ROMANS 8: 1 -4
"NEW LIFE IN THE SPIRIT"
In Chapter 8 the tone of Paul's letter changes to one of victory and confidence. He has discovered that the same grace that saved him will also enable him. Just as he transferred his trust and surrendered to Christ for his salvation, so he must transfer his trust and continue to surrender to Christ for his for his sanctification. This turning from the self empowered life allows us to live the Spirit empowered life. Chapter eight of Romans is the fullest discussion of the New Life in the Spirit contained in Scriptures.
The New Life in the Spirit, made possible through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of Life, brings deliverance from the old bondage of sin and death. One obtains the New Life in the Spirit by availing oneself to the resources of life that are his "in Christ Jesus" through whom we are more than conquers. The Christian life is life in the Spirit, which is to say a life that is animated, sustained, directed and enriched by the Spirit. Without the Spirit, the Christian life is impossible. [John Stott. Romans. InterVarsity Press. Dowers Grove, IL.1994. 216].
I. FREED FROM CONDEMNATION, 1.
II. FREED BY THE SPIRIT OF LIFE, 2.
III. FREED FOR SANCTIFICATION, 3-4.
A. What Christ has done (v. 3).
B. What the Holy Spirit does (v. 4)
Paul launches this portion of his letter with a thunderous declaration of freedom in 8:1. "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
There is therefore now points back to the triumphant note of verse 25 where Paul finally perceived the solution to his battle with besetting sin. Paul had been attempting with all his human strength of will and mind to keep the Law and serve God. But he continually fell short and sinned and he continually fell short and did not serve God. Is God going to condemn Paul for all his failures in his struggling? Is God going to condemn Paul because he failed to do the will of God in his flesh? No!
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." God never condemns us for striving to serve Him. Even if like Paul we attempt to live out of the power of the flesh. In our attempting to serve God we might fail and fail, but God will not condemn us for it when we stand before the bema seat of Christ. O praise His dear name!
Yes there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, for those who have transferred their trust for their eternal salvation from themselves and from any thing they can do to Christ. Who place their faith in who He is and what He has done - there are no condemnations. God will not judge us for our sin, He will judge us concerning what we have done for Him. The Christian's judgment is one of ascertaining rewards (Mk. 9:41) not a judgment of condemnation. [The reason why there is no condemnation is because we are set free rom the terrible sequence of cause and effect which constitutes ‘the law of sin and death.']
But for those outside of Christ Jesus, for those outside of the ark of safety, they will be condemned, for there is salvation in no one else. For there is no other name given among men where by you must be saved. God will condemn those who reject His love offered in the dying of His Son on the Cross for their sins and acceptance.
As an additional word of warning, there is a judgment of condemnation for those who are not saved, for those who refuse to receive the mercy God is presently offering. Those who reject Christ will stand before the Great White Throne and the books will be opened and they will be judged according to what they have done in the flesh (Rev. 20:11-15).
Those who are judged as falling short there will be cast into the Lake of Fire, where the worm does not die and the flame is not quenched (Mark 9:45-48). They shall weep and gnash their teeth Mt 13:41-43; 50 8:12).
Now the analysis is finished & the discovery has been made that indwelling sin can dominated the old nature, the fallen man, the old fleshly. Paul is brought to the point of decision. He can try to live in himself in his old man or he can yield to God and live in Christ Jesus.
Paul has failed, but his failures will not be held against him for he has found the way of forgiveness, the way of cleansing, the way of victory. He has surrendered to living life "in Christ."
II. FREED BY THE SPIRIT OF LIFE, 2.
The empowering creative presence of God's Spirit provides liberation from sin and death and empowering for sanctification. Let's read verse 2 of chapter 8. "For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death."
First lets ask ourselves what is a law? Strictly speaking, a law is a theory -examined until it is proved that there is no exception. [An example would be that every time a policeman spots you driving on the wrong side of the street he gives you a ticket (a social law) or every time you drop an object it falls (physical law).]
There are two laws stated in verse 2. One is the law of sin and death. It lies coiled within man ready to challenge the desire to do right, to serve God. It inhibits one who has broken God's laws from fulfilling God's laws. One who attempts to fulfill the law in their own strength must cry in hopeless despair; O Wretched man that I am.... (7:24). Out of the cry of despair comes the dawn of hope.
The Spirit's ability to give life in Christ Jesus is another Law, a higher Law. And only a higher Law can overcome another law. Through Jesus we are set free. If we, in submission, will yield our ourselves to Christ's reign then we can live under another Law, the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, instead of under the Law of sin and death. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17). [Jack MacGorman. Layman's Bible Commentary, Vol 20. Broadman. Nashville, TN. 1980. p. 65]
We have been born again and have experienced a new birth by the power of the Spirit of God in Christ. We have died to the old man and the dominion of sin and death and have entered into the eternal Kingdom of God.
Yes, we have been pardoned and set free. Freed not only from condemnation but freed also to service. But only by surrendering ourselves to the leading of the Spirit of life in Christ can we serve God in Spirit and truth. Christ came not only to give us salvation He came to give us sanctification. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly" (Jn. l0:l0).
There is no reason why those who are "in Christ Jesus" should go living a life in serve to the dictates of the tyrannical law of sin and death. Christ dwells within them by His Spirit and His Spirit can infuses into them a new principle, a new higher law, "the law of life in the Spirit." This indwelling life in the Spirit is stronger than the strength of indwelling sin and sets them free from its tyranny by their abiding in Christ (Jn. 15:4-11).
II. FREED FOR SANCTIFICATION, 3-4.
Because of man's weakness or spiritual inability, God took two steps. In verse 3 we will find that God sent Christ to intervene and deal with the root of the problem of sin. In verse four we find that God sent the Holy Spirit to give us victory over the problem of man's sinful nature.
First, What Christ has done in verse 3. For what the law could not do, weakened as it was through the flesh. God did, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for sin. He condemned sin in the flesh.
If man could keep the law he could justify and sanctify himself. But fallen man is weak and cannot abide by it. Though God-given, the law cannot- provide man with the power to meet its demands (7:7,12,14). Under the old order or covenant of the law there was no power given to perform the will of God found in the Law for inner law of sin and death reigned through fallen man. Just as Paul proved the law was unable to provide salvation so he has just proved it was inadequate to produce holiness in the renewed or unrenewed mind.
How did God set us free? God sent Jesus, His own Son, one with Him in essence and glory on a mission to redeem us. Much of the grace of God is seen in this verse. God is not the angry Father waiting to pour out His wrath, rather He is working and convicting people of their sin that they might accept His salvation. God the Father has acted in behalf of sinful man by sending His Son.
The manner of the Son's coming "in the likeness of sinful flesh." This is the incarnation, when God took our humanity upon Himself and lived a real flesh and blood existence. He did not become a sinner but came in the "likeness of sinful flesh." The flesh is the domain in which sin hold's sway. In His incarnation Christ invaded the realm of sin's tragic dominion of sinful man.
Christ took our physically dilapidated nature, subject to the fragilities which man sinful condition brought to it. He was therefore susceptible to pain, weariness, and sorrow. He could be touched with a sense of our infirmities. He was tempted in all points as we are. Yet He did not sin. This is how He condemned sin in the flesh.
One reason why we are freed from that awful domination of the law of sin and death is because Christ has ‘condemned sin in the flesh.' He condemned sin in the flesh by proving that man could live life in the flesh according to the law without sinning. (He therefore fulfilled the law for us).
The other reason we are freed is because He was an offering for sin. He died for our sin on the cross. He was offered up as an sinless sacrifice. He was our substitute on the cross. He died for our sin (and only in Him can we die to sin).
We have seen what Christ has done to free us. Now let's see what the Holy Spirit does in verse 4. In order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Christ lived a sinless life. He is the only one ever to do so. All others fall short of the glory, of the perfection, of God (Rom 3:23). Only as we abide in Him can we live a life without sin. Only Jesus has the power to overcome sin in the flesh and serve God. When we claim Him as our personal Lord His righteousness becomes our righteousness. Christ becomes our Lord or our head and as our head He took responsibility for our sin and paid their debt.
Not only had He fulfilled the righteousness of the Law for us by dying in our place and by living the perfect life we could not live, He enables us to walk righteously by the power of His Spirit. He is our righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). As we follow Him who was perfected by living in submission to God's Spirit (Heb. 5:8-9), we too walk lawfully as He did. Though we do not follow the Law, we follow Christ, but if we are truly following Christ since Christ never broke the Law neither will we.
It is impossible to live .. the Christian life in the flesh. The only way to live in conformity to the Will of God is to have Christ, the One with whom God is well pleased live it through us by the power of His Holy Spirit. [Without living -abiding- in the Spirit of Christ you can't live the Christian life. As you walk in the Spirit God sanctifies you. Christ in you the hope of gory (Col 1:27).]
CONCLUSION / INVITATION
God asks us to live the exchanged life. To exchange the life that derives it direction and source out of our own strength, for life that comes from abiding in Christ's purpose and strength.
Let's read Galatians 2:20. "For I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Dying to self and living life in the Spirit is the only way to continuously live in right relationship with God Himself.
Will you today surrender and travail "until Christ be formed in you"(Gal. 4: 19)?
One must live either under the Law of sin and death or under the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. God has done all He can to make freedom and life available to you. Jesus has died for our sins and the Spirit has come to lead us into life. Will you open your ears to His pleading with you and your heart by surrendering your life today to walk in the Spirit? As the Spirit leads, you decide.
Dennis Davidson
pastorfbc@bellsouth.net
