Romans 8 Summary

I've been going through the book of Romans since February 12th. I don't read it every day, and when I do, I'm going slow so that I think about the verses more. I tend to read too fast and miss a lot if I read at my normal pace. Anyway, I'm reading a paragraph at a time and summarizing each segment in my own words and writing the summary in an excel sheet. Then when I have finished a chapter, I go back and after reading the chapter for a few days, I write summaries of the chapters. This morning I just finished summarizing Romans 8. I'm a bit hesitant to post this as it's nothing spectacular, just something I write to help me think about and rephrase some of what I read. But, since I don't have time to post anything else this morning before work, I'm posting it anyway just as it is.

Romans Chapter 8:

Now, no condemnation exists for Christians. Christ set us free from from the law of sin and death by dying for us so that we would be able to live by the spirit instead of by the sinful nature. How you live will determine how you think: living by the spirit brings life and peace, and living by the sinful nature brings death. A sinful mind is opposed to God and can in no way please him, but a person controlled by the Spirit has a body that is dead because of sin (and yet life will come through the Spirit) and a spirit that is alive due to righteousness.

So, we are obligated to live by the spirit and put to death the sin of the body. You who are led by God's spirit are a child of God so you can call him Daddy and are will receive an inheritance of God and with Christ. If we share in his sufferings we will also share in his glory.

To me, the suffering we face now can't even be compared with the glory that is coming. All creation is frustrated and eagerly waiting for freedom from decay and to see the sons of God revealed. Creation groans as we do too as we anticipate the completion of our adoption and having a redeemed body. The Spirit helps us in our weakness in not knowing what to pray for by interceding for us according to God's will with groans that can't be expressed in words.

We know that for those who love God and have been called by his purpose, God works in all things for their good. God chose those he knew before, to be made like Christ. He called them, made them righteous, and glorified them. So our conclusion must be that no one can be against us since God is for us. God can do nothing but give us everything since he gave us the best in sacrificing his own son. Who would dare to bring a charge against people God chose since God made us righteous and Jesus is speaking up for us? No amount of hardship or pain can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus, for in everything we are victors.