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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