#Peter Vanosdall

[aestum]

(by Peter Vanosdall)

[davidrmaas]

If God is for us!

In the first half of Romans, Paul presents the “Gospel.” It is the “power of God for salvation to Jews and Greeks” alike. He provides salvation through the “faith of Jesus Christ” to everyone who responds with repentance and faith. Death passed from Adam to all men, both to those “within the Law” and those “apart from the Law” because “all sinned.” Now, however, “apart from the Law,” the “righteousness of God” is being revealed for “all men who believe, for there is no distinction.”

While Paul covers much theological ground in Chapter 8, he is driving relentlessly toward his conclusion. If the same God who accomplished so much on our behalf through the Death and Resurrection of His Son is for us, how can anything or anyone destroy us or thwart His redemptive plans, including for Ancient Israel?

What does distinguish the believer from the unbeliever is the Gift of the Spirit. “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The faithful believer remains mortal, still subject to suffering, temptation, and death, but that is not the end of the story:

“If the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised him from the dead will give life also to your death-doomed bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you” – (Romans 8:1-11).

The problem is not our embodied existence, but the resulting mortality and human frailty due to our sin. This condition will be remedied through the resurrection of the dead when our bodies are “quickened” by God’s Spirit and become immortal. The Gift of the Spirit is a foretaste and guarantee of that promise.

The indwelling Spirit attests that we are the “sons of God,” and therefore, “heirs” and “joint heirs” with the Son. In this life, we are subject to suffering and death, but this also means we will be “glorified with him” in the future - (Romans 8:12-17).

The faith proclaimed by Jesus and his Apostles was and remains forward-looking. Salvation and glory will be received in the future when Christ returns. The “sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us.”

The creation itself is “waiting for the revelation of the sons of God.” Adam’s sin did more than condemn humanity to sin and death - it sentenced the entire Universe to disease, decay, and death.

Even now, the “whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain.” However, the “creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption.” The resurrection of the “sons of God” will also mean the arrival of the New Creation – (Romans 8:18-25).

Believers are “groaning within themselves waiting for the redemption of their body” – Namely, resurrection. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, so He will give “life to our death-doomed bodies.” Thus, the future bodily resurrection is foundational to Christian “hope” and salvation. It is not optional. It is a “hope not seen,” NOT because it is invisible, but because it is in the future.

[Photo by Peter Vanosdall on Unsplash]

[Published on the Disciples Global Network website at the link below]