A Synopses of Romans 8:1-25
The New Creation Subjected In Hope
By O. Allen Bailey
"... For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body..." Rom 8:14-23.
I suppose Rom 8 is one of the more quoted portions of scripture than any other, especially
Rom 8:28; But I think Rom 8 cannot be detached from Rom 7, as Rom 8 forms a continuation of the subject
matter and theme of the previous chapter.
I think these scriptures are in general interpreted by most only in a literal way; as if they are referring to a future
experience of the saints in an expectation when their physical bodies shall have dissolved and returned to the
elements of the physical creation.
However, these passages have not generally appeared to my mind and experience as being so; for I feel that the
Apostle is here describing a present experience and hope of the saints of the apostolic age, and that which would
embrace (the experience of) future saints of all the ages of the (future) Gospel Dispensation also.
The Apostle Paul in writing to the different assemblies of believers in his epistles often refers to the
"body" or "flesh". As some have pointed out, these terms as translated in the KJV seem to be interchangeable.
So using this assumption that the "body" of death in Rom 7 would also be the body of sin (or the effects of the
law of) sin and death of Rom 8. In this way, when he says "who shall deliver me from the "body" of this "death"
(Rom 7:24) it is the same "body" or "flesh" that he continues to speak of in Rom 8. Many agree with this up to
the point in verse 11 where the apostle says:
"... But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell
in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in
you..."
as referring to a future resurrection of the physical bodies of the saints from a "literal" grave of death.
Now, I ask: Why would the apostle change horses in the middle of the stream (so to speak) when referring to
these same "bodies" of sin and death? He has not changed the subject here, but he is merely continuing and
further explaining the same subject that he has been dealing with in Rom 7. He plainly clarifies and elaborates his
previous statements of Rom 7 when he says in verse 10:
"...And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness..." (Rom 8:10).
Another parallel of these statements is found in Col 3: 3 where he says:
"... For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God..." (Col 3:3).
Certainly, no one will declare that here the Apostle is referring to a corporeal or physical death of the saint's biological bodies, but
only to their spiritual condition as they stand in the power of their mortal flesh (which is dead to the things of the
Spirit without the manifestation of the indwellng of Christ's Spirit within them.) And in another place:
"... Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord..." (Rom
6:11.) Our flesh, or body as far as any activity towards God, is dead, or inactive, because sin is condemed there
(in the flesh) which kills and brings it unto death:
"...And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness..." Rom 8:10.
Therefore, these same "mortal" bodies (which are [subject
to] death, having the sentence of death in them) must be raised up by the quickening power of Christ's Spirit
within them. As Christ Himself was "..Put to death in flesh, but quickened by the Spirit".. 1 Peter 3:18.
and in this way Christ brought us unto God. Notice Rom 8:3 on this:
"...For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,
and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:..." Rom 8:3.
As the sentence of death in the Law actually condemned (the holy flesh of)and therefore killed
the Lord Jesus upon the tree when He assumed (in His flesh) not only the consequence of His people's sin , but
when He also took those very sins unto Himself and bare them in His body (flesh), thereby bringing death unto
His Own Holy body. In the same way this experience continues in the suffering, believing child of God.
"...For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.... "...Insomuch that we
despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth
the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;.." 2 Cor 1:5,
9-10.
Certainly, the Apostle is not here speaking of physical death which through sin in the mortal physical
bodies will finally destroy them- as many believe and teach, but he is rather speaking of the inability of their
human flesh without the deliverance of Christ within to perform works of righteousness in the sight of God - that
is, the inability to perform spiritual actions and works. There are no conditions whatever upon the creature's part
to attain unto this state; but the opposite is actually shown by the Apostle: In verse 14 of Rom 8 Paul says:
"...For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God..." A little later he adds: .." For the earnest
expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God...". (verse 19) To my mind in the latter
statement the apostle is further explaining the same thing as the former statement: that is, that the leading of
Christ's Spirit within His children is what manifests them as the children of God, and what Paul here calls "the
earnest expectation" is the same as what he calls in other places "Christ in you" - "...To whom God would make
known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of
glory..." Col 1:27.
The leading of Christ's Spirit is the Hope within, and is the very earnest of their expectation by
faith of Him within, so (in this way) they are debtors not to the flesh which is dead because of sin, but to Christ,
the Spirit of Life within them. Christ's Spirit in this way
"... Bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God..." verse 16.
And then again the Apostle brings the suffering part of this experience into view:
"... And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also
glorified together..." verse 17.
This earnest expectation of the new creature in Christ waited in a historical and spiritual sense during the days of the Apostolic Age in the purpose of God for the completion and consummation
of the legal economy, because the Law Dispensation must be brought to a full and final termination that the Word
of God should be fulfilled:
"... Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away..." Matt
24:35, "...Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth
shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away..." Mark 13:30-31.
"... But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have
put down all rule and all authority and power.
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death..." 1 Cor 15:20-26.
The new creature(s) (who had the firstfruits of the Spirit) then waited in their order with all the (spiritual) creation
of God for the manifestation of the Old Testament saints, who would be brought to their own resurrection with
the N.T. saints:
"...And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped..." Rev 14:13-16.
"...For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And
not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body..." Rom 8:22-23.
"... For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with
him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the
Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord..." 1 Th 4:14-17.
To my mind, this "body" is the body (not "bodies" singularly) collectively of all of the saints both of the Old and
New Testaments as they are joined together as heirs and joint heirs with Christ and are thus manifested as the
sons of God in Christ at His appearing kingdom and Gospel glory. Christ has also redeemed these O. T. saints
from the curse of the Law, by becoming a curse for them:
"... But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons..." Gal 4:4-5.
These saints (both OT and NT) have now received the adoption, by the
fulfillment of the legal requirements of adoption as specified by the law, as Christ has fulfilled the Law for and in
them:
"...And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,
Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ..." Gal 4:6-7.
According to the law (of Jews and Gentiles) no one could have this deliverance until they had fully received all
the benefits of a legally consumated adoption. ie, The Spirit of adoption is in the son's hearts. They are no more
under the bondage of a servile law of sin and death that only makes the commandment "exceedingly sinful", but
can bring no deliverance from bondage:
"...For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh..." Rom 8:3.
These O. T. saints all died in faith, not having received the promises in Christ. "...But having seen them afar off,
and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the
earth..." Heb 11:13.
But must not the O. T. saints also finally receive the full benefit of these promises?
"... But now they (The O.T. saints) desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city..." Heb 11:16.
The blood of Jesus flowed from the former sea to the hinder sea, or from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, and covered all of His saints
from the beginning of His creation to and until the ends of all the earth:
"... And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:
But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at
evening time it shall be light.
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea,
and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one..." Zec
14:6-9.
At the evening time of the Old legal dispensation, when the apostles had finished the work given them to do in
preaching the gospel as it was established throughout the world of those called to glory - When Christ appeared
in judgment and glory upon the Jews and the nations of the world to bring in an everlasting righteousness, then
the light and glory of the finished work of the Lord Jesus fully shined, and will forever to all the heirs of promise -
while the combination of day and night yet stood during the Apostolic Age and during the time the Apostles were
still preaching the everlasting Gospel, beginning at Jerusalem and in all the world of the new creation that the
Spirit directed their Gospel to; for in that day, beginning at Jerusalem the water of Life of Jesus by virtue of His
shed blood flowed East to the Caspian, and West to the Mediterranean and beyond, for in His name should the
Gentiles trust.
"... But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he
shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young
lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them..." Isa 11:4-6.
"... They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
LORD, as the waters cover the sea..." Isa 11: 9.
At the first coming of the Lord suddenly to His holy temple (a body prepared for Him) and to accomplish the work
of eternal redemption for His people, and during the Apostolic Age there was an interim period before the Gospel
Age was to be fully established. During the Apostle's age Old Jerusalem was yet standing, and from the Apostle's
perspective was called "Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage"... Gal 4:25-26 - We need to understand that
there could not be two Jerusalems (The Old and The New) standing at the same time. One of them had to finally
give way for the other to appear in all it's full glory. These things John wrote much about in what is called the
Apocalypse and which is properly named so in that there was to be a final destruction and consumation of the
Old Jerusalem system, (though at the time of the Apostles was still standing:)
"... Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge
of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the
overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night:
and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap
himself in it.
For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his
work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act..." Isa 28:15-21.
From a historical standpoint, there was no "making haste" by the Apostles while they waited for the coming of
the Lord, because they were saved by the hope of Christ's promised coming, and they in patience waited for it.
The legal covenant with death should be disannulled, and their agreement with the grave should not stand when
they should be trodden down by the overflowing scourge of judgment. And as the Hebrews writer said: "...For if
we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries..." Heb
10:26-27.
"... And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it..." Rom 8:23-25.
"... And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb.
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner
of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall
serve him:
And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth
them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever..." Rev 22:1-5.
OAB