Five Things I Learned from Romans 8: The World Waits for the Redeemed.

The world waits for the redeemed.

We can learn a lot from simply reading the Bible. Romans, the letter Paul wrote to the church in Rome, is full of great ideas that teach us how to live for and follow Jesus. In chapter 8 we read about how the world waits for the redeemed and the revelation of God through the redeemed. And we can all be redeemed-thanks to Jesus

One: 1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

A lot of people like to quote this verse, or the first part of it anyway. But we must read the whole thing. There is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus, that is, followers and worshippers of Jesus. If we do so, we are freed from the condemnation the sinful world piles on us. Our sins are destroyed at the cross, death is conquered in the resurrection, and, by faith we can repent when we fall. Condemnation is done away with, and we can live free in Jesus.

Two: 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, Romans 8:7

What do we spend our time thinking about? How is the time of our thought spent? If all we do is find ways to please ourselves then our mind is not on God. If we wonder how our daily tasks can please God, then our mind is on God. No, we do not spend our entire day ignoring our family and jobs to please God. But in those things, we should look for ways to please Him. Jesus lived a normal life in that He ate and drank, went to weddings, and so on. What motivated Jesus should motivate us too. John 4:34, 6:38.

Three: 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14.

How do we become children of God? He adopts us! In the very next verse we can see this, “…but you have received a spirit of adoption…” Romans 8:15. When we follow Jesus, when we are “born again”, John 3:3-6, we have a new Father, God. Our inheritance changes, who we are changes, everything about us changes. We do not have to go back to our old lives where bad habits, and the sin of the world controlled us. We do not have to live in fear (verse 15 again) of not being perfect or accepted. Jesus already knows we are not perfect, but, by grace through faith, we are being perfected. And, as a loving God, He accepts us when we come to Him.

Four: 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. Romans 8:19, 22

All of creation, the people and even the natural world, is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed so they can see what the redeemed look like. The World Waits for the Redeemed! Paul is telling us that all of creation is groaning under the weight of sin, condemnation, and hopelessness. We can see this in the way people behave. Most have an idea that there is a right and wrong way to live but have trouble identifying it. It usually ends up being based on selfishness and therefore causing harm to others. Jesus came to break us out of the prison of selfishness and live with generosity and without fear.

Five: 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

When we choose (yes, we must make that choice) to follow Jesus, His way of living and plan for our life become clear. Once on that path the obstacles we face fade away. And there is nothing in all of creation that can keep us from following the One Who loves us. His love for you will never fade or fail, and it is without measure or end.

This is not an in-depth study of Romans 8, but it is what I learned from simply reading it. We are adopted into His family forever. We are redeemed-and we can have an impact on the world around us. We are changed and saved for our own good and the good of the world. And that is good news!