The eighth chapter of Romans contains such important revelation that I chose to paraphrase it. It’s too long of a chapter to include it, but I would recommend having an open Bible next to my paraphrase.
PARAPHRASE 8:1-8 – Those who have accepted Jesus will never face God’s wrath and judgment. The Spirit of God has taken them off of the treadmill of sin that leads to death and condemnation. God’s Law is good, but my flesh was too weak to keep it entirely. Therefore, the Father sent His Son to suffer all the condemnation mankind deserved. Though we are still sinners, the Holy Spirit enables us to fulfill the good intention of the Law; the righteousness that God desires. Of course, this is only possible if the Spirit is in charge of our lives. If not, our sinful mind is still hostile to God’s rule. Both the Spirit and the sinful nature cannot be in control at the same time.
PARAPHRASE 8:9-11 – You no longer live in the realm of sin, wherein you occupy the throne of your heart. You now live in the realm of the Spirit under His control. In fact, if anyone doesn’t possess the Spirit, he isn’t a follower of Jesus. But if Jesus lives in you, your material body is still impacted by sin’s poison, though your spirit has been made alive. Eventually, even your mortal body will be changed.
PARAPHRASE 8:12-17 – The sinful nature will take us down a path that leads to death. Therefore, our obligation is to let the Spirit lead us. He will convince us that we are God’s children and immediate heirs of all that Jesus has. That inheritance includes receiving His Spirit when you receive Him, as well as a taste of His sufferings, leading to our glorification.
PARAPHRASE 8:18-30 – But the sufferings do not compare to the glory that will be ours. Creation will be liberated from decay. Christians will be freed from sin when their adoption is fully completed. Then they will possess their transformed bodies. In the meantime, the Spirit even helps us to pray, speaking in a language that God fully understands. And we know that God is always working out His good plans in those who love Him, whose destination is to be conformed to the character of Christ.
PARAPHRASE 8:31-34 – Our response? We can be sure that God is for us, as demonstrated by Him sending His Son to pay for our sin when He suffered on the cross. No one has the authority to charge us except God, and He has declared us not guilty. No one can condemn us except Jesus, but He already died for us and has been exalted to Heaven, where He intercedes for us.
PARAPHRASE 8:35-39 – Is there anything that cuts off God’s love from those who have trusted His Son for eternal life? The worst thing that can happen is that we die. But even in that case, we win in Jesus. I’ve thought this through and there is nothing in all of creation that can put a wedge between us and God’s love.
If you haven’t yet called on Jesus for forgiveness and given Him the keys to your life, when you do, you will experience His love and eternal life by His Spirit. Call on Him soon. If you continue to resist Him, there is only God’s wrath awaiting you. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” (John 3:36)
It’s your choice: condemnation by God or never separated from His love.
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