In Christ

Review

We have been looking at our Salvation in Christ.

Man’s universal Guilt: Romans 1:18-3:20.

Justification: Romans 3:21-4:31

Sanctification: Romans 5-8.

Theme Verse: Romans 5:20–21“20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:12-21 Original Sin (The source of sin) and our freedom under Christ

Romans 6. Freed from Sin, alive to God

Romans 6:1–3 “1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”

Romans 6:12–13 “12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

Romans 6:15–16 “15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

Romans 6:21–23 “21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 7 Our war with indwelling Sin that never leaves our flesh.

Romans 7:7 “7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.””

Romans 7:11–12 “11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

Romans 7:13 “13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.”

Romans 7:18–20 “18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”

Paul’s Conclusion:

Romans 7:21 “21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.”

Law — A natural law like gravity that is always present.

Evil is present in me, my flesh

When I want to do good.

Romans 8 God’s Provision to help us.

Our Victory in Christ

We are in desperate need of help

Romans 4 showed us that we are saved by Faith

Romans 5 showed us that we are delivered from our sin in Adam

Romans 6 Told us that we shouldn’t be sinning.

Romans 7 showed us that sin still lives in our flesh. It is a law that will exist as long as the flesh exist, trying to force us into subjection.

conclusion and Question: Romans 7:24 “24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Hope and Answer: Romans 7:25 “25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”

Leaving us with a war within ourselves.

Romans 8 Our Victory in Christ

Introduction:

There isn’t much debate up to this point in Romans. Paul has been laying out the study of Salvation.

But salvation doesn’t stop at the moment of new birth. It starts. Most of the biblical analogies that are used to help us understand salvation show us this.

We are born again. (John 3) We don’t leave the baby at the hospital, but take it home to raise.

We are New Creation. (2 Co. 5:17, Matthew 5:13-16) We are not created to be forgotten about, but to be used for the Glory of God.

We become a spring of Water.

Paul now wants to explain why He is thankful for Jesus and His sacrifice in relationship to the war within us.

The Structure of Romans 8.

Romans 8 is almost a separate section of this book.

5-7 showed us the reality of life on earth, with a new headship in Christ and a new direction, but with sin still in our flesh.

Chapter 8 shows us the reality of our life in Christ.

5-7 shows us earthly realities; Chapter 8 heavenly realities.

5-7 end in defeat; 8 ends in glorious victory.

Romans 7:21–24 “21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Romans 8:37–39 “37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8 is the Joy of this section.

In Christ

What is the Term “in Christ” mean?

Paul uses this term to speak of those who are truly saved.

He knows that their are many that join to the Lord in outward appearance, who are not really His.

This has been true of Israel for all time.

This has been true of the church for all time.

It is what is taught in Matthew 13 with the 4 soils and the wheat and the tares parables, even in Matthew 7 with false teachers in sheeps clothing.

Acts 20:29–30 “29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”

2 Corinthians 13:5 “5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”

This is why Paul puts the ‘if’s’ in His writings. He never gives an assurance to those who are not walking with Christ. There is no salvation with out commitment to follow. (Luke 9:23-25)

Romans 8:17 “17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

2 Timothy 2:12 “12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”

Hebrews 12:7–8 “7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”

Jesus uses it differently and shows us those who have joined to Him in this world.

John 15:1-11.

This is similar to how Jesus use the word “called” differently than Paul as well.

For Jesus this word is the universal, external gospel call, with the word chosen used to signify those who God specifically called.

Matthew 20:16 “16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.””

Matthew 22:14 “14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.””

Paul used the word called to show us the specific people salvifically called by God with an effectual call, similar to how Christ used chosen.

Romans 8:29–30 “29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

Paul’s greatest Joy in His letters? Where does He lose Himself the most?

Ephesians 1: A huge section that is one sentence of Glorious rejoicing in Christ.

Ephesians 1:4 “4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,”

Ephesians 1:7 “7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”

Ephesians 1:10 “10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”

Ephesians 1:11 “11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,”

Ephesians 1:12 “12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”

Ephesians 1:13 “13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,”

Ephesians 1:20 “20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,”

Ephesians 2:6 “6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

Ephesians — Paul shows us our heavenly blessings in Christ. Chosen, redeemed, unity, an inheritance, confidence, the gospel, new life…

Romans 8: This the second section where Paul goes into a time of rejoicing. By the end of Romans 8 it is almost a shout of victory.

Romans 8:37–39 “37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Not surprisingly it is again about our blessing “in Christ”.

It starts and ends with statements about our being in Christ. This is true only for those who are truly saved.

Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Romans 8:39 “39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The Blessing are pretty spectacular:

Romans 8:1 No Condemnation

Romans 8:39 No Separation

Yet those are the only “in Christ” passages in this text. Why?

Our blessings in Christ are usually regarding our salvation in relationship to God.

Romans 3:24 “24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Romans 4:24 “24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,”

Romans 6:11 “11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul is here seeking to show us our help in the this life, not the Just the assurance we have ‘in Christ’.

When we look at the mechanics of How God saved us, we see that all of the triune God is involved.

Yet each as a part in which they play the majority part.

God the Father is the Judge and the architect of our Salvation.

The Son is the voluntary sacrifice that purchased our Salvation.

The Spirit of God is the being to calls men both generally and specifically, saving those that the Father has chosen for the Son, and Choosing to dwell within them. He teaches them, convicts them, and empowers them.

So if we are looking to see how we can have victory over our sinful flesh, we are not looking at the blessing we have in Christ per say, but at the work of the Spirit.

All our blessing can only come from Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:20 “20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”

So Romans 8 Starts and Ends with “In Christ”.

These are the bookends of security. They go beyond doubt and touch the thrown room of God looking at what Christ accomplished on our behalf.

They guarantee us that there is “no condemnation in Christ” and that there is “no separation in Christ”.

We could stop there, but it isn’t enough for the Christian. I want to live for God! That is the challenge I must answer.

How do we get the strength to live a Sanctified Life for God?

Through the Power of the Spirit.

This Power only comes to those in Christ, so it must be with Christ.

This Power is also dependent on God who sent the Spirit.

What do we find in Romans 8.

The Spirit was only mentioned once briefly from Romans 5-7.

Romans 5:5 “5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Yet in Romans 8 we have more mention of the Spirit then it the rest of Romans combined. (15-20 times)

Romans 8 is a Chiasm.

It’s theme is our Victory in Christ.

The descending portion is about our victory over sin.

The ascending portion is about our blessings with God.

What is the center point?

Romans 8:23 “23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,

The groaning of Creation before: Romans 8:22 “22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”

The groaning of us after: Romans 8:23 “23… even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”

Application

The blessing that God gives us are only for those who are truly in Christ.

How do you know you are in Christ?

Are you resting on a prayer, or do you see the evidence that God has made you a new creation with new desires and a new love for God?

Do you find yourself in Conflict with your Sin and seeking to kill it, depressed at it strength through your own flesh?

You are in good company. The Apostle Paul did as well.

There is Victory to those who will follow God with Paul.