Romans 8:12-17

Intro

Alright y'all we are back in Romans chapter 8.

We have called Romans the greatest letter ever written.

Pauls greatest work.

and last week we began in Romans chapter 8 which is considered by many as the greatest single chapter of the Bible.

And what we see in Romans chapter 8 is a culmination of what the Good news of the Gospel is for ALL believers.

In v1-11 we saw that we as believers no longer face condemnation for our sin.

That in the power of God we can leave our sin behind.

and that we can find freedom from our sin, trust in what Jesus has done, and know that we for eternity belong to Jesus.

So we are going to pick up in verse 12

Romans 8:12 “12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.”

v12

brothers: we can change this to brothers and sisters if we want. Paul using the term brothers to signify that the readers are his adopted siblings in the faith.

So Christians: We are debtors.

But what are we debtors to?

We are debtors not to the flesh

We don’t live according to the ways of the flesh.

The ways of the flesh are the ways of the world.

This is the message the World still teaches today.

Its the message that you are hit with every single day. Its on your IG

Your snapchat

Your tv

Your music.

The message that the driving force for everything you do should be yourself and your own being.

Love who you want to love.

Give yourself away to whoever you want.

Do want makes you feel good.

Do what makes you HAPPY.

Follow your heart.

Do y’all realize how dumb that statement is?

Oh just follow your heart girl.

What do we mean by that?

We aren’t saying following the organ that pumps your blood through your body.

What we are actually saying is that the heart is our emotional and feeling part.

so when we say just follow your heart we are saying.

Just do what makes you feel good.

and what we realize is that our feeling and emotions are a mess.

We are inconsistent.

so if we base our life and our decision making on these things ultimately we are just an inconsistent mess.

our passions and feelings fade.

and the same goes for those who live according to their flesh.

as believers. We don’t live this way.

We live according to something greater.

v13

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.”

Paul says that living according to the Flesh.

According to our feelings and desires. It leads to death.

look we don’t need to dive to deep here. But you guys see it.

not even talking about physical death which we could.

But the people who live by the flesh.

They seem happy. The put on this front.

But you quickly realize how bad things get for them.

Like yall. I know some of y’all love Taylor Swift.

And at times Taylor Swift seems like she has this great life.

But when that breakup comes. and the new songs start getting written and you see how miserable and lonely life is for her.

you see it right?

Or your friends. who aren’t walking with the world.

That girl or guy isn’t interested. Insert depression.

That post didn’t get the likes. Delete is and be anxious about what to post next.

Living according to the flesh doesn’t bring life.

But Paul says what does bring life is living according to the Spirit.

In living according to the Spirit we stop worrying about our flesh.

We start living for God.

When we live for God we aren’t worried about the world all of the sudden.

And heres something I really want you to see.

Living by the Spirit and living for God isn’t just a small change of whose acceptance we live for.

Heres what I mean: When we live for the flesh we want the world to accept us.

So we think the opposite of that is we live for God so that he will accept us.

But thats literally what Paul has spent most of Romans arguing against.

We cant live for God and earn his acceptance.

We don’t just shift who we are seeking acceptance of.

Living by the Spirit comes because God has already accepted us.

He, through his Son Jesus, provided us with the righteousness necessary to live for him.

We don’t earn Gods acceptance. We receive it. Then we walk in it.

You have already been accepted. So you change your life.

v14

Romans 8:14 “14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Want proof of your acceptance?

How do parents love their children? Not based on results but based on blood.

V15

Romans 8:15 “15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!””

this gets so good.

God didn't save you so that you could fear for your salvation.

God saved you so that you would securely know who you belong to and who you are supposed to serve.

You have been adopted.

The perfect Father has adopted you.

How great is his love you?

and he lets you cry to Him.

v16

Romans 8:16 “16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”

Not only do we have God the Father, the perfect Father.

But in God we also have the Spirit.

He bears witness for us.

He is our proof that we belong to the family.

Proof of Family Relationship.

v17

Romans 8:17 “17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Jesus Christ is our brother.

We suffer in dieing to this world just as he died to the world.

We lay aside pursuits of our own kingdom.

and we receive the glory of being a child of the King.

God has accepted you, not because of what you have done but because of what he has done.

The Triune God has worked, is working, and will work for you to live according to God’s way.

The Father

The Son

and the Spirit.

Cry out to God and he will save you.