Thursday, May 31, 2018

The Spirit of God at Work on Mount Everest.



Romans 8 is the Magnum Opus of Scripture. It is the richest, most encouraging chapter of the Bible. It is the apex of holy writ. Indeed, rare air is breathed on this mount.

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, DaVinci's Mona Lisa and Beethoven's 5th pale in comparison to this great work.

And it is the Spirit of God Who we find intricately woven throughout the fiber of this powerful passage.

Verse one should put a smile on every believer's face. This verse should quicken our hearts, put pep in our steps and lift our spirits.  "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

When we see the word "therefore," we must always check the previous thought. What we find in the entirety of the 7th chapter of Romans is... So Much Frustration!

Imagine, the greatest Christian to ever lace up his sandals is conflicted to the point of abject frustration. "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"

And on the heels of this declarative exasperation we find a powerful resolution...Rom 8:1 "No More Condemnation!"

Volumes could be written regarding Romans 8 without ever stepping on the toes of other authors’ comments. But here is my brief musing concerning the Spirit of God's presence in the chapter and in the life of the believer. 

We believers are:
*Spirit led, vs 1, 14
*Spirit emancipated, vs 2
*Spiritually minded, vss 4-7
*Spirit indwelt, vs 9
*Spirit quickened, vss 10-11
*Spirit adopted, vs 15-17
*Spirit assisted, vs 26
*Spirit interceded, vs 27
*Spirit sealed, vss 33-39

Isn't that encouraging? My heart is racing. My lungs are filled with the rarified Himalayan air of the Bible’s highest mount.

Thank you, Spirit of the Lord, for filling this chapter and for doing a great work in me and my fellow believers.

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