one day rescue his people from the plight of disobedience (6:17), put his Spirit in their midst (5:5; 7:6; 8:1–30) and make a new covenant with them (8:2). In chapter 8 the problem became acute when Paul attributed to the believing community Israel’s status as God’s adopted children (vv. 14–17; compare Hos 11:1) and asked, speaking of the relationship with God that Christ has established for the believer, “Who will bring charges against the elect of God?” (v. 33).36 All of this raises the question,
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