Romans 8:1-13

Freedom

Intro

Recap

1-2 - Everyone is guilty

3 - if you know the right you are more guilty of the wrong

4 - it always took faith

5 - Justification

6 - Grace should lead us away from sin

7 - the flesh is still present

8 Deceleration of freedom through the Holy Spirit

No Condemnation - Freedom from judgement (1)

Condemned through Adam, free through Christ

Condemned is a legal term meaning debt or penalty

To have no condemnation is to have no debt held against you and no penalty to be paid

It means God holds nothing against us; He finds no fault in us

Condemnation ~ Consequences

A life lived in no condemnation:

If you live a life of no commendation you live in: Freedom, knowing you worth, healing, you feel no need to prove yourself

Living in a life of forgetfulness: you feel guilt, worthlessness, pain, you work hard to prove yourself, prove your worth

A sense to prove comes out of fear of condemnation

It shows a lack of confidence in relationships; particularly your relationship with God

No Slavery - Freedom from sin (2-4)

Sin has no claim on you

You have the ability to be free from sin through the Holy Spirit

How God did it?

Through Jesus (3)

He did not come “in sinful flesh” he came “in the likeness of sinful flesh”

The law does not have the power to produce holiness in you; instead it is by the Holy Spirit in dwelling you that allows you to be obedient to the will of God

Mind Matters - Freedom to please God (5-10)

How do we overcome sin?

Whatever you set your mind on shapes your life

Is your thought process seeking to please you or please God?

Having a mindset that is self-seeking leads to slavery and death, not peace and life

The root of sin is selfishness “I will” not “Thy will” - Warren Weirsebe

Killing your sin - Freedom to live (11-13)

It’s not enough for us to have the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit has to have us

The Holy Spirit enables us to put to death our sin; here and now

Killing our sin

It’s not resisting sinful behavior; it’s a motive of the heart

Your heart is bent toward sin, you have to change the heart to change the behavior

How do we change our heart? We expose it as often as possible to the Gospel

Exposure to Jesus and His work on the cross stimulates gratitude and indebtedness within us

Sin grows in selfishness, when you feel like you’re good enough, you’re owed something sin will reign supreme

Paul says we have to remember that we are debtors to Jesus Christ

If we find ourselves in Him often, remembering His work for us and the grace bestowed on us then we’ll see sin diminish in our lives

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; Then the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace

v3 How no guilt or bondage

v4 why did he do it

v5