Friday 05 June 2020

Psalm: Psalm 100

Background

Romans 8 could rightly be called a ‘chapter on the Spirit’, with references to the Spirit occurring over twenty times within the text. Building on earlier references throughout the letter, the chapter clarifies and explains the gift and the role of the Spirit in the life of the believer. Prior to this passage, Paul has set up a contrast between life according to the Spirit and life according to the ‘flesh’ (the ‘sinful nature’), reminding his readers that those who are in Christ are those who are led by the Spirit (8:1-11)!

Since that is the case, Paul begins with the metaphor of Christians being ‘debtors’ to the Spirit. It is to the Spirit that believers are obligated, not to the flesh – by which Paul means the sinful disposition that leads people away from God (verse 12). The flesh, Paul continues, brings death, but the Spirit brings life (verse 13). And so Christians are to ‘put to death’ the deeds of the flesh. Older translations use the word ‘mortify’ for this Greek verb, and that captures the sense of seriously dealing with sin in the life of the Christian.

Pursuing the way of the Spirit is important because it is as Christians are led by the Spirit that they show themselves to be children of God (verse 14). The Spirit does not shrink back into fear, but reminds those in Christ of their adoption. And so Christians can pray to God as ‘Abba,’ just as Jesus did (Mark 14:36), and as they do so the Spirit brings to mind their adoption as God’s children (verse 15-16).

Those who are children of God are heirs of God and heirs with Christ – due to inherit all the riches of the kingdom and the life of glory that belong to God (verse 17). And yet the path to that destiny will be marked by suffering. Just as Jesus suffered, those who follow Jesus will find themselves suffering with him, sharing the life of the cross so that one day they might share his risen life.

To Ponder:

•  How does the thought of being adopted by God affect your relationship with God?
• In what ways do your consciously seek to walk according to the way of the Spirit?