"The Sparkling Point of the Diamond-6"A .Desmond Ford

Let us look at key words from Romans chapter eight.There are certain key words, or phrases, that theolo-

gians use that operate like marbles in understanding theNew Testament. These words, orphrases carom and bounce about,throughout the New Testament,hitting off one another likemarbles,.

Here is one of the phrasesthat theologians use: The nowand the not yet.

Now and not yetRomans chapter eight tellsus that, in Christ, we are freefrom a whole list of things.Free from condemnation,free from separation, freefrom meaninglessness,free from loneliness, freefrom decay, free from weak-ness.

But, of course, we are not absolutely free. Loneliness,decay, and weakness still exist in life. They just don't domi-nate us anymore. But the day will come when we will beabsolutely free. We'll be free from the decay of death, andthe sicknesses that threaten us. We'll be free from weak-ness, from ignorance, from loneliness and isolation-oneday they will all be gone.

Theologians express this by talking about the Now.That is, what we have in Christ through the gospel, now,the moment we believe. This is, legally, everything. Bypossession, only the first fruits.

We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption assons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)

The complete harvest of the gospel is not ours untilthe life to come. That is why Christians rejoice, and alsogroan. Christians continue to groan.

"The now and the not yet." Legally, we have every-thing. In actual experience, we only have the beginnings.

Indicative and imperativeTheologians use anotherphrase: The indicative and theimperative.

Here's the indicative:

Shall we go on sinning, sothat grace may increase? Bynomeans! We died to sin; howcan we live in it any 10nger7

(Romans 6:1-2 NIV)

Notice the indicative: Wedied to sin.

Later, in chapter eight ofRomans, Paul writes of the im-

perative:

We have an obligation-but it isnot to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For ifyou live according to the sinful nature, you will die;but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds ofthe body, you will live. (Romans 8:12-13)

Romans 6 says I did die, which is the indicative. Ro-mans 8 says put to death.

The indicative? You died. Legally, God counts that youdied.

The imperative7 Because of the fact that you are legallydead in Christ, the apostle says, "Now, die."

Ephesians 4:24 urges us, "To put on the new selL"Colossians 3:10 declares, "[You] have put on the new self."

We already have everything in Christ. Thats the in-dicative. Christ secured it all, legally, for us. He did it.Christ's living and dying, that was my living and my dying.

Because of that, I have to live out the reality You died7

Then die. You put on the LordJesus7 Put on the Lord Jesus.

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Fulfillment and consummationAnother way theologians discuss this is to talk about ful-fillment and consummation.

At Christ's First Advent and the cross, the kingdom ofGod came. That was the fulfillment of the Old Testamentpromises and prophecies.

However, as I look around at the world in which welive, it doesn't look like the kingdom of God. There's a hos-pital there, a cemetery over the way There are accidents onthe freeway, and all of us are getting older. If this is thekingdom of God, who wants it7

But God's kingdom has come-legally Right now, be-cause of Christ, I am without condemnation before God. Ido, already, have the Spirit. And the Spirit will not leaveme or forsake me. However, the consummation is yet tocome. That will not occur until the Second Advent.

These key expressions (NowlNot Yet, Indicative/Imperative, Fulfillment/Consummation) will help us un-derstand chapter eight of Romans.

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