This is Romans lecture number 17 Romans lecture number 17. We're starting Romans 8 Brief introduction Keep in mind our outline of Romans chapters 1 to 8 up to this point Romans chapter 1 verses 1 to verse 17 was an introduction but then in Romans chapter 1 verses 18 and Romans 3 verse 20, Paul talked about condemnation, the fact that all men are condemned. Then Paul talked about salvation in Romans 3.20 to Romans 8 verse 39. So we're still in this section on salvation. Salvation will be broken down into justification, that's the moment when a believing sinners first believes and is declared righteous by God and Paul dealt with justification in Romans chapter 3 verse 20 to Romans chapter 5 verse 21 then in Romans chapter 6 and chapter 7 Paul dealt with sanctification which is the process whereby God progressively sets apart the believer more and more for his purposes. Romans 6, it was the believer and sin, and Romans 7, the believer and the law, both dealing with sanctification. Now here in Romans 8, Paul deals with glorification, the act whereby God completes the work of sanctification, the act whereby God fully perfects the believer and the total presence of sin is removed from the believer, and the believer's body is changed in the twinkling of an eye, the mortal body puts on immortality. Now as we get started in this chapter on glorification, Romans 8, I'd like to give you a little brief outline of Romans chapter 8. And you can use this outline when you're preaching on Romans, and it might help you to simplify what might otherwise be a complex chapter. And so I've broken down Romans into, I believe, seven different areas. It's talking about once a person is saved, he receives seven new things that are spoken about in Romans 8. verses 1 to 4 speak of the new freedom that we have in Christ Romans chapter 8 verses 5 to 8 speak of the new purpose that we have a new purpose in life verses 9 to 11 of Romans 8 speak of the new partner the new partner the Holy Spirit indwells us new responsibility in verses 12 to 14 of Romans 8 In a new relationship, we are now sons of God, Romans 8 verses 15 to 17. We have a new hope, Romans 8 verses 18 to 25, the hope that at the second coming of Christ, We will be revealed as the sons of God. Our bodies will be redeemed. It will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. New hope, verses 18 to 25. And then a new security, verses 26 to 39. So keeping in mind this outline of Romans chapter 8, let's take a look at the new freedom. new freedom in Christ, Romans 8, verses 1 to 4. And in verse 1, Paul talks about the fact that there is no condemnation. Take a look at verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So Paul says there is no condemnation, no longer any fear of God condemning us. Now in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 32 in that passage there were some of the Corinthian believers were receiving the Lord's Supper in an unworthy manner. They were not examining their consciences and because of that many of them were sick, many were weak and many had died. And then Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11 verse 32, but when we are judged we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world. And so it is not God's will to condemn believers along with the world. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Believers will not be condemned. They're no longer under condemnation, that first section. of the Book of Romans, they're under God's salvation and they will not be condemned. So, when God disciplines the believer, it is not because He wants to condemn the believer, but it is because He wants to keep the believer from being condemned along with the world. And to what extent will God go? He'll go, if necessary, He'll take a believer home early if need be, rather than allow. So we have freedom in Christ, but not freedom from Christ. And if we were about to leave Christ, God would take us home. If He did it to one believer, and we know that He did it to more than one, as Paul was talking about that in 1 Corinthians 11, then justice would demand that he would do that for all believers. Believer A, if God allowed him to live long enough to lose his salvation, but Believer B, God took him home before he could lose his salvation, it wouldn't be fair to Believer A. But there is no condemnation for those who are believers. God gives us freedom in Christ, but not freedom from Christ. Paul then says that we're set free, the believer is set free from the law of sin and death in verses 2-4. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, And as an offering for sin, he condemns sin in the flesh in order that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. So Paul says that the believer is no longer under condemnation because he is set free from the law of sin and death. Now, he set free from the law of sin and death by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Now, if you look at Matthew chapter 3, John the Baptist predicted that Jesus would come and he would baptize those who follow him with the Holy Spirit. John is speaking, and he says, As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Now, a lot of our Pentecostal brothers like to go around saying that they're baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire, but that's not the case. It's an either-or situation. It's not a both-end. Look at verse 12. John the Baptist explains himself. and his winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clear his threshing floor, and he will gather his wheat into the barn, that's being baptized with the Spirit, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, that's being baptized with unquenchable fire, the eternal flames of hell. This is one of the reasons why I believe this plus a passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, as well as a passage in one of Peter's writings why I believe that the book of Acts was a transitional period in that right now when a believer accepts Christ he is immediately baptized with the Holy Spirit because John the Baptist looked ahead and saw a day when Jesus would either baptize you with the Holy Spirit and you're saved or he'd baptize you with fire and you would face the eternal torment But the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets us free from the law of sin and of death. 1 Corinthians 6.19 Paul tells us, Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? So the Holy Spirit indwells all believers. Ephesians 4.30 says, And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed, for the day of redemption. And so the Holy Spirit seals us for the day of redemption. In fact, Ephesians 1.13 tells us that at the moment we first believed we were sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit. And so a new principle is set in motion once a person accepts Christ. When a person accepts Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells them And now the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus takes over and the person is set free from the law of sin and death. Now the law of sin and death, it reveals God's holy standards. But because man is sinful and he cannot keep God's holy standards on his own, the law of sin and death also reveals man's sinfulness. And so the law demands death for all violators. The law condemns. So the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that sets a person free from condemnation. But the law of sin and death demands death for all violators. It condemns. Romans 6.23 tells us, for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So the wages of sin is death. Under the law of sin and death, If you sin, if you fall short of God's perfect standards, which we all do, then it demands death. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 56 reads, The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. It's not that the law is evil, but the law represents God's holy standards, which man in his sinfulness cannot keep. And so the power of sin is the law. And so the law of sin and death does not save anyone. It condemns mankind. It condemns all who try to please God in their own effort, own human effort. And so the law was weak through the flesh. Now again, the law revealed God's holy standards, but the law in itself had no power to enable us to obey God's laws. Man in his flesh could not keep God's laws. Man, because of human weaknesses, because of human sinfulness, could not keep God's holy standards. And so the law was weak not in itself, but it was weak through the fact that human flesh, inhuman flesh, mankind, could not keep God's laws. Look at Romans 3.20. Romans 3.20, because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. So man could not save himself through the law, but instead we became knowledgeable, conscious of our sin. Because God, the law reveals God's holy standards and we could not keep God's holy standards on our own. Romans chapter 8 verse 8 says, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. And so man in his flesh could not keep God's laws. And so we were trapped under this law of sin and death. where we could not keep God's holy standards on our own and we were condemned but we were set free from this law of sin and death by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus when we were saved Christ dwelt with us through the power of the Holy Spirit so God unlike the law could justify man he did this by sending his son John 1.1 says in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God and then verse 14 tells us the word became flesh so God sent his son and Jesus died on the cross for our sins 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 15 reads as follows and he died for all that they who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died and rose again on their behalf so Christ died for all mankind. In verse 21, He, that's God the Father, made Him, that's Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 1 Peter 2.24 and 1 Peter 3.18 also speak about the fact that Jesus died for our sins. 1 Peter 2.24 And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed." And then 1 Peter 3.18 reads, "...for Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit." And so God, unlike the law, could justify man. He did this by sending his son who died on the cross for our sins, died in our place. And by doing this, God condemned sin in the flesh. Now this could be viewed two ways. It could be viewed that God condemned sin in Christ's flesh when Christ died on the cross. He punished Christ in his flesh on the cross for the sins of mankind. Or it could be viewed that God condemns sin in our flesh because we do still physically die and this body of sin must be done away with. I would emphasize the fact of Christ's flesh, but Paul may be, it is possible he's implying both, that God condemns sin in the flesh of His Son on the cross, but at the same time our flesh God managed to separate the sinful man from his sin so that God could judge the sin of the sinful man without judging the sinful man himself. But our flesh, we still physically die, this body of sin must be done away with. 1 Corinthians 15 verses 50-52 reads, Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall all be changed." And then it goes on from there, but... But Paul says that our flesh and blood in its present state cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and so our body of sin must be done away with. And this body that we have must be changed in the twinkling of an eye and put on immortality. We must receive our resurrection bodies. Believers walk according to the Spirit. Romans chapter 8 verses 1 to 4 tell us, believers walk according to the Spirit, they fulfill the law. Again, keep in mind, they fulfill the law through faith and love in action. Romans 3.31, Paul after saying that we're saved by faith, not by works of the law, he says, do we then nullify the law by this faith? Not at all, rather we uphold the law. So we uphold the law through faith. In Romans 14.23, Paul says, if anything is not of faith, it is sin. So we obey God's laws through faith, through trusting in Jesus, not just for salvation, but also for guidance. But Paul also tells us in Romans 13.10 that we obey God's laws through love. Paul says, love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus stated this, that to obey God's commands, one must love God with everything they've got, with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their mind, with all their strength, and then love their neighbor as themselves. Mark chapter 12, verses 30 and 31. So believers walk according to the Spirit. Believers fulfill God's laws. Only believers fulfill God's laws. The non-believer is still in the flesh, he is not able to fulfill God's law. But the believer does not do this by human effort. He does this by faith in Jesus and love for Jesus. So faith and love in action. But non-believers continue to walk according to the flesh. They do not fulfill the law of God. So that is the new freedom that we have. We are set free from the law of sin and of death. Paul then says that we have a new purpose in Christ. New purpose in Christ, verses 5 to 8. Look at verses 5 to 8 of Romans 8. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so. And those who are in the flesh cannot please God." So we have a new purpose in Christ, verses 5 to 8. The mind set on the flesh is describing the non-believer. The non-believer still lives by, his life is motivated by selfish motives, temporary goals, seeking to attain temporary pleasures. This results in death. The mindset of a non-believer is hostile toward God, it is not able to obey God's laws, and in the flesh no man can please God. Jesus in John 15 verse 5 told us very clearly that He is divine. Talking about believers, He is divine, we are the branches, and only if we abide in Him and allow Him to bear His fruit through us, can we please God? For apart from Him, we can do nothing. And so we cannot please God if we are in the flesh, we cannot please God apart from Jesus Christ. Now, in Matthew 6, Jesus told us, Matthew 6, Verses 19 to 21, Jesus said, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. And in verse 24, no one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon. And Mammon speaks of wealth, or riches. But here, just as Jesus differentiates between the true worshipper, or God, and the false worshipper, or the believer and the non-believer, so too Paul separates the two. And there's a different mindset. There are different... a different purpose in life. The mindset on the flesh sets out to serve self. The mindset on the spirit sets out to please God. So the mindset on the spirit, it's a different mindset, it's a different purpose in life, speaks of the believer. The believer longs to please God. He's looking for eternal goals. He's looking for treasures in heaven. He's looking for eternal rewards. He's looking to please God and not to please himself. Rather than resulting in death like the selfish motives of the non-believer, the mindset on the Spirit results in life and in peace. The believer is led by the Holy Spirit and the believer is able to please God. Only believers are able to please God. So the overall mindset of a believer is to please God. Look back at Romans 7, verse 25. Romans 7, verse 25. Paul says, Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then on the one hand, I myself with my mind in serving the law of God, but on the other with my flesh the law of sin. So he's saying that the believer with his mind, his mind is set on serving God. He has a new purpose in Christ. Now, supposing there's a person who claims to be a believer, but their mind is not set on serving the Lord. Their mind is set on serving themselves and their own simple desires. Well, then I would question that that person is really a believer. Because Paul is real clear that if you're a believer, you have a new mindset. Your mind is set on serving God. Now, even though the believer has a new overall mindset, the individual thoughts of the believer need to be brought into agreement with the overall mindset of the believer. This is what Paul speaks about in Romans 12. verses 1 and 2, Romans 12 verses 1 and 2. I urge you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. So after telling believers that they have a new mindset that their mind is now set on obeying God, believers have a new purpose in life, that is to serve God rather than to serve self, Paul still tells the believer that the individual thoughts need to be brought into agreement with the overall mindset because they still need to be transformed, to be changed from within by the renewing of their minds. In other words, it's like we have a new worldview, a new overall view of reality once you accept Christ. And that new view of reality makes your greatest desire, your number one desire, is to serve and to please God. However, you bring with you all those conclusions from your old worldview, and that was a worldview where you were trying to please self, please the flesh. And so now you have a new purpose in life, that is to serve God, a new overall mindset, but your mind still needs to be renewed because the individual thoughts need to be brought into agreement with the overall mindset. Now that would be an impossible task to say the least if it wasn't for verses 9 to 11 of Romans 8, which speak about the new partner that we have received. Not only do we have a new freedom, we're set free from the law of sin and death, and a new mindset, now we have a new purpose in life to serve God, but we also have a new partner to empower us to serve God. And that is the Holy Spirit. Look at verses 9 to 11. However, you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. And so we have a new partner. Believers Believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Again, 1 Corinthians 6, 19, or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? So believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are dead. You know, they're as good as dead right now. We will die physically unless Christ returns first. Again, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 50 to 54. flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So we must all be changed in the twinkling of an eye. We must receive our resurrection bodies. So we will all die physically unless Christ returns first. We have not yet received immortality. We still have our mortal bodies. Our bodies are as good as dead. Still, even though our bodies are as good as dead, if we are saved, we are now spiritually alive. John 6, 47, Jesus said, truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. So at the moment you first believe, you already have eternal life. And eternal life, you cannot lose it, because otherwise it would have been temporary life. And so eternal life is life that never ends, and every believer has it at the moment he first believes. So if we're saved, we are now spiritually alive, even though our bodies are as good as dead. And so, Paul says that God will raise our bodies by His Spirit when Christ returns. This is spoken about in 1 Corinthians 15, that passage that we went over in the last trumpet. But it's also spoken about in 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 16 and 17. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. And so God will raise our bodies by His Spirit when Christ returns. He'll give us our resurrection bodies, and at that point we will be glorified. Now the Scriptures teach that not just the special believers will be glorified, but all believers will be glorified. In other words, all believers will persevere in the faith through the power of God. Look at John 6, verses 37 to 40. John chapter 6, verses 37 to 40, All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out. For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that of all that He has given me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I myself will raise him up on the last day." So Jesus is the Good Shepherd who loses no sheep. He says, I lose nothing. And then he explains that by saying that everyone, not almost everyone, but everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him has eternal life and Christ will raise him up on the last day. And so all believers will be glorified when God raises our bodies by His Spirit at the second coming of Christ. Paul says in this passage in Romans 8 verses 9 to 11 that non-believers are not indwelt by the Holy Spirit. They are still spiritually dead. Remember Ephesians 2.1, Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 1 states, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins, but that's talking to believers, the non-believer is still dead in his trespasses and sins. So the non-believer is not indwelled by the Holy Spirit, is still spiritually dead, and therefore will not take part in the resurrection of believers, which Revelation chapter 20 verse 6 refers to as the first resurrection. Those who die without believing in Christ, they will be raised in the Second Resurrection at the end of the Millennial Kingdom, and will stand in judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment, and then will be tossed into the Lake of Fire, where they will be tormented day and night, forever and ever. So we have a new partner, the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to obey God. Because of that, we have a new responsibility. Romans 8, verses 12 to 14. Romans chapter 8, verses 12 to 14. Look at verse 12. So then brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. So now that we have a new freedom, we're set free from the law of sin and death, and now that we have a new purpose, our mind is set on serving God, and now that we have a new partner, the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to obey God, because of that, we are now obligated to serve God. Now just because our mind is set on serving God does not mean we will automatically serve Him. We need to follow the Holy Spirit's leading moment by moment. Paul talks about life and death in verse 13. And if you are living according to the flesh, you must die. But if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. So life and death, living by the flesh, is destructive. Ephesians 5.18 tells us, And do not get drunk with wine for this is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. Probably the key passage on the destructiveness of living by the flesh, living for self-interest, living by the desires, the simple desires of the flesh, is verses 16 to 21 of Galatians 5. But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. For these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, And things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And so living by the flesh is destructive, and Paul is telling us we have an obligation to leave our own lifestyles behind, and now we must live by the Spirit, and living by the Spirit brings life. Look at Galatians 5, 22 and 23. In fact, I would say Galatians 5, verses 22 to 24, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. And so, Paul is saying that those who live by the flesh are non-believers, but those who live by the Spirit are believers who have crucified the passions and desires of the flesh. Paul refers to believers as sons of God in verse 14 of Romans 8. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. So all who are led by the Holy Spirit are true believers. Now, we don't always follow His leading, but if there's no evidence whatsoever that He's ever leading us, then the question comes up, is that person genuinely saved? But that's a new responsibility that we have. We're obligated to serve God. Not only do we have a new responsibility, but we have a new relationship to God. Believers are now spiritually adopted sons of the Father. Verses 15 to 17. Look at verse 15 of Romans 8. For you have not received the spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, Abba, Father. So believers are now spiritually adopted as sons of the Father. We no longer have a spirit of slavery leading to fear. 2 Timothy 1.7 Paul's writing to Timothy and he states, "...for God has not given us a spirit of timidity or of fear, but of power and love and discipline." 1 John chapter 4 The Apostle John says this in verses 17 and 18, By this love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. And so we no longer have a spirit of slavery leading to fear. We have been set free just as Jesus said that in John 8 verses 32 to 36, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Everyone who sins is a slave of sin, but those who know the Son, the Son shall set them free. And so we have been set free from a slavery that leads to fear. We no longer have a spirit of fear, we have received a spirit of adoption as sons just as in John chapter 1 verse 12 it says that believers will be adopted into God's family but as many as received them to them he gave the right to become children of God even to those who believe in his name so we have been adopted as children of God 1 John chapter 3 verses 1 and 2 also speak of this 1 John 3, verses 1 and 2, See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God, and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And so we are God's sons. And Paul is emphasizing that we should therefore live like God's sons. By the way, the word for Abba, with Abba Father, is a very personal, intimate word for Father. And it brings out the idea of closeness in relationships. So we have a very close relationship with God the Father, with the Triune God actually, at the moment we first believe. A new relationship. The Holy Spirit confirms that we are sons of God in verse 16 of Romans 8. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. So the inner witness that all believers have is the indwelling Holy Spirit. Again, 1 Corinthians 6.19, all believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit witnesses to us inwardly that we are children of God. But there is also the outer witness of objective historical and philosophical evidences. You can defend the reliability of the Old and New Testament manuscripts through historical evidence. You can defend the resurrection of Christ from the dead, the deity of Christ, and the inspiration of the Bible through historical evidences and fulfilled prophecies. You can also defend the existence of God through philosophical evidences. And so we need to recognize that subjective feelings must correspond to objective truth. At the same time, there is the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. But John, as he said in 1 John 4, verse 1, we must test the spirits because not all spirits are from God. That's why the cults, especially Mormonism, when they tell you to read the Book of Mormon and see if you get a burning within your bosom, and they tell you that's confirmation from the Holy Spirit, that it really is God's Word. Many Mormons in their testimony state that that was the factor that led them to accept Mormonism as the one true faith, that burning in their bosom that they received when they first read the Book of Mormon, and they did not test the spirits, because not all spirits are from God, but the Holy Spirit does witness within our beings that we are children of God, but that inner witness does correspond to the outward reality rather than contradict it. Verse 17, Paul says that believers are co-heirs with Christ. Look at verse 17 of Romans 8. And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him. So believers are co-heirs with Christ. The Father gives his inheritance to his sons. And so our inheritance in heaven awaits us. Rewards in heaven await us. Now we suffer for Christ. We're persecuted for Christ. We suffer from the weaknesses of our body due to the fall of mankind. But in the future we shall be glorified. Christ himself set the example. In Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 to 11, first he humbled himself. Even though he was equal with God, he did not cling to his equal rights as God, but veiled his glory and became a man and voluntarily laid aside his privilege to use certain divine attributes and became a man and was obedient to the point of death on the cross but then God highly exalted him and gave him the name above every name so that someday at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow on heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." So Christ set the example of the sufferings will come first, but then the glory. And we as co-heirs with Christ, now we suffer for Christ, but in the future we shall be glorified. We also receive a new hope. Verses 18 to 25. A new hope. Look at verse 18, one of the best verses to give people who are suffering through life, whether it be physical ailments or the loss of a loved one. Romans chapter 8 and verse 18. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. And so the future glory that believers will receive far outweighs any present sufferings. Matthew 19 speaks on this. Matthew chapter 19 and verses 27 to 30. Then Peter answered and said to Him, Behold, we have left everything and followed You. What then will there be for us? And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that you who have followed me in the regeneration when the son of man will sit on his glorious throne, he's not talking about the regeneration of the individual, he's talking about the regeneration of the earth. When the earth is born anew, when Christ returns in the regeneration when the son of man will sit on his glorious throne, you shall also sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for my namesake shall receive many times as much and shall inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." In John chapter 15 verses 18 to 20, John 15 verses 18 to 20, Jesus reminds us that as believers, as his followers, we can expect persecution. John 15, 18-20. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. And so Christ said if they persecuted him, they will persecute his followers as well. And so believers can expect persecution. and judgment at this time from the world, that is. Matthew 5, verses 10 to 12, Jesus states, Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. So our future glory far outweighs the present sufferings. It's Revelation 21, Revelation 21, verses 1 to 4, and that reads, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he shall dwell among them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be among them. And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall no longer be any death. There shall no longer be any mourning or crying or pain. The first things have passed away. And so Paul's message is confirmed by Christ that the future glory that believers will receive when Christ returns far outweighs the present sufferings that believers go through. And so if we look at what we've covered up to this point...