Getting Past Your Past Series

Romans 8:1-4

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,

2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,

4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

INTRO

How do we deal with what we have done in the past?

1. COMPARE condemnation and conviction (1, 2)

Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

There are a number of ways to distinguish between the two:

CONDEMNATION CONVICTION

utilize guilt utilize Godly sorrow

deals with sin confessed sin deals with unconfessed sin

creates distance between you & God creates closeness between you & God

shows you the problem shows you the Answer

leads to shame leads to repentance

If we constantly think God is holding a grudge against us or constantly trying to punish us for something we did long ago, then we will never get past our past!

When the Lord forgives us of our sin, He never brings it up again!

2. COMPREHEND what Jesus did for you (3)

Romans 8:3

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,

The work of Salvation

Our view of our past changes when we include a view of the cross.

3. COMMIT to live according to the Spirit (4)

Romans 8:4

in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

A big way to defeat your past is to dedicate your present to Jesus

Do we live according to what our flesh desires or according to what the Spirit desires?

The Spirit will never contradict the Word of God

The Spirit will never act out of hatred

The Spirit will never divide the body of Christ