Romans 8 explained: No Condemnation, No Separation

Freed from condemnation (vv. 1-4)

Paul says those joined to Jesus no longer face God's sentence of guilt, because God's Spirit has freed them from the hold of sin, which leads to death. The law of Moses could not change people from the inside, so God sent his Son as a real human being to deal with sin (in verse 3, some translations say 'to be a sin offering', others simply 'for sin').

Two ways to live (vv. 5-13)

Here 'flesh' does not mean the body itself but human life driven by its own wants and turned away from God, while 'Spirit' means God's own Spirit living in a person. Paul says the first way leads to death and the second to life and peace, including the future raising of mortal bodies just as God raised Jesus (v. 11).

Adopted as God's children (vv. 14-17)

Paul uses adoption, which in Roman law gave an adopted son full rights in his new family, to describe how God's Spirit makes people God's children, able to call him 'Abba', the Aramaic word for father that Jesus used in prayer (Mark 14:36). Children inherit, so they will share Jesus's glory, though verse 17 adds that they share his sufferings first.

A groaning, waiting world (vv. 18-27)

Paul pictures the whole natural world as trapped in decay and groaning like a woman in labor as it waits to be freed along with God's children, which many readers link to the curse on the ground in Genesis 3. Believers groan too as they wait for their bodies to be raised, and when they cannot find words to pray, God's Spirit prays for them with groans too deep for words.

God's purpose (vv. 28-30)

Translations differ in verse 28: some say God works in all things for the good of those who love him, others that all things work together for good for them, and neither says that everything that happens is itself good. Verses 29 and 30 trace a chain from God knowing people beforehand to their final glory, told as if already done, and Christians disagree over whether this means God chose individuals in advance or foresaw who would respond.

Nothing can separate (vv. 31-39)

Paul pictures a courtroom where no charge can stand against those God declares in the right, because Jesus died, was raised and now speaks up for them from the place of highest honor beside God. Quoting Psalm 44, he admits believers still suffer and even die, yet insists that no hardship, death, spiritual power or anything else in creation can cut them off from God's love.

Key verse: Romans 8:1

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether verses 29 to 30 and 38 to 39 mean that God chose in advance who will be saved and will keep them from ever being lost (the view of Reformed Protestants, who follow John Calvin), or that they describe God's purpose for people who freely respond and keep trusting, with warnings like verse 13 showing a person can still turn away (the view of Catholic, Orthodox, Methodist and many other Christians).

Something to think about

When life has been at its hardest for you, what, if anything, helped you feel you were still loved?