Life in the Spirit
8 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, weakened as it was by the sinful nature, our Father did: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as a sin offering, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the sinful nature set their minds on what that nature desires, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind governed by the sinful nature is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind governed by the sinful nature is hostile to our Father, for it does not submit to our Father's law, indeed it cannot. 8 Those ruled by the sinful nature cannot please our Father.
9 But you are not ruled by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of our Father lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of our Father, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who lives in you.
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors — but not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of our Father are children of our Father. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" a a v15 Abba — Jesus’ own intimate cry to the Father in Gethsemane. By the Spirit of restoration, the same cry becomes ours: we call to our Father with the same closeness Jesus does. 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of our Father. 17 And if children, then heirs — heirs of our Father and co-heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him.
Creation Waits for the Father's Children
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the children of our Father to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility — not willingly, but because of him who subjected it — in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of our Father. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves — who have the firstfruits of the Spirit — also groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our full rights as sons to be restored, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to our Father's will.
28 And we know that for those who love our Father, all things work together for good — for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. b b v29 Our Father's eternal purpose is a family — Jesus the firstborn Son, and many brothers and sisters conformed to his likeness. This restoration is not metaphor; it is the family our Father always meant to have. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If our Father is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all — how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against our Father's chosen ones? Our Father is the one who justifies. 34 Who shall condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of our Father, who indeed is interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of our Father in Christ Jesus our Lord.