In this episode, Spencer and Jack discuss a section of Scripture that feels somewhat out of place. We look at the greater context of Romans, the cyclical nature of Paul’s language throughout the book, and what exactly he believes will happen to the creation.

Music:
“Kid Kodi”
Blue Dot Sessions
www.sessions.blue

Episode #41 – New Creation in Paul – Romans 8

Outline of Romans (Context; see Beverly Gaventa’s When in Romans) 

• 1:1–17 Introduction/Greeting
• 1:18–5:11 Sin on an Individual Level
• 5:12–8:39 Sin on a Cosmic Level 
  • Chapter 7 deals with the ways in which Sin has utilized the Law to cause sin to abound. 

Romans 8 – Life in the Spirit

8:1–17 – Salvation for those who live by the Spirit

• 8:1–4

¹ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. ³ For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

• Jesus has provided the solution to Sin that the Law could not. 
• We participate in the salvation Jesus provides by living in harmony with God’s Spirit. 
• Living according to the Spirit gives us hope for the resurrection of our physical bodies through the Spirit, just like Jesus (8:11). 

¹¹ If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

• We will be glorified with Christ by suffering with him (8:17).

¹⁷ and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 

8:18–30 – Suffering with Christ

• “Eager Longing” – an intensely desired expectation with a high confidence of fulfillment. Similar to the idea of Christian hope. 
• “Children of God” – Christians living in the Spirit (8:14)
• “Hope” – the Christian’s assurance of salvation/resurrection (8:23–25)
• “Revealing” – communication of knowledge (previously hidden) to humanity by a divine or supernatural agency.
• “Futility” – something cannot be used as it was intended or designed (1:26–27)
• “Bondage” – slavery (6:6–7, 15–23; 8:15)
• “Decay” – death (result of sin; 8:10; see also 5:12–21)
• “Freedom” – from sin
• “Glory” – resurrection life (8:11, 17) 
• “Labor Pains” 

Creations Corruption

1. Creation was subjected to humanity and, therefore, impact by the fall.

Genesis 1:28: ²⁸ And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Genesis 3:17–18a: ¹⁷ And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; ¹⁸ thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;”

2. We continue to abuse God’s creation

Leviticus 26:34–35: ³⁴ “Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies land; then the land shall rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths. ³⁵ As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, the rest that it did not have on your Sabbaths when you were dwelling in it.

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Want to do more studying on new creation? Check out our podcast on New Creation in the Life of Jesus here!