JC Blog

In the first eight chapters of Romans, Paul has laid out an amazing summary of what God has done for us. He started with how sin had separated us from God ( Romans 1 ). He showed us that by our works we could never obtain a right standing with him (Romans 2). Next he illustrated how God provided a way apart from the law in which we can be justified by faith ( Romans 3 ). He then described that faith was how the patriarchs were also justified and that this has always been God plan for salvation ( Romans 4 ). Then he told us that since we had been justified in this way we have peace with God. He revealed that the gift of His grace was much more than the trespass ever was ( Romans 5 ). To prove this, Paul taught that we have been freed from the sin nature by faith in Christ ( Romans 6 ). Paul then warns us about living according to the flesh and following it's desires instead of living according to our new nature ( Romans 7 ). Lastly, Paul teaches us how to live according to the spirit so that we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh ( Romans 8 ). He teaches that our obligation stems out of a love debt to the Lord because he first loved us.

Paul's revelation of God love was so amazing. He closes Romans 8 with wonderful words expressing the extent of His love for us. We are his children ( Romans 8:16 ), we were predestined, we were called, we were glorified ( Romans 8:30 ). In fact who can stand against us if God is for us. God is the one who justified us ( Romans 8:33 ), Jesus is the one who died for us and was raised again to continually intercede for us ( Romans 8:34 ). So in light of all of these things, Paul was convinced that nothing would separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

He was persuaded beyond a doubt that not even death could separate him from God. He goes on to list several things noting that not one of them could separate him from God's love. Not death nor life, not angels nor principalities, not things impending and threatening not things to come, not powers, Not height nor depth, not anything in all creation... What an amazing thing to understand. Knowing this empowered the Apostle Paul to do amazing things because he knew that his life was hidden in Christ. Understanding this in our own lives will enable us to fulfill God's plan for our lives. His love is a foundational truth that we must grasp in fullness to really be who we are called to be.

The truth is that God loves you so much, but so many people I talk to do not understand the depth of how God loves them. They may know it intellectually but they have not experienced it personally. Many try to earn his love, when all along he has freely given it. Many feel like they do not deserve His love, but seeing how He sent Jesus to die for us, this alone makes us worthy of this love. Many are afraid to be loved by God because they do not understand who He is. John tells us, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love" ( I John 4:18 ). All of these emotions can keep you apart from really knowing God. Not because he removes himself from you, but because you keep him at a distance not understanding your position before him and place along side him. On the other hand, Paul understood the depth of his love that is why he was confident that nothing would separate him. He was perfected in love.

Today, it is my prayer that you evaluate your heart and remove any barriers that keep you out of the love of God. He is waiting for you with open arms ready to build this foundation in your life. This foundation is built with Christ as the chief cornerstone and God's love for you is the mortar that holds it all together. Today I am blessed to encourage you that nothing can separate you from God's love. It is my prayer that you internalize this truth and get a revelation of His love so that, like Paul, you can be fully persuaded in it, amen.

Isn't is amazing that part of our redemption was the total restoration of all things. Jesus came to get everything back that was sold into slavery at the fall. Adam plunged everything lock, stock and barrel into death and decay, this included creation. But since that time, creation is waiting expectantly for the sons of God to be revealed ( Romans 8:19 ) so that it will be liberated from bondage along with mankind ( Romans 8:21 ).

Through faith in Jesus, we have been redeemed. Which means Jesus purchased us with his precious blood and brought us restoration with God. The idea of redemption was not a new thing, in the Old Testament a person could redeem a slave, in which they were enabled to repurchase or buy them back to exist once again in their household. In the New Testament, our redemption is synonymous with both deliverance from sin and freedom from sin's captivity. Jesus purchased our freedom through his sacrifice upon the cross and because of it we are completely free from everything that held us in chains before this time. This redemption by Jesus was foretold back in the garden and since then mankind and creation looked forward to fulfillment of this promise. Through acceptance of this gift, by faith we have been restored to God's household. We are now called his children and we are blameless before him just as if the garden and Adam's trespass had never existed. Galatians tells us that through Jesus we now belong to the promise given to Abraham. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" ( Galatians 3:26-29 ).

Just like creation we long to be restored in bodily form to our original state. However, on this earth we are waiting for full redemption. Right now we have receive a part of it. We have been given a new born again spirit as a down payment to our physical redemption that is coming very soon. "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-to the praise of his glory" ( Ephesians 1:13-14 ).The Holy Spirit was given to us as our guarantee that we would see full redemption. Our new spirit is the part of us that testifies that we are God's children ( Romans 8:16 ). And if we are his children then we are his heirs ( Romans 8:17 ). The Holy Spirit operating in the sons and daughters of God on this earth, testifies to the rest of creation that it will see fulfillment of God's promise as well. Currently we have only received the first fruits of this redemption, but as the old saying goes, 'the best is yet to come!'

Paul goes onto say in Romans 8, "For in this hope we were saved..." ( Romans 8:24 ). Today, I am thankful to have received a down payment of my coming bodily redemption. Peter tells us "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" ( I Peter 1:18-19 ). In the cleansing act of this blood you have been justified and redeemed. Through the Holy Spirit you have been given everything needed to navigate this world. Creation is rejoicing in the fact that you are a child of God. Today, my this revelation of your precious redemption change your life, Amen!

Through faith we were born into God's family. He has given us a new name, a new spirit and a new future to testify to this very fact. We are heirs of God and co-heir with Christ Jesus. God has withheld nothing from us. Ephesians says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" ( Ephesians 1:4-5 ). All of this eternal blessing grew out of His love for us. Before Christ we were helpless and hopeless without God, but through the blood of Christ we have been brought near and included in the covenant of promise ( Ephesians 2:12-13 ).

This is an amazing thing. Understanding this truth will change your entire perspective in life. But with revelation and heart change comes resistance on behalf of the world. Paul said in today's passage that "...we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" ( Romans 8:17 ). He is talking about persecution. Paul knew from experience that sharing the gospel and seeing lives changed ignited opposition to it. He bore marks on his body over and over giving evidence to this very fact. He is saying that sometimes we will suffer ridicule, slander and pain on the account of Christ from unbelievers but this can't deter us from walking in the glory reveled to us through Christ Jesus.

Jesus said something similar, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." ( John 15:18-19 ). Jesus suffered persecution at the hands of mankind as well. This happened not only because he was different but because it was evident that he spoke on behalf of God. He was the light of the world and the darkness could not comprehend it so they tried to destroy it.

Throughout the scriptures we are warned about this. John said, "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you" ( I John 3:13 ). James said, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds..." ( James 1:2 ). Peter said, "...do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you..." ( I Peter 4:13 ). And lastly Paul said, "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered" ( Romans 8:36 ). These men knew suffering at the hands of the world and yet each one of them said and demonstrated that knowing Jesus and His power outweighed anything that the world threw their way.

That is an encouraging word for today. Even if the world hates you on the account of Christ, who cares. The glory that we are apart of overshadows persecution and trials in every way. Paul was so convinced of this fact that He went on to say, "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us" ( Romans 8:37 ). He was beat, publicly humiliated, flogged and stoned near death and yet none of these thing deterred him. He gave up everything for the pursuit of Christ Jesus and the gospel. That was his driving force, nothing else mattered. His mission statement clear and focused..."I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith" ( Romans 1:16-17 ).

Sharing in Christ's suffering at the hands of unbelievers means that you are counted among his dear children. Peter said, "if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name" ( I Peter 4: 16 ). And that is exactly what Paul is saying in today's passage, we will share in suffering at the hands of the world because we are God's children and co-heirs with Christ. Now rejoice because this is temporary compared to the surpassing glory that will be revealed in us. Paul was a great example of faith in action. He knew God and he understood the coming glory that will be revealed in us the further we walk with Christ. Paul said, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith" ( Philippians 3:7-9 ). This is our goal. Not caring what the world says, not caring what the world does, but considering their foolishness completely lost to us that we may know Christ and understand the righteousness we have as his children.

Today, I am blessed to be called a daughter, a sister, a friend and wife of my beloved Lord. He has used all of these descriptive relationships to state that I am everything to him. He says the same about you! He loves you so much. May his love permeate your entire spirit, soul and body today. May renewing your mind to this amazing truth change your future. Amen.

Our belonging to the family of God is more than a feeling. God didn't leave confirmation for something this important based on the whims of emotions. If we had to rely on our natural feelings and sentiment to confirm that we belonged to Christ then we would live in constant fear and doubt. We would never be settled into a state of confidence before the Lord.

However, Paul stressed in Romans 8 that everyone who is led by the Spirit of God is a child of God ( Romans 8:14 ). Not only so, but today he reveals that the Holy Spirit is given to us to testify to our hearts this very fact ( Romans 8:16 ). This is amazing! He uses the fullness of the Godhead to show, confirm and preserve our status in his family. We belong to Christ period! It is not up for negation. It is not dependent upon how we feel. It is dependent upon who God is.

Isaiah prophesied that we would be given an everlasting name through Christ Jesus. "to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off" ( Isaiah 56:5 ). This promise was fulfilled through Jesus. The scriptures say that by believing in Jesus through faith we have been born into God's family. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" ( John 1:12-13 ). Being born of God, means that we have an everlasting name that will never be cut off from Him. We can rest assured in this promise because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit into our hearts to testify with our spirits that we belong to Him.

By belonging to God, we receive all the rights and privileges of being his children. It is so much more than looking forward to our future in heaven. We can enjoy life with Him today. We have been fully equipped for life right now on this earth. He has given us everything we need to live a godly life completely pleasing to him in every way. He has given us the power to live in victory through the rights that come with being of his seed. "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God" ( I John 5:4-5 ). He has given us faith to overcome the anything and everything that world throws our way. I John 3 says the reason that Jesus came was to destroy the works of the devil ( I John 3:8 ). Since they are destroyed, he have given us the Holy Spirit to see those works destroyed in our lives as well. God has called us out of the kingdom of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son ( Colossians 1:13 ). He did this because of his great love for us. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" ( I John 3:1 ).

Aren't you glad that your rights as God's child wasn't left to emotions and feelings. He guaranteed it through the Holy Spirit which he sent into your heart to continually confirm that you are His child. He is speaking love over you. He is pouring grace upon you. He has given you world overcoming power to live a life of victory in this present time. May this revelation of your sonship bless you today and change your future ! Amen.

Isn't it amazing to know that you are a child of God? His Spirit inside testifies to this very thing. This truth is easy to take for granted especially if you grew up in a church because we hear this a lot. But stopping to reflect on this incredible reality will open your eyes to profound mysteries reveal in Christ Jesus.

Paul is teaching us to live by the Spirit of God in this entire passage of Romans 8. When we do this we will not gratify the desires of the flesh that we have been freed of. We will experience life and soul peace in the midst of trouble and hardship. This is an incredible lesson to learn, it is key to living free and victorious. However, just as important to understand is the truth found in today's verse. "...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" ( Romans 8:14 ).

Did you know that being a son or daughter of God makes you a heir in his kingdom? By bearing His spirit and His name we have all the rights and privileges associated with those things. Paul says later on in Romans 8 that we received a spirit of sonship that makes us heirs and co-heirs with Christ ( Romans 8:15, Romans 8:17 ). Ephesians tells us that we are no longer aliens and foreigners to the promises of God, but we are God's people, members of his own household built into a royal temple where God lives by His Spirit ( Ephesians 2:19-22 ). It is amazing to think that since we are his children and his heirs, He will withhold nothing from us. We have receive full the rights of sonship. We are no longer slaves, but God's very own children born out of love. ( Galatians 4:4-7 ).

In Luke's gospel he recorded the genealogy of Jesus in chapter 4. He traces Jesus' line clear back to Adam and in verse 37, he records that Adam was the son of God. Adam was born out of a desire to have a family. God was not lonely, he had all fullness living within himself and yet he desired to create life and mankind. Adam bore the name of God. After the fall, God still desired to have a family and to reconcile to himself all things. This is why he sent Jesus, his son to be the second Adam.

Now fast forward a little bit where Jesus was with John at the river Jordan. John baptized Jesus and look what happened. "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" ( Matthew 3:16-17 ).The Holy Spirit descended out of heaven in bodily form and landed on Jesus. But this amazing truth revealed to John two things, first that Jesus was the son of God. Second it revealed to him that God was extremely pleased in Jesus. The Holy Spirit living in Jesus showed both of these awesome truths, God loved him, was pleased with him and brought understanding that Jesus was the Son of God.

Adam was called the son of God and Jesus was called the son of God. Adam brought destruction and Jesus completely reverse everything that resulted in the fall. The Holy Spirit in Jesus was evident that he was the Son of God and that he came bearing of the good news that we can have peace with God. It was the Holy Spirit that revealed these things to the world. Since the Holy Spirit testified these things, we can rest assured that He will also testify the very same things to our spirits. God Loves us, God is please with us, God considers us his child. Jesus reminded the disciples of this very thing over and over while he was with them. "He [Holy Spirit] will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you" ( John 16:14-15 ). He is speaking to us on behalf of God the Father to reassure us of his great love for us.

This is an amazing truth. God loves you so much. Not only did he send Jesus to purchase your freedom and reconcile you to himself, but he also sent you the Holy Spirit to dwell continuously with you showing and revealing to you the love of the Father. That is why Paul, Peter and John wrote so many times that those who have the Spirit of God are children and heirs. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" ( I John 3:1 ).

Today, I pray that you will listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling you. He is expressing the amazing love of God. He is revealing to you your place in God's family. If you feel any condemnation today the John said in I John 3, "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God" ( I John 3:19-21 ). This is what the Holy Spirit was sent into your heart to reveal to you. You have peace with God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ. He loves you, he calls you friend, he considers you his beloved child and he wants you to have confidence before him. May this revelation of love and sonship bless you today. Amen.