Romans 8:23: The Christians Groaning
Nick brings in Abraham Maslow’s psychology of self-esteem as a modern account of human longing before turning to Paul’s very different diagnosis in Romans 8:23. He contrasts the groaning of the unbeliever, which has no true resolution, with the groaning of the believer, who groans while waiting in hope for the redemption of the body.
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Romans 8:9-11: The implications of being in The Spirit
Nick notes that Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit more often in Romans 8 than anywhere else in his writings, almost once every two verses, as he opens Romans 8:9-11 on the implications of being in the Spirit. He traces the Spirit’s role in our salvation, in the life of the Trinity, and as the guarantee of our own future resurrection.
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Romans 4:22-25: Saved by the death and resurrection of Christ
Nick asks how we would close an argument for justification by faith at its most forceful, then shows that Paul himself closes his own argument with Christ’s resurrection in Romans 4:22-25. He presses home that our justification rests not only on Christ’s death for our trespasses but on his resurrection for our righteousness.
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