Finally Free

Finally Free

Series: Finding Freedom for Life

Romans 8:1-4

August 26, 2001

Morning Service

Introduction

The prisoner

We live in the same way. We have been offered freedom in Christ and yet we still choose to live in the prison of our own making. We try to follow God in our own strength. We try to obey God through our own efforts. We try to live for God in our own righteousness. This doesn’t seem to be the abundant life that Jesus promised to give us.

Is it any wonder why so many Christians become frustrated with their walk with God? The simple fact of the matter is that we can not live this way and enjoy the freedom that Christ has offered us. How can we really discover the freedom that Christ promised us? Paul gives us the answer to this important question in the first four verses of chapter eight in his letter to the Romans

Read Text: Romans 8:1-4

Body

I. Freedom from Condemnation

A. The reality of condemnation

1. The New Testament meaning

a.) The Greek term for condemnation found here is katakrima. It is the root for the English word criminal. It means to pass judgment.

b.) The New Testament writers understood that humanity lived under the judgment of God and that everyone was condemned due to sin. The judgment for sin was death and separation from God.

c.) The way of being free from condemnation was to receive full and complete pardon from the one who had passed the judgment.

2. The meaning for modern day

a.) Essentially, sin had created a death sentence for all of humanity. It was the rebellion of Adam that caused all people to be sinful and thus to be condemned.

b.) The good news and the bad news. The bad news first. God has condemned each person and this includes you and me. The good news is that He doesn’t intend for us to stay condemned. God is in the business of granting pardons.

3. Key to freedom – Belief in Christ

a.) Salvation

1.) Once a person commits to the belief of Christ they have become a new creation and are in Christ.

2.) It is the salvation of Christ that removes us from condemnation.

3.) John 5:24 - "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

b.) Security

1.) There is no need to worry about growing old or dying because we are free from the judgment of God and live by his grace.

2.) There is no need to worry about the trials of life because it is Christ who is working in our lives on a daily basis

B. The reality of bondage to the past

1. The prisoner revisit

2. Satan wants to keep you in bondage

a.) Satan makes use of past guilt and present failures to keep us from realizing our freedom in Christ

b.) Our security rests only on Christ’s performance and not our own

c.) The problem areas

 Our conscience reminds us of our guilt

 Non Christians will point out our inconsistencies

 Past memories of how we have lived will haunt us

 Unhealthy comparisons with other Christians can hurt our walk with God

3. Key to Freedom – Forgiveness

a.) Seek forgiveness from God: God is ready, willing and able to forgive you but you have to take the first step toward Him

b.) Forgive yourself: We often keep on reliving the faults and failures that we have made but that is not God’s view of things.

 Psalm 103:9-12

He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

 Live in the fullness of your freedom

II. Freedom from death

A. The bondage to death

1. The result of condemnation

a.) The Greek word for condemnation is a legal term that was used for a person who had been judged for a crime and given the just punishment.

b.) Once a person was condemned; their only hope was a pardon.

2. The reality of death

a.) Death is a result of the sinful nature of humanity and was NOT a part of God’s plan for us

b.) Two types of death

1.) Physical death: The reality of life is that every person who is now alive will someday die. Physical death is simply physically ceasing to function.