The Spirit Guaranties Resurrection Life

Opening Prayer

Lord God, As we open Your Word, we ask for Your Spirit to guide our hearts and minds. Help us to hear Your voice clearly, to understand the truth of the resurrection life, and to be transformed by it. Speak to us now, and be glorified in our response. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Introduction:

This morning we come to the final message in our three-part series called The Resurrection Life. Over the past two weeks, we’ve looked at how Christ's resurrection not only secured our justification but also calls us to walk in newness of life. We’ve seen that the resurrection isn’t just an event in the past—it’s the power that defines the believer’s present and shapes our future.

Today, we turn to Romans 8:1–11, where Paul unfolds what this resurrection life truly looks like in everyday terms. After wrestling with the reality of sin and the weakness of the flesh in Romans 7, Paul opens this chapter with a stunning declaration: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

This is not a future promise—it’s a present reality. For those who are in Christ, condemnation is gone. Guilt no longer defines us. Judgment no longer hangs over us. The penalty of sin has been dealt with through Christ, and the power of sin is being broken by the Spirit.

But Paul doesn’t just assure us of our standing; he also shows us a new way of living. The Spirit of God now indwells every believer, giving those who are truly in Christ power, peace, and purpose. We are no longer bound to live according to the flesh—we have been set free to live according to the Spirit.

This morning, we’re going to walk through Romans 8:1–11 to see what it means to live in the freedom, life, and power that come from the Spirit of God.

Text: Romans 8:1–11

Romans 8:1–11 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 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, 4 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. 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 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. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 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. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 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.

Certainly! Here is Point I written out in full, ready for preaching or teaching:

I. We Are Set Free from Condemnation

Romans 8:1–3

Paul begins Romans 8 with one of the most liberating statements in all of Scripture. After unpacking the weight of sin in Romans 1–7—the universal guilt of humanity, the limitations of the Law, and the struggle with the flesh—he now declares with certainty and clarity: there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

This is not a future hope—it’s a present reality. Right now, in Christ, believers are fully and finally freed from the penalty of sin. The phrase “no condemnation” doesn’t mean we won’t still sin, but that we are no longer under sin’s judgment. The verdict has been rendered, and the sentence has been served—in Christ.

A. This Freedom Is Based on Union with Christ

Notice the qualifier: “for those who are in Christ Jesus.” That phrase is crucial. Only those united to Christ by faith experience this freedom. It’s not something we earn or work for. It’s something we are given because of our position—in Him.

B. This Freedom Is a Work of the Spirit (v.2)

“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

Paul contrasts two “laws” or principles:

The law of sin and death describes our former condition—dominated by sin, destined for death.

The law of the Spirit of life describes the new reality of resurrection life, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

In Christ, the Spirit sets us free—not just from guilt but from the power of sin that once ruled us.

C. This Freedom Was Achieved by God Through Christ (v.3)

“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…”

The Law was never the problem—it’s holy, righteous, and good. But our sinful nature made it impossible to fulfill. So God did what we couldn’t: He sent His Son to take on human flesh and become a sin offering for us. At the cross, God condemned sin—not the sinner—in the body of Christ.

Jesus bore our condemnation so that we would never have to. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him.

Application:

If you are in Christ, you are not under condemnation—not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

Let us live in the freedom Christ purchased for us—no longer bound by guilt, no longer crushed by shame, but boldly resting in the truth: there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Certainly! Here's Point II fully written out in the same expositional and pastoral style:

II. We Are Empowered to Walk by the Spirit

Romans 8:4–8

Paul continues by showing that the purpose of our freedom is not just deliverance from guilt, but transformation of life. In Christ, we are not only declared righteous—we are empowered to live righteously. This is the practical outworking of the resurrection life: the Spirit enables us to walk in obedience and holiness, something the flesh could never accomplish.

A. The Law’s Righteous Requirement Is Fulfilled in Us (v.4)

The law demanded righteousness, but we could not fulfill it in our sinful nature. Now, through the Spirit, that righteous standard is not just externally met—it is internally fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit.

This is not legalism or self-effort; this is a Spirit-enabled life that reflects the heart of God’s law—love, holiness, and obedience.

B. There Are Only Two Ways to Live (v.5)

Paul introduces a stark contrast:

To live according to the flesh is to be governed by sinful desires, self-centeredness, and the fallen mindset.

To live according to the Spirit is to have your thoughts, desires, and decisions shaped by the Spirit of God.

This is a matter of mindset. What we set our minds on shapes the direction of our lives.

C. The Flesh Leads to Death; the Spirit Leads to Life and Peace (v.6)

Living by the flesh doesn’t just lead to poor choices—it leads to spiritual death. It's a dead-end road. But the Spirit-filled life leads to what we all long for: life and peace—true life, abundant life, eternal life. And peace—not just emotional calm, but peace with God, and peace within.

D. The Flesh Cannot and Will Not Submit to God (vv.7–8)

This is one of the most sobering truths in this passage. The flesh is not neutral. It is hostile to God—resistant to His rule, opposed to His authority, and incapable of submission. No amount of moral effort, religious ritual, or personal reform can please God if it’s done in the flesh.

Only the Spirit of God working within us can produce a life that honors Him.

Application:

A Spirit-filled mind leads to peace; a flesh-filled mind leads to turmoil.

The resurrection life is not about trying harder, but about walking in step with the Spirit who now dwells within you. The Spirit doesn’t just help us live better—He makes us new from the inside out.

Absolutely! Here is Point III, written out in the same style to match the rest of the message:

III. We Are Indwelt by the Life-Giving Spirit

Romans 8:9–11

In this final section, Paul shifts from contrast to assurance. He’s not just describing two ways of life; he’s now addressing the believer’s new identity in Christ: “You, however, are not in the flesh…” That is a declaration, not a possibility. If the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are no longer defined by the flesh but by the Spirit. The resurrection life is a Spirit-indwelt life.

A. The Spirit Dwelling in You Marks You as Belonging to Christ (v.9)

There is no such thing as a Christian who does not have the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not an optional extra for advanced believers—He is the defining mark of belonging to Christ. To have the Spirit is to be in Christ. To not have the Spirit is to remain outside of His saving work.

B. Though Our Bodies Are Dying, the Spirit Is Life (v.10)

We still live in mortal, fallen bodies. Sin has left its mark on our physical frame, and death is still part of our earthly experience. But the presence of Christ in us means that death no longer has the final word.

Yes, the body is subject to death—but the Spirit within us is the presence of resurrection life right now. That “life” isn’t just future; it’s a present vitality, a righteousness-driven newness in our inner being.

C. The Same Spirit Who Raised Jesus Will Raise Us (v.11)

Here is our great hope: the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is now living in us. That resurrection wasn’t a one-time event—it’s the guarantee of what will happen to us.

This is more than spiritual renewal; it’s physical resurrection. The life-giving Spirit will not abandon our bodies to the grave. Just as Christ rose, we too will rise, not by our effort, but by the indwelling power of the Spirit.

Application:

This is the hope of the gospel—that the risen Christ has given us His Spirit. He has freed us from condemnation, empowered us to live by the Spirit, and now indwells us with the very power that raised Jesus from the dead. That is the resurrection life.

Absolutely, Jeff. Here's a conclusion written in the same style to tie together the sermon and call for response:

Conclusion: Living the Resurrection Life

Romans 8:1–11 reminds us that the resurrection of Jesus is not just a past event to celebrate—it is a present reality to live in. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us through the Holy Spirit. Because of that:

We are no longer condemned—our guilt has been removed.

We are no longer controlled by the flesh—we’ve been given new desires and a new direction.

We are no longer spiritually dead—we are indwelt by the Spirit who gives life.

Has there ever been a time where you trusted in Jesus only, his work, his death and burial, and his resurrected life.

Let this truth echo into the chambers of you heart

John 11:25–26 ESV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Do you believe this? Do you believe this?

Closing Prayer

Holy Father, Thank You for the freedom we have in Christ—freedom from condemnation and power to live by Your Spirit. Thank You for the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit within us.

Help us to set our minds on the things of the Spirit and to walk each day in the resurrection life You’ve given us. Strengthen us to live for Your glory and trust in the power that raised Jesus from the dead.

In His name we pray, Amen.