For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. - Romans 8:15 –17 (ESV)

Adoption is a concept that is personal to me. I'm a second generation product of adoption. My mother was adopted. I can't imagine what her life would have been like without the kindness, love, and sacrifices my grandparents made.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1 –2 (ESV)

In chapter 7 of Romans, we are exposed to the personal and universal struggle of every Christian with sin. While the war is over and Christ has defeated Satan, sin, and death, there is still a battle that rages in every Christian. And while the chapter ends with a triumphant note, we may want to hear more of that song.

Enter Romans 8 . In this chapter, Paul will go on to tell us about the new connection and power that every Christian possesses. And how the third person of the Triune God is involved with you, personally.

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” - Matthew 11:19 (ESV)

It's instructive to me the people that Jesus counted as friends. They were a motley crew. Most of the religious people didn't want to be associated with them. They were from the bad parts of town and had major problems. But Jesus called them friends.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. - Romans 7:21 –23 (ESV)

I believe that God's word is completely true. God doesn't lie. However, if I'm honest, there are passages that I read that just don't match up with my experience or my feelings. When Paul says Romans 6 that I'm 'dead to sin' my skepticism grows. Am I really? When he says 'I'm no longer a slave to sin but righteousness' that's not what it feels like in the struggle to do right. Do you feel like me?

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. - Romans 8:9 –10 (ESV)

Most Christians don't really know what to do with the Holy Spirit. We believe that the supernatural exists, but most of the time we sequester this supernatural to the spectacular (or spooky) either in the pursuit or denial of it. The work of the Spirit is greater and more regular then we realize.

But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. - Romans 7:8 –10 (ESV)

We are confused about what part God's law is to play in our personal and public lives. One example that has caused controversy especially in Alabama is the posting of the 10 Commandments. These clear unshifting delineations of God's standards stand in contrast to our moral fluidity of our culture. No matter how you feel about their public display, there is a great question to us to ask. 'Do these laws make anybody better?' If we just follow these laws we will be good with God and God will be good with us, right?