Romans 8:12-39

The interpretation of the character and obligations of human life, under the power of the indwelling Spirit, in relation to creation and to GOD.
(12) If then all this is true, that our spirit in its warfare with the flesh is reinforced by GOD’s Spirit, our life intimately dependent upon Christ living in us through that Spirit, then the duty of the Christian is clear; it is a duty not to the flesh but to the spirit, not to live as the flesh dictates, but to live as the spirit dictates, bringing through a fleshly death to a spiritual life all the doings and farings of the body; (14) only so, as always answering to the leading of the Spirit, do we act up to our character as sons of GOD—a character which has replaced that of slaves, which enjoins a free appeal to the Father’s love and answers to the inner testimony of His Spirit acting upon ours—(17) only so, do we claim as children our share of the life of GOD in Christ, a share of present suffering as the means to a share in the future glory. (18) For we cannot disregard this character of fleshly death, of present sufferings: nor should we try to do so: they are the stamp placed upon creation to mark its vanity, its transitory character, its merely preliminary and preparatory quality: corruption in nature and in man is the evidence of a redemption now working through the breaking up of present conditions and one day to be manifested in the establishment of a glorious freedom: (23) our adoption to sonship is inchoate but incomplete, and a strain and trial now of mortal nature: hope is its inspiration: patience and endurance its condition: the joy and glory it points to are incomparably greater than the trials and troubles of the present.

(26) Corresponding to this present condition of our nature is the activity of the Spirit helping our infirmity, by supplementing our ignorant and feeble prayers with His indescribable intercessions known in their fullest meaning only to GOD, (28) to us known only as the incontestable labours of GOD Himself in carrying out His purpose for the creatures of His love, through the whole wonderful progress from the first idea He formed of them as to be sharers in the character of His Son, through His determination, call, justification, to that final consummation, in which He brings them to the full concrete realisation of His glory.
(31) And as our ultimate comfort and joy we reflect that all this unspeakable procedure rests upon the firm foundation of GOD’S love—instanced by His not sparing His own Son: that act shows that He can grudge nothing to us in the fulfilment of His purpose—no voice can be raised against us, no judgment delivered, when His voice and judgment have been declared in Christ, dead or rather risen from death, throned at GOD’S right hand, interceding for us. (35) Christ in His love has passed through all the possibilities of human experience in bodily and spiritual pain: they cannot separate us from Him. He has faced and subjugated all the most tremendous facts and forces and conditions and influences under which man is placed: they cannot separate us from Him. And to say that is to Bay, that nothing can separate us from the love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Note the refrain Romans 5:11; Romans 5:21; Romans 6:23; Romans 7:25; Romans 8:11 (alibi), 39. This section sums up the bearing of the whole preceding argument upon the character and relations of human life: and ends in the sublime assertion of the Love of GOD as the spring and root of all GOD’S dealings with man, as revealed in the Gospel. Then out of the very heart of this overwhelming joy springs the tremendous problem of Israel’s rejection of the Love of GOD (cc. 9–11).