Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume - Romans 8
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Description
Henry accentuates the profound comfort and assurance extended to believers. He sees Romans 8 as a "gospel charter," affirming the immense privileges of true believers and giving multiple grounds for joy and peace through faith. Henry divides the chapter into three parts: the specific privileges of Christians (verses 1–28), the support of these privileges in predestination (verses 29–30), and Paul's triumphant declaration for all saints (verses 31-end). Moreover, Henry asserts the consequence of "there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). While believers struggle with sin, union with Christ ensures they are free from condemnation. They are not merely forgiven; through Christ’s satisfaction of the law, they are aligned with God’s pleasure. True believers are portrayed by walking according to the Spirit rather than the flesh, meaning a life governed by spiritual objectives rather than earthly desires. Furthermore, the inadequacy of the Mosaic law to remove guilt or empower righteousness is contradicted with the "law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus," which supplies the merit and grace decisive for sanctification. Christ’s sacrificial condemnation of sin enables believers' justification and sanctification: His righteousness is imputed to them, satisfying the law's demands, while the Spirit advances righteous living. In addition, Henry delves into differentiating whether one lives according to the flesh or the Spirit. Spiritual-mindedness leads to life and peace, while carnal-mindedness leads to spiritual and ultimate death. The indwelling Spirit, exemplifying Christ's attributes, indicates true belonging to Him, urging a life governed by the Spirit. Further, Henry highlights believers' deep gift of life and the Spirit's metamorphic work. Though mortal, the Spirit guarantees eternal life and glorification. Christ is positioned as the first-born among many brethren, preeminent in the family of believers. Besides, Henry discusses the odyssey through suffering towards future glory. Creation, subjected to vanity due to man’s sin, eagerly awaits the revelation of God's children and its liberation. This hope is central to believers' anticipated adoption and redemption, a future glorification surpassing present sufferings. Additionally, the intercession of the Holy Spirit assures prayer alignment with God's will, guaranteeing that all circumstances eventually contribute to the believers’ good. This represents God’s sovereignty and the unbreakable "golden chain" of salvation: foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification. Lastly, Paul’s triumphant declaration, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" summarizes the boundless protection and victory believers have in Christ. Secured by God’s ultimate love through Christ’s sacrifice and ongoing intercession, no earthly or spiritual power can sever this eternal bond. This summary is made by Eleven Labs AI audio generated platform: elevenlabs.io/?from=partnerhall9106 Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian If you want to support this podcast's operational cost, you can do so here: venmo.com/u/edisonwu --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/edison-wu/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/edison-wu/support
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