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Romans 8 vs 5 - 29 - Corps Notes - 12

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Publication Date: 1973

Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.

By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.

In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.

Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.

Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).

Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.

Romans 8:5-29

Lesson 12

All this stuff has been gelling in my heart and mind for weeks and weeks but when
you go to putting it together and you really begin to work it, I tell you a fellow just doesn’t
know very much about this stuff. It’s just unbelievable what’s in these chapters. I got to
thinking about it today. In relationship I guess last night, sitting across the Jordan, I was
thinking about it and I don’t remember who was sitting next to me, whoever it was asked
me if I heard somebody else singing some place. And it finally dawned on me, somebody
was making a little joyful noise some other place. And I got to thinking about the book of
Romans, it’s like that. An echo, you know, you’re out in a big old place and you say hi, and
it says hi back to you. And then it just keeps going on and on. I was thinking of the book of
Romans being like that, or like taking a pebble in a big old lake, a three acre, four acre,
five acre lake. And the water is just as still as still can be still. And right in the middle of
that lake you drop a little stone, a little pebble, and the waves begin to roll. And they never
terminate until they hit the shore. Like an echo that you speak and then it just keeps rolling
out. That’s the eighth chapter of Romans, it just has no end. When you’ve worked it
beyond anything you’ve ever worked or worked as hard on it as it’s humanly possible to
work on anything, you still have not mastered it where you can put a case around it and say,
well that’s all there is to it. In many fields like speaking in tongues, I think we can encase it
and say that’s it, other fields in research that we’ve done. But the book of Romans chapter
8 is just still waving out there; it’s just still echoing way out there. Nobody’s come to the
end of it, it just keeps going and going and going and going. You know, it opens in the
eighth chapter with those first four verses that I covered the last time; I had the joy of
sitting with you, talking to you. No condemnation to them that are in, whom?
[Students:] Christ Jesus.
Christ Jesus and the chapter closes then, with no condemnation in verse 34 and
following where it says: who is he that what?
[Students:] Condemneth.
Condemneth. It starts with no condemnation, and it closes with no condemnation. And
the thing that hits me so hard about the echoing and like dropping the stone in the lake, is
that great thirty-first verse.
Romans 8:31b:
...If God be for us, who can be against us?
You know, we do the little cheer, if God be for us, who can be against us. Walter
introduced or Peter or somebody. Who can be against us is like an echoing sound. Begins
with no condemnation, closes with no condemnation. And that echoing sound just keeps
moving out. Who can be against us, who can be against us, who can be against us. It just
keeps rolling and rolling. When I read a chapter and study a chapter like Romans 8, I feel
humiliated; I feel like I’ve blown it a million times, which I have. All of these things stand
before you like a great picture. Because we are what the Word of God says we are. We
have what the Word of God says we have. We’ll be what the Word of God says we’ll be.
And Romans 8 tells us everything we have or ever hope to be and it’s always more than
conquerors; it’s always if God be for us, who can be against us. And the times when I’ve
been negative, it’s unbelievable that a man should ever be negative. It’s unbelievable that
anybody in the Corps should ever feel badly because the right boy doesn’t hold your hand
or kiss you hug you or the right girl doesn’t hold your hand or something else. Or daddy
doesn’t write often enough, or mommy writes often enough. Or we don’t have enough cars
or we can’t see this. If God be for us, who can be against us? I stand in absolute appalled
position of humility, when I work the eighth chapter in the book of Romans.
Tonight we begin with the fifth verse of this chapter. And I just wondered if we could
cover some of this stuff and write the things out, maybe on the board or something. But I
want to read it to you verses 5-15, and then sort to take it apart with you and put it back
together and get you to see some of the immensity of this chapter. Verse 5:
Romans 8:5:
For they that are after the flesh do mind [or are obedient to] the things of the flesh;
but [in contrast] they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
You’ll see this flesh and spirit contrasted from 5-15 all the way through.
Romans 8:6-9:
For to be carnally minded [that’s the flesh trip] is death; but [in contrast] to be
spiritually minded is life and [what?] peace.
Because the carnal mind [that’s the flesh side] is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But [in contrast] ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of
God dwell in you. But if any man have not the Spirit of...[God - which again is of
the flesh side] he is none of his.
“And [or but,] if Christ be in you,” I think that “and” has to be “but.” Somebody throw
me a pencil. Anyone of you. Thank you.
Romans 8:10-15:
...if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; and the Spirit is life because
of righteousness.
And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from [among] the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall...quicken your mortal bodies [also] by
his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Therefore, [my] brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh [there’s that flesh trip],
to live after the flesh.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received...[a bondage spirit] again to fear; but ye have
received...[a sonship spirit], whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Really something how flesh and spirit are just sit. But of course, remembering what
we’ve covered in Romans, the whole essence was that Christ is the end of the law, that he
fulfilled the law, he did the total flesh trip and there is no goodness in the flesh. There’s
nothing that the fleshly man can do, to justify himself or keep himself justified. All he can
do is make a lousy mess of it, because he works overtime on himself, rather than to work
overtime on the accuracy of God’s Word. And let that spirit of God work mightily in him.
Well, I wonder if we can get this put down on here and if it would make any sense.
See if you take a piece of paper and you put “FLESH” on this side, put “SPIRIT” on
the other side. Now, we’ll go to 8:5, and there we have “mind.” I’m going to write this so
small you can’t read it, but you write it yourself. See, if we can’t put it together. “Mind the
things of the flesh.” And then “but (here after the spirit) they mind things of the spirit.”
You have enough room to write how that thing works, right? Now, [verse] 6, “carnally
minded is flesh.” But over here, is “to be spiritually minded is life” and it’s what?
[Students:] Peace.
That thing just blows my mind, see? Carnally minded is always in the category of the
flesh, and it’s always death. But spiritually minded gives you what?
[Students:] Life and peace.
And peace. Did you see or hear it today that one of those fellows who got $25,000
from the Nixon campaign, killed himself? Isn’t that something? Because it was over here
in this left side. He was carnally, what?
[Students:] Minded.
He didn’t have what?
[Students:] Life and peace.
Because to have life and peace you have to be over in this category. You see why this
Romans just sits there, bigger than any diamond a person has ever thought of or seen. Just
something. Now over in verse 7, carnal minded, see that’s enmity, enmity against God. Not
subject to the law of God, neither can it be, so then seems to be like it should set about
right in here. Whole verse 8 should set in this place, replacing “but” because it’s the whole
conclusion.
Romans 8:8, 9a:
So then they that are in the flesh cannot [what?] please God.
But [in contrast,] you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit...the Spirit of God dwell
in you....
Isn’t that wonderful? God who created the heavens and the earth, all the rest of it,
spirit of God in you. You see why when we’re negative, or when we complain, I ought to
be ashamed of myself? Now, last part of verse 9 has to go back here.
Romans 8:9b
[But] if any man have not the spirit of Christ [that’s again back in the category of
flesh right? Not spirit], he is none of his.
But Christ in you of verse 10, see it? Christ in you and that Christ in you is life, it says
in that verse, life on account of righteousness. Whose righteousness?
[Students:] His.
His, his righteousness. And then you have to put an “and” over here and you go to
verse what, 11? 9? Where did I hit 10? Over here? Okay now here we got to keep 11.
Romans 8:11, 12:
[And] if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from [among] the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall...quicken your mortal bodies [also] by
his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Then this “for,” how is “for” used?
[Student:] Reason or cause.
Okay, 13 first part.
Romans 8:13a:
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall [what?] die:...
Then comes another “but,” 13, we’re over here on 13.
Romans 8:13b:
...but by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
And then a “for” and then we go to 14. Then in 15 we come back here, bondage spirit,
would be in the category of the flesh, devil spirit, “but” 15, sonship spirit. Spirits parallel.
Over here it’s a bondage spirit, over here it ends up with a sonship spirit. And it’s all flesh
or spirit all the way through, the whole trip. Count the “ifs” in there once. I was going to
do that and didn’t. Wait until I find it again. “If” in verse 9, “if so be.” Verse 9. “But if”
verse 9, got it? Verse 10, “but if”. Verse 11 “and if”. Verse 13, I believe, are you reading
along with me and seeing them? Yes Kathy?
[Kathy:] Verse 9 has two.
Yes, “if so be” and “but if”. [Verse] 13, “for if”, “but if”, that’s all I see. Six of them,
isn’t that something? Six “ifs”. See an if is always a condition, do this. If you don’t do this
you get this; if, if, if. You understand the usage of the word “if.” See, I’ve taken verse 2-15
and put them in a parenthesis. The word “flesh,” “carnal,” “obedience,” all of these you
surely understand. Spirit, because you can be obedient to flesh, you can be obedient to
spirit. You can mind “flesh” or you can mind “spirit,” see? But flesh and spirit never
overlap. The minding may overlap, obedience to flesh or spirit, combination of both may
overlap for us. Shouldn’t, but may. You see, we labored very extensively, the righteousness
of the law, verse 4, that night when Walter closed it out when I was here with you the last
time. We just live a higher law, the Christian born again believer lives on a higher law,
which is the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. It’s a higher law. Many Christians still
live on the lower law. They wouldn’t have to but they don’t know better, or they don’t want
to live better. That’s like a fellow, you know, read this a year or two ago, he was living on
welfare and then he didn’t live to good I guess. He was in West Virginia someplace. And
when he died he $250,000 sewed up in the hem in that old coat he was always carrying
around, see? When I read that I thought of Christians, loaded with all the things of God but
living under the law (in all the poverty, all the confusion, all the negatives, all the worry, all
the fears, all of the frustrations, all of the anxieties), because they’ve never risen up to
claiming their rightful sonship inheritance and walking in the greatness of it. Of course, all
of us live below par, but some frightfully more than others.
I think the reason so many times we live below par is because the world conditions us.
And we are really not bold enough to say what the Word really says and act like it. Because,
most of our relatives, our mothers, and fathers and sisters and brothers and uncles and
aunts and the intimate friends, so called, with whom you went to college, whom you
flunked in high school with, went out to drink with and the rest, they’re all contrary to the
greatness of the Word. Therefore, I may know the word but I just don’t really say it
because I’m hemmed in, closed off, by what others, my intimate friends, might think or do;
a real cop out. Well, in these verses from 5-15, you get into this superior law, above the Ten
Commandments mosaic trip and everything else. And shows you how, the only way you
get out of that condemnation trip is to move from the flesh side over on the spirit side.
That’s the only way you’ll ever get out of it. The amount of flesh and the amount of spirit
in these verses, I haven’t ever counted.
Let’s go through it, verse 5. Let’s mark them. Put flesh again on one side and spirit on
the other and see what we come up with. All right verse 5: flesh one, flesh two, spirit one
spirit two right? Verse 6: carnally one, spiritually one. Verse 7: carnal one. Verse 8: flesh
one (should have five now, do we?) Verse 9: flesh one, spirit one, spirit two, not the spirit
has to be flesh so put it under flesh. Christ in you in verse 10 is spirit. Body is dead in
verse 10, is flesh; spirit is life is spirit. Verse 11: spirit of him, is spirit. Raised up Christ is
spirit; quicken by his spirit, is spirit. Not to the flesh of verse 12 is flesh; to live after the
flesh is twice. 13 flesh, 13 spirit, 14 spirit, 15 flesh, and spirit. What?
[Student:] Verse 12, not to the flesh, why is that flesh?
Romans 8:12:
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh...
[Student:] You counted that as being on the flesh side up on the board too. I don’t
understand why you would count that on the flesh side rather than the spirit side.
I don’t know why I did it either, just worked on it today, and I saw it as: Therefore
brethren we’re debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. I just threw it on the flesh
side, even though we’re not debtors, there, it’s still in the flesh, we’re not debtors there. I
don’t know, do you think we ought to take it out of there?
[Student:] Well another place said not spirit so you called it the flesh, here it says not flesh.
Right, I should call it spirit. So 12, I ought to move two on spirit and take two off of
flesh, is that it? Of 12? Okay, take two off and out two on the other side. So, I have 15
spirit and I have 11 flesh, how about you?
[Student:] Ten.
Oh yeah 10 flesh, 10, 15. Isn’t it just tremendous how many times these words are
used? And ordinarily people just read through it and you know, miss the whole trip. Think
it’s a mammoth amount of confusion. Okay, verse 5.
Romans 8:5:
...they that are after the flesh do mind [or are obedient to] the things of the flesh;
but they that are after [or according to] the Spirit they [do mind] the things of the
Spirit.
Given this to you some time previously, already that’s accurately right: But they that
are according to the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit.
So man’s going to mind, be obedient to either flesh or what? {Spirit.} Now, he
couldn’t know the spirit thing and still not be what? {Obedient.} So, he’s still going to be
obedient to the spirit or flesh. But many people have never known the spirit side, they’re
born again, but nobody’s ever told them what they have in Christ, or what Christ is to them
or in them. And if you don’t know you got it you can’t what? {Believe it.} So, just never
be too critical of people. Because, really they’ve never been taught, they don’t know. Verse 6:
Romans 8:6, 7 (not KJV):
For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the spirit is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind [or the mind of the flesh, the fleshly mind, the senses
mind] is enmity against [what?] God:...
People, no matter how sincere, how religious they look, the Word of God says that
man with all of his brains, a thing he figures out , all of these beautiful theological
doctrines, and hypothesis, straight what? Enmity with God. It’s a slap in God’s face, that
man thinks he can figure out anything, that’s right. Man can’t figure anything out when it
comes to spiritual side. It’s all by grace, it’s all by what God wrought in Christ, man never
willed it, man may have desired it but man could not will it. God not only desired, he
willed. And the fleshly mind or the mind of the flesh as enmity against God, is not subject
to the law of God, can not be and that eighth verse we set in the middle of that, the whole
trip, so then they that are in the flesh or are obedient to the mind of the flesh can not, what?
Please God. Can not please God.
Romans 8:9, 10:
But ye are not in the flesh, but in...Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell
[where?] in you. [But] if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, [Christ in you,] he
is [what?] none of his. [He still dead and trespasses in sins.]
[But] if Christ in you, the body is dead, because of [what?] sin;...
And the life and the spirit is life. If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin.
Christ be in you, but if Christ be in you – but if Christ be in you, the body is dead because
of sin. That has to be “but” in verse 10. Yeah, doesn’t it? Contrast, but the spirit is life on
account of righteousness on account of his righteousness, God’s righteousness in Christ.
The body is dead because of what? {Sin.}That’s right. That’s why we all die. Yet that spirit
that’s in us is, what? {Life.} And can not die, that’s why its eternal because of what?
Righteousness, God’s righteousness in Christ, that’s eternal. And you’re going to see that
this whole thing, when I wrap this all up tonight is indicative of the gathering together and
the change. Verse 11.
Romans 8:11:
[And] if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from [among] the dead dwell in you,
he that raised Christ from the dead shall...quicken your mortal bodies [also, see it?
on account of]...his spirit that [indwelleth] in you.
It’s not just dwelleth in you, he indwelleth in you is the text. It’s a double emphasis,
you know, dwelleth in you, in the Word is “indwelleth in.” Don’t ask me why I did, but did
it. It just stands me in utter amazement, the stuff.
Romans 8:11 (not KJV):
If the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from among the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead, [that’s God,] shall quicken [make alive,] your
mortal bodies also, on account of his spirit that indwelleth in you now.
Isn’t that something?
Romans 8:12, 13 (not KJV):
Therefore [because of this], brethren, we are indebted [to the hilt], not to [what?]
the flesh, to live after the flesh.
For if we live [according to or] after the flesh, we shall [what?] die: but if ye by
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body...
To mortify the deeds of the body, is to put to death by reckoning. They aren’t dead you
just reckon them dead. By the spirit you mortify the deeds of the body. You reckon them
dead, you hear yourself speak in tongues and you just reckon the flesh, what? {Dead.}
Because the spirit is the proof of the eternal life that you have in Christ Jesus and
everything else. And it’s by this operation of the spirit that you mortify, blow to
smithereens. The “reckoning” is a translation, but it isn’t as strong as I would like it.
Mortify, I understand, blow to smithereens, beat the hell out of, or do something you know?
Sock it to them, mortify, lay them cold, give them to the mortician. How do you do this?
By way of the spirit; by the spirit. When you speak in tongues you edify, the Christ in you
the hope of glory. Speaking in tongues you get big and fat spiritually and that’s how you
mortify.
Romans 8:14 (not KJV):
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God.
To be led by the spirit of God, is to not live after the flesh, but to live after the spirit.
And to live after the spirit, you have to be of Christ be in you, otherwise you are none of
his. To be led by the spirit of God, does not mean that you’re non-Christian if you cop out,
understand? To led by the spirit of God, they’re the sons of God. You’re the son of God by
birth. Therefore to be led by the spirit has to refer back to not living after the flesh but
putting to death by reckoning the operation of the spirit, to carry out what God said you
ought to do by the spirit. How would you all speak in tongues, all the rest of it is to be led
by the spirit. And that is, you know, your proof; it’s your evidence (it’s your thing) that you
are, what? Sons of God.
Romans 8:15 (not KJV):
For ye have lambanō not a bondage spirit, which would make you fear. But you
have lambanō a sonship spirit whereby we cry, (with this sonship spirit, we cry,)
Abba, Father.
How many times are these words “Abba, Father” used in the Bible?
[CROSSTALK]
What’s it say in Galatians 4:6, read it to me.
Galatians 4:6:
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father.
That’s Galatians. Yeah what does Bullinger say about Galatians 4:6, Abba Father. Who
has a Bullinger, yes Patty? Well look at your appendix.
[Student:] In Romans 8 it says Abba, Father: it says that slaves were never allowed to use
the word “Abba.” Strictly therefore, it can only be employed by those who have
received the gift of divine nature.
Bernita, do you have Aramaic there? Does it have the words too? What do they mean
in Aramaic?
[Bernita:] Same thing. Abba and then it’s actually our fathers.
Or the Father. All right now, just a minute. Two words exactly the same?
[Bernita:] The roots are exactly the same.
What’s the root? Abba?
Right, see in English here, you have an Aramaic word “abba,” and a Greek translated
word “father.” This is a great proof that the text must have been originally Aramaic. It is a
double emphasis, as I understand it, and I don’t know too much about it. What did you say
Bullinger said?
Lesson 12 Romans 8:5-29 139
[Student:] Bullinger says Abba is in general Father.
Right. Yeah?
[Student:] “It is said that slaves were never allowed to use the word “Abba.” Strictly,
therefore, it can only be employed by those who have received the gift of the Divine
nature.”
Gift, gift, gift. Read me Mark 14.
Mark 14:36:
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup
from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
You know, Bullinger could be right on that. Read me again what Bullinger said.
[Student:] “It is said that slaves were never allowed to use the word “Abba.” Strictly,
therefore, it can only be employed by those who have received the gift of the Divine
nature.”
In order to use the word “Abba,” you’d have to be a son then, not a slave.
[Student:] I have it written in my Bible as an Orientalism.
Alright, explain it to me.
[Student:] They only say it with their most intimate relationships of father and son,
nobody outside of the family would use it.
What’s the old prodigal say when he comes home. Where is that in Luke? What’s he
say? Bernita what’s that in Aramaic? Luke what? {Chapter 15.} Whose going to tell me
what it says? Bernita’s going to tell me. What verse is it? {Verse 21.}
[Bernita:] It’s a form of Abba.
Okay, I’ll go back to Romans.
[Bernita:] Dr. [Wierwille], he [Bullinger] has a little bit more on that, just right up above
on the word “sonship and adoption.” He says:
[Romans 8:15 note: Adoption=Sonship] An “adopted” child may partake of all the
privileges of the family, yet it is not begotten and born in the family. But the subjects of
this verse are begotten of the Spirit (John 3.6) and are, therefore, sons of God by spiritual
generation. It is thus a real sonship-spirit that enables them to cry “Abba, Father.”
Okay, okay, now we’re getting closer. You see, I believe the whole context warrants
this understanding. But you have received, lambanō, a sonship spirit whereby this
lambanōing, we cry Father, my Father. In other words you cry not in a sense of bawling
tears but with all the pathos, all of the depth, all of what you are to Him. You speak to Him.
And I think it’s used in a double sense because it’s finished, it’s established; that’s all there
is to it, that’s the end of it. I think this is why he cried it in the garden. The way it’s stated
in Mark. Okay? Yes?
[Student:] When it says: we lambanō the spirit of sonship whereby we cry Abba, Father. Is
that the lambanō of the spirit, does that mean that we cry father, father or show our – ?
Later on you’ll see it, it will all fit together. The spirit makes intercession.
[Student:] What I’m thinking is, is our lambanōing the spirit the actions that we do by
manifesting the spirit is that defined Abba, Father? It’s not like we would just cry
Abba, Father, by the spirit. It would be the actions you’re doing in the spirit.
Right. It’s the spirit, as we lambanō it, whereby the spirit, it’s by the spirit that it goes
to Father, my Father. Kurt what was your question?
[Kurt:] My question was in verse 13, about the usage of spirit there. I have marked my
holy spirit that that’s 4a which is the issues of the result of the operation of man’s mind,
such as acts of will, thought, desires and emotions.
Could be. I’ll handle all of that if I ever get to it tonight, maybe. Okay, that takes you
through the first major section of this great chapter from verse 2 through verse 15. Setting
flesh, spirit and some of the results of it. Did I ever give you verse 10 accurately in
translation, I guess.
Romans 8:10 (not KJV):
Although the body is dead because of sin (the spirit); the new birth in you is life
because of His righteousness.
That’s what it is. It’s intermission time.
Because of sin, the spirit, parenthesis, new birth in you is life, because of His
righteousness, capital “H”. Talking about flesh and spirit, remember? The word “hope” is
used nine times in chapters 1-8. I will give them to you now. I’ll give you seven of them.
Because seven of those nine, I’m really dynamically concerned about: 4:18, 5:2, 4 and
verse 5, 8:20, 24, 25. All seven of these speak of the utter failure of the flesh and relate to
the future rising and gathering together, of the return. Now, verse 16, of 8.
Romans 8:16:
The Spirit itself beareth witness with [the spirit which is] our spirit, [which he has
given us,] that we are [what?] the children of God:
Now watch “children”:
Romans 8:17:
And if children, [We are what?]...heirs; heirs of God,...joint heirs with Christ; if so
be that we suffer with..., that we may be also glorified together.
When Christ suffered, we what? {Suffered.} And when he arose, we what? {Arose.}
And when he was glorified we were what? {Glorified.} That’s what that verse is talking
about. And the spirit is the only thing you got that bears witness with his gift his spirit in
you, that you are a child of God. It’s not works, works is works, it’s grace that we’re His
children by. The spirit is what bears the witness, not my works. The spirit, the spirit God in
Christ. That’s why you’re a child. We’re children in verse 16, 17, heirs twice in verse 17
and joint-heirs once in 17. And that’s because children – A joint heir is one who shares
fully. It’s not share and share alike. If my brother and I own a property and in the will, you
know, daddy left it to us; he gets 50% and I get 50%, that’s not joint-heirship. Jointheirship
is when the father leaves us the whole together, that’s joint-heirship. We share
fully in the whole thing. Now, the human mind will say what’s the difference if you share
50%, and he shares 50? Let’s say we had 50 acres of land and he shared 50% and I shared
50%, part of that land could be poorer land then his land. But if we were joint heirs we
would share equally in the whole thing. Now, if we’re children then we’re heirs, heirs of
whom? {God.} And we’re joint heirs with Christ. Everything Christ has, we have. That’s
why we’re seated in the heavenlies, all of that stuff. People I tell you, nobody sees Romans,
they just talk about it. And they don’t even see it and they don’t even begin to believe it,
really something, isn’t it?
Romans 8:18:
For I reckon that the [suffering] of this present time are not worthy...with the
glory which shall be revealed [to usward.]
The text, not which shall be revealed in us in the future but it’s revealed to usward,
right now already. There’s going to be a little suffering in this present time, you don’t have
to talk about it, it’s here. You know it.
Romans 8:19:
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the
sons of God.
Earnest expectation: the word apo meaning from, kara meaning the head, dokaō
meaning to expect. It denotes eagerness with outstretched necks, watching, waiting. Like I
see a robin on the lawn. He’s looking for that worm coming up and he’s got his neck stuck
way out. I saw one this afternoon; I thought of this, earnest expectation. You know, if he’s
earnestly expecting, he ought to be able to get it, right? But if you’re not earnestly
expecting, you sit back and draw your neck in, you know? Not looking for anything. It is
from the head expecting, denoting eagerness. If you got your neck stretched out, you’re
eager to get to it.
Romans 8:19, 20:
For the earnest expectation of the creature [that’s us] waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God [which is the gathering together, the whole trip].
For the creature [that’s man, us, beginning] was made subject to [what?] vanity,
[not willing,]...by reason of him who hath subjected the same [waiteth I say] in
hope.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, waiteth I say in hope, not willing. After
the word “same”, is a parenthesis. I worked this thing in my mind from Genesis today.
Creature, man was made subject to what? {Vanity.} You could literally put the word
“Abel” there and be right on with text. You haven’t a text to prove it but the accuracy
would. Because, the word “Abel”, Cain and who? {Abel.} Means vanity. Abel means
vanity. Cain the first murder, plunk plunk. Abel the second one, still what? Vanity. Put that
one together in Genesis, isn’t that neat? But Abel at least was not a murderer he was vain
like all men are, including women. Just not the women; mankind, the creature vanity. Not
willing but by reason of him who had subjected the same in hope. And in the subjection I
see Eve in Genesis subject to Adam and in the Genesis 3 trip, the promise of the seed,
[verse] 15. Subjected the same in, what? Hope, she couldn’t have it then. Took Mary 2000
years later to bring forth this redeemer that did all of this for us that chapter 8 has so
dynamically concerned about. Verse 21.
Romans 8:21:
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
The bondage of corruption, is the world in which we live. It’s death and everything
else. We read a little while ago something about sin and the trip, death. The whole world
flesh trip is a bondage of corruption. If you live long enough you die, quit living. But all
the period of time in life, sufferings of this present time of verse 18. Because of the one
who owns the world. Now, verse 22: For we know. Mark in your head or someplace “we
know.”
Romans 8:22:
...we know...the whole creation groaneth...
I worked this word “groaneth” trip, what did I do with it? I’ll give it to you; here it is.
To groan is the word: stenazō, which means to contract, narrow down. It’s transliterated
into our English word stenographer. What does a stenographer do in short hand? Contracts
what has been said, narrows down what has been said. The whole creation groaneth.
Romans 8:22b-24:
...and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, [not only the creation, but ourselves also,
who]...have the firstfruits of the Spirit [and the first fruits of the spirit is Christ in you the
hope of glory], even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption,...[and
what is this,] the redemption of [the body – which is a gathering together, the Return of
Christ.]
For we are saved by hope:...
Saved how? Resurrection of our body, that’s the salvation. Redemption, I mean, of our
body. The redemption of our body either the rising of the body or the changing of our body
is the salvation. It’s the word sōzō being made whole, by hope. Hope of what? His return,
that it spoke about, redemption of the body.
Romans 8:24-26:
But [verse 14] hope that is seen [would not be, what? Hope, right. But] what a
man seeth, why doth he yet hope for [it? Couldn't.]
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for his return.
[Verse 26] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our [infirmity, singular]: for we know
not...
In verse 22 it says, “we know,” verse 26 says, “we know not.” What do we not know?
We do not know how to pray or:
Romans 8:26b:
...what to pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered.
Can not be described, we have no other way to go but the spirit. The word “helpeth” in
verse 26 is the word s-u-n meaning together with. Anti meaning opposite. And lambanomai
to take. Literally meaning supporting of a heavy burden by help of another. [Repeats:]
supporting of a heavy burden by help of another. In I Timothy 6:2 the word is translated:
partaker, partake. This word “helpeth” and “intercession” are really closely aligned in
continuity of thought. “Helpeth our infirmity.” We don’t know what to pray for; which is a
tremendous infirmity. So, he helpeth us by taking our heavy burden not knowing how to
pray and he picks it up. The picture I have is like a yoke, you know. This yoke over here is
around a little calf’s neck and this one around a big old bull. He’s the bull, and we are the
little, old calf. It’s a heavy burden, he picks it up and he carries it, that’s “helpeth.” The
spirit maketh “intercession.” This intercession means: to fall in with. Joins his help to our
weakness, his intercession. I see it like an athlete who’s been hurt on the field and the two
fellows come over and they put arm of the fellow around one neck and one on the other
and these fellows carry him out. That’s the picture of intercession. Joins his help to our
weakness. Like the arm of a man about the shoulder of another man. And he just drags us
along. We have no strength of our own, infirm, don’t know what we should pray for so,
Christ picks us up but he just drags us along. We got our feet dragging and our head
hanging down, arm around, and he’s holding onto us and he’s just dragging us along.
That’s intercession. The spirit helpeth our what? {Infirmity.} We know not. And if you
don’t know, shut up you don’t know, right? We don’t know how to what? {Pray.} Boy, this
long praying business, you know, where a guy prays for a half an hour, lots of words. He
don’t know what to pray for. But the spirit itself, is the one who bears us along. If he’s
going to bear us along, forget about all of those long prayers. Let him do it, pray in the
spirit. That’s what he’s saying. That’s Romans 8. And the groanings which can not be, what?
{Uttered.} Sure, he knows how to narrow it down and get a job done short order, see?
Groanings which can not be, what? {Uttered.} You couldn’t utter them. You see, the spirit
knows what’s in the mind of the spirit, God knows. All you and I have to do is believe, let
him do the work. We believe, do it, he carries it out. But you see, we do a little bit of
speaking in tongues, then we doubt if he’s really going to do it. Well, the moment the doubt
comes you cut it off, the efficaciousness of it. But if we doubt not, but believe. Let him do
it.
Romans 8:27:
...he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,...
He knows. He who searches the heart, God knows what is the mind or the desire of the
spirit. The word “because” should be “that.” I think you have a “that” in the inner margin.
It’s what it ought to be.
Romans 8:27b (not KJV):
...that he may make intercession for the saints in harmony with God [is the text].
That he may make intercession for the saints in harmony with, what? God. That’s
pretty good. Boy, I tell you that’s beautiful, fantasic, terrific; that’s bigger than magna cum
laude. I don’t know why they were so loud about it but they are. Verse 28 says:
Romans 8:28:
And we [what?] know...
Well bless God if we know it then let’s act like it; we know it.
Romans 8:28 continued:
...[that occasionally? no.] that all [without any exception, class]...work together
for [what?] good to them that love [what?] God, [and] to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
So the love of God, to them. Loved of God, and to them, according to God, identical.
That’s right. All things work together for good to them that what? {Love God.} To them
who are the called. According to His what? {Purpose.} And I did a work on that purpose
trip and it really threw me for a loop again. I don’t know where all of that stuff is; someday
I’ll get it figured out. What did I do with it? Purpose, purpose, purpose – here it is. God has
a purpose and the word purpose is: prothesis. A proposition: something set out. That’s the
word “purpose” in verse 28. I will give you also under that “foreknowledge,” because it
begins with a pro too. Proginōsko, which means to know beforehand. You see “purpose” in
verse 28, kids? Foreknowledge in verse 29? Predestinate in verse 29? Predestinate is
proorizō. Purpose, foreknowledge and predestination all begin with pro. Prothesis,
proginōsko and proorizō. And proorizō means to mark off before-hand. [REPEATS:] to
mark off before-hand. I mark a field off to put wheat in beforehand. George Jess marks off
the foundation for the dog shed before he pours the foundation. That’s predestinate. That
place is predestined to have cement run in it. He marked it off before hand, before he runs
it in. Boy, that’s really terrific. All three of those words, purpose, foreknowledge,
predestinate; called according to His what? {Purpose.} Okay. If God created the heavens
and the earth. He ought to know why you’re in the Corps. Called according to his what?
{Purpose.} Okay. All things work together for good to them that know God, to them called
according to his what? Purpose. Then for whom? The purpose for whom, he did foreknow
(he did foreknow), He also did what? {Predestined.} He knew beforehand you would
believe, to be in the Corps, therefore He predestinated you, marked you off to be in it. He
knew beforehand that you would accept the Lord Jesus Christ when you heard the Word of
God; therefore he predestinated you, to mark off beforehand. Predestination is contingent
upon foreknowledge. Without foreknowledge there could be no marking off ahead of time.
George Jess’ foreknowledge, knew where he wants to put the foundation, right? That’s why
he can predestinate, he could mark it off. If he didn’t have any foreknowledge of where to
mark the foundation, he might put the foundation in the back room of your trailer or
something. Don’t want the stupid dog house back there.
Romans 8:29:
[Now] whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate...conformed to the image
of his [what?] Son, that he [the son] might be the firstborn [And the first born is in
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and he has ascended] among many
[what?] brethern.
Okay.
Romans 8:30:
Moreover [boy this is something!] whom he did predestinate, them he also [what?]
called: [he called] whom he called, them he [what?]...justified: and whom he
justified, them he [what?]...glorified.
So called, justified, glorified. The predestinated are the called. The called are what?
{Justified.} And they’re what? {Glorified.} Amen, could you think of anything bigger? No.
Forgot lots of stuff, back in verse 27, I forgot to tell you about the mind. Want me to
tell you about the mind? The word “mind” – got this stuff all figured out today. I’m going
to give you this “foreknowledge” first, maybe I’ll give you “mind” next week. I don’t
know, a piece of it or something. Because, I can’t finish it all tonight, I’m too tired. I know
I’m tired. Maybe we’ll do it tomorrow night. Foreknowledge is used seven times. And I’ll
give it to you I guess. Did I give you this: proginōsko, right? It’s used five times as
proginōsko and twice as the noun: prognōsis. Sort of interesting how they transliterated
that, isn’t it? Prognōsis, it’s used twice. Now, I’ll give you the references, ready? Acts 2:23,
Acts 26:5, Romans 8:29, Romans 11:2, I Peter 1:2,20 and II Peter 3:17, how many does
that make? Seven, right. That’s how many times it’s used in the Bible. Foreknowledge, or
the essence of it: to know. And I fully intended to go through each one with you tonight
because I can show you stuff in there that gets real interesting, because it will relate back to
this purpose trip wherever we were in verse 28, verse 29 foreknow and predestinate. I think
we’ll do it next week or whenever I get to it, tomorrow night or something. I’m going to
give you this mind trip. Because I should have given that to you on verse 27, got it?
[Student:] Ephesians 1:11, is that “foreknow”?
Foreknow? I don’t know. If it is, I sure missed it. Ephesians 1, what? Do you have a
Bullinger handy? Does Bullinger do anything with that foreknow in Ephesians 1:11, or do I
have to look it up again?
[Student:]It’s predestinated.
Yeah, it’s predestinated, is that what it says? {Yes.} Okay, I’m talking about foreknow,
foreknowledge. 1:11 is predestinated. Okay, scratch, no trip. Didn’t think I missed it, but
you never know, you can miss a lot of stuff.
Now the word “mind.” There are seven different words used for “mind” in the Bible
and I’m going to give them to you, ready? Nous. You know, put the word “mind” on top
and put the Greek words under it.
1. nous – Romans 7:23
2. dianoia – a thinking through, completed thought – Luke 10:27
3. ennoia – what is in the mind; like a thought or an idea – Hebrews 4:12
4. noēma – that thought through, or thought out, purpose – II Corinthians 4:4
5. psuchē – soul – mind as expressing life – Philippians 1:27
6. gnōmē – mind made up, decision – Revelation 17:13
146 Romans Corps Teachings
7. phronēma – what one thinks or feels – Romans 8:6, “for to be carnally minded
is death,...to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” What one thinks or feels.
This word phronēma has an English word “phrenology,” what does it literally
mean?
[Denny:] It means to look at your head to try to figure out how you are inside.
When I checked this thing out the word phronēma, the root is phrēn. And it’s used in
the English word “pericardium” and in our English word “diaphragm.” That’s about all I
know about it. Now, you see the word “mind” that I gave you in here, relates in one way or
another to all of these words. Now, these words like nous and diamoia, these are used more
frequently than in these scriptures, but I gave you scripture to build it within you. You have
to check the rest of them yourself in the next 15 years or something. What’s a pericardium?
Mother? [Mrs. Wierwille replies, then Dr. Wierwille speaks:] That’s where you get effected
by love. [LAUGHTER] Okay. Well, we’ll hold with the rest until later. Because now, we
get into that great section that just sends you a hundred thousand miles high.
Romans 8:31:
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
And boy, that’s just fantastic. One, two, three, four – from [verse] 31 on you have four
questions. You have (one, two, three,) four answers and you have three “hows”.