.099 --> 00:24:11.539 an illustration of what it means to be more than 00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:14.920 a conqueror. You see, Jesus stepped down out 00:24:14.920 --> 00:24:17.960 of heaven. He conquered death, hell, and the 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:21.079 grave. He took the keys of authority on this 00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:24.059 earth that Adam surrendered back from Satan. 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:29.019 He is the conqueror. And then at salvation, He 00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:31.799 gives us access to all the blessings, promises, 00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:34.740 rights, and privileges and victories He won. 00:24:35.400 --> 00:24:40.119 This makes us more than conquerors. So we are 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:42.539 more than conquerors because we have victory 00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:46.440 and all the spoils of war, but did not do all 00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:49.880 the fighting. Jesus fought and won the battle 00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:53.420 for us. All we have to do is receive the benefits 00:24:53.420 --> 00:24:57.240 by faith. That's what it means to be more than 00:24:57.240 --> 00:25:02.930 a conqueror. Verse 38. For I am convinced that 00:25:02.930 --> 00:25:06.509 neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, 00:25:06.849 --> 00:25:10.730 neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 00:25:10.970 --> 00:25:15.250 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in 00:25:15.250 --> 00:25:18.569 all creation, will be able to separate us from 00:25:18.569 --> 00:25:21.670 the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:25:22.410 --> 00:25:25.410 It's wonderful that Paul was persuaded of this. 00:25:25.630 --> 00:25:29.799 I'm happy for him. But you and I must be persuaded 00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:32.920 of this too, in order to really benefit from 00:25:32.920 --> 00:25:36.619 it. Nothing we face should be interpreted that 00:25:36.619 --> 00:25:42.920 Jesus has stopped loving us. He never will. Thank 00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:45.720 you for joining us for Life Group. Allow God's 00:25:45.720 --> 00:25:48.720 Word to build your faith and transform your life.