Reading for October 10th

 Read Romans 8.12-25. In verses 12-17: Living as God's children. In verses 12-13: Living according to the flesh leads to various forms of self-gratification, deeds of the body. In verse 14: This is especially true of Christ (8.3; Lk 4.1-13). In verses 15-17: The ability to cry, "abba father!" derives from the spirit of adoption. The spirit's co-testimony does not result result from the prayer, as it does in the NRSV text. The prayer preserves the Aramaic language of Jesus (Mk 14.36; Gal 4.6). In verses 18-25: present sufferings and future glory.  In verse 18: Sufferings and glory develop 8.17. Believers share both experiences with Christ. In verse 19-25: The creation is the whole created order. In verse 20: Subjected to futility: The creation story is in view, especially Gen 3.17-19. In verse 22: The whole universe is viewed as a woman in labor, giving birth to new life (Gal 4.19). In verse 23: First fruits of the Spirit: in the Old Testament, what was harvested first were the "first fruits." and indication of more to come (Ex 23.16). similarly the Spirit is understood here as a foretaste of the future glory. In verse 24: 2 Cor 4.18. Comments or Questions..