4 Aspects of Promise Rom 8:1-4

Introduction

Last week we began to look into the beginning of Romans chapter 8. A chapter that I mentioned marks a conclusion if you will of Pauls presentation of the Gospel, concludes his teaching on the condemnation of the world because of sin, and concludes his teaching on justification by faith alone in Christ alone. He spends some time addressing those against the law, a system known as Anti-nomianism in chapter 6, and then in chapter 7 he speaks on those who’s hope is in the law, I.E Legalism. Chapter 8 becomes a sort of crescendo in Paul’s profound epistle to the Romans, with the very first verse being labeled by theologians as the most hope filled verse in all of scripture. A verse that when examined reveals 4 glorious aspects of promise that we have begun to examine. By way of refresher Lets read our passage in Rom 8:1-4

Romans 8:1–4 KJV 1900

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The first aspect of the promise is its very foundation, which is the “Reality of the Promise”. Look at verse 1 again. Rom 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” This reality of our exoneration from condemnation is an ever present current reality right now at this point for all those who are in Christ Jesus. As mentioned before when you came too faith in Christ, you were baptized or immersed into him and quite literally crucified with Jesus Christ historically and spiritually. These aspects are a part of our immersion with him and without them being true we are still sin dominated. So your exoneration, or better your nullification from the massive sin debt that you accrued as well as mine, is true now, we are free men and women immersed into Christ. There remains on our account for all of eternity absolutely zero wrath, zero condemnation because Christ has totally paid for our sin debt on the Cross and as Hebrews 7:25 states “25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Not only is there zero condemnation for the believer, but our Saviour lives forever and makes intercession for us, and because our advocate never dies, his case for us never ends. This a glorious truth and it is the foundation from which Paul stems out his argument and is our first point, “The Reality of The Promise”. Secondly, following Paul’s argument he presents to us the why, and how, he gives us “The Reason for The Promise”. Look at Rom 8:1-2 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.--- 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” That is the reason for the season folks, The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, has set us free from the law of sin and of death. You might say, what does that mean and how is that that the conclusive reason for our exoneration. Here’s how, you must understand that Law here is not referring to the Mosaic law but law as in a binding principle of truth. So we are bound by the principle of gravity, so it also that there is a binding principle of life as opposed to the binding principle of death. The law or binding principle of the Spirit of life in Christ, free’s us from the law or binding principle of sin and of death. Well what does any of that mean, allow me to explain. We are born sinners correct? Because of sin, its wage or recompense is death. The death penalty given by God is the effect for the cause of Sin. That is binding on us. The evidence is all around us, Paul mentioned in Rom 5:12 “12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Ever since sin entered into the world its wrecked havoc on creation and subsequently on those who have been created, us. Before sin entered into the world, there was no death, Death was not present when God said that the Earth was “Very good”. Because we are descendants and of Adam, we inherit sin, and thus we are retroactively grandfathered into this binding principle of truth that the reward and end of sin is death. However, what does our verse state? We have been freed from that law that we were bound in right? How so? What is the reason? Im glad you asked that question. The reason is because while sin only produces and brings about death, the regeneration of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Life as defined in our text, only brings about spiritual everlasting life. When we look around at the world, the overwhelming normative for man is to live and to die, with some exceptions made by God, that reality is binding, and so now, right now, The Holy Spirit has regenerated you and given you new everlasting spiritual life that will never die, never be corrupted, and is in fact entirely a new creation in Christ, fashioned after him, and placed into him, and because Christ never dies, then we too spiritually will never die. The unsaved man will one day both die physically and spiritually, while the reborn man will not only never die spiritually but will one day be given a new body in accordance with that new life that is in him. This is an irrevocable exoneration by God, and is “The Reason for The promise”.

The Route of the Promise

Now examining our third point, lets read our text Rom 8:3 “3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:” Paul has laid the foundation in stating as fact the reality, he then explained how in the reason, now going more in depth he gives us the route of the promise. Just at the surface level we have two sub-points, a problem and the solution. Whats the problem? The law could not do for us what we needed, we need righteousness, before God we’re sinful people and the penalty, the condemnation is death and confinement in Hell. We need absolution, we need forgiveness, we need righteousness. The Law of God is perfect, Good, and Holy, right? Rom 7:12 “12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” The Law is Gods righteous standard, so if we want righteousness, what must we do, we must keep the Law. Whats the problem? We cant. The best of us, the very best of us Adam, who was born without a sin nature fell, and so we his descendants born with a sin nature are going to justify ourselves with that immense predisposition and propensity to sin against God? Why? Why cant the law accomplish what we desperately need it too? Contextually (The law is weak through the flesh). The Law informs us and gives us Gods righteous standards, but the problem is that sin has corrupted our flesh our bodies. This is not a new topic for Paul nor for us having just read this but to remind us of what Paul has previously said look at Rom 7:10-13 10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” Because sin has corrupted mankind and uses the flesh as a base of operations, as it “takes occasion by the commandment” when the righteous standard of God is manifested, sin tempts and prods and incites rebellion in our bodies. So the Law is weak through the flesh in that it is unable to save man, even though its Gods righteous standard. because of sins presence in the flesh. And if that were the end of the verse, it would be a very bleak outcome. That is the problem, next we see the solution, THE only solution to mans sin problem, that being God sending his very own begotten son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, for sin, condemning sin in the flesh. Lets unpack that. The Law can not save man, because of indwelling sin, so God sent the Lord Jesus Christ, his own son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, to pay for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh. 2000 years ago, in his incarnation Jesus was fully human, he was fully man. But notice how carefully Paul chooses his words here to reflect the complex truth of what theologians refer to as “The Hypostatic Union” the terminology used to describe how Jesus Christ was fully man, and fully God. We know that the bible teaches us that Christ was sinless Heb 4:15 --“15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” --, right we know this, and so while Paul doesn't explicitly state this here, its clearly implied in the term “in the likeness of sinful flesh”. The Route of the promise takes a very hard right turn through this fundamental orthodox doctrine in the sinlessness of Christ, because if Christ had simply been incarnated in sinful flesh, then by default, he could not fulfill the law, no better than any man can. He could not have atoned for the sins of his people because he himself would've needed atonement. He could not have fulfilled his duty of mediation as the great High Priest because like every other High Priest before him, he would've had to offer up for his own sins first and he would not be able to continue forever making intercession for his people. We briefly read this but look at Heb 7:22-28 “22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.” In "Exposition of Romans” an evangelist Robert Haldane wrote, “We see the Father assume the place of judge against His Son, in order to become the Father of those who were His enemies. The Father condemns the Son of His love, that He may absolve the children of wrath”. The problem was our sin and the inability of the law because of our sin to save us, the solution was God sending his only begotten son Jesus Christ, in the likeness of sinful flesh, without sin at any point, to pay for sin totally, completely, perpetually by his sacrifice and death on the Cross, and in doing so “condemned sin the flesh”. What does that mean? Sin at one time in the life of a Christian condemned the believer, now Christ the Savior condemns sin, thus delivering us from Sins power over us and from sins penalty to come. The Law couldn't accomplish that, otherwise the giving of the Law would produce righteousness. But on the contrary because of indwelling sin, the Law only arouses sin in us and causes us to face condemnation. The law which was given as the standard for living which would bring divine blessing and joy, became a killer. And so the law is unable to condemn sin in the flesh in the sense of, delivering a sinner from his sinfulness. Only our Lord could do that and he did. This teaching is wonderfully encapsulated in 1 Cor 15:55-57 “55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 ---The sting of death is sin;--- and the strength of sin is the law.---right, the Law can not condemn sin in the flesh, butttttttttttttt 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Who came in the likeness of sinful flesh, for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh. That is as it were the path, the route of the promise of our exoneration from condemnation.

Closing

In conclusion as we wrap things up, we’ve examined three points of the promise. We’ve seen the Reality of the Promise, then the Reason for the Promise, and lastly the Route of the promise. Next week we’ll dig in to our last and final point which is consequentially the most significant, the Result of the Promise. All that God has done for us in Christ, culminates in the result of the Promise, as we examine the ramifications of the work of our Saviour for us. I hope you’ll be encouraged. Lets Pray.