Sermon of J. Venon McGee on Romans 8 (KJV)
Youtube Video https://youtu.be/ZSzKk4BJ3SE
Theme: “Living in the Spirit—Assurance, Hope, and Victory for the Believer”
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I. Introduction – The Crisis of the Flesh and the Promise of the Spirit
- McGee began by asking the congregation how many still feel “bound by guilt, fear, and futility.”
- He announced that Romans 8 reveals the complete solution God gives through the Holy Spirit.
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II. The Verdict of No Condemnation (Rom 8:1‑2)
> “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus… For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free
from the law of sin and death.”
- The “condemnation” that drags the soul into despair is nullified the moment a person trusts in Christ.
- The “law of the Spirit” is not a written code but the living power that liberates believers from the “law of sin and death.”
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III. The Law of the Spirit versus the Law of the Flesh (Rom 8:3‑4)
> “God commendeth his own Son in the same... that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit.”
- Christ’s incarnation fulfills the righteous requirement of the law, enabling us to walk in the Spirit.
- The believer is now “the righteousness of the law” rather than a “breaker” of it.
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IV. Mindset Matters – Flesh or Spirit (Rom 8:5‑7)
> “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh… But the mind that is set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
- The “mind” is the soil; the “flesh” sows death, the “Spirit” yields life and peace.
- McGee urged an daily intentional setting of the mind on the Spirit—through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship.
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V. Adoption and Inheritance (Rom 8:15‑17)
> “Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption… If children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint‑heirs with Christ.”
- Believers are adopted into God’s family, gaining the privilege to call Him “Abba, Father.”
- As “joint‑heirs with Christ,” every promise to the Son is also a promise to the believer.
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VI. The Groaning of Creation and the Hope of Glory (Rom 8:18‑25)
> “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed…”
- All of creation “groaneth” awaiting redemption; our present trials are temporary and purposive.
- The “hope” is unseen yet certain; it “waits for the adoption of the sons of God.”
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VII. The Golden Chain of Redemption (Rom 8:28‑30)
> “And we know that all things work together for good… For whom he foreknew, he also predestined… And whom he did predestinate, them also he
called; and gave them the right hand of justification.”
- God’s sovereign plan moves from foreknowledge → predestination → calling → justification → glorification.
- Nothing can “snatch us out of the hand of God” because the chain is secured by divine purpose.
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VIII. The Spirit’s Intercession (Rom 8:26‑27)
> “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities… but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
- When believers lack words, the Holy Spirit intercedes with inexpressible groanings, guaranteeing divine assistance in weakness.
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IX. Victory Over All Opposition (Rom 8:31‑34)
> “If God be for us, who shall be against us?… Who is the advocate? … who is the propitiation?”
- Christ is our advocate and propitiation; the very One who “gave his life” bears all accusations.
- Therefore, no earthly or spiritual power can ultimately prevail against the believer.
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X. The Unbreakable Love of God (Rom 8:35‑39)
> “Neither shall any power, nor any force be able to break the love of God… for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life… shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- McGee concluded with a declaration of absolute security: nothing—tribulation, persecution, or even death—can sever the believer from God’s
love.
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XI. Application & Call to Action
1. Daily Surrender – Set the mind on the Spirit each morning.
2. Live as Heirs – Walk with the confidence of a joint‑heir with Christ.
3. Embrace Suffering – View present hardships as “groanings” that point to future glory.
4. Rest in Assurance – Rest secure in the truth that God is for us and His love cannot be broken.
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Closing Prayer:
McGee invited the congregation to receive anew the “Spirit of adoption,” to experience the “peace of the Spirit,” and to go forth “in the power of
the One who has already secured our glorification.”
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Thus, J. Venon McGee’s sermon on Romans 8 (KJV) presents the chapter as a single, triumphant message: the believer, once united with Christ,
lives under the indwelling Spirit, enjoys unshakable assurance, looks forward to glorious redemption, and stands victorious over every opposition.
Deliverance from Bondage
[Rom 8:1 KJV]
[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[Rom 8:2 KJV]
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
[Rom 8:3 KJV]
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
[Rom 8:4 KJV]
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[Rom 8:5 KJV]
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
[Rom 8:6 KJV]
For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.
[Rom 8:7 KJV]
Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
[Rom 8:8 KJV]
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
[Rom 8:9 KJV]
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
[Rom 8:10 KJV]
And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.
[Rom 8:11 KJV]
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
[Rom 8:12 KJV]
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
[Rom 8:13 KJV]
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.
[Rom 8:14 KJV]
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
[Rom 8:15 KJV]
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
[Rom 8:16 KJV]
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
[Rom 8:17 KJV]
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.
[Rom 8:18 KJV]
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
[Rom 8:19 KJV]
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
[Rom 8:20 KJV]
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected [the same] in hope,
[Rom 8:21 KJV]
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
[Rom 8:22 KJV]
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
[Rom 8:23 KJV]
And not only [they], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body.
[Rom 8:24 KJV]
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
[Rom 8:25 KJV]
But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it].
Our Victory in Christ
[Rom 8:26 KJV]
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
[Rom 8:27 KJV]
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to [the will of] God.
[Rom 8:28 KJV]
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
[Rom 8:29 KJV]
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
[Rom 8:30 KJV]
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
[Rom 8:31 KJV]
What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?
[Rom 8:32 KJV]
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
[Rom 8:33 KJV]
Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth.
[Rom 8:34 KJV]
Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
[Rom 8:35 KJV]
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[Rom 8:36 KJV]
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[Rom 8:37 KJV]
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[Rom 8:38 KJV]
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[Rom 8:39 KJV]
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.