THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus hath
made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the
law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own
Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us, who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;
but they
that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded
is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind
is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be”
(Romans 8:1-7).
THE REALITY OF CHRISTIAN SUFFERING...
"And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted
worthy
to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they
ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ" (Acts
5:41-42).
"But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear
my name before the Gentiles, and
kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him
[Saul, later Paul] how great things he must suffer for my name's sake” (Acts
9:15-16).
"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And
if children, then heirs; heirs
of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer
with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the
sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us” (Romans 8:16-18).
"For
our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having
given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
That there should be no schism
in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And
whether one member suffer,
all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured,
all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:24-26).
"For verily,
when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation;
even as it came to pass, and ye know” (1 Thessalonians
3:4).
"So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in
all your persecutions and tribulations that
ye endure: which is a manifest token of
the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God,
for which
ye also suffer” (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5).
“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the
gift
that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things;
give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting
may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:
for
in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (1 Timothy 4:13-16).
"It is a faithful saying: For if
we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we
suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny
us” (2
Timothy 2:11-12).
"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:
but the face of
the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if
ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer
for righteousness' sake, happy
are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Peter 3:12-14).
“For it is better,
if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil
doing” (1 Peter 3:17).
“For as the sufferings of Christ
abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by
Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which
is
effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we
be comforted, it is for your consolation and
salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast,
knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the
consolation” (2
Corinthians 1:5-7).