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Romans 8:1–2 and the Other Verses of Romans 8

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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”

Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively.  Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior.  Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This webpage could be periodically updated.  If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated.  Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.  

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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.  

When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:  

“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  

It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:  

“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”

It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:  

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”

A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned.  In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher.  Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:  

If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship:  whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living.  As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.

Note:  Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites.  Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM].  The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges.  The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity.  The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness.  In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human.  When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god.  Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.  

The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind.  In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:  

Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession.  Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram.  Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:  

Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:  

Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.  Also, it is still much more evident:  that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life.  Indeed, it is attested:  “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Note:  The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah.  Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body.  The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.  

Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest.  In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family.  Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:  

However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE.  You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Note:  Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people.  In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people.  The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23.  In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.  

Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Put succinctly:  itʼs the message rather than the messenger.  In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:  

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that.  I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book.  Worship God.”

*Note:  The word says is in the Greek historical present tense.  By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.  

Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated.  That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:  

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews.  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.

Note:  The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”  

Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah.  Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared.  Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life.  Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.  

Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:  

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.  Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Behold, I tell you a mystery:  we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation.  The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation.  1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic.  In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.  

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober.  Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.  However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.  Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Note:  In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent.  In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context.  Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!”  In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness.  The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture.  In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation.  Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

The verses of the day for May 9th are Romans 8:1–2.  The title of the book Romans is also known as “The Epistle of Paul to the Romans” and “The Letter of Paul to the Romans.”  Romans was a letter written by the apostle Paul to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who were located in Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire (which was also called Rome).  The word Rome can be used to refer to the city Rome, to the kingdom of which that city was the capital, to the republic of which that city was the capital, or to the empire of which that city was the capital.  The settlement that became the city Rome was founded in the 700s B.C.  Rome eventually became a kingdom.  That kingdom is known as the Roman Kingdom.  Then Rome became a republic.  That republic is known as the Roman Republic.  After that, Rome became an empire.  That empire is known as the Roman Empire.  The Lord Jesus Christ was born during the time of the Roman Empire.  

Below is a link to a map that shows the location of the capital city Rome.  Jerusalem is also on the map.  At the time that the apostle Paul wrote the book Romans, Jerusalem was under the control of the Roman Empire.  At that time, Jerusalem was within the Roman province of Judea [joo-DEE-uh or joo-DAY-uh].  The word Judea can also be spelled Judaea or Judæa.  The character æ is a ligature [LIG-uh-chuhr or LIG-uh-choor] of a and e.  Before the Romans conquered the region known as Judea, the name of the country of the Jewish people was Judah.  The inhabitants of Judah can be referred to as Judahites [JOO-duh-ights].  The inhabitants of Judea can be referred to as Judeans [joo-DEE-uhnz or joo-DAY-uhnz].  

https://NETBible.org/media/images/constable/45Rom-1.jpg

Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Romans 8.  

Note:  In notes for Romans 8 further below, the Church Age is mentioned.  With regard to the Church Age, below is a synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations.  In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn].  This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity.  The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis].  After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights.  He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected.  He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026.  

Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m.  In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word.  The formation of the word judgment is shown below.  

judge −e +ment

= judg +ment

= judgment

Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations.  Civilizations begin only with believers.  Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood).  That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization.  In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood.  Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.  

After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth:  Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives.  With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started.  That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization).  Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood.  Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial.  The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth.  Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood.  This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent.  The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.  

Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire.  That civilization is called the Millennium.  The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation.  The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.  

Romans 8:1

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 

Note:  The wordTherefore in Romans 8:1 references content that precedes Romans 8.  When a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that person is no longer condemned to eternal judgment.  Instead, that person has positional sanctification.  The term positional sanctification refers to God the Holy Spirit baptizing every Church Age believer in the Lord Jesus Christ into Jesus Christ, which means placing every Church Age believer into union with the Person of Jesus Christ.  In other words, God the Holy Spirit makes every Church Age believer associated with the Lord.  God the Holy Spirit does the baptizing of a believer at the moment of salvation of that believer.  This association with the Lord Jesus Christ is a guarantee of eternal security, which means that the salvation of a believer can never be lost.  Regarding the foregoing, Romans 8:1 is an eternal-security verse.  In other words, this verse calls attention to the fact that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have eternal security.  

Romans 8:2

for the law of the Spirit of life by means of Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Note:  In this verse, the word law is used figuratively in both instances of the usage of that word.  At the moment that a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, God the Holy Spirit frees that believing person from the influence of the old sin nature (OSN).  Every human except the Lord Jesus Christ has acquired an old sin nature, and each humanʼs old sin nature is in the body of that human.  The old sin nature, which is referenced in Ephesians 4:22 with the term old man, can also be referred to as the sin nature.  It is also referenced using the word flesh in Ephesians 2:3 and Galatians 5:16.  The content of Romans 6:6 associates the sin nature with peopleʼs bodies, and the content of Romans 7:17–18 references the sin nature being in peopleʼs bodies.  Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve) were created without old sin natures, and they acquired old sin natures when they sinned.  All other human beings have been conceived.  Only the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived without an old sin nature.  All the other humans that were conceived have been conceived with old sin natures.  Likewise, all humans in the future will be conceived, and the conceiving of each of them will involve each of them receiving an old sin nature at the moment that each of them will be conceived.  

A person whose thinking is controlled by his or her old sin nature is a person who is in a condition that can be referred to as being spiritually dead.  Unbelievers are always spiritually dead.  In that regard, an unbeliever lacks a human spirit.  A human spirit is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God.  In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general.  Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  

When an unbeliever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that unbeliever becomes a believer and is spiritually alive at the moment of salvation.  The new believer then remains spiritually alive until that believer sins after salvation.  When a believer sins after salvation, that believer then becomes spiritually dead, and that believer then remains spiritually dead until that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins in accordance with 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Because sinning results in spiritual death, sinning can be referred to as the sting of death.  

Absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything involving people making themselves free.  Instead, all that is mentioned is the Lord Jesus Christ making people free.  If people were able to contribute to their own salvation, then this verse would need to indicate that the Lord merely helps people be free.  Instead, this verse indicates that the Lord is the One Who makes people free.  

Romans 8:3

Indeed, what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, having sent His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin and for sin, condemned/judged the sin in the flesh 

Note:  In this verse, the Mosaic Law is what the word Law references.  The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites.  Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law.  The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic Law, no believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  The content of Romans 8:3 indicates that the Mosaic Law is unable to provide eternal life for a person.  In other words, trying to obey the regulations of the Mosaic Law is unable to provide eternal life for a person.  Instead, God the Father sent God the Son to take the form of a human for the purpose of God the Son, in His human flesh, bearing the judgment for the sins of humanity.  The reference to the Mosaic Law in the phrase in that it was weak through the flesh is a metaphorical reference to the weakness of the people who try to obtain eternal life by means of trying to obey the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  Regarding the word flesh in that phrase, everyone who has an old sin nature is weak insofar as trying to obtain eternal life by means of trying to obey the regulations of the Mosaic Law is concerned.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the only human Who has never had an old sin nature.  In that regard, the Lord Jesus Christ had a body that looked like a body with an old sin nature, but the Lord Jesus Christ has never had an old sin nature.  

Romans 8:4

so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Note:  In this verse, the word requirement is singular; therefore, rather than that word referring to the regulations of the Mosaic Law, that word refers to a single requirement of the Mosaic Law.  The requirement of the Mosaic Law referenced in this verse is fulfilled in people who are already believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In that regard, the requirement of the Mosaic Law referenced in this verse is fulfilled when a believer conducts himself or herself in an unselfish manner.  Conducting oneself is referenced metaphorically with the word walk in this verse.  

In this verse, walking according to the flesh metaphorically refers to a believer being under the control of his or her old sin nature, and walking according to the Spirit metaphorically refers to being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

With regard to the usage of the word flesh in Romans 8:4, it is useful to use the term status quo [STAT-uhs kwoh or STAY-tuhs kwoh], which means “existing condition.”  When a believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of carnality.  The term carnality refers to a person being controlled by that personʼs old sin nature.  

The English word carnality came from Middle English [the English language from circa A.D. 1150 to circa A.D. 1470] via Old North French [the dialects of Old French (the French language up to circa A.D. 1400) spoken in northern France] via Latin.  The word circa [SUHR-kuh] means “approximately”; circa is used before dates.  Also, the abbreviation c. can be used for the word circa.  The abbreviation A.D. means “Anno Domini.”  The phrase Anno Domini is Latin for “in the year of the Lord.”  The abbreviation A.D. should be placed before the numerals of a date but after the spelled-out words of a date.  Latin is a language that started as the language of ancient Rome.  The Latin word from which carnality is derived is carnālis [kahr-NAH-lees], which can be translated as “fleshly.”  The Latin word carnālis is derived from the Latin word carō [KAH-roh], which can be translated as “flesh.”  

When a believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of carnality.  In contrast, when a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity, that believer has a status quo of spirituality.  In that regard, spirituality is the condition of being in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  

Some people incorrectly believe that an emotionally out-of-control state is spiritual.  Similarly, some people incorrectly believe that spirituality involves following oneʼs feelings.  In reality, following oneʼs feelings involves following the temptations of oneʼs old sin nature.  Regarding the foregoing, the Biblical usage of the word spiritual refers to a believer who is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  

Romans 8:5

Indeed, those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Note:  The phrase those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh covers both unbelievers and believers.  Each unbeliever is always controlled by his or her old sin nature.  Also, when a believer sins after salvation, until that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is controlled by his or her old sin nature.  When a person is controlled by his or old sin nature, that personʼs thinking will be focused on human-viewpoint things.  The term human viewpoint refers to any viewpoint that deviates from the Word of God.  In contrast, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint of the Trinity.  All three Members of the Trinity have the same viewpoint.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can learn divine viewpoint by learning the Word of God.  Therefore, divine viewpoint is the viewpoint that comes from a proper understanding of the Word of God.  With human-viewpoint thinking, a person has unrealistic expectations regarding life.  Such a person is divorced from reality.  

The phrase those who are according to the Spirit refers to believers who are filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  When a believer is filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, that believer thinks in terms of the things of the Spirit—in other words, in terms of divine viewpoint.  That believer does such thinking in terms of divine viewpoint to the extent that that believer has learned and remembers the Word of God.  

Romans 8:6

Indeed, the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace 

Note:  A person whose thinking is controlled by his or her old sin nature is a person who is spiritually dead.  When a believer sins after salvation, until that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believerʼs thinking is controlled by that believerʼs old sin nature until that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins.  In that regard, a believer whose thinking is controlled by his or her old sin nature is a believer who is spiritually dead until that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins.  

If after a believer sins, that believer refrains from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, then that believer will remain out of fellowship with the Trinity.  In addition to such a believer being spiritually dead until that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, if that believer refrains from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, then that believer will remain out of fellowship with the Trinity.  A believer who remains out of fellowship eventually becomes a reversionist.  Such a believer reverts back to acting like unbelievers.  Being a reversionistic believer is known as being involved in reversionism.  

Ultimately, if a believer continues to refrain from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer will experience the sin unto death.  The sin unto death involves an early physical death.  For a believer who physically dies after the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst], that early physical death involves an early departure to Heaven.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  

The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026.  

The departure to Heaven of a believer who experiences the sin unto death is an early departure in the sense that it occurs at an earlier time than it would have occurred if the believer had regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  The topic of the sin unto death is covered in 1 John 5:16.  Rather than the content of 1 John 5:16 referring to some particular sin that is categorized as the sin unto death, the content of 1 John 5:16 refers to sinning in general that results in a believerʼs physical death occurring earlier than it would have had that believer regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  

In contrast to the spiritual death experienced by each unbeliever and each out-of-fellowship believer and the sin unto death experienced by each believer who refrains from confessing/acknowledging all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins to God the Father, a believer who is in fellowship with the Trinity is referred to as having a mind involving life and peace.  In that regard, the word life either refers to being in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit or refers to avoiding the sin unto death—or both.  In the context of this verse, peace refers to contentment in the believerʼs thinking.  

The content of Romans 8:6 is repeated below for reference.  

Romans 8:6

Indeed, the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace 

Romans 8:7

because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able,

Note:  In this verse, the word law refers to the Word of God in general.  Also, the mind set on the flesh is what is referenced by the pronoun it in the phrase it is not even able.  

Romans 8:8

and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Note:  In this verse, a person in the flesh is a person who is under the control of his or her old sin nature.  A person who is controlled by his or her old sin nature is unable to please God the Father.  

Romans 8:9

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you—and the Spirit of God does indeed dwell in you—but if anyone does not have the Spirit from Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Note:  Each unbeliever is always under the control of his or her old sin nature.  In contrast, each believer is always indwelt by God the Holy Spirit.  In that regard, God the Holy Spirit is referenced in this verse with both the phrase Spirit of God and the phrase Spirit from Christ.  God the Holy Spiritʼs indwelling of a believer is a pledge / down payment that guarantees that a believer will always have eternal life from the moment of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  While each believer is always indwelt by God the Holy Spirit, when a believer sins after salvation, until that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is without the filling power of God the Holy Spirit.  In that regard, this verse is focused on the contrast between an unbeliever and a believer rather than between a believer without the filling power of God the Holy Spirit and a believer with the filling power of God the Holy Spirit.  

Romans 8:10

If Christ is in you—and Christ is indeed in you—though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Note:  In addition to God the Holy Spirit indwelling each believer, God the Son indwells each believer.  Also, while the old sin nature resides in the body of each believer until that believer goes to Heaven, God the Holy Spirit makes a believer who is in fellowship with the Trinity spiritually alive because each believer received the righteousness of the Trinity at the moment of salvation.  In that regard, the righteousness of the Trinity can be referred to as +R.  The righteousness of mankind falls short of the righteousness of the Trinity; therefore, the righteousness of mankind can be referred to as −R.  Isaiah 64:6 covers the matter of the −R being contrasted with the +R of the Trinity.  In that regard, below is content related to Isaiah 64:6.  

Isaiah 64:6

However, all of us are like an unclean thing, and all our righteous deeds are like filthy rags / menstrual rags.  All of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Note:  The Hebrew word translated as “filthy” or “menstrual” in Isaiah 64:6 is עִדִּים [pronounced eed-DEEM and can be transliterated as `iddiym], which is an inflected form of the root word עִדָּה [pronounced eed-DAH and can be transliterated as `iddah].  (Hebrew is written and read from right to left.)  The Hebrew word `iddah refers to something filthy in the sense of being soiled by menstrual flux—in other words, soiled by menses, which is blood and other matter that is discharged from the uterus of a woman during menstruation.  The Hebrew word translated as “rags” in Isaiah 64:6 is בֶגֶד [pronounced VEHG-ed and can be transliterated as veged], which is an inflected form of the root word בֶּגֶד [pronounced BEHG-ed and can be transliterated as beged].  Regarding the content of Isaiah 64:6 containing the phrase `iddiym veged, the content of that verse indicates that in comparison to the righteousness of the Trinity, the righteousness of mankind is yuck, yuck, yuck!  

At the moment a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, +R is imputed to that person.  In other words, that person is credited as having righteousness, which means that that person is declared sufficiently righteous to have an eternal relationship with the Trinity.  This crediting of righteousness is a free gift that occurs at the moment a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  

The content of 2 Corinthians 5:21 covers the matter of +R being imputed to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ at the moment of salvation.  In that regard, below is the content of 2 Corinthians 5:21 for reference.  Also, there is nothing in this verse about a personʼs works being involved in the imputation of +R to that person.  

2 Corinthians 5:21

He made Him Who knew no sin:  sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in / by means of Him.  

Note:  In this verse, the pronoun He refers to God the Father, and both instances of the pronoun Him refer to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The phrase Him Who knew no sin refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being sinless—in other words, Him having been conceived without an old sin nature and Him never sinning.  Both instances of the noun sin in this verse are translations of the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek noun ἁμαρτίαν [pronounced hah-mahr-TEE-ahn and transliterated as hamartian].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word ἁμαρτία [pronounced hah-mahr-TEE-ah and transliterated as hamartia].  

The phrase sin on our behalf refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being judged for the sins of all of humanity.  Paul wrote part of this verse elliptically, omitting a verb.  That elliptical style of writing can grab the attention of a reader or hearer of this verse.  In that regard, Paul emphasizes the Lordʼs sinlessness and the Lord being judged for the sins of all of humanity.  

The content of Romans 8:10 is repeated below for reference.  

Romans 8:10

If Christ is in you—and Christ is indeed in you—though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Romans 8:11

However, if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from deaths dwells in you—and the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from deaths does indeed dwell in you—He Who raised Christ Jesus from deaths will also give life to your mortal bodies by means of His Spirit Who dwells in you.

Note:  God the Holy Spirit is the Person referenced by the phrase the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from deaths.  God the Father is the Person referenced by the pronoun Him in the phrase Him Who raised Jesus from deaths.  God the Father is also the Person referenced by the pronoun He in the phrase He Who raised Christ Jesus from deaths.  In addition, God the Father is the Person referenced by the pronoun His in the phrase His Spirit Who dwells in you.  God the Holy Spirit is the Person referenced by the phrase Spirit Who dwells in you.  

In this verse, there are two instances of the plural noun deaths.  Unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is any information indicating why the two instances of that noun are plural in this verse.  In that regard, when the Lord was being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity, He was experiencing spiritual death, and after He was finished being judged for the sins of humanity, He died physically.  It is possible that both the Lordʼs spiritual death while being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity and His physical death after He was judged for the sins of humanity are what the two instances of the word deaths reference in this verse.  

Regardless of the reason for the use of the plural word deaths in this verse, this verse indicates that God the Father will, by means of God the Holy Spirit, give life to the mortal bodies of believers.  On the occasion of the Rapture, both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will meet the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receive glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and go to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  In that regard, it is possible that each Church Age believer who goes to Heaven before the Rapture receives an interim body until he or she receives his or her resurrection body on the occasion of the Rapture, and it is possible that each believer who died before the Church Age began and each believer who will die during the Tribulation receives an interim body until he or she receives his or her resurrection body on the occasion of the Second Advent.  The adjective interim [IN-tuhr-im] means “having to do with an intermediate time period.”  Unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is whether the giving of life to believersʼ mortal bodies refers to each believer receiving an interim body or each believer receiving a resurrection body.  

Romans 8:12

Therefore, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—

Romans 8:13

for if you are living according to the flesh, you are going to die, but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Note:  In this verse, the phrase you are going to die might refer to the spiritual death experienced by a believer when that believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, or that phrase might refer to a believer experiencing the sin unto death—or both.  The phrase putting to death the deeds of the body refers to refraining from sinning.  

Romans 8:14

Indeed, all who are being led by the Spirit of God—these are sons of God.

Note:  In this verse, believers are what are referenced by the phrase sons of God.  Each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has volition (free will); therefore, whether a believer follows the leading of God the Holy Spirit is a matter of the free-will choice of that believer.  

Romans 8:15

Indeed, you have not received again a spirit of bondage for the purpose of fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba!  Father!”

Note:  In this verse, the two instances of the word spirit refer to the thinking of a person.  The phrase a spirit of bondage refers to thinking that is under the control of oneʼs old sin nature.  When a personʼs thinking is under the control of his or her old sin nature, that person will succumb to fear.  The phrase a spirit of adoption refers to a believerʼs human spirit.  In that regard, at the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God.  An unbeliever lacks a human spirit.  In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general.  Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  

In the Roman Empire at the time that Paul wrote this epistle, adoption could involve adopting a person of any age into the family of the person doing the adopting.  In the Church Age, when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that person enters into a relationship with God the Father that can be described as adoption into the family of God the Father.  In that regard, the word Abba is a transliteration of an Aramaic [ehr-uh-MAY-ik] word that means “Father.”  

Aramaic was the language of the Arameans [ehr-uh-MEE-uhnz], who were the people of the nation Aram [ah-RAHM] (Syria).  In English, the word Aram can be pronounced as AHR-uhm, EHR-uhm, or AY-ram.  Also, the word Aramean can be spelled Aramaean.  The Aramaic language was widely used by non-Aramean peoples throughout southwest Asia.  That language was also used by the Jews in that region.  The Aramaic language can also be referred to as Aramean, Chaldean [kal-DEE-uhn], Chaldaean [kal-DEE-uhn], or Chaldee [KAL-dee].  

In this verse, the Aramaic noun transliterated into English as Abba is transliterated into Koine Greek as Αββα [pronounced ahb-BAH and transliterated as Abba], which is an inflected form of the root word ἀββα [pronounced ahb-BAH and transliterated as abba].  Because the Aramaic noun Abba means “Father,” this verse contains the noun Father twice.  The second instance of the noun Father in this verse is a translation of the Koine Greek noun Πατήρ [pronounced pah-TEHR and transliterated as Pater].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word πατήρ [pronounced pah-TEHR and transliterated as pater].  

Romans 8:16

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Note:  In this verse, the word spirit with a lowercase s refers to the human spirit of a believer.  Because a believerʼs human spirit is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking that involves the Word of God, it is by means of understanding the Word of God that a believer is able to understand that believers are children of God the Father.  God the Holy Spirit provides the ability for a believerʼs human spirit to understand the Word of God; therefore, God the Holy Spirit is involved with a believerʼs human spirit regarding the matter of a believer understanding that believers are children of God the Father.  

Romans 8:17

and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer together so that we may also be glorified together.

Note:  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are fellow heirs with Him.  In that regard, believers suffer just as the Lord suffered, and believers will be glorified just as the Lord is glorified.  It is important to note that absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything indicating that believers will suffer in the exact same way that the Lord has suffered.  Likewise, it is important to note that absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything indicating that believers will be glorified in the exact same way that the Lord is glorified.  

The suffering of a believer while that believer is in fellowship with the Trinity results in glorification of that believer.  Unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is who becomes aware of that glorification.  In that regard, angels or humans or both might become aware of that glorification.  Also, animals might become aware of that glorification.  Regarding the timing of the glorification, it is possible that a believer will be glorified while that believer is experiencing suffering, and it is also possible that a believer will be glorified after that believer experiences suffering.  Regarding glorification of a believer after that believer has experienced suffering, it is possible that that glorification will be after that believer has gone to Heaven rather than before that believer goes there.  Regarding being in fellowship with the Trinity, to be in fellowship with the Trinity, a person must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and then, after committing any sins after salvation, confess/acknowledge to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins.  When a believer has unconfessed sins, that believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity is restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Romans 8:18

Indeed, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Note:  Paul was focused on eternity future, and in focusing on eternity future, he had a glass-half-full attitude with regard to sufferings—in other words, he was optimistic with regard to sufferings.  

Romans 8:19

Indeed, the anxious longing of the Creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

Note:  In this verse, Creation is personified.  In that regard, Creation is described as a person waiting.  Also, in the context of Romans 8, the phrase sons of God in this verse refers to believers.  On the occasion of the Second Advent, Church Age believers will return to the earth with the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Millennium will begin after the Second Advent, and there will be perfect environment on the earth during the Millennium.  

Romans 8:20

Indeed, the Creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him Who subjected it—in hope / absolute confidence 

Romans 8:21

that the Creation itself also will be set free from its bondage to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Note:  As a result of Adam sinning, perfect environment was changed into imperfect environment.  In that regard, God the Father has sovereignty [supreme authority] over Creation.  The content of Genesis 3:17 references perfect environment being changed into imperfect environment.  

Regarding imperfect environment, the natural world tends towards disorder.  The tendency towards disorder is known as entropy [EN-truh-pee].  The fact that the natural world tends towards disorder without the intervention of an intelligent life form to organize things is a reflection of the condition of the world since the Fall of Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve).  While perfect environment was changed into imperfect environment, believers can have absolute confidence that the imperfect environment of Creation will eventually be changed back to perfect environment.  That perfect environment will exist during the Millennium.  

Romans 8:22

Indeed, we know that the whole Creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

Note:  In Romans 8:22, the apostle Paul personified Creation as being able to groan and suffer the pains of childbirth.  This personification metaphorically calls attention to the cursing of Creation that resulted from the Fall of Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve).  Unspecified in Romans 8 is to what the word Creation refers.  For example, does it refer to the earth and the first heavens (the atmosphere of the earth)?  Does it refer to the material universe, which includes the earth, its atmosphere, and all of the stars, planets, and other objects in the second heavens (outer space)?  The first heavens are also known as the first heaven.  The second heavens are also known as the second heaven.  The word Creation in Romans 8:22 appears to refer to something other than the Third Heaven (also known as Third Heavens or simply as Heaven), which is where the throne room of God the Father is located and which is a magnificent place.  

Regardless of to what the word Creation in Romans 8:22 refers, Paul indicated that the cursing of Creation continued up to the moment that Paul wrote this epistle.  That cursing of Creation continues to this day on which this message has been composed.  That cursing will continue until the Millennium, the 1,000-year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth.  

Romans 8:23

Not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Note:  Under the Mosaic Law, among the various sacrifices that the Israelites had to offer to God the Father, one category of offerings was that of the first fruits (also spelled as firstfruits), which were the first-gathered produce of a harvest.  The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites.  Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law.  The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic Law, no believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.  

Unspecified in Romans 8 is to what the phrase first fruits of the Spirit refers.  Also, in Romans 8:23, the phrase waiting eagerly for adoption as sons refers to the phrase the redemption of our body.  The phrase the redemption of our body refers to ultimate sanctification.  The term ultimate sanctification refers to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receiving a resurrection body.  For Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, the receiving of a resurrection body will occur at the Rapture.  

Given that the context of the content of Romans 8:23 involves a reference to first fruits and ends with a reference to believers receiving resurrection bodies on the occasion of the Rapture, it is possible that both references are part of a harvest metaphor.  In such a metaphor, the first fruits refers to the beginning of the harvest, and believersʼ receipt of resurrection bodies is involved in the end of the harvest.  If Paul was using that metaphor in Romans 8:23, then the phrase the first fruits of the Spirit would involve what God the Holy Spirit does for each believer at the moment of salvation.  For example, at the moment of salvation, God the Holy Spirit baptizes a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ into union with Christ—in other words, God the Holy Spirit makes the believer associated with the Lord.  Also, at the moment of salvation, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit enables a Church Age believer to deal with the suffering that is referenced in the phrase even we ourselves groan within ourselves.  In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again, in fellowship with the Trinity again, and ready to learn and obey the Word of God again.  

Romans 8:24

Indeed, with reference to hope / confident expectation we have been saved, but hope / confident expectation that is seen is not hope / confident expectation, for who hopes for what he sees?

Note:  Believers have been saved for the purpose of having a blessed future.  In that regard, believers should have hope / confident expectation regarding that future.  Something associated with that future is mentioned in verse 23.  In that verse, there is a reference to a resurrection body for each believer.  The phrase but hope / confident expectation that is seen is not hope / confident expectation, for who hopes for what he sees calls attention to the fact that the receipt of a resurrection body and the experiencing of other blessings will occur after the time that Paul wrote this epistle.  

For each Church Age believer, the receipt of a resurrection body will occur at the Rapture.  Then, during the time of the seven-year Tribulation that will start with the Rapture and end with the Second Advent, the Lordʼs evaluation of Church Age believers and the Lordʼs giving of eternal rewards to Church Age believers will occur.  The Lordʼs evaluation of Church Age believers is known as the Judgment Seat of Christ and also known as the Bema [BAY-muh] Seat.  The English word Bema Seat is derived from the Koine Greek word βῆμα [pronounced BAY-mah and transliterated as bema], which can be translated as “judgment seat.”  At the time of the writing of the New Testament, a judgment seat was a raised seat—in other words, a seat at a higher level of elevation than the floor or ground around the seat.  The evaluation of Church Age believers is referenced in the content of 1 Corinthians 3:11–15 and also in 2 Corinthians 5:10.  Of course, for the believers that go to Heaven before the Rapture, that going to Heaven is a blessing that will occur before the Rapture.  

Romans 8:25

However, if we hope for what we do not see—and we do indeed hope for what we do not see—with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

Note:  In order to have perseverance regarding the anticipation of future blessings, a believer needs to be in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  

Romans 8:26

In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with unutterable groanings,

Note:  While believers can have some knowledge about how to pray—including for what to pray—God the Holy Spirit, Who is omniscient [all-knowing], makes requests on behalf of believers.  It is logical to conclude that those requests are made to God the Father because the Lord Jesus Christ indicated that all prayer should be addressed to God the Father.  In Romans 8:26, the phrase unutterable groanings calls attention to the fact that believers are unaware of what God the Holy Spirit requests.  Also, the word groanings in that phrase provides a memory link to the suffering referenced in verses 22 and 23.  In describing God the Holy Spiritʼs requests as groanings, the apostle Paul calls attention to the fact that God the Holy Spirit sympathizes with believers regarding the suffering that believers experience before going to Heaven.  

Romans 8:27

and He Who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He intercedes for the saints / holy ones / set-apart ones according to God.

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  In the context of Romans 8:27, the phrase He Who searches refers to God the Father.  Just as God the Holy Spirit is omniscient [all-knowing], so also God the Father is omniscient.  

The term saints / holy ones / set-apart ones refers to believers.  All believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are saints.  In other words, they are holy, which means that they are set apart.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have a relationship with the Trinity, while unbelievers lack a relationship with the Trinity.  At the moment of salvation, a believer becomes a saint / holy one / set-apart one.  

In Romans 8:27, the phrase according to God refers to the interceding by God the Holy Spirit being according to the will of God the Father.  In that regard, all three Members of the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—think in perfect harmony with each Other and act in perfect harmony with each Other.  Because all three Members of the Trinity think in perfect harmony with each Other and act in perfect harmony with each Other, why does God the Holy Spirit intercede on behalf of believers?  That is unspecified in the content of Romans 8.  Even though that is unspecified in the content of Romans 8, believers can still find comfort from knowing that God the Holy Spirit intercedes for them and that that intercession is in accordance with the will of God the Father.  

Romans 8:28

Moreover, we know that God works all things together for good for those who love / exhibit benevolence toward / exhibit goodwill toward God [one early manuscript reads all things work together for good to those who love / exhibit benevolence toward / exhibit goodwill toward God], for those who are called according to predetermined plan 

Note:  In Romans 8:28, the phrase those who are called refers to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Also, in Romans 8:28, there is an absence of a definite article in front of the noun that is translated as “predetermined plan.”  The absence of a definite article in front of a noun is known as an anarthrous construction [an-AR-thruhs kuhn-STRUHK-shuhn].  When there is an anarthrous construction, the quality of the noun is what is being emphasized in the grammar of the Koine Greek.  In that regard, the quality of the predetermined plan is being emphasized in this verse.  In the content of Romans 8:28, God the Father is being referenced; therefore, the predetermined plan is God the Fatherʼs predetermined plan.  

Regarding the roles of the Members of the Trinity, God the Father does the planning, God the Son executes the plan, and God the Holy Spirit reveals the plan.  Regarding God the Holy Spirit revealing the plan of God the Father, God the Holy Spirit makes the Word of God understandable to a believer who is learning the Word of God while in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  Regarding being in fellowship with the Trinity and filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

Romans 8:29

because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined conformed ones to the image/likeness of His Son, so that He would be the Firstborn among many brethren, 

Note:  The ones who are conformed to the image/likeness of God the Son are believers.  Regarding predestining, God the Father chose/elected people who He knew would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  In that regard, God the Father knew in eternity past who would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  Because God the Father is omniscient [all-knowing], He knew in eternity past what decisions each human being would choose to make.  Because God the Father is just, He permits each human being to make use of his or her volition [voh-LISH-uhn or vuh-LISH-uhn] (free will).  Because God the Father knew ahead of time what decisions each human being would choose to make, God the Father foreknew what those decisions would be.  With that knowledge about every humanʼs choices, God the Father decreed that those people would indeed make the choices that He knew that they would choose to make.  His decree predestined those choices to indeed occur.  No matter what Satan or any other angel or any human being or any other creature would try to do to prevent those choices from being made, God the Fatherʼs predestining of those choices ensures that those choices will indeed be made.  In that way, God the Father ensures that each human is able to make choices from his or her volition (free will).  In that regard, God the Father predestined that peopleʼs free-will decisions to become believers in the Lord Jesus Christ would indeed occur.  

If God the Father were to make peopleʼs choices for them instead of permitting each person to make his or her own decisions from his or her volition (free will), then God the Father would be showing partiality toward certain people.  Rather than being partial, God the Father is impartial.  This matter of God the Fatherʼs impartiality is referenced in Romans 2:11.  In that regard, below is content related to Romans 2:11.  

Romans 2:11

Indeed, there is no partiality with God.

Unspecified in the content of Romans 8 is how believers are conformed to the image/likeness of God the Son.  Conforming to the image/likeness of God the Son might refer to obeying the Word of God as much as possible.  In that regard, the Lord Jesus Christ obeyed the Word of God 100% of the time.  Conforming to the image/likeness of God the Son might also refer to each believer receiving a resurrection body similar to that of the Lordʼs resurrection body.  

The firstborn is the first child to be born in a family.  In the culture of the Roman Empire at the time of the writing of this epistle from Paul to the Roman believers, the firstborn male child was typically the highest ranking child in the family.  In that regard, Church Age believers are described as a family in 1 John 3:1, and the Lord is also part of that family.  In addition, the words brethren, brother, and sister are used to refer to fellow believers.  Those three words have a connotation of a family relationship.  

The content of Romans 8:29 is repeated below for reference.  

Romans 8:29

because those whom He foreknew, He also predestined conformed ones to the image/likeness of His Son, so that He would be the Firstborn among many brethren, 

Romans 8:30

and these whom He predestined, He also called, and these whom He called, He also justified, and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Note:  Being called can refer to being invited or to being called for the performing of a duty or duties.  Unspecified in Romans 8 is which of those is the usage of the word called.  God the Father called the people who would become believers because He knew that they would choose to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  

At the moment a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, God the Father justifies that person.  Being justified means being qualified to have a relationship with the Trinity and therefore being qualified to go to Heaven.  In that regard, justification is a result of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  

The glorification of Church Age believers will occur at the Rapture.  As mentioned in the notes for verse 22, the Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Also as mentioned in the notes for verse 22, the Rapture will occur at the end of the Church Age.  

Unspecified in Romans 8:30 is when what is described by the verbs in that verse occurs.  While predestining and calling occurred in eternity past, justification occurs at the moment of salvation, and glorification will occur at the Rapture.  In that regard, sometimes verbs are used in such a manner that grammatically indicates something occurring in the past when what is described by the verb could occur at a time other than the past.  Verbs can be used in this way in order to indicate that something is certain to happen.  With regard to that usage, when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, it is absolutely certain that God the Father will justify that believer.  Likewise, it is absolutely certain that God the Father will glorify Church Age believers on the occasion of the Rapture.  

Romans 8:31

What then shall we say to these things?  If God for us, who against us?

Note:  Paul wrote the second sentence in Romans 8:31 elliptically, omitting the verb is.  He omitted it twice.  Regarding that second sentence, no one can compare to the Trinity.  In that regard, whoever is against a believer is far less powerful than God the Father.  

Romans 8:32

He Who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him over for us all—how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Note:  God the Fatherʼs sending of God the Son to be judged for the sins of humanity reveals the graciousness of God the Father.  Because God the Father is indeed gracious, He is willing to abundantly bless believers.  It must be remembered, of course, that such blessing could occur after the believer goes to Heaven.  

Romans 8:33

Who will bring a charge against Godʼs elect?  God is the One Who justifies.  

Note:  In Romans 8:33, the word elect refers to believers.  Also, the context of Romans 8 is such that the phrase bring a charge against refers to accusing with regard to whether a believer is qualified to go to Heaven.  In that regard, God the Father justifies each believer at the moment of salvation; therefore, any accusation that a believer is unqualified to go to Heaven is an empty accusation—in other words, the accusation is false.  

Romans 8:34

Who is the one who condemns?  Christ Jesus is He Who died, yes, rather Who was raised [one early manuscript reads raised from the dead], Who is at the right hand of God, Who also intercedes for us.

Note:  Anyone who condemns a believer in the sense of claiming that that believer is unqualified to go to Heaven is insignificant in comparison to the Lord Jesus Christ.  In contrast, the significance of the Lord Jesus Christ is indicated by means of the phrase at the right hand of God.  The right-hand side of a ruler is a place of honor.  What does the One Who is at the place of honor related to God the Father do with regard to believers?  He intercedes on behalf of them.  Just as the content of Romans 8:27 references God the Holy Spirit interceding on behalf of believers, so also the content of Romans 8:32 references the Lord Jesus Christ interceding on behalf of believers.  

Romans 8:35

Who will separate us from the love/benevolence/goodwill of Christ [two early manuscripts read God]?  Will tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?—

Note:  In answer to the question in the first sentence of Romans 8:35, no one will separate believers from the love/benevolence/goodwill of the Trinity.  All the Members of the Trinity function in harmony; therefore, regardless of whether the content of Romans 8:35 that was in the original copy of Paulʼs epistle to the Romans contained the word Christ or the word God, no one will separate believers from the love/benevolence/goodwill of any Member of the Trinity.  Also, not only will no person separate believers from the love/benevolence/goodwill of the Trinity, nothing will separate believers from the love/benevolence/goodwill of the Trinity.  

Romans 8:36

just as it is written:  “FOR YOUR SAKE, WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

Note:  The content of Romans 8:36 references the content of Psalm 44:22.  

Romans 8:37

However, in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him Who loved / exhibited benevolence toward / exhibited goodwill toward us.

Note:  Regardless of the suffering that a believer experiences in time, the believer is on the winning side regarding that suffering.  It might seem like a believer is on the losing side in a situation or situations involving suffering; however, when that believer goes to Heaven, the victory of that believer will become obvious.  

Romans 8:38

Indeed, I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers 

Romans 8:39

nor height nor depth nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love/benevolence/goodwill of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Note:  In Romans 8:38, the word principalities refers to those of high rank.  Unspecified in the context of Romans 8 is whether principalities refers to high-ranking angels or high-ranking humans—or both.  Regardless of to whom of high rank the word principalities refers, no one of high rank can separate believers from the love/benevolence/goodwill of God the Father.  Indeed, no created thing can separate believers from the love/benevolence/goodwill of God the Father.  In that regard, the phrase which is in Christ Jesus our Lord calls attention to the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is the One Who made it possible for believers to experience the prevention of separation from the love/benevolence/goodwill of God the Father.  The Lord Jesus Christ made that possible by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity.  

Sincerely,

John