THE EARLY CHURCH - Encouragement in Opposition

WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?

Read Romans 8:28–39

     "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 NKJV

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     In the early days of the church, believers faced opposition among their own people, sometimes in their own families. Rome certainly had no great love for the Truth and the Jews saw it as a threat to their long established traditions.   

     Paul is writing letters from afar, giving encouragement that was sorely needed in the lives of these new believers. He first reassures them that God knows and sees everything they are going through. He also has a future plan for them which was in place before they were even born. He says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”(8:29)

     He tells them that just as they are now justified, they will one day be glorified in His presence. “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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?” (8:31-32)

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     Lord, never let me take for granted that You have a plan for my life, You knew me before I was born, and all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalms 139:16 NIV) Nothing can separate me from Your love.

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     For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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.""   Romans 8:38-39 NIV

THE EARLY CHURCH - Hope In the Struggle

THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST IN YOU

Read Romans 8:1-27

     You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.   Romans 8:9 NIV

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     Paul has presented the dilemma of our struggle with sin – and its solution through the sacrifice of Jesus. We still, however, must live with the presence of sin and in a physical sense we will one day face death, unless Jesus returns in our lifetime. 
     So Paul goes on to say, “...if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness." (8:10) –so what is our ultimate hope? 
     “...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 through his Spirit, who lives in you.” (8:11)

     We not only stand as righteous before God because of the death of Jesus, we also have the hope of eternal life because of His resurrection. This life begins today with the Spirit who dwells within us.
     “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children ." (8:15–16)

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     Thank you, Father that I am your child and I do not need to fear death. I thank you also for the abundant life you have promised us through your indwelling Holy Spirit. No matter what my circumstances are from day to day, I can be secure in your love for me.

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     And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.    Romans 8:27 NIV

THE EARLY CHURCH - The Inward Struggle

WHO WILL RESCUE US?

Read Romans 7:1–8:2

     I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature, for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.    Romans 7:18 NIV

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     All of their lives the Jewish believers had been taught the laws given by God to Moses. Did this new teaching mean that Moses was wrong? “What shall we say, then?Paul exclaims, Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet.’” (7:7) 

     The problem, he explains, is not with the law; the problem is with us ─“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.” (7:14-16) 
     The righteousness we could not attain because of our constant struggle with sin – God purchased for us through His Son. “…Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ our Lord…!” (7:24-25)

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     Lord, I see myself in this passage, striving to have the perfect attitude and to do the right thing, but so often getting off the path into self pity, resentment and just plain carnal thinking. How thankful I am that You are the perfect one and Your Spirit dwells in me, enabling me to be forgiven and start anew whenever I fall short of Your Word.

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     "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."    Romans 8:1-2 NIV