'Freedom Through the Spirit'

Last time in chapter 7 we saw Paul's confession and Paul's conflict as he shared his daily struggle of trying to live a life pleasing to God resting in our own strength. Paul's conclusion is the cry of every Christian who has experienced the failure and frustration that this struggle brings when undertaken in our own strength, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”

But we also saw Paul's confidence at the end of chapter 7, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” There is a path Paul knows that leads to freedom and that comes through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the third person of the Trinity who has been largely asset so far in this letter. Up to this point there has been only two mentions of the Holy Spirit but in chapter 8 the Holy Spirit is referred to 20 times. It is clear that the theme of chapter 8 is the Holy Spirit and His power at work among his people.

  1. A New Freedom
  2. A New Worldview
  3. A New Identity