All Things Working (Part 1)

(Pre-read Romans 8:1-17)


Verses 1-15 explain that we human beings - God's creation - may live in the Spirit
or in the flesh (what we Christians understand as carnality). Paul explains to the reader
the difference between the two.  Clearly, we make a decision to walk in the flesh
or in the Spirit.

There is a distinction between the two - living as spiritually-minded persons brings
life and peace; living as carnally or fleshly-minded person brings death.
Paul explains that Jesus Christ  "condemned sin in the flesh that the righteous requirement
of the law might be fulfilled in US (we believers) who do not walk according to the
flesh but according to the Spirit."

In Romans 7:24, Paul says, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me
from this body of death?" We know by the information in the previous paragraph
who delivers us, but HOW does He deliver us? Chapter 8:16-17 says "the Spirit
Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children,
then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ IF indeed we suffer with him
that we may also be glorified together."

I Peter 4:1, 2 - "Therefore since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also
with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men
but for the will of God."

(Also, I Peter 4:12-19)