Therefore… No condemnation (v.1)
I. Paul looks back over all he’s said from chapter 3 till now. He’s laid out the Gospel
in both its Justification (ch. 3-5) and Sanctification (ch. 6-8). He concludes with the truth of our sanctification. This truth is both legal and practical:
I. Legal - our guilt is removed
II. Practical - our slavery to sin is removed
(Expositors Bible Commentary)
II. “For those in Christ Jesus”
I. This is a truth for all Christians
II. “It is the will of God that his people should be a comforted people.”
(Matthew Henry Quote on Romans 8 )
II. The Holy Spirit gives us victory over…
I. Sin's Power (v.2-4)
I. The Problem: The “law of sin and death” (v.2) is sin's enslaving power
that uses God's law to spiritually kill its victims. Romans 7:8 explains:
“And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in
me coveting of every kind.”
II. The Solution: God did what the Law couldn't do (v.3)
I. The law was “weakened by the flesh” due to our total inability to obey God. Scripture confirms: “God looks down from heaven … to see if there are any who seek God” but finds none (Ps. 53:2). “We all, like sheep, have gone astray” (Is.
53:6).
II. What the law couldn't accomplish, God did by “sending His
own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh.” Through the incarnation, Christ fulfilled all requirements of the Law (Matt.
5:17) and as “a sin offering” condemned sin in the flesh through His atoning death (v.3).
III. The 'Righteous Requirement' fulfilled (v.4)
I. The law requires perfection: “be blameless before the LORD”
(Deut. 18:13). Yet we are “sold under sin" (Rom. 7:14).
II. Matthew Henry notes: “Though the righteousness of the law is
not fulfilled by us, … it is fulfilled in us.” Christ's perfect obedience becomes ours through the Spirit in those who “walk
after the Spirit.”
III.There is “no condemnation” because our righteousness is Christ’s. It is a foreign righteousness earned by His perfect obedience.
IV. Christ “condemned sin in the flesh” and has set us free!
II. Sin’s Nature (v.5-8)
I. 4 characteristics of the mind set on the flesh
I. Hostility towards God
II. A refusal to submit to Gods commands
III. An inability/deadness towards the things of God
IV. No desire to please God (cannot)
II. These characteristics stem from a desire for disobedience, which then
produces disobedience.
III. 2 Characteristics of the mind set on the Spirit
I. Life and peace (because they possess the Spirit of life and the
Gospel of peace)
II. Spiritual-mindedness (because they desire God)
IV. These characteristics stem from a desire for obedience and that produces obedience, which comes from the Spirit making the work of Christ effectual in our lives.
III. Sin’s Slavery (v.9-17)
I. READ Romans 6:16.
II. You have no obligation to the flesh — This is a metaphor that expresses
the idea of a debt slave who owes his master. The fleshly mindset is no
longer your master!
III.By the Spirit we able to “put to death the deeds of the body”. (Gal.
5:19-20)
IV. The “spirit of slavery” and it’s effects are killed by the knowledge that
we are God’s children and therefore co-heirs with Christ.
V. READ Romans 6:17-18. We have a new master — righteousness!
IV. Sin’s Suffering (v.18-25)
I. “The creation was subjected to futility” due to our disobedience.
II. Some examples:
I. The ground was cursed (Gen. 3:17-19)
II. Pain in childbirth (Gen. 3:16)
III. The creation lives in “bondage to decay”
III.M. H of v.20 — “When man sinned, the ground was cursed for man's
sake, and with it all the creatures…”
IV. Sin (both ours and others) bring suffering to us and the world. Eccl. 9:18
V. Suffering is overcome in the Spirit by
I. Bringing us future glory with Christ
II. Breeding hope for the future
III. Making suffering purposeful
V. The Logical Progression of our victory in Christ through the Spirit
I. On the cross Christ destroyed Sin’s power > which then destroyed Sin’s
nature in us > which then destroyed Sin’s slavery from us > which then
destroyed Sin’s suffering
III.“What then shall we say?” — 3 Comforting Truths
I. Our weakness is transformed by the Spirit (v.26-29)
I. The Spirit of God will “help us in our weakness”. When we don’t know
how to pray, the Spirit intercedes on our behalf. We are weak, feeble people who don’t see as we ought, don’t understand as we ought, and don’t pray as we ought. Yet, God Himself is our Helper.
II. Our uncertainty is covered by Gods plan (v.28-30)
I. While life seems uncertain and chaotic and while death, disaster, and
depravity seem to reign — you can rest assured God is working “all things together” for your good. This good doesn’t mean comfort, but it ultimately leads us to being molded in the image of Christ.
III. Our doubts are comforted in God’s love for us in Christ (v.31-39)
I. Doubt: “Am I really saved?” Answer: God justifies, Christ intercedes
(v.33-34)
II. Doubt: “Does God care?” Answer: He didn’t spare His own Son for
you. (v.32)
III.Doubt: “What if I fall away?” Answer: Nothing can separate you from
His love. (v.38-39)
IV. Doubt: “What if the suffering is too much?” Answer: You’re more than
a conquerer through Christ. (v.37)
V. Doubt: “What if I’m accused/condemned?” Answer: Christ already died and rose; who can condemn? (V.34)
IV. Keep these simple (yet profound) truths in mind as you go about your week
I. When you’re weak — the Spirit is there to help and guide you
II. When you’re uncertain — rest in Gods plan, knowing that all things will
work for your good
III.When you doubt — realize how much God loves you
