Today’s reading comes from Romans 7-9 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online. You can get a copy of the New in 90 reading schedule here.
Sometimes it is easy to forget that we have been freed from sin by Jesus Christ. If we are not careful old thoughts and patterns will creep back into our lives. Paul reminds us that we are not only free from the hold of sin, but that the Holy Spirit of God now has a stronger hold of those who belong to Him (7:4-6).
What a grace, to have the Holy Spirit in our lives. He shows us how to live. His very presence is a guarantee of our salvation in Jesus Christ (8:9, 16). He causes us to look forward to the return of Christ and the fulfillment His word (8:23). He helps us pray by making intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered/heard (8:26). [Side note: This does not explicitly indicate a private prayer language. The indication is that the Holy Spirit takes our inability to form a proper prayer and intercedes in a way that does not need utterance (sound). This is made clearer in verse 27.]
With Romans 8:28 we begin to move more and more into an understanding of the Sovereignty of God. First with providence, in that God works all things together for good. It is important to notice that Roman’s 8:28 comes in the context of perseverance (8:25) and that “good” ultimately entails salvation (8:29-30). Romans 9 then becomes one of the most exhaustive passages on the sovereignty of God and salvation, as Paul lays out God’s prerogative to save who He will (9:14-16).
Make sure you don’t miss Romans 9:30-33. It all comes back to faith. Those who would be saved must come to God in faith. We must believe God. The Jews had attempted to find righteousness on their own, but righteousness can’t be achieved, it can only be given and God chooses to give it to those who come to him (both Jew and Gentile) by faith.
FATHER, Thank you for the gift of faith and thank you for salvation. Thank you for the Holy Spirit and how He moves in our lives to confirm our salvation and draw us nearer to you. Thank you that He intercedes when we don’t know how to pray. I pray that we would be submitted to you and led by the Spirit in all of our actions and desires today. I pray for my friends who don’t know you and I pray that they would find the forgiveness of their sins and new life in you. Thank you for the privilege to pastor your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.
What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.
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