Living By The Spirit Series

Introduction:

A. Maybe you heard the story of the man who owned a 1973 Pontiac classic car and loved it more than anything.

1. His instructions in his will were to bury him in his Pontiac.

2. So when he died, that’s what they did: they dressed him up in his suit, hat and white gloves, propped him up behind the steering wheel, and lowered him in the ground.

3. While he was being lowered in his Pontiac, one of his close friends said, “Man, that’s livin’!”

4. Brothers and sisters, that’s not livin’! That’s dyin’!

5. If we live according to the flesh, we’re dyin!

6. But if we live according to the Spirit, we’re livin’!

B. Today, as we turn to Romans 8, we will see that Paul begins with this amazing declaration: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. (8:1-2)

1. Livin’ with no condemnation is real livin’!

2. Being set free from sin and death is real livin’!

C. Romans 8 has been called the “inner sanctuary within the cathedral of Christian faith.”

1. Romans 8 sets before us some of the most wonderful blessings we enjoy as Christ-followers:

a. We are free from God’s condemnation.

b. We are indwelt by God’s own Spirit.

c. We are adopted into God’s own family.

d. We are destined for resurrection and glory.

e. We are full of hope because of God’s love for us and because of His promise to bring good to us through every circumstance of life.

2. Are you excited to examine this chapter and these truths? I am!

D. So how does this rehearsal of the glorious benefits of being “in Christ” fit into Paul’s arguments in these chapters?

1. The first part of the chapter 8 (vs. 1-13) has two purposes.

2. The first purpose is: it expands on the reference to the “new way of the Spirit” mentioned in 7:6 after the “interruption” in which Paul deals with questions about the law (7:7-25).

a. Reference to the Holy Spirit is long overdue in Paul’s discussion of the Christian life, but Paul is going to emphasize the work and importance of the Spirit in this chapter.

3. The second purpose is to reaffirm our new life in Christ with all of its blessings and responsibilities.

a. Paul started there back in chapter 5, but got detoured in chapters 6 and 7 where Paul dealt with the problem of sin and the law which are both threats to the security of our new life.

E. As we move through verses 1 – 13, Paul challenges us to ask ourselves three questions:

1. Where is our trust?

2. Where is our mind?

3. Where is our obligation?

I. Where is Our Trust?

A. Let’s look at verses 1-2: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

1. Paul declares there is “No condemnation for those in Christ!”

a. That sums up the early chapters of the book of Romans, especially the end of chapter 3.

b. If we have believed and obeyed the Gospel, then we have been declared right with God – the righteousness of Christ is given to us.

c. The Father punished the Son for our sins, and we will never need to be punished for them.

2. But this means more than merely deliverance from sin’s guilt and punishment, it also means deliverance from sin’s enslaving power.

3. Paul is telling us that we as Christians are not condemned to a life of perpetual slavery to our sinful natures, we don’t have to be confined to a life of constant defeat and failure.

4. There’s something better available to the child of God.

B. How do we know? Look at verse 2: because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

1. Last week we spent time talking about the law of sin and death in Romans 7:23: but I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.

2. That pretty well sums up the principle that we see operating in our lives, that makes it so difficult for us to do the good things we want to do, that robs us of real joy in living, and that leads to death.

3. The good news that Paul declares here is that there’s another law or principle operating in our lives as believers: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus – it is the controlling power of the indwelling Holy Spirit that frees us from the controlling power of the flesh.