Romans 8

Chapter 8 is one of my very favorites in all of Acts and the epistles. There is so much to be gained from a close reading of it. If we live so that we follow the Spirit, we experience a regeneration, we become a new person; we are reborn. When that happens, we are no longer under condemnation because the atonement cleanses us on a continual basis. This brings a great sense of freedom. That's why Paul says that the "Spirit is life because of righteousness." And not only life more abundantly here, but eternal life.

Verses 14-18 clearly state that we are children of God. As we allow the Spirit to guide our lives, the Holy Ghost testifies to us that we are his sons and daughters. And though we suffer in this life in many ways, (and the Roman Christians will eventually suffer in unbelievable ways), Paul tells us that the suffering in this life cannot be "compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us."

Sometimes we do not always know with the certainty that we would like. But this is a gospel of faith. And Paul tells us that when we follow the Spirit, it is easier to wait patiently for that knowledge. And here is something that is very profound and deeply moving if you think about it. The Spirit will help us bear "our infirmities," helps us to pray for the right things. Sometimes there just aren't any words to express what we feel. Words won't come. We may feel incapable of even knowing what to say. It is then that the Spirit prays for us, expressing for us the feelings of our hearts in ways that words cannot express. That shows me how deeply our Father in Heaven cares us about us, how much he cares about what we feel and experience.

And finally, the message to the Romans saints, who in years to come will suffer in unimaginable ways under the hands of the Roman government, and the message is also a beautiful one to all of us, there is nothing that can separate us from Christ's love. He says even if they or we are led to the slaughter like sheep, which the Romans Christians were, they will come off conquerors. Sheep are the only animals that submit peacefully to their slaughter. They do not protest in anyway. This is what the Christians did then, it is what Paul did when he was put to death, it is what Joseph Smith did. And it is what the Savior did. We, fortunately, do not face that kind of opposition. But the world opposes us in spiritually violent ways. It seeks to destroy us spiritually which is a far greater death. To all who suffer, Paul reminds us that there is nothing,"neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, not things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."