In Christ...

Today we begin Chapter 8. This chapter is called by many theologians and pastors the greatest chapter in the Bible. In it we see salvation. We see the trinity working together for the glory of God. We see our purpose in light of God’s purpose and glory and the promise of salvation. We will see the promise of God’s love. We will break this chapter down into 3-4 sermons, almost a mini-series in it self. Today we are going to look at only the first three verses.

Romans 8:1–3 CSB

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering,

Imagine a young woman who grew up in a strict home, constantly feeling the weight of her parents' expectations. She strives for perfection, but with every misstep, she feels condemned. Often being belittled by her overbearing parents.

One day, she encounters a wise mentor who tells her, 'Your worth is not defined by your mistakes but by Christ. This message transforms her, reminding her that there is freedom in grace and no condemnation for those who embrace it. There is no greater freedom than the freedom Christ provides.

Trans: I want you to notice with me this morning that there are 2 “In Christ” statements or guarantees made in this text.

Two guarantees for those that are in Christ.

#1 In Christ here is now no condemnation...

This i think is one of the hardest truths to wrap our minds around. The truth that in Christ, i do not stand condemned, at all, for any thing or for any reason. There is literally a legal transactional action that has taken place where I will not be condemned for my sin.

It is as if I stood before a judge, the judge declared me guilty, assigned me the sentence of death and then Christ stepped in a paid the penalty for me. I am legally free. This isn’t hypothetically speaking this is an actual fact. I am legally allowed to go because Christ paid my penalty.

Let that sink in....

Application: This means that tomorrow when we wake up and begin our day with the greatest intentions of living a holy day, a day dedicated to God, and we fail in some way. God is not looking down from heaven with a scowl on his face thinking I can’t wait to punish them. Isn’t that if we are honest often times the picture we have of God the father. that at any moment the hammer will fall and God’s wrath will break loose on us because of our constant failures.

But what does scripture say...what does the promise mean to us?

In Christ, through Christ, God no longer condemns us because he condemned his own Son.

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

But does this mean we can do as we please? Does this mean we are free to sin both by sinfully moral acts or that we are free to sin by ignoring God’s ownership over my minutes, hours, days?

Trans: I think this very question could possibly reveal to a person the true status of our hearts.

Just like this first “in Christ statement was transactional the next in Christ statement is transformational. The first statement guarantees that we are no longer condemned, the second guarantees that we have been and being transformed.

# 2 In Christ we have been transformed.

Romans 8:2 CSB

2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.

There are only two laws working in this world. The law of Spirit of life and the law of sin and death.

Notice the contrast here.

Spirit against sin & Life against death.

Do you ever wonder why violence and evil seem to run rampant in this world? It is the law of sin and death. Sin not only causes ultimate death but it brings the very essence or spirit of death into the physical world.

Our world reeks with the presence and effects of death. Just this past week we saw a real-life example of this as an evil individual attacked a church and school, taking the lives of children. This is the law of sin having its rule over mankind. While this is an extreme example, we can see death even in more subtle ways. Such as anxiety, depression, anger, and selfishness. Death is working in every place in our sin cursed world.

Now when a person is no longer under the domain and law of sin, but of The Spirit, life is breathed back into them. The holy spirit come and indwells them and so the essence of the law of life should be made evident in thier personal life and in the world around them. We should experience in Christ both a renewal of life and also be a people who bring life into every situation.

In ancient Greece, there was a philosopher who walked the streets sharing wisdom with anyone willing to listen. His presence was so uplifting that even the sad and broken found hope in his words. Like this philosopher, when Christians embody the spirit of Christ, they breathe life into their surroundings, igniting hope in hearts aching for joy. Our interactions, much like his words, can transform despair into hope, turning everyday encounters into opportunities for profound connection.

Not only should we seek to breath life into every situation through the control of the holy spirit but we need to recognize that the law of the spirit and life is superior to the law of sin and death. Sin and death is conquered by the spirit of life.

This means that

We often submit to a weaker power.

We often view sin as the greater power over us, instead of sin being a conquered foe defeated by Christs spirit in us.

So in Christ we are no longer condemned and we have been transformed by the spirit of Christ in us. These are not maybe’s they are guarantees.

If Christ is in you, you are completely forgiven and you have been transformed to serve him. The inverse is also true If there is no transformation in your life than you are still under condemnation for these two promises go together. One cannot say he is under the law of life and still live under the law of sin and death without a care in the world.

A believer will sin but he will not live under its domain. In fact, one cannot live a lifestyle that is contrary to the law he/she is under.

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

If Christ, you will become more like Christ, you will live for Christ and his kingdom

If death, you will live for sin and your kingdom.

Our actions do not determine our salvation, but our lifestyle reveals to us who’s law we are really under.

You must choose your master.

So then how does a person become “ In Christ”?

What is the entry point?

Did you know that the phrase “in Christ is used 90x in the CSB in 88 separate verses. It’s an important Identifying phrase. We who are “in Christ” have special priveledges, a new identity and way of thinking and living.

So to answer this question we will take a brief look back at chapter 6.

Romans 6:3 CSB

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Notice the phrase “Baptized into Christ”. So then there is a sense that baptism is the entry way into Christ. But in order to understand this idea in light of Eph. 2:8-9

Ephesians 2:8–9 CSB

8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.

We must look a little harder at the passage.

Romans 6:3–11 CSB

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Notice with me what baptism symbolizes.

We see death and resurrection....Baptism is a symbol of death and resurrection.

And as if Paul new that we would be confused by his terminology he then used the word “likeness” to solidify our understanding.

Baptism is in the likeness of his death and resurrection.

So when a person is baptized they are displaying thier faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. They are saying I have turned my back on sin, I am consider myself dead to it and have been made alive in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

So then it is not the actual water that saves you but rather what baptism symbolizes death to sin and being raised to new life in Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 3:21 CSB

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

does your lifestyle reveal that you have been baptized into Christ?

for many this is to hard an ask.

Matthew 8:19–20 CSB

19 A scribe approached him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

then there is a defening silence in this account. To give up the security and comforts of life to follow Jesus was to great an ask.

or

or Luke 9:60

Luke 9:59–60 CSB

59 Then he said to another, “Follow me.” “Lord,” he said, “first let me go bury my father.” 60 But he told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.”

again we see another deafening silence in the text.

Or what about the rich young ruler

Matthew 19:20–21 CSB

20 “I have kept all these,” the young man told him. “What do I still lack?” 21 “If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Matthew 19:22 CSB

22 When the young man heard that, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.

You see there are those who sincerely want to follow Jesus. They like him. They believe and want his promises but there heart loves this current life. These in this account probably are the sadest of all people. To believe but walk away because the cost of giving up one’s immediate life and lifestyle is just to great an ask for them.

But those who do follow jesus. There is a joy and assurance. There is a peace that passes all human understanding that comes from being made right with a holy God. Their is love that come from Christ that extends to all, even to those who don’t deserve it.

There is true life in Christ.

So does physical baptism save you? No but spiritual baptism does dying to sin and being raised to new life in Jesus Christ.

Are you “In Christ” today? Have you turned your back on this life? If not, today could be the day when you are raised to life.

As we close:

let me say this. While water baptism doesn’t save you, It is assumed that every believer will be baptized. This is why we see the word baptism used almost interchangeably with saving faith.

Not everyone who is baptized is saved but everyone who has been redeemed should be baptized.

If you have been saved through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, you need to take the next step and publicly declare your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation by baptism.

I don’t have it on the schedule just yet but a few have indicated they want to be baptized and would like to do it publicly at the beach. If you would like to join them in this please schedule a time with me where we can talk. Its not a scary conversation, I just want to hear from you that you have put your trust in Christ.

Or if today you have decided to follow Jesus during or have another concern on your heart, during our prayer time I will be sitting in the front pew come find me, I’d love to pray with you.