Tuesday, April 28- Romans 8:12-17

12Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.
-obligation is something that we are bound to because of something that has happened. Our binding is not to sinfulness, but to righteousness because it has acted on behalf of us as we accept Christ as our savior.

13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
-Repeated again, sinful nature equals death. We can't put our sinful nature to death alone. We must trust in the Spirit to do this. It will put to death our sinfulness. Thru the spirit we can live.

14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
-If we follow the Spirit we become family to God. This is quite the humongous change of status. We aren't just accepted or servants or soldiers, but we are regarded as family within God's kingdom. Sons is an extremely close term that we are so undeserving of. Why would God want us in his family.

15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
-We could've been looked at as slaves and that would be fair enough. To be saved from death and sin so that we could just barely scrape into heaven would be kind enough. To become sons is beyond understanding. We call him father. So interesting to be accepted so closely.

16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
-God living inside us knows this, somehow our spirit knows this, I suppose we just need to make sure our brains know this. We probably go about living life not quite accepting this fact that we really are God's children. We need to pause and consider how great that is. It's like becoming family to the greatest men/kings/rulers of this earth from poverty...but much much much greater.

17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
-Sharing in suffering is part of sharing in his glory. Christ suffered many things so that we could have this opportunity. We must consider that we are not necessarily exempt from suffering as well. Let us hold onto God in suffering or in pleasure. We have been given a great gift.