ROMANS 8. 1- 17 SECURITY IN THE SPIRIT PART 1.
• WE LIVE UNCERTAIN INSECURE WORLD RELATIONAL (FAMILY BREAKUP) ECONOMICALLY ( COST OF LIVING) MORALLY (DISINTEGRATION OF RIGHT LIVING) SPIRITUALLY ( THE BLURRING OF SPIRITUALITY AND THE PERVADING SECULAR AGENDA ). ALL OF WHICH CAN LEAVE US INSECURE BUT AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE SECURITY WE ACTUALLY POSSES ESPECIALLY WHEN IT APPEARS THAT ALL AROUND US ALL IS FALLING APART.
LAST WEEK WE SAW PAUL SHARING US HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES FIRSTLY AS A YOUNG JEWISH MAN UNDER LAW WHICH EXPOSED THE SIN (7:7) IN HIS LIFE WHICH SIN EXPLOITED (7:8) WITH SIN SEIZING THE OPPORTUNITY, HE EXPLAINED TO US THE MINISTRY OF THE LAW OF EXPOSING AND CONVICTING THE SINNER .AND THEN WENT ON TO SHARE HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A MATURE BELIEVER IN CHRIST, HE SHARED WITH US THE HONEST INWARD STRUGGLE WITH SIN THAT HE CONTINUES TO FACE. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE LAW WAS UNABLE TO SAVE HIM AND ONLY CHRIST COULD DO THAT (7:25) THANKS BE TO GOD - THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
POINT OF CONTACT : ‘THEREFORE ‘ ( V1-17) PAUL IS NO LONGER PRE – OCCUPIEDD WITH THE WORK OF THE LAW (ROM 7) BUT WITH THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN A BELIEVERS LIFE , IF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER FOCUSED UPON THE LAW AND THE STRUGGLE A CHRISTIAN FACES WITH SIN. (7:17 ,20) THIS IS CONTRASTED TO THE LIBERATING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES. (8: 1- 2)
ANOTHER POINT OF CONTACT : EARLIER WE HAD LEARNED THAT IN ADAM 5:16,18 BROUGHT CONDEMNATION. HERE WE LEARN (8:1) THEREFORE THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS .
“IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE BIBLE IS LIKE A RING AND THE BOOK OF ROMANS IS THE DIAMOND AND CHAPTER 8. IS THE CENTRE POINT OF THE DIAMOND ITSELF.”
CHAPTER 8:1 COMMENCES WITH NO CONDEMNATION ENDS WITH NO SEPARATION V39 AND IS FILLED UP WITH NO DEFEAT V29 -30 .” WE WANT TO BE UPLIFTED TODAY LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THIS CHAPTER....
THE CORE MESSAGE IS NOT ABOUT OUR SANCTIFICATION OF THE BELIEVER ALTHOUGH SPOKEN OF, BUT THAT OF A CHRISTIANS SECURITY IN THE SPIRIT.
1. OUR SECURE STANDING IN THE SPIRIT. 1-4. READ
PAUL ACTUALLY MENTIONS THE SPIRIT 14 TIMES V 1-17 REFERRING TO THE SPIRIT V4 ,5, 6, 9,11,13,16 THE SPIRIT OF LIFE V2 , SPIRIT OF GOD V9,14, SPIRIT OF CHRIST V9, AND THE SPIRIT OF SON SHIP V15 AND IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THE WHOLE OF THE CHAPTER YOU FIND THE SPIRIT IS MENTIONED 21 THIS IS SIGNIFICANT COMPARE IT TO CHAPTER 7, WHERE HE IS MENTIONED ONCE IN THE WHOLE CHAPTER.
WHY? PAUL WANTS US TO KNOW THE HUGE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE INSECURITY TRYING TO LIVE A LIFE THROUGH LAW KEEPING AND THE SECURITY WE POSSES IN THE SPIRIT, ESSENTIAL HE IS SAYING THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A LIFE WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE SPIRIT , WITHOUT THE SPIRIT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS IMPOSSIBLE – WITHOUT THE SPIRIT WE ARE MERE IMPOSTERS .
ROM. 8:1 THEREFORE THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST JESUS .
DEAR CHRISTIAN ARE YOU FEELING LOW TODAY , ARE YOU FEELING DEFEATED, ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH SIN IN YOUR LIFE….IS THERE AN ACCUSING VOICE IN YOUR CONSCIENCE CONTINUALLY CONDEMNING YOU GIVING YOU DOUBTS? YOU NEED TO REMEMBER YOU ARE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT.
B) WITH A NEW FREEDOM V2 -4
TEMPTATIONS AND TRIALS WILL ALWAYS COME WHILST LIVING IN THIS LIFE YET YOU MUST FIX YOUR HEART AND MIND UPON THESE TRUTHS IN SCRIPTURE V2 THROUGH CHRIST JESUS THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE SET ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.
THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT IS IN REFERENCE TO THE GOSPEL WHICH WHEN CONVEYED WITH THE SPIRITS DYNAMIC ACCOMPANIES ITS PROCLAMATION ( READ LUKE 4:18 1THES 1:5 ) AND IT HAS HAD A LIBERATING EFFECT. THE GOSPEL HAS LIBERATED US.
HOW? V 3-4 THE WORK OF THE TRIUNE GODHEAD IT INVOLVES:
GOD SENDING HIS SON - IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL MAN - WHO FULFILLED ALL THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW - HE CONDEMNED SIN IN SINFUL MAN - AND LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AS AN OFFERING - AS A RESULT YOU HAVE BEEN REDEEMED BY CHRIST - YOU ARE JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD - YOU ARE BEING SANCTIFIED BY HIS SPIRIT AND YOU WILL BE GLORIFIED V29 - 30 AND THEREFORE THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION BECAUSE YOU ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. YOU ARE SECURE WHATEVER THIS WORLD THROWS AT YOU AS LONG AS YOU REMAIN IN HIM
DURING A HURRICANE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, A NEWS REPORT HIGHLIGHTED A RESCUE DEVICE USED ON THE OIL RIGS. IN CASE OF FIRE OR (IN THIS CASE) HURRICANE, RIG WORKERS SCRAMBLE INTO THE BULLET-SHAPED "BUS" AND STRAP THEMSELVES INTO THEIR SEATS. WHEN THE ENTRY PORT IS SHUT, THE VEHICLE IS RELEASED DOWN A CHUTE AND PROJECTED AWAY FROM THE RIG. THE SEAT BELTS PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE WATER. THE CAPSULE THEN BOBS IN THE SEA UNTIL THE RESCUERS COME TO PICK IT UP.
THE DEVICE PARALLELS THE THEOLOGICAL TRUTH OF THIS LAST VERSE AND OF ROM. 8:1--"THEREFORE, THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS." JUSTIFICATION DOES NOT MEAN OUR WORLD ALWAYS STOPS FALLING APART. THE RIG STILL MAY TOPPLE IN THE HURRICANE. BUT THOSE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, WHETHER A RESCUE MODULE OR SPIRITUALLY IN CHRIST, ARE SAVED FROM THE ULTIMATE CONSEQUENCES OF THE STORM. THE STORM WILL TAKE ITS COURSE. THE WELFARE OF THE WORKERS DEPENDS ON WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE RESCUE DEVICE.
C) THE INSECURE STANDING OF THE UNBELIEVER
THE ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PERSON WHO IS NOT IN CHRIST , IF YOU HAVE NEVER ACCEPTED CHRIST, IF YOU HAVE NEVER SUBMITTED TO HIS LORDSHIP, THEN YOU ARE NOT IN CHRIST AND AS A RESULT YOU ARE STILL UNDER CONDEMNATION. IN CHRIST YOU ARE SECURE FOR THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION UTTER SECURITY. YET OUTSIDE OF CHRIST THERE IS DISASTER AHEAD, CONDEMNATION A MAJOR BREACH OF SECURITY HAS STILL NOT BEEN RECTIFIED IN YOUR LIFE.
V5 CONTRASTS: THE SINFUL NATURE AND SPIRIT FILLED NATURE. PAUL IS NOT TALKING HERE ABOUT THE STRUGGLE WITHIN A BELIEVER HE IS ADDRESSING TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE. SINFUL MIND SETS IT UPON WHAT IS SINFUL NATURE DESIRES WHERE AS A SPIRIT FILLED MIND SETS HIS MIND UPON WHAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESIRES.
V6 CONSEQUENCES: THE SINFUL PERSON FACES SPIRITUAL DEATH - SPIRIT FILLED PERSON - FACES LIFE AND PEACE.
V7 CHARACTER TRAITS SINFUL MIND - THE UNBELIEVERS STANDING
• V7 HOSTILE TO GOD.
• DOES NOT SUBMIT TO THE LAW OF GOD
• NOR CAN IT DO SO – BECAUSE OF ITS NATURE.
• V8 IT CANNOT PLEASE GOD
IF THIS IS YOUR CONDITION THIS MORNING THEN YOU NEED TO REPENT AND BELIEVE THIS MESSAGE WHICH IS THE SPIRIT OF LIFE TO YOU, IF ACTED UPON IN YOUR HEART AND LIFE.
D) OUR STANDING IS SECURE BODY AND SOUL V9 - 11. WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT “YOU HOWEVER”
V9 CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT .PAUL IS SHOWING US OUR PRESENT POSSESSION OF SPIRITUAL LIFE WILL LEAD TO THE ENJOYMENT OF PHYSICAL LIFE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION BODY ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT WHO INDWELLS US. THE SPIRIT THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD WILL RAISE OUR PERISHABLE BODIES INTO IMPERISHABLE 1COR 15:53 -54. OUR PRESENT STATE WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A NEW CREATION WITH FREEDOM FROM DISEASE, PAIN , AGING AND DEATH.
• BISHOP HADLY MOULDE PUT IT “IT’S THE GOSPEL FOR THE BODY, IN CHRIST THE BODY IS SEEN TO BE SOMETHING FAR DIFFERENT FROM A MERE CLOG OR PRISON OR CHRYSALIS, OF THE SOUL. IT IS A DESTINED IMPLEMENT MAY WE NOT SAY ITS MIGHTY WINGS IN PROSPECT, FOR THE LIFE OF GLORY . MOULE 1894 (P215)
CONCLUSION: THIS IS OUR SECURE STANDING THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST BECAUSE THE GOSPEL OF LIFE CAME IT GAVE US SPIRITUAL LIFE RATHER THAN DEATH WE ARE NO LONGER HOSTILE WITH GOD BUT WE HAVE PEACE AND LIFE WITH HIM. WE HAVE BEEN LIBERATED BY THE SPIRIT PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY WE HAVE BEEN , AND WILL BE DELIVERED BY THE SPIRIT WHO WILL RAISE US FROM THE DEAD AND WILL BE UNITED IN CHRIST WITH A NEW GLORIFIED BODY
2. OUR SERVICE IN THE SPIRIT 12 -13.READ
A. INVOLVES HOLY LIVING V12 THEREFORE, BROTHERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION (LITERALLY DEBTORS ) TO LIVE BY THE SPIRIT NOT TO THE FLESH WE HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO IT ANYMORE. REMEMBER WE ARE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT WE MUST COME UNDER THE COMMANDS OF THE NEW MANAGEMENT WE MUST NOW WORK ACCORDING TO THEIR DESIRES AND DICTATES OF THE SPIRIT.
PAUL IS SAYING IF WE HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT AND HAVE GIVEN OUR SPIRITS V10 LIFE. THEN WE CANNOT LIVE TO THE FLESH BECAUSE IT LEADS TO DEATH . WE CANNOT BE THIS JEKYLL AND HYDE CHARACTER WHO ENTERTAINS SIN, YET CLAIMS TO HAVE LIFE BY THE SPIRIT. BECAUSE THERE IS A GREAT INCONSISTENCY EXISTS, ITS MADNESS.
WE ARE IN DEBT TO THE SPIRIT WHO HAS GIVEN US LIFE, NOT TO OUR SINFUL NATURE
V13 LIFE AND DEATH OPTION LAID BEFORE US: FOR IF YOU LIVE BY THE SINFUL NATURE YOU SHALL DIE: BUT IF BY THE SPIRIT YOU PUT TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY YOU SHALL LIVE.
THE CALL IS FOR HOLY LIVING… V13 WHICH ACTUALLY PUTS TO DEATH THE MISDEEDS OF THE BODY ALL THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
B. V13 INVOLVES MORTIFICATION
PUTTING TO DEATH (EXECUTION) THE STRONG VERB PAUL USES HERE MEANS TO KILL SOMEONE (TO PUT TO DEATH) . THE SINS THAT BESET OUR LIVES ARE TO BE KILLED BY SPIRIT FILLED LIVES THEY CANNOT BE IGNORED – BRUSHED UNDER THE CARPET – HIDDEN FROM OTHERS - THEY MUST BE EXECUTED ONCE AND FOR ALL. FOR A SPIRIT FILLED CHRISTIAN WILL GAL:5:24 CRUCIFY THE SINFUL NATURE
C.IT INVOLVES RESPONSIBILITY. WE DON’T WAIT FOR IT TO HAPPEN - V13 YOU PUT TO DEATH BY HOW HUMANLY YOU CANNOT BUT YOU ARE SPIRIT FILLED YOU HAVE THE ENABLING POWER TO MORTIFY PERSISTING SIN IN YOU LIFE NO EXCUSES. ROM 13:14 CLOTHE YOURSELVES WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND DO NOT THINK ABOUT HOW TO GRATIFY THE DESIRES OF THE SINFUL NATURE.
CONSIDER GARDENING - WEEDS WILL COME UP AMONGEST THE FLOWERS /VEGETABLES. A GOOD GARDENER CARES ABOUT HIS PATCH – AND CANNOT IGNORE THE WEEDS – HE WILL PULL THE WEEDS OUT - HE WILL SET ABOUT ERADICATING THOSE WEEDS - HE KNOWS THE WEEDS WILL ALWAYS CROP UP BUT HE PERSISTS IN DEALING WITH THE WEEDS BECAUSE IF LEFT UNCHECKED THEY WILL CHOCK HIS PLANTS THEY WILL SPOIL HIS GARDEN AS THEY GROW STRONGER AND MULTIPLY AND ULTIMATELY IF LEFT WILL DESTROY HIS GARDEN/ PATCH.
THAT GARDEN IS A PICTURE OF THE GARDEN OF OUR HEARTS WEEDS (SIN) GROW UP WHICH ARE CONTRARY TO OUR NEW NATURE. WE MUST PULL THOSE WEEDS UP - WE MUST DO ALL IN OUR POWER TO ERADICATE THEM WE ARE RESPONSIBLE. IT IS OUR GARDEN . WE ARE SPIRIT FILLED GARDENERS - IF LEFT THE WEEDS WILL JUST INCREASE GROWING IN STREGNTH AND NUMBER, IF LEFT UNCHECKED WILL CHOCK THE LIFE OUT OF US AND WE WILL DIE (IT’S A SURE SIGN THAT WE WERE NOT A CHRISTIAN IN THE FIRST PLACE) .
BUT IF WE ARE CONSTANTLY PULLING THEM WEEDS UP (AND ANY GARDENER WILL TELL YOU THAT IS A CONSTANT UNDERTAKING) (PRESENT TENSE V5 V13) THEN WE WILL LIVE. BECAUSE WE ARE SPIRIT FILLED GARDENER AND THAT IS WHAT SPIRIT FILLED GARDENERS DO. CONTINUALLY TEND TO THE GARDEN OF THEIR HEARTS.
SO OUR SERVICE IN THE SPIRIT IS ALL ABOUT HOLY LIVING WHICH INVOLVES MORTIFYING SIN IN OUR LIVES AND THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY EVERY SINGLE DAY OF OUR LIVES UNTIL WE ARE PRESENTED PERFECTED IN HIM ROM.8:30 ARE WE FULFILLING THAT SERVICE IN THE SPIRIT? THE POWERE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WITH US OR ARE WE NEGLECTING IT, IF SO REMEMBER IF THE WEEDS IN YOUR LIFE ARE LEFT UNCHECKED THEY WILL CHOCK THE LIFE OUT OF YOU AND YOU SHALL DIE IN YOUR SINS.
3. OUR SECURITY IN THE SPIRIT V14 -17 READ
HOW SECURE ARE WE REALLY? WE LIVE IN A DEEPLY INSECURE WORLD AND MANY OF US BEAR THE SCARES OF IT AS WE HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY IT, WHETHER THAT BE RELATIONALLY , EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY AND EVEN FINANCIALLY. BUT A NEW TURN OF EVENTS HAS TAKEN PLACE FOR THOSE IN CHRIST WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THIS WORLD WE HAVE THE SECURITY OF THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP.
FRED CRADDOCK IS A LECTURER AT PHILLIPS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN THE UNITED STATES. HE TELLS OF A TIME HE WAS ON HOLIDAY IN TENNESSEE. HE AND HIS WIFE WERE HAVING DINNER AT A RESTAURANT WHEN AN OLD MAN STARTED TALKING TO THEM, ASKING THEM HOW THEY WERE DOING AND IF THEY WERE ENJOYING THEIR HOLIDAY. WHEN THE OLD MAN ASKED FRED WHAT HE DID FOR A LIVING FRED SAW THE CHANCE TO GET RID OF HIM - "I’M A PREACHER."
"A PREACHER? THAT’S GREAT. LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT A PREACHER." THE OLD MAN SAT DOWN AT THEIR TABLE AND STARTED TO SPEAK. AS HE DID FRED’S ANNOYANCE WAS CHANGED TO ONE OF PROFOUND HUMILITY. THE OLD MAN EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS A BASTARD - IN THE LITERAL RATHER THAN THE FIGURATIVE SENSE. HE WAS BORN WITHOUT KNOWING WHO HIS FATHER WAS, A SOURCE OF GREAT SHAME IN A SMALL TOWN IN THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY. ONE DAY A NEW PREACHER CAME TO THE LOCAL CHURCH. THE OLD MAN EXPLAINED THAT AS A YOUNGSTER HE HAD NEVER GONE TO CHURCH, BUT ONE SUNDAY DECIDED TO GO ALONG AND HEAR THE NEW PASTOR PREACH. HE WAS GOOD. THE ILLEGITIMATE BOY WENT BACK AGAIN, AND THEN AGAIN. IN FACT HE STARTED ATTENDING JUST ABOUT EVERY WEEK. BUT HIS SHAME WENT WITH HIM. THIS POOR LITTLE BOY WOULD ALWAYS ARRIVE LATE AND LEAVE EARLY IN ORDER TO AVOID TALKING TO ANYONE. BUT ONE SUNDAY HE GOT SO CAUGHT UP IN THE SERMON THAT HE FORGOT TO LEAVE. BEFORE HE KNEW IT THE SERVICE WAS OVER AND THE AISLES WERE FILLING. HE RUSHED TO GET PAST PEOPLE AND OUT THE DOOR, BUT AS HE DID HE FELT A HEAVY HAND LAND UPON HIS SHOULDER. HE TURNED AROUND TO SEE THE PREACHER, A BIG TALL MAN, LOOKING DOWN AT HIM ASKING, "WHAT’S YOUR NAME, BOY? WHOSE SON ARE YOU?" THE LITTLE BOY DIED INSIDE, THE VERY THING HE WANTED TO AVOID WAS NOW HERE. BUT BEFORE HE COULD SAY ANYTHING THE PREACHER SAID "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I KNOW WHO YOUR FAMILY IS. THERE’S A DISTINCT FAMILY RESEMBLANCE. WHY, YOU’RE THE SON, YOU’RE THE SON, YOU’RE THE SON OF GOD!"
THE OLD MAN SITTING AT FRED CRADDOCK’S TABLE SAID "YOU KNOW, MISTER, THOSE WORDS CHANGED MY LIFE". AND WITH THAT HE GOT UP AND LEFT. WHEN THE WAITRESS CAME OVER SHE SAID TO FRED CRADDOCK AND HIS WIFE, "DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT WAS?" "NO" THEY REPLIED. "THAT WAS BEN HOOPER, THE TWO-TERM GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE." BEN HOOPER NEVER HAD THE SECURITY OF A FATHER IT HAD LEFT HIM SCARED IN HIS LIFE , YET HE CAME TO KNOW THE SECURITY FOUND IN FATHER GOD THAT HE WAS A CHILD OF GOD. V16 THE HOLY SPIRIT TESTIFIES WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE BELONG TO GOD. THIS IS OUR GREAT ASSURANCE - THE SECURITY OF BEING ADOPTED INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD.
IN ROMAN CULTURE THE ADOPTED PERSON GAINED ALL THE RIGHTS OF A LEGITIMATE CHILD IN THE FAMILY. HE BECAME A FULL HEIR TO HIS FATHERS ESTATE. AND SO HAVE WE WHEN WE BECOME CHRISTIANS WE GAIN ALL THE PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A CHILD OF GOD.
V14 – 17 WE TOO ARE HEIRS TO A VAST ESTATE, CHILDREN TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WHO HAS SHOWERED US WITH HIS LOVE AND THE ASSURANCE OF SECURITY NO LONGER ARE WE SLAVES TO FEAR BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP V15 AND BY HIM WE CRY “ABBA FATHER ”
WHEN FATHER GOD LOOKS AT US HE SEES HIS SON AND HIS DAUGHTER, IN OUR DADDIES PRESENCE WE ARE SECURE FOREVER.. EVEN IN OUR SUFFERINGS V17 IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT SHARE IN HIS GLORY.
