But If Christ Is In You Rom 8:1-13

Intro: Good Morning FE, we are glad you are with us today worshipping our Great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. For those of you watching online, thank you for joining us and we hope we are able to meet you in person. Last week Alfredo talked about the struggle for the believer, that even though we have been freed from the power of sin, we still battle with the influence of sin because we still live in this body. Paul uses the word flesh/body, to describe this sin nature that we struggle with. Paul cries out who will deliver me from this body of death? Which he gives the answer, thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Jesus delivers us from this body of death, Paul has been guiding us throughout the book of Romans.

Teaching us about the radical nature of sin in our lives, for the Jew and Gentile. Teaching us how that sin has corrupted us,

but then begins to explain to us the answer to the sin problem, which is the rightousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:22).

In Romans 4 he makes the case that faith in the revelation who God is, what God has promised, and what God has done, has always been the pathway to rightousness, he does this using the example of Abraham.

In Romans 5 Paul explains that through our justification we have peace with God, access to God and we have been empowered by the Spirit to withstand suffering. We are dead to sin and alive to God through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. For those who turn away from sin and trust in Christ for salvation, we are no longer under the curse of Adam, the curse of sin, we are under the rightousness of Christ, we are under grace which leads to life.

Paul takes a break to answer questions after Romans 5 and we read those questions in Romans 6-7,

Should I keep sinning since I am under grace to receive more grace?

Should I keep sinning since I am no longer under the law, but under grace?

Is the law sin?

Did the law, which is good bring death to me?

The answer to all of these questions, is no, absolutely not! If you missed one of those Sunday’s go back and watch them or listen to them. because Paul is taking us on a journey, and each chapter of Romans builds on the previous, Paul could have went from chapter 5, straight in to chapter 8, but he knew some would have questions, so he takes time in Romans 6 - 7 to answer some questions and then jumps into Romans 8.

Which for me is probably the greatest chapter in the whole Bible. It is a chapter that I will read several times a year because of the truths his chapter contains, they are healing for my soul, they give me the strength to continue, provide the motivation to serve God and serve my neighbor, and produces hope for the future.

Let’s begin by reading Romans 8:1-2,

Romans 8:1–2(ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Por consiguiente, no hay ahora condenación para los que están en Cristo Jesús[a], los que no andan conforme a la carne sino conforme al Espíritu.2 Porque la ley del Espíritu de vida en Cristo Jesús te[b] ha libertado[c] de la ley del pecado y de la muerte.

When Paul says There is therefore, he is referring to what he has been teaching us in Rom 1-7, which culminates in the statement Paul made in Rom 7:24-25

Romans 7:24–25 (ESV)

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

24 ¡Miserable de mí[l]! ¿Quién me libertará de este cuerpo de muerte[m]? 25 Gracias a Dios, por Jesucristo Señor nuestro. Así que yo mismo, por un lado, con la mente sirvo a la ley de Dios, pero por el otro, con la carne, a la ley del pecado.

Jesus will deliver me from this body of death, and in Jesus there is therefore now no condemnation. Do you know what that means? There are two aspects to condemnation, the first is the aspect of guilt, the second is punishment. If we put our lives on the screen from birth until today, I am 100% sure there would be enough evidence to prove we lived our lives serving sin, we would be guilty of sin, condemned. Paul has been telling us that the punishment of sin is death, physically and spiritually. Those who die with out Christ will experince death twice, once in this life and again in the afterlife, in eternal torment.

But for those in Christ, there is no condemnation, which means if you are in Christ you are not guilty, all the sins you have committed have been wiped clean, you may have to apologize to some people, because your sin hurt them, but in Christ you are not guilty before God. But it doesn’t stop there, you are also free from the punishment of sin. This is why we sing;

No guilt in life

no fear in death

this is the power of Christ in me

Ya no habrá más condenación

Cristo es mi plena libertad

No temeré, seguro estoy

This is the truth the song is conveying, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

You need to understand this, because many of us still struggle with the sins we committed in the past and we punish ourselves for those sins, and when we dwell on them they throw us into a depression which impacts our walk with Christ. God says to you, I know what you have done, I know what you are doing and I know what you will do,

But if Christ is in you there is therefore now no condemnation

We have to understand why there is no condemnation?

Because the Spirit has set you free from the power of sin and death. This is Paul’s way of saying, you have been Born of the Spirit, you have been born again, you have been transformed by the Spirit of God and are free from the power of sin and death.

How did this this no condemnation come about?

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

3 Pues lo que la ley no pudo hacer, ya que era débil por causa de la carne, Dios lo hizo: enviando a su propio Hijo en semejanza de carne de pecado y como ofrenda por el pecado, condenó al pecado en la carne, 4 para que el requisito de la ley se cumpliera en nosotros, que no andamos conforme a la carne, sino conforme al Espíritu.

God has done - God accomplished what the we humans could not do, because of sin has radically corrupted us we cannot obey the law of God. The law cannot save us, because we cannot live in perfect obedience due to sin inside of us.

God sent his Son - Jesus was sent in human flesh which was not corrupted by sin to be the sin offering in our place.

Jesus condemned sin in the flesh - The law could not condemn sin for us, and we could not obey the law perfectly because of the power of sin in us. We needed a substitute to accomplish what we could not.In other words, because of Jesus, who was both God and Man, lived a perfect life and yet paid the punishment of sin. He is able to condemn sin and become our sin offering, our substitute.

Why did this happen?

“So that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us” What does this mean? I believe it means two things here,

Christ is our Justification - For those who are in Christ, who believe and trust in Christ, Christ perfect obedience has become our perfect obedience, we are declared righteous in Christ, there is no condemnation because we are in Christ. When the Father looks at a believer, he doesn’t see our sin, he sees the Rightousness of Christ, this is why there is no condemnation.

Christ is our Sanctification - I believe it also means, those who have been transformed by Christ, will live out the Gospel by living the righteous requirement of the Law. So we have to ask ourselves what is the righteous requirement of the law? When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment, he responded Love God with all your heart soul and mind, and the second is Love your neighbor (Matt 22:34-40). In Romans 13 Paul says the one who loves one another has fulfilled the law and love is fulfilling the law (Rom 13:8—10). It is no surprise that one of the fruit of the Spirit is love (Gal 5), through loving God and loving our neighbor we fulfill the righteous requirement of the law. This is only possible through the power of the Spirit in me, he empowers us to live out the Gospel, to live out the commands in scripture, to Love God and love others so we can fulfill the righteous requirement of the law.

Jesus Christ frees us from the condemnation of the law and at the same time empowers so that the fruit of Gospel transformation is walking and growing in our love for God and love for our neighbor, which leads to fulfilling the law. Our obedience to Christ does not save us, Christ obedience saves us, but the fruit of salvation is living a life that loves God and loves others which is made possible through the Spirit that has given us life.

Paul continues to compare and contrast the life lived according to the flesh and a life lived according to the Spirit;

Romans 8:5–10 (ESV)

For those who live according to the flesh (Sinful nature) set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

5 Porque los que viven[d] conforme a la carne, ponen la mente en las cosas de la carne, pero los que viven conforme al Espíritu, en las cosas del Espíritu. 6 Porque la mente puesta en la carne es muerte, pero la mente puesta en el Espíritu es vida y paz; 7 ya que la mente puesta en la carne es enemiga de Dios, porque no se sujeta a la ley de Dios, pues ni siquiera puede hacerlo, 8 y los que están en la carne no pueden agradar a Dios.

9 Sin embargo, vosotros no estáis en la carne sino en el Espíritu, si en verdad el Espíritu de Dios habita en vosotros. Pero si alguno no tiene el Espíritu de Cristo, el tal no es de Él. 10 Y si Cristo está en vosotros, aunque el cuerpo esté muerto a causa del pecado, sin embargo, el espíritu está vivo[e] a causa de la justicia.

Notice the phrases Paul uses:

“Those who live” - this is speaking of your lifestyle what does your pattern of life represent?

“Set their mind” - What absorbs your mind, your thoughts, your interests, your affections, and your purpose?

Paul’s argument is that a life that accords with the the sinful nature will lead to a mind that enjoys, dwells on, pursues the things of the sinful flesh.

But a life that accords with the things of the Spirit will lead to a mind that enjoys, dwells on, and pursues the things of the Spirit.

What does a mind set on the flesh look like, what is the results.

1. Paul says a the mind set of the flesh is death, Paul doesn’t say it leads to death, here Paul says the mind set of the flesh is producing death in you, death to the beauty of God, death to the truth, the flesh is death.

2. The Mind set on the flesh is hostile with God. Which means the mind that is set on the flesh is an enemy and is at war with God. The mind set of the flesh lives for self and rejects the authority God has over him.

3. The mind set on the flesh cannot obey God, cannot live for God, he cannot obey God’s Law. Therefore cannot please God.

Paul contrast this with the life in the Spirit,

The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. The mind set on the Spirit produces life, life with God, life to the fruit of the Spirit, life to God’s word and produces peace between you and God and you and your fellow man, because you are living a life of love, which is the righteous requirement of the law.

The mind set on the Spirit is proof that you belong to Christ. The indwelling ministry of the Spirit in your life is the proof that you belong to Christ. Because Christ is in you, through the Spirit, the body is dead to sin but the Spirit is life because of rightousness.

But if Christ is in you you will be transformed and empowered by the Spirit to live the new life

We have a short God story from Matthew Page about the power of the new life through the Spirit of Christ. (4:19 video )

Romans 8:11–13 (ESV)

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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.

11 Pero si el Espíritu de aquel que resucitó a Jesús de entre los muertos habita en vosotros, el mismo que resucitó a Cristo Jesús de entre los muertos, también dará vida a vuestros cuerpos mortales por medio de[f]su Espíritu que habita en vosotros.

12 Así que, hermanos, somos deudores, no a la carne, para vivir conforme a la carne, 13 porque si vivís conforme a la carne, habréis de[g] morir; pero si por el Espíritu hacéis morir las obras de la carne[h], viviréis.

Do you hear what what the Spirit of God is saying to you through Paul?

The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in you. Listen to those words believe those words, understand those words, The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in followers of Jesus. Not only does the Spirit dwell in you but the Spirit gives you life. You do not understand how many times I have heard people say, I just cant live the Christian life, it is just too hard, it is a fight everyday, I just don’t have the strength. If that is you today then you need to memorize this verse, you need to wake up every morning and read this verse to your self because this verse says the the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit which will give you life, which will give you peace, which will give you the power to overcome the power of sin in you.

There are some who struggle with sin here today because maybe they have an incorrect view of the power of sin, your experience with your sin struggle is so real, that it has blurred your vision and made you think that power of sin is greater than the power of the Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead. I am here to tell you today that there is no greater power in heaven, on earth, or under earth than the power of the Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead. This is the power of the Spirit of Christ that dwells in every believer. But Josh you do not understand I struggle with lust, The resurrection power of the Spirit is greater than the power of lust, you don’t understand I struggle with drunkeness, the resurrection power of God is more powerful than drunkeness, you don’t understand I struggle with homosexuality, the resurrection power of the Spirit of God is greater, it is greater than any sin you can be struggling with. The question is do you believe that resurrection power that dwells in you is greater than your sin? Will you trust in Christ to give you the strength to overcome your sin struggles, whatever they may be?

Sometimes the problem isn’t belief but action, Paul gave us truth to believe, the truth is the Spirt that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us, and has freed us from the power of sin, and has empowered us to overcome sin. But Paul also gave us something to do, an action to complete, “But if by the Spirit, you put to death, the deeds of the body, you will live” Sometimes our problem isn’t belief, sometimes our problem is action, we take pleasure in our sin that we don’t really want to put our sins to death, when this happens your sin is taking the place of God in your life, you are trying to fill your life with something only God can truly provide for you, but the sin you struggle with may provide a sense of satisfaction, or power, control, or bring fulfillment and putting it to death is too difficult because you don’t see how Christ can truly bring fulfillment, satisfaction and pleasures forevermore to your life.

But if Christ is in you, you must, through the power of the Spirit of Christ who dwells in you, kill the sin within, and live.

Sometimes we think of the Christian life as Jesus and me, it’s Jesus and me, he is helping me, when I need him I call him, but sometimes I can do life on my own, but when I need him I will give him a call. That’s not the Christian life, that is not the life Paul has been describing here in this passage. Paul says you are dead to sin and have given the Spirit of life and peace. Here is another verse you may need to memorize and read every morning, because it sums up Romans 8:1-13 perfectly.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

I no longer live, I live for one pursuit, one desire, one goal - the glory of Christ and I do this by the Spirit of Christ that lives in me by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me. This is what Paul means when he says we are debtors, we do not owe sin anything because all sin has done to us is steal from us, kill us and destroy us, we are debtors to Christ because he has given us life, not just life but abundant life through the power of the Spirit in me.