Romans 7-8

Another important passage, but then there's not a lot of "dead wood" in Romans! Paul begins by explaining our freedom from the law by comparing us to a woman whose marriage vow lasts only until her husband passes away. So too, we are bound to the law only until we die to the law through the body of Christ. Those who claim the need for us to follow Hebrew law miss the point of this passage. The law makes us aware of our sin and drives us to a Savior.

Paul draws a line between slavery to sin and slavery to Christ. Slavery to sin a part of our sinful nature, yet spiritually we are slaves to Christ. Paul's wonderful discussion of "I don't do what I want..." in 7:14-28 gives hope to us! Well, to me anyway. This fight within continues although as Christians we are controlled by the Spirit. Yet the body still retains the sin nature. And we are obligated to the Spirit, not to sin. And although we deserve death, there is no condemnation for us if we are in Christ Jesus.

We are sons and daughters of God. Adoption. Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. With the priviledges come the sufferings and we get to share it all. And as serious as the sufferings can be, all the greater are the rewards. One of the rewards is the intercession of the Spirit -- even when we cannot figure out how to pray.

Through it all, God works it all for our good. Somehow. Some way. We are called according to His purpose and we are to be like Him. Were we predestined individually or predestined because we were in Christ or both? Or neither. Who can know the mind of God? In any case, if God is for us, who can be against us? Can anything separate us from Christ's love? Not the physical troubles of 8:35, nor the spiritual of 8:38-39.