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Christian in Portage la Prairie, MB, CA
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Jesus identified as Christ by the works He did
John 10:22-42
Is the Lord Jesus Your personal Shepherd?
John 10:1-21
If Jesus had disregarded your traditions and good works, would you still have trusted and followed Him?
John 9:35-41
Formerly blind man silenced and kicked out of the community for testifying truthfully about Jesus Christ.
John 9:13-34
Jesus Christ gave sight to a blind man. And as back then, so He is today the eternal light in spiritual darkness for those looking to Him.
John 9:1-12
Jesus makes His eternal nature openly known with the "I AM" statement. No beginning and no end. Eternal God in human form.
John 8:48-59
Jesus Christ and God are One. You can't coherently believe God without Jesus and Jesus without God.
John 8:39-47
Are you burdened by mistakes and failures? Jesus can set you free!
John 8:31-38
Are you spiritually lost in darkness? Jesus is the light of the world and the giver of the light of life.
John 8:12-30
Jesus Loves Sinners. See how He loved and forgave an Adulterer.
John 8:1-11
See a contrast of good and bad leadership
John 7:45-53
Have you heard about water that consists of more than two hydrogens and one oxygen atom?
John 7:37-44
Jesus Christ ascended back to God the Father after His incarnation, death, and resurrection, 2000 years ago.
John 7:32-36
Are the sources for your worldview and beliefs reliable, consistent, and overall true?
John 7:27-31
At a scale of 0 to 1, how are your moral judgment skills?
John 7:20-26
If you knew there is a place where people want to kill you, would there be something that could make you go there anyway?
John 7:14-20
Seek and find Jesus Christ for the right reasons
John 7:10-13
The Lord wants His people to judge righteously and live for eternity
John 7:1-9
Do you believe in Jesus? How come you do or don't?
John 6:60-71
Find your eternal need and satisfaction met in Jesus Christ. Believe Him.
John 6:25-59
Jesus went through the storm of death for you
John 6:16-24
Jesus displays His Compassion, Sufficiency, Thriftiness, and Patience in the story of the feeding of the five thousand
John 6:1-15
How do you know who to trust?
John 5:31-47
Who is Jesus Christ personally to you?
John 5:16-30
Struggling with verses in the Bible? Look at the big picture to keep clarity. Are you suffering? Jesus identified, knows, and understands.
John 5:1-15
Do you know God? - Or is a wrong understanding of Him keeping you at distance?
John 4:43-54
Jesus revealed Himself as Messiah to a Samaritan woman. She and many in her city believed in Him once they got to know Him.
John 4:1-42
How a right view of God, your neighbor, and yourself may lead you to live a God-honoring and intelligent life.
1 Corinthians 3
How envy and humility may change your life
John 3:22-36
Jesus proved His love for God the Father and true worshippers by standing up for them against powerful rulers who increasingly hated Him.
John 2:12-25
The source of joy that surpasses everything else in my life.
Romans 5
Why are there seasons of lack of joy and happiness?
John 2:1-11
What determines who you follow on social media? - Do you know Jesus? Have you decided to follow Him first and foremost?
John 1:35-51
Do you remember a time when you were honored with a good testimony? Read here about John's unique testimony of Jesus.
John 1:29-34
Who is John the Baptist? But more importantly: "Who are you?" and "Who is Jesus Christ?"
John 1:19-28
The Lord is supreme over all! Hallelujah!
Psalms 113
Who is Jesus Christ? Find deep treasures about Him in the God-inspired writings of Apostel John.
John 1:1-18
Do you note and avoid false teachers? Are you part of a team that works for the furtherance of the Good News of Christ? Yes? - Praise God!
Romans 16:17-27
What did Paul appreciate most in others?
Romans 16:1-16
What to do when desire and calling are not matching? See how Paul did it.
Romans 15:22-31
God fulfilled His promise of the Good News for the Gentiles in Paul's life. Which promises does God fulfill in your life?
Romans 15:14-21
Do you have trouble with a weakness of your brother/sister in the Lord? Accept him/her because Christ accepted you despite your weaknesses.
Romans 15:1-13
Do things from faith. All action in doubt is sin.
Romans 14:14-23
Walk fully convinced in the fear of the Lord. Don't despise or judge a fellow-saint but seek his best.
Romans 14:1-13
Outline of Romans 4: Saving Faith explained
Romans 4
Time is short - love one another and your neighbor by being led by the Spirit, in reflecting Christ to them.
Romans 13:8-14
Our lives are governed by authorities that God appointed
Romans 13:1-7
All things such as space, energy, and authority were created by God's perfect representative, that is the supreme God-Man Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:15-16
Paul's instruction on how to relate to fellow believers and unbelievers
Romans 12:9-21
What is your gift as a member of the body of Christ?
Romans 12:3-8
What is better than life?
Psalms 63
In God alone I put my trust, who is my Deliverer, strong Protector, Refuge, and save Shelter.
Psalms 62
How to know the will of God
Romans 12:1-2
What does the goodness of God lead you to think, say, and do?
Romans 11:11-36
David walked in integrity, are you too?
Psalms 26
A prayer to know more our Lord Jesus Christ
Ephesians 1:17-19
Think soberly and walk in the fear of the Lord, because God is blessed for His great saving work in Jesus Christ for you.
1 Peter 1
God offers His righteousness in grace as a gift in Jesus Christ.
Romans 3
In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Col 2:3
Proverbs 2:1-9
Amazing grace of God! He is faithful, and will complete what He started.
Romans 11:1-10
Israel disobeyed and rejected God's compassion to save. Please don't do the same mistake. Receive God's gift of eternal life in Christ.
Romans 10:14-21
How does a victorious life look like for you?
Psalms 148
Believe Jesus and receive eternal life.
John 3:1-21
Zealous works cannot save, but faith in Christ does!
Romans 10:1-13
Focus on the Lord in your difficulty.
Psalms 123
Where does your help come from?
Psalms 121
Revive me, O Lord.
Psalms 119:153-160
Israel in large rejects God's righteousness by faith, how about you? Have you accepted God's gift of a perfect standing in Christ?
Romans 9:30-33
Christians exist only because of the mercy and compassion of God.
Romans 9:14-29
God's Word was, is, and will always be effective
Romans 9:6-13
Paul's grief for Israel's rejection of Christ
Romans 9:1-5
Nothing can separate the elect of God form the love of Christ.
Romans 8:31-39
Jesus, King-everlasting, shamed, mocked and tortured by His creatures, to restore a relationship with them.
Matthew 27:27-31
God works Christ-likeness in those he foreknew.
Romans 8:28-30
The Lord is Holy. Majestic, mighty, and faithful King who always was is and forever will be. He is the everlasting King!
Psalms 93
What is the Spirit's part of work in the life of God's children?
Romans 8:26-27
Christians groan in longing for their glorification
Romans 8:23-25
Outline of Romans 2
Romans 2
What gets creation to perfection?
Romans 8:19-22
Children of God are saved to be glorified together with Christ.
Romans 8:16-18
Great is God the giver of every spiritual blessing!
Ephesians 1:3-4
The law cannot help in the struggle with indwelling sin but the Lord Jesus can.
Romans 7:13-25
Is the law still condemning you or have you found the grace of God in Christ?
Romans 7:7-12
Are you in the flesh under the curse of the law, or are you liberated serving in the newness of the Spirit?
Romans 7:1-6
Do you live as a person who is under grace? Are you devoted to God or yourself? We received all in Christ, should we not also live for Him?
Romans 6:15-23
What does your baptism mean?
Romans 6:1-14
Great disasters will happen before the powerful and glorious appearance of the Son of Man. Tribes will mourn; the elect will be gathered.
Matthew 24:29-31
The Fall of Humanity and God's gracious Gift of Justification
Romans 5:12-21
Outline of Romans 1
Romans 1:1-32
Rejoice: In Christ's death and resurrection, reconciliation and salvation is freely available for you.
Romans 5:6-11
Justification by faith grands peace with God, access to God and an overflowing joy which causes to boast in God even in suffering.
Romans 5:1-5
What are the signs of the Lord's coming and the end of the age?
Matthew 24:1-28
God's promise, Abrahams faith, and its lesson
Romans 4:13-25
Were the Jews who lived at the old testament time saved in the same manner as the Gentiles today?
Romans 4:1-8
Who do you boast in?
Romans 3:27-31
Have you received the righteousness of God by believing Jesus? Or are you still in your sins? Trust Him today to be made right in Gods sight
Romans 3:21-26
All are guilty before God. There is none righteous. All are under sin.
Romans 3:9-20
God is faithful to save and just in all His judgments. Either submit to His truth, or His wrath will inflict you for your sins.
Romans 3:1-8
No salvation in anything outward which man could boast in, but only in God who causes the inward change of heart.
Romans 2:25-29
The Jew knows the will of God, but fails as the Gentile in doing it. All have failed and are guilty.
Romans 2:17-24
A call for repentance to lost and self-righteous sinners.
Luke 15:11-32
Bear fruit for God because we belong to and love Jesus
Romans 7:4-6
The blessed man meditates on the law of the Lord
Psalms 1:1-6
Meditate on Scripture
Joshua 1:8
All men are unrighteous and therefore under the wrath of God. They are guilty unless they received the righteousness of God by faith.
Romans 2:1-16
Praise the Lord. He takes pleasure in His people.
Psalms 149
The Spirit intercedes for us in our weaknesses.
Romans 8:26-27
No one served God like Jesus; He is the greatest. Hypocrites work for themselves to be seen and praised by man. Their desire misleads them.
Matthew 23:1-36
Gott zeigt seine Größe im Erhalten und Versorgen der Bedürftigen. Lob und Ruhm sei Gott dem ewigen König für alle Zeit.
Psalms 145
The denial of the truth of the existence of God is followed by unrighteous and wicked characteristics.
Romans 1:18-32
Highly honored by the Gospel of Christ
Romans 1:16-17
An example of how Paul made plans according to his call and longing and then trusted God to succeed or hinder these plans.
Romans 1:8-15
The privilege of being in Christ! No condemnation, and a walk in the Spirit!
Romans 8:1-4
Beloved of God; you who are called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:1-7
The Lord is long-suffering, who desires that all men come to repentence.
2 Peter 3:8-9
Reconciled to God through Christ's death and saved by His life to evermore rejoice in that fact.
Romans 5:10-11
A people of God
1 Peter 2:9-10
In Christ we may receive all things that exist for life and godliness to share in divine nature
2 Peter 1:3-4
Is there anything better than the Love of God in Christ?
Romans 8:31-39
Paulus bittet das der Vater der Herrlichkeit den Heiligen in Epheser den Geist der Weisheit und der Offenbarung gebe.
Ephesians 1:15-23
Experience the power of God in your life through prayer together with your brothers and sisters.
James 5:13-18
Blessed is the one who trusts the Lord
Psalms 84
Wealth cannot save you, Christ can. Forsake the dream that riches will fulfill you and follow Christ who is the all-surpassing reward.
Matthew 19:23-30
God is the judge and lawgiver. Submit to His law and do not speak evil against you brother.
James 4:11-12
God's work of Regeneration - A new heart with new desires and His Spirit to live a fulfilled life in the will of God
Ezekiel 36:25-27
Do you labor for the people of God?
Colossians 4:12-13
Fruchtbar oder Unfruchtbar?
John 15:1-3
Praise the Lord for of His might and acts of mercy
Psalms 147
Kill sin, because in Christ you have put off the sinful nature. Put on Christ, because in Him you have put Him on already.
Colossians 3:1-17
To be blessed and truly honored by God is to live out what Christ has done for His church
Psalms 119:1-8
Trust and be content in the Lord; He is your Helper; He will never leave nor forsake you!
Hebrews 13:5-6
Live out the from God received Wisdom, but be careful not to boast of wisdom if your heart is sidetracked by the flesh.
James 3:13-18
Are you wholeheartedly devoted to good works? Can people learn when they see you work?
Titus 3:12-15
Foolish talk is useless, empty, and self- condemning. Warn those who do that and stay away from them if they do not repent.
Titus 3:9-11
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Life in the Spirit
Romans 8:1-17
What does it mean to live according to the Spirit?
#Spirit
Published April 9th, 2017; Updated September 28th, 2017
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Main point summary
Arc - NKJV
Notes
notes
Main point summary
Since God accepts us in Christ, we are debtors to live according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.
Arc - NKJV
editing
NT
Romans 8:1-17
nkjv
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,
who do not walk according to the flesh ,
but according to the Spirit .
negativepositive
ideaexplanation
For the law {ie. power} of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law {ie. power} of sin and death .
For what the law {ie. God's commandments} could not do in that it was weak through the flesh ,
God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh , on account of sin : He condemned sin in the flesh ,
that the righteous requirement of the law {ie. God's commandments} might be fulfilled in us
who do not walk according to the flesh
but according to the Spirit .
actionpurpose
For those who live according to the flesh
set their minds on the things of the flesh ,
actionresult
but those who live according to the Spirit ,
the things of the Spirit .
alternative
For to be carnally minded is death ,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God;
for it is not subject to the law of God,
nor indeed can be.
progression
ground
So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
inference
But you are not in the flesh
but in the Spirit ,
if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you .
conditional
Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ ,
he is not His.
And if Christ is in you ,
the body is dead
because of sin ,
but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you ,
He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies
through His Spirit who dwells in you.
actionmanner
concessive
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh , to live according to the flesh .
For if you live according to the flesh
you will die ;
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children,
then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if indeed we suffer with Him,
that we may also be glorified together.
Why is it body..not flesh? How can the body be dead and still function as it is not dead?
Plural "you". Speaking about the Roman believers in Christ.
The reason for no condemnation for the one who is in Christ is: He is not in the flesh but in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in him. He is set free by the Spirit of life in Christ from the law of sin and death
What goes on in the mind is linked to the walk in the Spirit and the walk in the flesh. The person in the Spirit, deep down in his new identity, desires the things of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is committed to change the way we think. He works Gospel thinking in us. That is why we are commanded in chapter 6 to think ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. Also chapter 12 speaks of offering ourselves up to God and being renewed in the mind and by that transformed into the likeness of Christ.
The condition to be in the Spirit is to be indwelt by the Spirit of God. This happens at the moment of justification. The Holy Spirit is the gift the Lord gives at conversion. It is the seal of God's purchase possession (Ephesus 1).
To fear in the spirit of bondage is the death that comes from living according to the flesh.
How does suffering suddenly come in? And how does it relate? - Read Verse 18 and onward. It is the suffering from the bondage of corruption in our fallen world.
The purpose of suffering with Him is to be also glorified with Him.
discourse
Notes
8:1 Therefore The "therefore" includes all the 7 previous chapters in summing it up to that there is condemnation for those who trespassed, and there is no condemnation for the once in Christ Jesus. In Christ "in Christ Jesus" points back to Romans 6:1-11 which speaks of our union in Christ's death and resurrection through faith, displayed in baptism. Sanctification 1b-1c is the same as 4b-4c and can be confusing. Is condemnation now dependent on my walk according to the flesh or the Spirit? If so, than the status of being in Christ Jesus would also change. This would contradict Paul's teaching of salvation because we were empty, wicked enemies of God, who God Himself graciously reconciled to Himself. If it took God to reconcile me, it also takes God to keep me. Rather, Paul is teaching that being in Christ shows evidence of walking in the things that are of the Spirit, because the Spirit indwells us. Justification is the bases for Sanctification and not the other way around. No true, Spirit led, God honoring, heart change can happen without having that order right. Pride, guilt and the fear of man are dangerous, destructive and ensnaring motivators. 8:2 The law of sin Paul speaks here of the law in the sense of "power, force or attraction". The one who is in Christ has been freed through the power of the Spirit of life from the power of sin. This is difficult since Paul wrote in 7:25 that he serves with the mind the law of God but with the flesh the law of sin. I believe that, when Paul says freed from the law of sin, he speaks of it in view of final salvation, when even our bodies will be completely redeemed from sin 8:23. 8:3-4 Salvation and its purpose The commandments of God can only declare us guilty because of our weaknesses. Humans are selfish and self-righteous beings that are often willing to compromise moral standards if something can be gained (Be it statues, possession, acceptance, safety, etc). Our conscious bears witness of our wrong if it hasn't been suppressed. Now, God send His own Son to be born as a human but without sin, to condemn sin for us. Think of the Son as the one of infinite riches through whom everything was created (Heb 1:1-4). Before He came to earth, he was not a human, but completely separate of anything we can even start to imaging. He is the very essence of awesomeness. He left His riches to save His corrupted but loved creatures (Phil 2:5-11). He, the perfect, spotless God-man bore our sin and the condemnation on the cross. The purpose of this great work of Christ was to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law in us. The requirements of the law can be summed up as "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Rom 13:9). 8:8-11 Being in the flesh or in the Spirit Being in the flesh means to be still in sin. That person cannot please God because he does not have the Spirit of God. Being in the Spirit means to be forgiven in Christ and indwelt by the Spirit of God who does the transforming work of Christ-likeness in the believer. The one who is in the Spirit can walk at times in accordance to the flesh but will never be content in it because it is a walk that does not match his new identity. His walk goes against the deep knowledge and desire of who he is in Christ. The Spirit will be at work to get him back to walk in accordance to his new identity in Christ. 8:5-8; 8:12-17 Live/walk and our minds Paul teaches a clear link between the walk/live and what is going on in our minds. How does the one who lives according to the Spirit, set the mind on the things of the Spirit? What does it mean to be spiritually minded? Is that person trying to think about becoming a missionary all the time? Or how he might lead someone to Christ? How much money he might give to the poor? As good as theses things in itself are, I believe Paul is here not talking about that. (Certainly not if theses are works to get acceptance and peace with God) The context suggests that we think of the great debt we stand in regard to the grace of God: Our adoption into the heavenly family, and the access in Christ to our dear Father in heaven (8:14-17) The future without sin (8:24-25) The help of the Spirit in our weaknesses. (8:26) The goodness of God in how He ultimately works all things together for good, who called, justified and glorified us. (8:28-30) God is for us, nothing can ultimately be against us (8:31) In Christ, we freely received everything. Everything in light of the all-knowing God who knows to give only what is best for us (8:32) God justified us (8:33) No condemnation because Christ took it in full for us (8:34) Nothing can separate us from the love of God (8:35) We are more than conquerors in Christ (8:37) God doesn't owe us anything, we are completely indebted to Him. An interestingly positive debt though. It is an honor to stand in that debt. Too good to be true, if it were not from God.
Comments
Flo Gostner
Hi Christian, thanks for your awesome work here! I came up with a sentence diagram (on verses 12-17) myself and compared it with your notes here. I see verse 12 as the main clause as well, but the main difference is that I understand the following three "FOR's" as equal reasons to support Paul's thesis (of verse 12). So that would look something like this:

Thesis: "We are no debtors to the flesh to live according to the flesh!"
Reason 1: ... because if you live according to the flesh you die (whereas if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live)
Reason 2: ... because sons of God are those who are lead by the Spirit of God (again: that's an argument for not living according to flesh)
Reason 3: ... because we did not receive a spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of adoption (again: thats why we don't have to live according to the flesh)...

not saying that this is correct; i'm just trying to figure it out... what's your thoughts on that? or why did you arc it the way you did? :-)
Looking forward to hearing back from you
greetings from Austria
- Florian
Christian Giesbrecht
Hi Florian, thanks for that question! I'm not sure what was going on in my mind when I did that arc :P. I must have thought that Paul explains how we are not debtors to the flesh. Looking at it now, it seems clear to me that Paul gives reasons for why we are not debtors to the flesh as you mentioned. I think you have the correct understanding of what Paul says here.

I'll change this arc in a couple days. For now, I shared a revised arc of v.12-17 if you like to check it out. I'd be glad to see your work on this passage. Please share or publish.

Thanks again,
Christian
Flo Gostner
Hi Christian, thanks for getting back to me... As I said earlier: I am not certain about either way to see it. I'll have to do some more thinking and reading. 

However, Moo agrees with you in his commentary on verse 14: "As I suggested above, the “for” shows that this verse explains and justifies the conclusion that Paul has just reached in v. 13: that putting to death the misdeeds of the body through the power of the Spirit will bring eschatological life. Moo, Douglas J. The Epistle to the Romans. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996. Page 498.

I just don't really get how verse 14 is a reason or explanation of the two "ways to live" in verse 13... I'm going to read more commentaries on this.

Since I don't have a Biblearc subscription, I can't share (not even save) anything here... I will try to email you the verse diagram that I created in Logos.

herzlich
- Flo
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.