Romans 8 – God’s Victory And Our Blessings
Feature 1 – March 2025 – Grace & Truth Magazine
Romans 8 – God’s Victory And Our Blessings
Looking at Romans 8, I feel like I am standing in front of an ocean, which is vast and deep. This is how it is with that amazing chapter of God’s Word. I remember standing as a little boy with my feet in the water at the beach of the North Sea. It was an overwhelming experience, attractive and frightening at the same time. Later in life, I read about a lad standing at the edge of the ocean, with a little pitcher in his hand, saying to his dad, “I am going to empty the ocean with my pitcher.” These experiences illustrate somewhat my impressions when reading Romans 8. Indeed, it is amazing, tremendous and mindboggling, yet this chapter immediately invites the reader to get familiar with it by the following wonderful statement, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (v.1 KJV ).
How do we get to the important point indicated in this verse? God used a specially prepared instrument to convey this important message. The New Testament has seven passages about the salvation and call of Saul of Tarsus, who became the apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-30, 22:1-21, 26:1-23; Gal. 1:11–2:10; Phil. 3:1-14; 1 Tim. 1:13-15; 2 Tim. 1:11). I encourage each reader to study these passages, which have been given for our spiritual benefit.
“What shall we say?” is asked seven times in Romans. Each occurrence introduces a new topic, question or conclusion, recorded for our spiritual growth:
“Is God unrighteous?” (3:5). What did Abraham find? (4:1). “Shall we continue in sin?” (6:1). “Is the law sin?” (7:7). “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (8:31).“Is there unrighteousness with God?” (9:14). Have Gentiles attained righteousness by faith? (v.30).
The Epistle to the Romans is rich, deep and difficult, yet it is altogether wonderful. Its major theme is “righteousness,” or “how to be right with God.” Sinful men need such righteousness (1:18–3:20). God provides it (3:21-26); faith receives and experiences it (5:1–8:17), while God makes it a permanent blessing (8:18-39). As a nation, Israel still rejects it (Rom. 9–10), yet God manifests His righteousness in the lives of the believers, whether taken from among the Jews or the Gentiles (Rom. 11–16).
Romans 8 is a beautiful chapter that has been given a variety of headings. One of them is quite striking: “A Song Of Deliverance And Victory.” Surely, the Lord Jesus desires all believers to be true overcomers, victorious over the power of the Devil, sin, death, the flesh, the law and more. Indeed, Romans 8 could be called “The Song Of The Overcomer” – especially when we take into consideration how chapter 7 draws to an end with a very challenging question: “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (v.24 esv). Notice how this question, which is a cry of despair, is answered by proclaiming victory. Instead of defeat, verse 25 says, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” How is this possible?
Romans 1–8 shows God’s way for sinners to be saved and become part of God’s family for time and eternity, in tune with His will (8:27). Amazingly, “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (5:5). Nothing can separate us from the “love of Christ” and “of God” (8:35,39).
That love relates to the “newness of life” we receive when becoming believers (6:4, see 7:6). Let us try and grasp something of this newness by reading through the following outline of Romans 8. Of course, different outlines of the chapter could be given.
- Our new position – freedom from judgment; result: no condemnation (vv.1-4).
- Our new life – freedom from defeat; result: victory and no defeat (vv.5-13).
- Our new relationship – freedom from fear; result: liberty and nearness as sons (vv.14-17).
- Our new hope – freedom from despair; result: no discouragement (vv.18-25).
- Our new help – freedom from helplessness; result: no calamity (vv.26-27).
- Our new knowledge – freedom from our adversary; result: confidence (vv.28-30).
- Our new assurance – freedom from worry; result: no separation (vv.31-39).
The expression “in Christ Jesus” occurs 49 (7x7) times in the New Testament (JND). It represents a wonderful relationship that each believer may enjoy, now and forever. “Christ” is the Greek term for the Hebrew “Messiah” (“Mashiach,” “Anointed One”) and “Jesus” is the most wonderful name that exists (Greek “Iesous,” from the Hebrew “Yeshua”). This name implies that He is Yahweh, or Jehovah. Since His coming into this world (Mt. 1; Lk. 1-2), He was and is fully human. This is a great mystery (1 Tim. 3:16) that never ends, and it is closely related to another great mystery, namely, the God-breathed Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16).
Following is the text of Romans 8 from the Darby Translation. We are including headings from another source, which are printed in bold. They are not part of the inspired Word.
They That Are In Christ Are Free From Condemnation
1There is then now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, having sent His own Son, in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, has condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit.
What Harm Comes Of The Flesh
5For they that are according to flesh mind the things of the flesh; and they that are according to Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit life and peace. 7Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God; for neither indeed can it be: 8and they that are in flesh cannot please God.
9But ye are not in flesh but in Spirit, if indeed God’s Spirit dwell in you; but if any one has not the Spirit of Christ he is not of Him: 10but if Christ be in you, the body is dead on account of sin, but the Spirit life on account of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him that has raised up Jesus from among the dead dwell in you, He that has raised up Christ from among the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies also on account of His Spirit which dwells in you.
12So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to flesh;
And What Good Of The Spirit
13for if ye live according to flesh, ye are about to die; but if, by the Spirit, ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live: 14for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15For ye have not received a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye have received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. 17And if children, heirs also: heirs of God, and Christ’s joint heirs; if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him.
18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us.
The Glorious Deliverance All Things Long For
19For the anxious looking out of the creature expects the revelation of the sons of God: 20for the creature has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by reason of Him who has subjected the same, in hope 21that the creature itself also shall be set free from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groans together and travails in pain together until now. 23And not only that, but even we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, we also ourselves groan in ourselves, awaiting adoption, that is the redemption of our body. 24For we have been saved in hope; but hope seen is not hope; for what any one sees, why does he also hope? 25But if what we see not we hope, we expect in patience.
26And in like manner the Spirit joins also its help to our weakness; for we do not know what we should pray for as is fitting, but the Spirit itself makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27But He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He intercedes for saints according to God.
28But we do know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to purpose.
Was Beforehand Decreed From God
29Because whom He has foreknown, He has also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He should be the firstborn among many brethren. 30But whom He has predestinated, these also He has called; and whom He has called, these also He has justified; but whom He has justified, these also He has glorified.
31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who against us? 32He who, yea, has not spared His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him grant us all things? 33Who shall bring an accusation against God’s elect? It is God who justifies: 34who is he that condemns? It is Christ who has died, but rather has been also raised up; who is also at the right hand of God; who also intercedes for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36According as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we have been reckoned as sheep for slaughter.
37But in all these things we more than conquer through Him that has loved us.
Nothing Can Sever Us From His Love
38For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
By Way Of Conclusion To This Topic
The wonderful position we have in Christ Jesus, according to Romans 8 and other Scriptures, as well as the blessings linked to it, will never end. This also is true of our privileges as God’s adopted sons. Our happiness is guaranteed by the Spirit of God who dwells in us and who will forever remain in us (Jn. 14:16-17).
Come to think of it: the eternal blessings that we will enjoy forever and ever, already belong to us, to enjoy now and forever. Praise God!
By Alfred Bouter