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Minnetonka

Bib le St udy

The Apost le

Paul ’s Let t er t o

t he Rom ans

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Outline of Romans1 Introduction: God’s Gospel for All People (1:1-17).

2 Condemnation: God’s Righteous Wrath upon AllHumanity (1:18-3:20).

3 Justification: God’s Righteous Grace for All whobelieve in him (3:21-8:39).

4 Vindication: God’s Righteous Faithfulness to HisCovenant Promise (9:1-11:36).

5 Exhortation: God’s Righteous Will required by HisMercy (12:1-15:6).

6 Conclusion: God’s Righteous Steadfastness to HisPromises (15:7-13).

7 Postlude: God’s Righteous Favor to Gentiles—Paul’s

Personal Plans with Greetings (15:14-16:27).

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Romans 8:1-39The Life of Justification:

•Already We are God’s Sons—We Already have theSpirit (8:1-17).•Not Yet are We Revealed as God’s Sons—Our Bodieshave Not Yet been Redeemed (8:18-30).•Our Conquest over All Things is Sure in Christ (8:31-39).

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Romans 8:1-17The Life of Justification:

Already we are God’s Sons—

We already have the Spirit

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Therefore, now there is no condemnation to those who are inChrist Jesus. 2 For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesusfreed you from the Law of sin and of death. 3 For that which theLaw could not do, in that it was powerless through the flesh, Goddid by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh andconcerning sin he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the

righteous requirements of the Law may be fulfilled in us, in us whodo not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5

For those who exist according to the flesh think on the things ofthe flesh, but those who exist according to the Spirit think on thethings of the Spirit. 6 For the mind that is fixed upon the flesh

terminates in death, but the mind that is fixed upon the Spiritresults in life and peace. 7 For the mind set upon the flesh is atenmity with God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither isit able to be. 8 And those who are in the flesh are not able toplease God.

Romans 8:1-8

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Now No Condemnation• The “now” of 8:1 functions just like the “now” of 3:21.

– Logical? Yes, but not just logical, also– Redemptive-historical. The “now” expresses an epochal shift from

“condemnation under the law” to “no condemnation in Christ Jesus.”

• Condemnation is associated with being under the law.

• Condemnation came by way of Adam’s disobedience (5:18).

• Jesus Christ revokes our condemnation in Adam. Already the deathsentence to be announced on the day of judgment has been commuted.

• In Christ we have received a permanent stay of execution. But more thanthis, in Christ we are actually justified—not just “Not guilty” butdeclared “Righteous!”

• “There is now no condemnation.”Litotes 

. This figure of speech usesunderstatement to express emphatically the affirmative by negating itsopposite. “There is now no condemnation” is an emphatic way of affirming“is most assuredly justified.”

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Powerlessness of the Law &The Power of Christ

• The law of Moses is powerless through the flesh—– The law of Moses is powerless to secure the obedience it

demands (Romans 7:14-20).

– The law of Moses is powerless to deliver the life it promises(Romans 7:10).

• Christ, who came in the form of sinful flesh, ispowerful—

– To condemn sin in the flesh.– To give the Spirit who fulfills the righteous requirements of

the law in us.

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Flesh & Spirit“The antithesis of Spirit and flesh is to this day often

mistaken as a dichotomy in morals (good and bad), or inreligion (dos and don’ts), or in personality (mind andbody, spirit and matter, etc.). But Spirit and flesh arenot descriptive of a theological or ethical schizophrenia,or of higher and lower principles in the same person, one

Christian, the other unchristian, or one saved, the otherunsaved. Spirit and flesh are rather two exclusiverealms, two authorities or governing powers. One iseither  in the Spirit or  in the flesh, but not in both atthe same time” (James Edwards, Romans , 204).

We should add that a Christian does not and cannotfluctuate between “flesh” and “Spirit.” In Paul’s way ofthinking, it is impossible to slip back and forth betweenSpirit and flesh.

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Romans 8:9-11

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, ifindeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. And ifsomeone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that one

does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, thebody is dead on account of sin, yet the Spirit is lifeon account of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit ofthe one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in

you, then the one who raised Christ from the deadwill give life also to your mortal bodies through hisSpirit who is in you.

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Paul’s Reasoning in 8:9-11• 8:9—But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the

Spirit of God dwells in you. And if someone does not have theSpirit of Christ, that one does not belong to him.

• 8:10—But if Christ is in you, the body is dead on account of sin,yet the Spirit is life on account of righteousness.

• 8:11—But if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead

dwells in you, then the one who raised Christ from the dead willgive life also to your mortal bodies.

What is the Function of the Suppositions• To compel readers to ask themselves, “What about me? Do I have

the Spirit? Is Christ in me? Is the Spirit that raised Jesus fromthe dead living in me?”

• Paul’s suppositions assume for the sake of the argument that hissuppositions are true of his readers.

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12 Therefore, then, brothers and sisters we are under

obligation but not to the flesh that we should liveaccording to it, 13 for if you live according to the flesh,you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death thedeeds of the body you will live. 14 For as many as are led

by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.15

For youhave not received the Spirit of slavery leading again toterror, but you received the Spirit of adoption in whichwe cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit himselftestifies with our spirit that we are children of God. 17

Now if we are children, we are also heirs, heirs of Godand fellow-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffertogether with him, in order that we should also beglorified together with him.

Romans 8:12-17

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Paul’s Reasoning in 8:12-17• 8:12-13—Therefore, then, brothers and sisters we are under

obligation but not to the flesh that we should live according to it,for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by theSpirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.

• 8:14—For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sonsof God.

• 8:15—For you have not received the Spirit of slavery leadingagain to terror, but you received the Spirit of adoption in whichwe cry out, “Abba, Father!”

• 8:16—The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we arechildren of God.

• 8:17—Now if we are children, we are also heirs, heirs of God andfellow-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer together with him, inorder that we should also be glorified together with him.

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Paul’s Reasoning in 8:12-17

• The gospel obligates us. “Therefore, then, brothers and sisters

we are under obligation. . . .”• The call of the gospel to persevere in obedience. “If you liveaccording to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you putto death the deeds of the body you will live.”

• The initial call of the gospel. “If you believe in the Lord Jesus

Christ, you will be saved; if not, you will perish.”• The paradox of the gospel’s call.

– If you live according to the flesh, you will die.

– If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.

8:12-13—Therefore, then, brothers and sisters we are under

obligation but not to the flesh that we should live according to it,for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by theSpirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.

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Paul’s Reasoning in 8:12-17

• 8:15—Assurance that we are God’s children—We cry out,“Abba, Father!”

• 8:16—The Spirit is the source of assurance that we are God’schildren.

• 8:17—As it was with Christ, so it is with Christ’s people.– Suffering, then glory (cf. Luke 24:26).

– Cross, then the crown (cf. 1 Peter 2:21; 1:11).

8:15-17—For you have not received the Spirit of slavery leading

again to terror, but you received the Spirit of adoption in whichwe cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies with ourspirit that we are children of God. Now if we are children, we arealso heirs, heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ, if indeed wesuffer together with him, in order that we should also be

glorified together with him.

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