Romans 6-8 (The Daily Walk Bible).
We once again have a beautiful picture of how baptism by immersion reflects what happens to us when we believe (6:3-5)!
There is a good reminder here that we belong to who we serve (6:16). When we choose to serve God, we will receive his approval. And we now have the power to serve God because of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So, if the law only shows us our sin and we end up condemned, is the law evil? NO! The fault is in our selves, in our nature. If we could keep it, the law could save! But we can’t, which is why we need our nature changed.
There is some discussion about the “when” that Paul is referring to in 7:19. I think that in Galatians we see how we still struggle against our sinful nature as believers. Here is seems that Paul is talking about our lives pre-conversion. “When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway” (7:19).
In addition to what we’ve already discussed, chapter 8 reminds us of some amazing truths. No condemnation (8:1)! Help in prayer (8:26)! God working all things for His good (8:28)! And the fact that when we are His, we stay His (8:35-39)!
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Amen! Praise God that nothing can ever separate us from him.