Romans 8 - 10

Paul reminds his readers that those to whom God has given Christ's righteousness no longer face the threat of His condemnation.  They are free from the convicting influence of His law, while still bound by the controlling influence of His law.  They still follow His commands, but are not condemned for failure to live up to them.  The debt owed is not to the flesh or the law, but to the One who freed us from the law.  Our identification with Him will bring its own troubles and persecutions, but God is able to use even the difficulties of life to bring about ultimate good as He defines it.  With Him at work, what enemy should rightly be feared?  Nothing will separate us from His great love.  Paul's desire is for all to know God in this manner, yet not all do.  God uses even their rejection of Him to highlight His great mercy, grace, and goodness as He takes those unworthy to be His and makes them His own.  He does this through the transforming power of His Word (both the written word and the incarnate Word).  Those who take His Word find Him to be totally truthful.