God’s Gift to Believers—Part 3

Romans 8:1-14

Part of 1 John Study

We sure hear a lot about “Mother Nature” today.  Headlines feature this prominently.

You frequently hear the weather forecaster speak of mother nature this or that.  Mother nature sends us rain, mother nature sends us sun.  You will seldom, if ever, hear the expression God in His providence may send the rain, or God in mercy will cause the sun shine.

But that is how we ought to speak right?  We should acknowledge God’s supreme rule over every aspect of His creation including the weather—we just don’t talk that way.

We have been in our study of 1 John for some time now and come to a passage that speaks again of a believer’s assurance thru the HS whom God gives to those who believe.

Recently we began to examine a few of the characteristics and ministries of the HS that are detailed in John 14-16.  Today, we again want to focus our thoughts on the HS and specifically regarding the leading ministry within God’s people.

Before we understand how the Spirit leads there are several things I need to point out to you—one being God’s universal, absolute sovereignty.

A.  Understanding God’s Sovereignty

Before we understand leading we need to understand that God is sovereign over His creation—that means He alone exercises absolute, complete control and rule over what He has made.

This is a fundamental truth in Scripture that God orchestrates all events in the universe to accomplish His purpose.

What the Scriptures Say:

1 Chron 29:11-13

2 Chron 20:6

Ps 115:3; 135:6

Isaiah 40:12-26; 44:28; 46:9-10

God accomplishes this sovereign rule in 2 distinct ways:

Thru Miracles

“God interrupts the course of natural law in order to accomplish His purpose.”

Scientifically speaking a miracle cannot be explained.

Examples in Scripture:

Creation, Flood, Red Sea

Sun stood still—Josh 10:12-14 Earth stopped moving

Ax head floated on the water

Widow’s needs met—1 Kg 17:8-14 flour bowl/oil jar

Donkey talked

Lion’s mouths shut

Daniel’s 3 friends escaped injury while in fiery furnace

Miracles of Christ—walking on water, feeding of 1000s

Resurrection

Thru Providence

“God directs world and humanity (including every circumstance—trillions upon trillions) toward an ultimate goal.”

History and creation are not governed by chance.  God controls every circumstance to accomplish His determined purpose.  Miracles—God interrupts natural order, Providence—God manipulates (positive) circumstances.

You can see the greatness of God in the ordering of seemingly infinite number of circumstances including the limited freedoms of men and angels.

Again, what does the Word say?

Prov 19:21

Phil 2:13 controls everything including sin (allows, prevents, limits sin to accomplish the divine purpose)

Joseph’s brothers—Gen 50:20

Joseph & Potiphar’s wife:

         --Interprets dream while in jail paving the way to become 2nd in command in Egypt, saving the line of Israel.

Esther:  God’s name not mentioned but He is clearly at work in the lives of those who are written about in that account ultimately to preserve the nation against annihilation.

Path to the Crucifixion: Act 2:22-23; 4:27-28

God’s control is absolute—sovereignty.  There are no degrees to His rule and control over creation even the minutest of details do not escape the Lord’s attention and direction:

Matthew 10:29 NASB95

29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

These things are necessary to understand before we begin to learn how it is that the HS leads God’s people.

B.  Understanding the New Principle

Romans 8:1-2

There is a new law operating in the lives of God’s people called the “law of the Spirit of life.”  It’s a new law—not chronologically but newness in kind—unlike the old law.

This new law is not the Mosaic law but a principle that is in operation.  The law is that which exercises control and authority over a person.

For unbelievers:

It is the “law of sin and death [its penalty]” because every unbeliever lives under the authority of this law there is condemnation b/c God declares all men guilty for violating the law bringing its attendant consequence—death.

This law has very powerful influence on the unsaved.  Desires of gluttony, drunkenness, lust, covetousness, quarreling, vanity, pride, anger, selfishness (Gal 5:19-21).  Having these desires and will lead a person into sin.  We know we also have these evil desires b/c we often battle/struggle within our lives to control these desires that we would not be enticed to sin.

For Believers

Set free from this law b/c of the new law/principle that has been placed in our hearts.  The one who submits his life to Christ has a new law that controls him, new authority over him—“law of Spirit of life.”

This law has granted the Xian complete and permanent freedom from sin’s power and deliverance from its penalty.

The HS imparts this new principle of operation as a new creation and therefore a desire and ability to obey God.  This does not become freedom to do whatever one pleases (contrary to Scripture).

Now Romans 8 contains several vivid contrasts:

7:19—good/evil

8:2—law of sin and death/law of Spirit of life

8:5—life according to the flesh/life according to the Spirit

8:6—Death/life and peace

8:7—Hostility toward God/Pleasing God

8:8-9—In the flesh/in the Spirit

8:9—Indwelt by the Spirit/not having the Spirit

Evident that the HS is a central theme to this wonderful chapter.  Up to this point Hs mentioned 4x but in Ch 8 HS referred to 16x.

8:4—notice the believer has changed possessions.  He was formerly under the bondage of sin according to the law but has now been released into the presence of Christ and no longer walks according to the flesh.

“walk” peripateo—“walk around” speaking of the habitual way or bent of life.

Paul asserts that every true believer, young or old, immature or mature, taught well or poorly taught—does not walk according to the flesh.  There aren’t exceptions—true of every believer b/c God’s Spirit indwells each one.  There will be the resulting fruit in his life b/c of his walk—bent/habit of his life.

You see, there is a new inclination in your heart that you didn’t have before being saved.  New desires you never had before and you couldn’t have them b/c they are contrary to the nature of unbelievers.

C.  Understanding Human Responsibility

In order to understand how it is the HS leads believers—these fundamental observations from Scripture lead us to understanding:  Human responsibility.

One of the great paradoxes of God’s Word is the truth that the Work of God (HS) to sanctify His people does not happen apart from the individual’s effort. 

Roman 8:3-8 Paul explains that the inherent weakness of the law was its inability to save a person from the penalty of the law.  It could condemn men for failure to live up to its standard but could not remove the penalty of death.  So God’s predetermined plan was to send a substitute who would perfectly satisfy the law and thus condemn sin and deliver every believer from its power.

He adds that those who trust God’s provision for salvation have been transformed by the power of the HS to walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh.  There is a difference—of course it is impossible for the person who walks according to the flesh (unbeliever) to set his minds on the things of the Spirit.

This same Spirit who transforms our nature also empowers us to live according to the Spirit (vs 11-12).

Key verse:  vs 13

“Putting to death…”  Paul speaks of a wonderful yet challenging activity that every believer must carry out:

Putting to death (mortifying) deeds of the body (sin).

Paul has spent the previous chapters detailing justification by faith and now begins to focus on subject closely connected to Justification—sanctification.  Killing sin in your life amounts to a greater sanctification.  Yet notice the 2 agencies that bring about that sanctification:

1)  “By the Spirit”—It is largely a work of the Spirit to bring us to a greater sanctification.  It is God who began the good work and God who will complete in the day of Christ Jesus.

Octavius Winslow (19th c pastor) “This he does by making us more sensible of the existence of indwelling sin, by deepening our aspirations after holiness- by shedding abroad the love of God in the heart. But above all, the Spirit mortifies sin in the believer by unfoldings of the Lord Jesus. Leading us to the cross, he would show us that as Christ died for sin, so we must die to sin- and by the selfsame instrument too.”

2) “If You”—Puritan John Owen “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.”  There is not a verse in the Bible that says if I’m struggling with a sin that I can take it to God and trust that He will deal with it alone.

There is no action too drastic in terms of dealing properly and swiftly with sin—particularly when turning to Christ from sin and trusting Him for salvation.

Matt 5:29-30

Paul told the thief—Eph 4:28;

He told the one struggling with immorality—1 Thess 4:3

He told the drunk—Eph 5:18

The Spirit works, but not apart from our own efforts to walk according to the Spirit.  It’s not some magical formula by which we automatically become holy.  It requires hard work which is summarize well in

Phil 2:12-13

We are under obligation b/c of the new principle within us to mortify sin in our lives—this we do by the enabling of the Spirit who is within us.

That’s the introduction to the Spirit’s leading. 

Before we go to Gal 5 next time, let me give you 4 indications that God’s Spirit is leading you toward greater holiness:

1)  You have a stronger interest in the things of God.

After salvation—you begin to desire God which grows as you mature.

A.W. Tozer Golden Calf Xianity “It is scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend the meeting where the only attraction is God. One can only conclude that God's professed children are bored with Him for they must be wooed to meeting with a stick of striped candy in the form of religious movies, games and refreshments.”

Spirit led people don’t participate in the things of God b/c they have to be wooed but b/c that is what their desire is.  They come to study God’s Word, they come to fellowship with God’s people, they come worship.

2)  You desire to do those things that are holy and righteous

Your mind is set on the things of the Spirit to do those things that God wants you to do.  You’re happy to live in obedience to God’s Word.

3)  You have in you the divine love enabling you to love God and fellow believers.  You will grow in mercy, compassion, grace toward those who are suffering and have troubled lives.

4)  Desire to serve God in His Church.  There will be joy, life and peace when you serve with the gift the Spirit has produced in your life.

Recognize that God does indeed lead His people.  But to understand how He does that—you need to understand His universal sovereignty, the principle of newness and your responsibility.  Come back next week and we’ll discover more about the Spirit’s leading.