Romans 7-8 (“There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”)

In this episode, we dove into Romans 7 and 8—two chapters that really show both the struggle and the hope of following Jesus. In chapter 7, Paul gets super honest about the war inside us: we want to do good, but sin pulls us in the opposite direction. It’s that tension we all feel—our best intentions running up against our brokenness.

But then chapter 8 flips the script. Paul shows us that we’re not stuck in that struggle because the Spirit sets us free. No condemnation, no separation—just life, peace, and assurance in Christ. We talked about what it means to live by the Spirit and to trust that nothing in all creation can pull us out of His love.

NOTES

Romans 7

Summary: The Law reveals sin but can’t save; believers struggle between wanting to do good and failing.
Cultural Note: Marriage analogy – Under Jewish law, a wife was bound until her husband died; Paul uses this for release from the Law.
Fact: Paul’s struggle resonated with both Jewish and Greco-Roman moral thinkers, but his hope is in Christ alone.
Application: Depend on the Spirit instead of trying to “fix yourself.”
Questions:

1. Why does Paul share his personal struggle with sin?
   
   

2. How does the Law reveal sin but not save us from it?
   
   

3. Do you relate to the tension of wanting to do good but failing?
   
   

4. How can we depend more on the Spirit in daily battles with sin?
   
   

Romans 8

Summary: Life in the Spirit brings freedom and hope; nothing can separate believers from God’s love.
Cultural Note: Firstfruits – Festival offering first harvest to God; here it’s the Spirit as the “first taste” of redemption.
Fact: Called “the Himalayas of the NT” for its sweeping theology.
Application: Let God’s love be your anchor in instability.
Questions:

1. Which verse in this chapter encourages you most and why?
   
   

2. How does the Spirit bring freedom from condemnation?
   
   

3. What does it mean that “nothing can separate us from God’s love”?
   
   

How would you live differently if you truly believed God works all things for good?