ROMANS 8:5-10 – “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
THEME OF THE DAY: ASSURANCE OF SALVATION. The eighth chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans is one of the most loved and important chapters in our Bibles. Granted, all chapters are important for each Word is the Word of God but some stick out more than others. Romans 8 is one of those stick out chapters.
The chapter begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation. Both the proof and signs of assurance . . .
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).
Combined, the opening and closing verses introduce and conclude the main theme of Romans 8 – assurance of salvation to those who are in Christ. Part of assurance is the presence of the Spirit of God in the believer’s life . . .
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9).
It begs the question, “How would we know the Spirit of God dwells in us?” The Apostle Paul answers throughout the chapter that the Spirit-filled person is one who doesn’t walk or follow the ways of the world and flesh. But the New Testament gives further evidence. In the first letter written by the Apostle John, he tells us God’s children are known as such by their love – love for God, and love for God’s people . . .
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:7-11).
God wants us to be assured of our salvation. In His Word, He gives us the evidence we are His children. The clearest is our love for Him and other believers. May He help us to evaluate ourselves by those standards and enjoy the assurance we belong to Him.
PRAYER: Father, I praise You for granting me Your Spirit who testifies with my spirit that I belong to Your Son.
REFLECTION: Many signs affirm the Spirit of God is in us. Two chief ones are love for Christ and love for His people.