No Longer Carnal

Review:

Different Life In Christ:

Position

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.”

Power

Romans 8:2 “2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Person

Romans 8:3 “3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,”

Purpose

Romans 8:4 “4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

This is the Power the Changes us.

It isn’t from ourselves, but from God. (You must be born again and have a true work of the Spirit. All external helps are useless in light of our need.)

It gives the power to fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law.

If the flesh is gravity...

The love of God is the engine

and the Faith in the reality of Jesus and heavenly things the wings

And knowledge of God through His Word is the fuel.

Different Association ( Main Points in Italics are From Chris Benfield; Sermons on the NT)

Different Master

Romans 8:5 “5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”

Only two sides: The flesh or the Spirit

Those who live according the flesh, set their minds on things of the flesh...

Live

What is the practice of this life? Where do you spend the majority of your time?

This is not talking about work, but about where do we anchor our pleasures, desires, dreams…

Set their minds

Proverbs 23:7 “7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.”

Their purpose and goals that they set their mind on come from the World. (wealth, power, fame, growth…)

but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”

Those who have life from the Spirit. This is everyone that is in Christ.

Romans 8:2 “2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

God has given us this life with the indwelling of the Spirit.

It will produce a different heart, with different priorities.

Romans 8:29 “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.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Ephesians 2:8–10 “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Different Mind

Romans 8:6 “6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Two different desires with two different destinies.

Different Method

Romans 8:7 “7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”

1 Corinthians 2:14 “14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Jeremiah 13:23 “23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.”

Matthew 13:11 “11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.”

Different Ambition

The Truth

Romans 8:8 “8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Isaiah 64:4 “4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.” (Romans 3:9-19)

In the flesh, even our righteous acts can’t please God, even if done for God! We seek to prove ourselves worthy, to earn grace / favor from God, despising the Gift of God’s Son.

He desires humble meek followers who are trusting in Him alone. He delights to glorify His Son through the Salvation of sinners.

The Tragedy

Romans 8:9 “9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

The Truth of only Two sides is shown clearly with this verse.

You are in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God is in you.

If you are missing the Spirit, you are not His.

We usually use this to prove that we have the Spirit without having to have the gift of tongues. That is one application or use of this verse.

But the main use of the verse is in regard to overcoming the flesh. We are either in the Spirit, or in the flesh.

The Triumph

Romans 8:9 “9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

We must start with the right foundations. If we get the foundations wrong, there is no profit building, no matter how much we work.

Difference in Action

The Transformation

Romans 8:10–11 “10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

Romans 8:10 “10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

Romans 8 10 leaves us with the truth of Romans 7, and Romans 8:2 combined together!

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 8:2 “2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:11 “11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

This verse explain how the Spirit sets us free from the law of sin and death.

He give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit.

A dead man can’t do anything, you need life to have any ability.

If you are alive, you are not dead. You are either one or the other.

With Life from God in us, we are energized to follow God, knowing the reality of Spiritual things, drawn by love from Him, compelled by convictions in our heart from the Spirit, we follow.

The Separation

Romans 8:12 “12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.”

The Admonition

Romans 8:13 “13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Head knowledge of the truth of Salvation will not help you at all.

James 2:19 “19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”

James 2:26 “26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

But Spiritual Life that mortifies the flesh is life and will continue to be life.

Why did Paul phrase it, “you will live”?

This is not about questioning or losing our salvation as if we will be saved by our obedience our works after first Salvation.

It is encouragement to those who are fighting their flesh, and occasionally even losing.

You still feel the desires and are tempted, hurting as you fail to live in the victory you want.

Yet you fight to kill this part of you. Making no provisions, fleeing from it, repenting truly when you fall…

Yet you might cry out “Am I saved? Does God still love me? What can I do now?...”

God answers you will live.

1 John 1:7–9 “7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”