Recovered By Grace: UNCONDEMNED
Romans 8
Introduction
In our study of the book of Romans, we have covered the basic ideas:
-The Good News is God’s Power to Save Everyone
-Everyone needs saving - all have sinned.
- We cannot overcome on our own.
-Salvation is a matter of God’s grace, accessed by faith / trust.
-When we trust, God credits us with righteousness.
-Only the power of grace can overcome the power of sin.
Paul's Testimony of the Power of Sin
7:9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.
7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
7:19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
7:20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
7:23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.
7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
Ken Stegall wrote, “It pictures the struggle of knowing the right thing to do and being unable to do it. It is a struggle that every conscientious person has experienced or is experiencing." Without an intervention from God, we have no hope of winning this war … we are condemned … but that is not God’s plan!
WE ARE UNCONDEMNED!
7:25, 8:1 "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! ... Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..."
Why We Stand Uncondemned! Five Promises Paul expresses about the uncondemned life we have in Christ:
1. WE ARE UNABLE, BUT JESUS IS ABLE TO SET US FREE (Romans 8:2)
Romans 8:2 "because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
God knew the only answer to our sin problem was to send “his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering” (vs 3). Our freedom from sin is that it no longer holds us captive. He reminded them in chapter six that when they were baptized they ‘died to sin’.
2. WE CAN RESET OUR MINDSET (Romans 8:6-13)
Contrast those who live by the flesh and those who live by the Spirit! (8:6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.) Yarbrough: This word occurs in only three verses in the NT, all in Romans 8. The CSB uses “mindset”; The NET “outlook”; The CEB “attitude”.
This is the way we think and we allow the Spirit of God to govern how we think.
To have the mindset of the flesh
-Minds are set on what the flesh desires.
-The mind governed by flesh is death.
-To live by the flesh is to be hostile to God.
-Unwilling to submit to God.
-Cannot please God
To have the mindset of the Spirit
-Minds are set to what the Spirit desires
-Experience life and peace
-The Spirit gives life and hope.
-Yarbrough: The Holy Spirit is mentioned thirty times in Romans and twenty times in Romans 8 alone.
Those who follow Christ have reset their mindset to spiritual life!
3. WE ARE PART OF THE FAMILY! (Romans 8:14-17)
Romans 8:14-17 "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."
We have been adopted into God’s Family.
-God is our Abba, Father.
-The Spirit testifies that we are God’s children.
-We are heirs, co-heirs with Christ.
-We share in both sufferings and glory.
Even in ancient times, families struggled and often there were those who did not have a family because of various circumstances. In Christ, everyone has a family to believe in them, help them, strengthen them, and love them.
4. WE ARE FOCUSED FORWARD IN HOPE! (8:18-30)
Glory is coming!
Romans 8:18-21
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God."
Three words of hope:
Adoption (8:23a Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship...)
Redemption (8:23b ...the redemption of our bodies.)
Salvation (8:24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?)
We wait for it patiently (8:25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.)
While we wait, we struggle.
-We are focused forward even in our weakness (8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.)
-We are focused forward in our struggles (Rom 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.)
5. FOUR APPROACHES TO THESE PRINCIPLES: (Merida)
Allow these truths to lead you to worship. This text should causes us to sing and celebrate with joy! It should inspire awe and devotion!
Allow these truths to lift you from despair. Paul mentions three things that can lead us into discouragement: sin, suffering, and death. But this passage reminds us that these things cannot defeat us!
Allow these truths to show you what unites diverse believers in community. Notice Paul’s use of terms: what are we to say? If God is for us, who is against us? He includes all believers in this teachings.
Allow these truths to embolden you for mission. Assurance should never lead us to apathy. Gospel assurance should lead us to gospel advancement. The whole world needs to know!
Conclusion:
Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love (Responsive Reading from Romans 8:35- 39)
L: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
C: Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
L: As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
C: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
L: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
C: Neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
L: Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation
C: Will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Today you are invited to experience these great promises and escape the condemnation of sin:
Trust Jesus to set you Free
Reset your mindset to the things of the Spirit.
Know that you are part of the Family!
Focus forward in hope!
Understand that no one can take away God’s love!
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus - Romans 8:1
“For those who are in Christ Jesus” is significant. It is a reminder that faith in Christ is required to access the benefits of Christ. - Yarbrough
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. In what way has the Christian been set free?
2. Compare the mindset of the flesh and the Spirit (8:5-8). What is most striking about this contrast? How do we go about allowing the Spirit to reset our mind?
3. To you, what’s the most important aspect of the church being a family to which we belong?
4. Paul says even the creation is groaning while waiting for the coming redemption. How do you picture that?
5. How does the help of the Holy Spirit impact your prayers?
6. Romans 8:28 is probably one of the most well known verses in the Bible. How is it sometimes misused? In what way is it an encouragement to you?
7. Why do you think Paul spends so much time writing eloquently about the love of Christ in verses 35-39?
8. What verse in Romans 8 means the most to you?
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Resources
Merida, Tony. Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Romans. Holman, 2021.
Stegall, Ken. Two Roads to Heaven: A Study of Romans 1-8. 2023.
Yarbrough, Robert W. ESV Expository Commentary, Vol. X, Romans. Crossway, 2020.
