Romans 8:1-39
Life Through the Spirit of Jesus
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Present Suffering and Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
More Than Conquerors
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In reading the Old Testament, I think about some of the things that are seen as righteousness, but I have a trouble of understanding that they are actually righteousness...There is a theologian theory called Divine Command Ethics...Divine Command Ethics (DCE) is also known as Divine Command Theory (DCT)...It is a theory that is controversial, but helps explain actions of our Father, in that we are finite, with limited knowledge as humans and have a hard time to understand...We struggle to understand things such as war, rape, childhood trauma that is caused by their parents and caregivers, random killings, death, evil, pain, suffering, major depressive disorder, despair in life, and how these very troubling subjects are on earth, when we know that God is LOVE and is Perfect and Perfectly Righteous...And even as I write this, I believe and know I have trouble grasping this theory, because of my limited knowldge...
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy says that: Roughly, Divine Command Theory is the view that morality is somehow dependent upon God, and that moral obligation consists in obedience to God’s commands...Divine Command Theory includes the claim that morality is ultimately based on the commands or character of God, and that the morally right action is the one that God commands or requires...The specific content of these Divine Commands varies according to the particular religion and the particular views of the individual Divine Command theorist, but all versions of the theory hold in common the claim that morality and moral obligations ultimately depend on God."...
A children's analogy might help me understand the negative approach in learning life's lessons..When we are children with very limited knowledge, we learn some things with a strong and harsh "NO!"...For example we learn not to touch a hot stove, when our parent says "NO, do not touch."...We learn many things with the No teaching and we learn other things in life by negative teachings...These "NO" lessons are not positive ones but we learn from them...
Now to further this idea, the Old Testament has teachings about lessons that seem harsh and difficult to understand...As author and theologian William Lane Craig writes about Divine Command Theory: "By setting such strong, harsh dichotomies God taught Israel that any assimilation to pagan idolatry is intolerable...It was His way of preserving Israel’s spiritual health and posterity...God knew that if these Canaanite children were allowed to live, they would spell the undoing of Israel...The killing of the Canaanite children not only served to prevent assimilation to Canaanite identity but also served as a shattering, tangible illustration of Israel’s being set exclusively apart for God."...
And Craig adds: "I think that a good start at this problem is to enunciate our ethical theory that underlies our moral judgements...According to the version of Divine Command Ethics which I’ve defended, our moral duties are constituted by the commands of a Holy and LOVING God...Since God doesn’t issue commands to Himself, He has no moral duties to fulfill...He is certainly not subject to the same moral obligations and prohibitions that we are...For example, I have no right to take an innocent life...For me to do so would be murder...But God has no such prohibition...He can give and take life as He chooses...We all recognize this when we accuse some authority who presumes to take life as “playing God.”...Human authorities arrogate to themselves rights which belong only to God...God is under no obligation whatsoever to extend my life for another second...If He wanted to strike me dead right now, that’s His prerogative...What that implies is that God has the right to take the lives of the Canaanites when He sees fit...How long they live and when they die is up to Him."...
So as children, we often learn through negative reinforcement...A simple "no" can be a powerful teaching but negative-loving tool, preventing us from making harmful choices...We are children at the time and might find this learning lesson difficult...Similarly, the Old Testament contains seemingly harsh commands and prohibitions that, at first glance, may appear harsh and unjust...However, these divine commands were given to protect the Israelites from spiritual corruption and to preserve their unique identity as God's chosen people...The Canaanites, with their idolatrous practices, posed a serious threat to Israel's spiritual well-being to God's chosen people...God's command to do what He did was a necessary measure to safeguard His people...It's very important to understand that these harsh commands were given within a specific historical and cultural context...They were not intended to be applied universally or without nuance...Rather, they serve as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the importance of obedience to God's law...
In C. S. Lewis' book The Problem of Pain, he wrote ideas that relate to Divine Command Theory and morality...Lewis writes: "It has sometimes been asked whether God commands certain things because they are right, or whether certain things are right because God commands them ... I emphatically embrace the first alternative...The second might lead to the abominable conclusion ...that charity is good only because God commanded it -- that He might equally well have commanded us to hate Him and one another and that hatred would then have been right ...God's will is determined by His wisdom which always perceives, and His goodness which always embraces, the intrinsically good."...
In Reflections on the Psalms, while commenting on Psalm 119, Lewis wrote something similar to the above quote: "There were in the eighteenth century terrible theologians who held that, "God did not command certain things because they are right, but certain things are right because God Commanded them"...To make the position perfectly clear, one of them even said that though God has, as it happens, commanded us to love Him and one another, He might equally well have commanded us to hate Him and one another, and hatred would have been right...It was apparently a mere toss-up which He decided to do...Such a view in effect makes God a mere arbitrary tyrant...It would be better and less irreligious to believe in no God and to have no ethics than to have such an ethics and such a theology as this...The Jews of course never discuss this in abstract and philosophical terms...But at once, and completely, they assume the right view, knowing better than they know...They know that the LORD (not merely obedience to the LORD) is "righteous" and commands "righteousness" because He LOVES it ... He enjoins what is good because it is good, because He is good...Hence His laws have emeth "truth", intrinsic validity, rock-bottom reality, being rooted in His own nature."...
C. S. Lewis argued that there are certain moral laws that are innate to human nature and can be discerned through man's reasoning power...These laws, he believed, are evidence of a Higher Moral Order and point to the existence of God...Lewis saw natural laws as a bridge between faith and reason...He believed that it is possible to reason our way to a belief in God by examining the moral laws that govern human behavior...These laws, he argued, are not merely human conventions but rather reflect a deeper moral reality that is rooted in God's Nature...
C.S. Lewis, in his brilliant way, is critiquing a particular theological view...This view suggests that what is morally right or wrong is solely determined by God's command...In other words, if God commanded us to hate our neighbors, then hating our neighbors would be morally right...Lewis argues against this idea, stating that God commands what is good because it "is" good...God's commands are not arbitrary; they are rooted in His Nature, which is inherently good and just...To put it simply, God doesn't make things good by commanding them; rather, He commands things that are already good...For example, God commands us to love our neighbors because love is inherently good...It's not good simply because God commanded it...Lewis's point is that morality is not arbitrary, but grounded in the nature of God Himself...This ensures that God's commands are always just and good...
Lewis believed that moral laws are part of human nature and can be discerned through reason, even without explicit religious instruction...God's Natural Law that are innately human point to God...Lewis argued that the existence of natural law is evidence of a Higher Moral Order and points to the existence of a Divine Lawgiver...Lewis ties these Natural laws to Christianity...Lewis saw natural law as a complement to Christian revelation...He believed that natural law provides a foundation for understanding God's moral will and that it can be used to reason our way to faith...
Lewis introduces the term Tao...Tao refers to the natural moral law that is inherent in human nature...It is a universal set of values and principles that guide human behavior and shape our understanding of what is right and wrong...Lewis argues that the Tao is not something that we invent or construct, but rather something that we discover...It is a fundamental aspect of our humanity, and it is essential for living a meaningful and fulfilling life...The Tao is often associated with concepts such as: Objective morality: The Tao suggests that there are objective moral truths that are independent of human opinion or culture...Natural law: The Tao is similar to the concept of natural law, which posits that there are certain moral laws that are innate to human nature...There are Universal Values: The Tao encompasses universal values such as compassion, justice, and honesty...By understanding and living in accordance with the Tao, Lewis argues, we can avoid the pitfalls of a materialistic and utilitarian worldview and preserve the essential humanity of our species...While Lewis was a Christian, he believed that the Tao could be understood and appreciated by all people of all faiths or even those who are not religious and even the non-believer...He saw it as a universal principle that transcends religious beliefs and cultural differences...
Lewis' discussion of natural law and natural moral law are a significant contribution to Christian thought...It offers a way to bridge the gap between faith and reason and to argue for the existence of God based on moral principles that are universally accessible...If everyone would see the importance of Tao, the world would be more in harmony and we would have more righteousness in our cultures and societies...
Lewis argued that the laws of nature, such as the laws of physics and biology, reveal the order and harmony of the universe...The world is designed in such a way that natural laws and order exist...This order, he believed, is evidence of a Divine Intelligence and points to the existence of God...
Lewis broader argument is that the universe itself is a witness to God's existence and goodness...The beauty, complexity, and order of the natural world, he argued, are evidence of a Divine Creator...
While Lewis' vision of a harmonious world based on natural law study and reflecting up it is inspiring, it's important to remember that achieving such a world is a complex and challenging task...It requires individuals to be willing to want to examine their own beliefs and actions, to strive for personal growth, and to work together towards a common goal...
In this sense, Lewis' understanding of natural law is similar to the concept of general revelation in Christian theology...General revelation refers to the ways in which God reveals Himself through the natural world and human reasoning...And through this reasoning power that God gives mankind, we can seek God and find faith...Or simply put, through the natural law of man's reasoning abilities given to us by the LORD, can bring man to faith and closer to God...While it may not be as explicit as special revelation (such as the Bible), general revelation can still provide evidence of God's existence and goodness...
The Old Testament laws, including those related to the Canaanites, can be challenging and hard to understand in modern times...It's important to consider the historical and cultural context in which these laws were given...The command to handle the situation with the Canaanites by our Father was a specific directive for a specific situation...It was given to the Israelites, a then a newly formed nation just starting to learn about laws and rules, as a way to prevent them from being corrupted by the Canaanites' pagan practices...The Canaanites were known for their child sacrifice, sexual immorality, and other heinous practices...This is also challenging to understand today about the harshness of why men, women, and parents would let this happen and do commit sinful acts including doing what they did to their own children as they did in the time of the Hebrews and Moses...
It's important to remember that God's ultimate goal is not punishment but redemption...The Old Testament laws, including those pertaining to the Canaanites, pointed to the need for a Savior who can deliver humanity from sin and death...Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Fulfillment of the Law...He came to redeem humanity...His sacrificial death and resurrection provide the ultimate solution to the problem of sin...Through faith in Christ, we can be forgiven and reconciled to God...We can lean on Jesus to help us try to understand these things as best we can, with the knowledge we have...And when Jesus is believed and trusted, then even though our bodies are subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of His Righteousness...For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God...The Holy Spirit is our constant companion, guiding, comforting, and helping us understand these things as best we can...Through Jesus' Spirit's work, we can grow in our understanding of God's Word, experience His LOVE, and live a life that is morally good...So it is important to approach the Old Testament with humility and understanding, recognizing the limitations of our own perspective...While some aspects of the Old Testament may seem harsh or contradictory, they ultimately point to the Grace and LOVE of God revealed in Jesus Christ...
Ultimately, the Old Testament laws point to this need of man for a Savior, who can save us from our sins...Jesus does inherently know all things and what is being Perfectly Moral, because that is what He is...He is the One who calls us to love our enemies, and to turn the other cheek, and to go the extra mile for others...The harshness of Old Testament law highlights our inability to perfectly keep God's commandments...It underscores our need for mercy, grace and forgiveness, which are found in Jesus Christ...
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose...For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters...And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified...So we can be certain that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose...God knew His chosen ones with Infinite and Beforehand Knowledge and destined them to be conformed to the Image of His Son, Jesus Christ...He called them, justified them, and will ultimately glorify them...