Romans - Chapter 8
The Practice of Righteousness – Walking in the Spirit
Romans 8:1-25
Application: Believers may live righteously in this world as they deny the flesh and walk after the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit results in life, peace, and freedom.
FIRST WE SEE A GREAT CHANGE FROM CHAPTER SEVEN LAST WEEK TO CHAPTER EIGHT TODAY.
THE OUTLOOK IN CHAPTER 7 WAS INDWELLING SIN, WHILE THE OUTLOOK IN CHAPTER 8 IS THE INDWELLING SPIRIT OF THE BELIEVER.
IN CHAPTER 7 THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT MENTIONED ONCE.
IN CHAPTER 8 WE SEE IT MENTIONED 20 TIMES.
NOW WE SEE PAUL’S IDEA OF THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION TO ALL WHO ACCEPT AND BELIEVE.
PAUL TEACHES US THAT TRUE LIBERTY IN LIFE IS THE PRODUCT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
IF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT IS WITHIN US, WE ARE MADE FREE.
IF HIS HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT DWELLING WITHIN US WE HAVE NO FREEDOM NOR LIBERTY AS WE ARE STILL SLAVES TO SIN AND ITS DESTRUCTION.
AS WE BEGIN, LET’S THINK BACK TO THE STORY OF THE ADULTEROUS WOMAN IN JOHN 8.
WE ALL REMEMBER THE STORY AS THE PHARISEES TRIED TO TEMPT JESUS TO BREAK THE LAW OF MOSES BY DRAGGING THE WOMAN BEFORE HIM.
THIS STORY IS THE ONLY TIME IN SCRIPTURE THAT DESCRIBES JESUS WRITING. HE WAS QUIETLY WRITING IN THE SAND AS THESE HYPOCRITES ASKED HIM IF THE PENALTY FOR THIS SIN, STONING UNTIL DEAD, SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT.
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HE WROTE.
PERHAPS HE WAS WRITING THE SINS OF EACH MAN STANDING WITH A ROCK IN HIS HAND.
JESUS GAVE THE WONDERFUL INSTRUCTION THAT STOPPED ALL QUESTIONS WHEN HE SAID THAT HE WHO WAS WITHOUT SIN SHOULD CAST THE FIRST STONE.
SLOWLY EACH SINNER DROPPED HIS ROCK AND SLIPPED AWAY LEAVING ONLY JESUS AND THE WOMAN.
IN THE MOST COMFORTING WORDS POSSIBLE, JESUS ASKED THE WOMAN “WHERE ARE THY ACCUSERS?”
SHE ANSWERED “GONE LORD”.
HE THEN TOLD HER “NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU, GO AND SIN NO MORE”.
THERE WAS ONLY ONE MAN THERE THAT DAY WHO COULD HAVE CAST A STONE AND IT WAS JESUS AS HE ALONE WAS WITHOUT SIN.
BUT INSTEAD OF IMPOSING THE PENALTY OF THIS SIN GIVEN BY THE LAW, HE OFFERED HER FREEDOM FROM CONDEMNATION.
ONCE SHE MET CHRIST, SHE WAS FREED FROM SIN AND NO LONGER CONDEMNED.
THIS LESSON IS THE SUMMARY OF THE ENTIRE STUDY GUIDE MESSAGE TODAY.
WE EITHER WALK IN FLESH AND REMAIN IN SIN’S GRIP, AND HURRY TOWARD ETERNAL DEATH OR WE WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND TRAVEL ONWARD TOWARD ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST.
IF JESUS WALKED INTO OUR CLASS THIS MORNING HOW WOULD HE DESCRIBE THE MEANING OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE?
I THINK HE MIGHT SAY:
FROM THE DAY YOU SAY YES TO ME FORWARD, I WILL NOT CONDEMN YOU. THERE SHOULD NEVER BE FEAR IN YOUR HEART OF CONDEMNATION.
THE WORLD MAY CONDEMN YOU.
EVEN THE CHURCH MAY CONDEMN YOU.
YOUR FAMILY MAY CONDEMN YOU.
BUT IF YOU ARE IN ME, YOU ARE FOREVER SAFE.
DESPITE THE FOREVER STRUGGLE WITH SIN AND SATAN’S TEMPTATION, YOU ARE FREED FROM MISERYAND HAVE PASSED FROM DEATH & JUDGMENT.
WE ARE NO LONGER SLAVES TO THE FLESH AS PAUL TEACHES, FOR WE WHO ARE HIS WALK IN THE SPIRIT.
PAUL ALSO IS TEACHING THAT WHEN WE STAND OUTSIDE OF THE SPIRIT WE ARE STILL WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH BUT WE SEE IN VERSE 3 THAT GOD SENT HIS OWN SON ON ACCOUNT OF SIN.
NOTICE PAUL SAYS THAT HE WAS SENT IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH, NOT IN SINFUL FLESH HIMSELF.
IN VERSES 3 & 4 PAUL IS TEACHING US THAT CHRIST FULFILLED FOR US THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW WHEN HE WALKED UP GOLGATHA’S HILL AND TOOK OUR SIN AND SIN ITSELF UPON HIMSELF.
THE CUP THAT JESUS PRAYED ABOUT IN GETHSEMENE WAS THE CUP OF GOD’S WRATH AND HE DRANK OF IT FOR EACH OF US.
AT THAT MOMENT HE MADE US AND ALL WHO CAME BEFORE AND ALL WHO WILL COME AFTER RIGHTEOUS THROUGH HIS SACRIFICE IN BLOOD FOR US.
NOTICE HOW CAREFULLY PAUL DESCIBES IN VERSE 5 THE MIND SET OF THOSE WHO’S FOCUS OF LIFE IS ON THE THINGS OF THE FLESH, NOT OF THE SPIRIT.
THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE FLESH AND THIS WORLD WILL BE OURS UNTIL WE LEAVE HERE, BUT THE QUESTION IS, “WHAT IS THE FOCUS OF OUR LIFE?”
VERSE 8 CLEARLY REMINDS US THAT WE CARRY THE ORIGINAL SIN INCLINATION OF OUR FIRST PARENTS AND THIS CURSE, ALONG WITH THE WORLD’S CONSTANT TEMPTATIONS WORK TOGETHER TO TAKE US DOWNWARD ON THE ROAD OF FLESH.
MAKING THOSE THINGS OUR FOCUS WILL NOT ALLOW US TO PLEASE GOD AND THOSE WHO LEAD LIFE ON THIS ROAD NEVER FIND HIS WILL FOR THAT LIFE.
NEXT IN VERSE 9 PAUL TEACHES AGAIN THAT WE SHARE THE VICTORY OF CHRIST IF INDEED THE SPIRIT DWELLS WITHIN US.
HERE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF ALL OF CHRISTIANITY.
IF THROUGH FAITH, WE ACCEPT HIM, AND ARE BORN AGAIN IN HIS SPIRIT, WE CAN BOTH SEE THE KINGDOM AND ENTER IT.
OUR FUTURES ARE SEALED AND REDEEMED FOR ETERNITY IF THAT TRUTH IS WITHIN US.
JESUS MADE THIS POINT SO CLEARLY TO NICODEMUS WHEN NICODEMUS SOUGHT THE TRUTH IN THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT. JESUS REVEALED TO HIM THE LIGHT.
NOW IN VERSES 9-17 WE ARE GRANTED AN EVEN FURTHER LOOK INSIDE THE FAMILY OF THE LORD.
WE SEE THE WONDERFUL TEACHING OF PAUL THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY CONSIDERED SEALED AND REDEEMED FOREVER IN THE SPIRIT BUT WE ARE NOW TO BE CONSIDERED “SONS OF GOD” AND WE CRY OUT TO HIM “ABBA” WHICH IS HEBREW FOR FATHER.
THINK ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS OF 1ST JOHN 3, WHICH SAY:
“BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER HATH BESTOWED UPON US THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED THE SONS OF GOD”.
AS WE ARE NOW TRANSFORMED INTO HIS CHILDREN, VERSE 11 TEACHES US THAT HE WHO RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD WILL ALSO GIVE LIFE TO OUR MORTAL BODIES THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN US.
HERE IS THE ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION FOREVER.
ONCE WE ARE HIS, THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.
ONCE SAVED – FOREVER SAVED.
IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO THINK ABOUT THIS ASSURANCE AND REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD WITH RESPECT TO SALVATION:
SOME ARE NOT SAVED AND THEY KNOW THEY ARE NOT SAVED. THEY ARE NOT IN A STATE OF GRACE AND ARE NOT REGENERATED.
SOME ARE SAVED AND HAVE THE FULL ASSURANCE OF THEIR STATE OF REDEMPTION.
THEY ARE SAVED AND KNOW THEY ARE SAVED.
SOME ARE SAVED AND SEEM UNSURE OF THEIR
STATE. THEIR SOULS ARE RESTLESS UNTIL THEY
REST IN CHRIST AND SAFETY.
IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND THE FIRST 3. WE HAVE SEEN THEM ALL OURSELVES.
THE 4TH IS THOSE WHO ARE NOT SAVED BUT THINK THEY ARE. THEY ARE UNDER FALSE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION WHICH THEY DO NOT POSSESS.
THERE ARE TWO REASONS FOR THIS 4TH TYPE:
THEY HAVE A FALSE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS NECESSARY TO BE FULLY SAVED. THEY FEEL DOING WELL AND GOOD DEEDS WILL BRING ETERNITY IN THE HEAVEN OF THE LORD.
THE OTHER REASON IS THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS NO GOOD DEED THAT BRINGS SALVATION, AS IT IS NOT OF WORKS. IT IS THROUGH GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE.
THESE PEOPLE DECEIVE THEMSELVES AS TO THE CONDITION OF THEIR HEART AS THEY DO NOT TRUST IN CHRIST ALONE FOR SALVATION.
THIS DECEPTION DOES NOT BRING THEM UNDER GRACE.
SALVATION IS FOUND BY SURRENDER OF SELF AND HEART AND TRUSTING ONLY HIM TO LEAD OUR LIVES ONWARD.
IT IS LIKELY THAT THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE MAY INDEED BE THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FOR US TO REACH.
BUT WE ARE COMMANDED TO TRY.
FINALLY PAUL CONCLUDES THE THOUGHTS ON ADOPTION WITH THE DEEPEST AND HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE FOUND IN VERSE 16:
“THE SPIRIT HIMSELF BEARS WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRIT”.
HERE IS THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNION AND LIFELONG CONVERSATION ALL BELIEVERS SEEK.
OUR FINAL ASSURANCE COMES BY THE TESTIMONY OF GOD IN HIS HOLY SPIRIT THAT WE ARE INDEED HIS CHILDREN.
THIS FINAL ASSURANCE IS NOT WHISPERED INTO OUR EAR IN SOME HOLY MOMENT.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ASSURANCE IS WITHIN HIS WORD, COMMUNICATED THROUGH HIS WORD AND ACCEPTED IN OBEDIENCE BY EACH WHO WALK IN HIS SPIRIT.
THEN VERSE 17 SHOWS THAT WE ARE NOW EVEN MORE THAT CHILDREN. WE ARE NOW HEIRS, JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST, IF WE LIVE FOR HIM IN OUR OWN LIVES, AND IF SO, WE WILL BE GLORIFIED TOGETHER.
NOW PAUL EXTENDS THIS TEACHING BY GRANTING US SOME PARTICULAR AND PERSONAL ASSURANCE THAT ANY SUFFERING WE AS BELIEVERS MAY HAVE IN THIS LIFE IS NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED TO THE GLORY TO BE REVEALED IN THE NEXT LIFE, THE LIFE ETERNAL.
HE ALSO TEACHES THAT ONCE SAVED WE SHOULD NO LONGER HOLD HOPE FOR THOSE THINGS OF THIS WORLD, THAT WHICH WE CAN SEE, BUT RATHER OUR HOPE IS TO BE IN THOSE THINGS WE CANNOT SEE, AND WE SHOULD EAGERLY WAIT FOR THOSE THINGS.
PAUL NOW MOVES FAR BEYOND THE SALVATION AND GLORY OF THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER TO THE DELIVERANCE OF THE CREATION ITSELF.
HE TEACHES THAT THE CREATION ITSELF WILL BE DELIVERED FROM THE BONDAGE IT HAS ENDURED SO LONG.
THAT BONDAGE WAS TO CORRUPTION AND SIN AND WILL NOW BE REPLACED BY GLORIOUS LIBERTY FOR UNTIL NOW THE CREATION HAS GROANED JUST LIKE THE PAIN OF LABOR.
THIS IS THE HOPE FOR WHICH WE ARE SAVED.
THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF ALL FAITH, THAT WE BELIEVE IN THE LORD, AND WE ARE CERTAIN IN OUR HEARTS OF THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PROMISE FOR THAT GREAT TOMORROW.
EACH SAINT WHO HAS BECOME A MARTYR FOR GOD HAS TAKEN THIS BELIEF AND ASSURANCE TO HIS OR HER DEATH.
EACH KNEW WHERE THEY WERE GOING AND THAT THE GLORY TO COME FAR OUT SHINES THE LIFE HERE.
THIS IS WALKING IN THE SPIRIT AND SO IS THE LIFE OF EACH BELIEVER WHO IS WILLING TO FOCUS OUR LIVES HERE ON THE SPIRIT AND NOT THE FLESH.
WHEN WE DO SO, WE FIND MORE ABUNDANT LIFE, PEACE, AND THE FREEDOM PROMISED IN PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS.
