Greatest Chapter in the Bible* Outlined and Annotated

(*According to James Boice)

I have mentioned in other places that one way I study the Bible is to outline a passage. Even If I'm preaching on a few verses I look at the whole context and at least outline the chapter where the verses are set. You may outline it differently, but the goal is to understand the flow of the argument, the story, the illustration, or the worship better.

Its been said that the whole Bible is a ring, the New Testament the setting, Romans the jewel, and Romans 8 the shining point on the brightest facet of the gem.

It's also been said that whatever chapter the preacher is preaching from is the Greatest Chapter in the Bible!

WHY there is NO Condemnation:

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation [C1] 

     for those who are in Christ Jesus[C2] .

                2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus 

                from the law of sin and death.

                     3 For God has done what the law, weakened by flesh, couldn't do.

                                By sending his own Son in the likeness 

                                     of sinful flesh and for sin,

                                he condemned sin- [C3] in the flesh, 

                                              4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law [C4] 

                                               might be fulfilled in us, who walk 

                                               not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

                                     5 For those who live according to the flesh 

                                          set their minds on the things of the flesh,

                                     but those who live according to the Spirit 

                                          set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

                                                6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but

                                                to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

                                     7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God,

                                                for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.

                                                 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God[C5] .

How we live with No Condemnation:

                9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit,

                      if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.                          

                     Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ 

                          does not belong to him.

                                10 But if Christ is in you,

                                                 although the body is dead because of sin,

                                                the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

                                11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead 

                                dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead

                                                will also give life to your mortal bodies                                      

                                                through his Spirit who dwells in you.

                12 So then, brothers, we are debtors[C6] ,

                                not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

                                           13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die,

                                but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, 

                                            you will live.

                                14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

                                     15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery 

                                          to fall back into fear,

                                     but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons,

                                          by whom we cry "Abba! Father!"            

                                16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit 

                                        that we are children of God,

                                17 and if children, then heirs—

                                                heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,

                                                     provided we suffer with him in order that

                                                     we may also be glorified with him.

How No Condemnation affects us Now in this world:

                18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth 

                     comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

                                19 For the creation waits with eager longing for 

                                the revealing of the sons of God.

                                20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly,

                                                but because of him who subjected it,  in hope

                                                21 that the creation itself will be set free from 

                                                     its bondage to corruption

                                                and obtain the freedom 

                                                     of the glory of the children of God.

                                                22 For we know that the whole creation 

                                                     has been groaning together

                                                     in the pains of childbirth until now.

                                23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves,

                                                who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,                                     

                                                groan inwardly as we wait eagerly

                                                      for adoption as sons,

                                                      the redemption of our bodies.

                                24 For in this hope we were saved. 

                                                Now hope that is seen is not hope.

                                                For who hopes for what he sees?

                                                25 But if we hope for what we do not see,

                                                we wait for it with patience.

                                26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

                                                For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,

                                                but the Spirit himself intercedes for us

                                                                with groaning(s) too deep for words.

                                                27 And he who searches hearts knows 

                                                      what is the mind of the Spirit,

                                                because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according 

                                                       to the will of God.

Why God called us to be with No Condemnation:

                28 And we know that for those who love God all things 

                                work together [C7] for good,

                                for those who are called according to his purpose.

                                29 For those whom he foreknew[C8] 

                                     he also predestined to be conformed 

                                           to the image of his Son[C9] ,

                                     in order that he [Jesus] might be the firstborn 

                                           among many brothers.

                                30 And those whom he predestined he also called[C10] ,

                                and those whom he called he also justified,

                                and those whom he justified he also glorified[C11] .

What else does it mean to Have No Condemnation?

(More Questions!)

                31 What then shall we say to these things?

                                If God is for us, who can be against us?

                                32 He who did not spare his own Son [C12] 

                                                but gave him up for us all,

                                                how will he not also with him graciously 

                                                     give us all things?

                33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? 

                It is God who justifies.

                34 Who is to condemn? 

                Christ Jesus is the one who died[C13] —

                     more than that, who was raised—  

                     who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

                35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

                      Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, 

                          or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

                                36 As it is written,

                                "For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

                                     we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

                37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors

                through him who loved us.

What does No Condemnation Mean for our Eternity?

38 For I am sure that neither

                death nor life,

                nor angels nor rulers,

                nor things present nor things to come,

                 nor powers,

                39 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[C14] .

---

 [C1]Theme of Ch 8

 [C2]Only Condition for No Condemnation

 [C3]Sin is Condemned not the sinner

 [C4]Not for salvations sake but for God’s glory

 [C5]In Christ no condemnation, in Flesh there’s no righteousness

 [C6]He was debtor to the ethne in Rom 1:14 But now Debtor to God.

 [C7]Or God works them

 [C8]Foreknew is not chronologically before Predestined. They are simply stated as both occurring.

 [C9]Higher purpose than merely predestined to be saved.

 [C10]This is where the chronology of the “Ordus Salutis” begins: the Order of Salvation.

 [C11]Notice predestined, called, justified, glorified are all past tense. As in already done.

 [C12]Anyone disappointed with God doesn’t know or has forgotten this!

 [C13]So he was condemned for us

 [C14]No condemnation Christ in V.1; No Separation in Christ in V.39.

Marriage: Christ and the Church

Marriage is a “type” of the union of Christ and the church. Believers need to see marriage in a new light.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

In 1st Century Palestine, there were three prominent cultures: Hebrew, Greek and Roman. While both Greek and Roman cultures had those who married one person for life, the better off you were the more likely you didn’t fit that scenario. It was quite common for a Greek man to have a wife to perpetuate the family legally and other women for friendship and romance. In fact that tended to be the rule. As far as Romans go, they were big on divorcing. Some folks were divorced and married 10 to 20 times. But the Hebrew norm was still one man and woman for life. There was some divorce in Jewish culture but not very common. So if you had asked Paul if he was teaching anything new in this passage about marriage he would have probably said, “No, I’m teaching what the Bible says.” But he did have one new twist.

First, Let’s look first at His Grounds for Marriage. In v 31, Paul grounds marriage on Gen 2:24: “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” Real simple, right? One man, One woman, One flesh. Not two men or one man and two women, or a man and his TV. One of each gender, one flesh, no other options. Also percolating up through this passage we see the permanence of marriage in the Old Testament illustrated by how God wanted to have an eternal union with His people. God referred to Israel as his bride as his espoused, he was engaged to her. (Jer 3:14, 2:2; Hosea) That relationship foreshadows the relationship between Christ and the church. It’s not the same, but similar.
2nd. That brings me to the Great Mystery. While marriage is based on one man/one woman of the OT, there is a New mystery: namely, the union of Christ and the church.

In Rev 13 we see Jesus crucified before the foundation of the world. So spiritual truths and the reasons Christ was crucified come before the creation of everything. God's plan to unite Christ and the church came before the creation of people and the creation of marriage. Marriage then, is the symbol, memorial and tribute to the marriage of Christ and the Church. We tend to look at all the good “human” reasons for marriage and there are good reasons. It’s a great way to raise children, great way to practice grace and patience, gives stability to a society etc. But first and foremost, it should be a picture of the Love of God for His people. 

It reminds us of the price Jesus paid to redeem us so that He could be in Union with us and us with Him! There are three great Unions in scripture: A) The union of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God, 3 persons. There are NOT three gods. Hear Oh Israel, the Lord is One. B) There is the Union of two natures in Jesus Christ; he is both God and Man. Those are two distinct things. God is not human, man is not divine, but in Jesus they are met together. C) The union of Christ and the church becoming one. It is similar to the union Christ and His Father. There is an eternal joining of redeemed people and their savior, as individuals and as the church as a body. This is what is pictured in a marriage. 

 

3. Now because of this, there is a Greater Meaning to marriage. First, Note how the title “Christ” is in this passage 6-times (along w/ He, Lord, His etc.). He plays the most prominent role. Especially in V32; he doesn't say he was not talking about marriage, but that marriage and the teaching of marriage applies to, is found in, (Gk-eis), Christ and the church. This is what REALLY makes marriage all the more sacred. Not the joining of two sinners, but the picture of the perfect Christ and His Holy Bride, made Holy by the Blood of Jesus! 

 

4. This brings us to the Godly Mandate for marriage. A) First, marriage should be permanent. How long will the Bride of Christ live and reign with Him in Heaven? A few years? ‘Til somebody better or cuter comes along? Until He gets tired of us? NO! FOR-EV-ER! Jesus will NOT trade us in for a Trophy Wife. B) Second, Christian marriages should imitate Christ and the church. Really! Christian marriages should have a groom who would and does, lay down his life for his bride. Not just his life, but the things in his life. Is he willing to give up his bass boat? His King Kab F-150 pickup? How about his night out with the boys? How about his magazines and x-rated movies? A couple married 15 years began having more than usual spats. To make their marriage work the wife had an idea. For one month they planned to drop a criticism in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They all had the same exact message; on each slip was, "I love you!" Now maybe that husband was just ‘guilting’ his wife, but isn’t that what Christ says when we come to him confessing our faults? I love you. Christian marriages should have a bride who is in submission to her husband. Who loves him even though he’s not near enough like Jesus. One who is willing to follow him anywhere, but is responsible enough to LOVINGLY bring her hopes, wisdom and experience to the table to help make decisions. C) And third, Christian marriages should be a witness to the world. Is your marriage a witness? Do people look at your relationship with your husband or wife and say, now That’s a Christian marriage. Sadly, not very often that you see a couple like that. There are some! There are some right here in this church. An old pastor friend of mine who lived on a lake early in his ministry, and over the weeks, as he met people around the lake, he encountered a man who said, “Oh I know who you are. You’re the new preacher who lives across the lake from me.” My friend Jimmy was impressed and asked him how he knew. He said, “Sound carries over water, and a few days ago I heard you giving your wife 'what for', for not bringing something down to your boat when y’all were going fishing. So I started asking the neighbors who that loudmouth was across the lake.” Jimmy was crushed. That wasn’t a very good picture of Christ and the church was it? You see, just as God said, the two will become One Flesh, so also Jesus prayed that we would be joined in union with Him, like He is with His father. So acting in a way that hurts the witness of your marriage also hurts the witness of Christ. But knowing that every believer in Christ is joined together with Him and we have His spirit living within us; we know that we can show the world what the marriage of Christ and the church should look like. Have you been joined together with Christ? You have if you have repented from sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ as your only hope of salvation! Until that happens you’re marriage can’t possibly reflect Christ to the world. Will you turn from your sinful life today and trust in Christ? i John 17