This chapter is one of the most interesting and precious portions of the Sacred Scriptures. Some parts of it are attended with great difficulties; but its main scope and design is apparent to all. It is a continuation of the subject discussed in the previous chapter, and is intended mainly to show that the gospel could effect what the Law was incapable of doing. In that chapter the apostle had shown that the Law was incapable of producing sanctification or peace of mind. He had traced its influence on the mind in different conditions, and shown that equally before regeneration and afterward, it was incapable of producing peace and holiness. Such was man, such were his propensities, that the application of law only tended to excite, to irritate, to produce conflict. The conscience, indeed, testified to the Law that it was good; but still it had shown that it was not adapted to produce holiness of heart and peace, but agitation, conflict, and a state of excited sin. In opposition to this, he proceeds to show in this chapter the power of the gospel to produce what the Law could not. In doing this, he illustrates the subject by several considerations.
(1) The gospel does what the Law could not do in giving life, and delivering from condemnation, Romans 8:1-13.
(2) It produces a spirit of adoption, and all the blessings which result from the filial confidence with which we can address God as our Father, in opposition to the Law which produced only terror and alarm, Romans 8:14-17.
(3) It sustains the soul amidst its captivity to sin, and its trials, with the hope of a future deliverance - a complete and final redemption, of the body from all the evils of this life, Romans 8:18-25.
(4) It furnishes the aid of the Holy Spirit to sustain us in our trials and infirmities, Romans 8:26-27.
(5) It gives the assurance that all things shall work together for good, since all things are connected with the purpose of God, and all that can occur to a Christian comes in as a part of the plan of him who has resolved to save him, Romans 8:28-30.
(6) It ministers consolation from the fact that everything that can affect the happiness of man is on the side of the Christian, and will cooperate in his favor; as, e. g.,
- God, in giving his Son, and in justifying the believer,Romans 8:31-33 Romans 8:31-33.
- Christ, in dying, and rising, and interceding for Christians, Romans 8:34.
- The love of a Christian to the Saviour is in itself so strong, that nothing can separate him from it, Romans 8:35-39.
By all these considerations the superiority of the gospel to the Law is shown, and assurance is given to the believer of his final salvation. By this interesting and conclusive train of reasoning, the apostle is prepared for the triumphant language of exultation with which he closes this most precious portion of the Word of God.