We Have Been Set Free

Romans chapter 7 teaches about what it is like to walk in the flesh, but chapter 8 describes the life of victory and hope that is lived by those who are in Christ Jesus.

As long as we strive to rely on our own resources, we fight a losing battle (chapter 7), but we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ (chapter 8). The new life we have now received (chapter 8) is stronger than the indwelling tyrant of sin (chapter 7).

Overview of Romans:

Romans 1:7, describes what the church is, “all who are beloved of God.”

Romans 1:11, describes Paul’s prayer for them, “that you may be established.”

Romans 1:12, describes Paul’s hope for them, “encouraged by each other’s faith”

Romans 1:13, describes Paul’s goal for them, “may obtain some fruit among you [converted]”

Romans 1:17, Describes Paul’s understanding of them, “...the just shall live by faith.”

All of this stands on and can only be accomplished by the fruit of Saving Faith and the fruit of Changing Faith.

Romans 1:16, Paul emphasized that all of this can only be done through the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation that frees me from the slavery of sin and empowers me to change into a servant of God.

Remember, sin sells us into slavery under it’s tyrant master of death, but Christ purchases us through His sacrifice into the freedom of life.

So then, here in Romans 1:17, Paul gives us a table of contents for the 2 major sections of his letter:

Romans chapters 1-11, Saving Faith - faith that is needed so that we might be saved

Romans chapters 12-16, Changing Faith - faith that is needed so that we might be changed

Furthermore, in the way in which the Bible has been assembled, Gen. 1:1 - Romans 11:36 is Saving Faith and Romans 12:1-Revelation 22:21 is Changing Faith.

So, here is where we have been throughout chapters 1-11 or Romans:

Rom. 1:18-3:20 - Man’s Guilt Declared

Rom. 3:21-3:31 - God’s Salvation Explained

Rom. 4:1-5:5 - Saving Faith Described

Rom. 5:6-8:38 - Salvation’s Result Detailed

Rom. 9:1-10:21 - Rejection’s Effect Warned

Rom. 11 - Grace’s Glory Manifested

That brings us to the conclusion of Salvation’s Result Detailed in Romans chapter 8 where it starts right out by telling us that...

We have been set free so we can live free.

Romans 7 ends asking the rhetorical question, “Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Paul then expressed his thanks to God through Jesus Christ [the] Lord, acknowledging that Christ is the only one who can set anyone free from the body of this death.

Romans 7:25 “25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”

Romans 8:1–2 “1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Through Christ We Are Set Free (Rom. 8:1-8)

What the law could not do, God did (Rom. 8:3)

++The flesh was too weak to condemn sin through the Law

++Christ’s flesh was powerful enough to condemn sin in the flesh

++What we could not do, Christ did, not through our flesh but by His Spirit (Rom. 8:4-8)

Through the Spirit We Are Given Life (Rom. 8:9-11)

We are in the Spirit if we have been given the Spirit (Rom. 8:9)

++Though the body will die, our spirit is alive because of God’s righteousness through Christ (Rom. 8:10)

++Though our bodies will die, like Christ was raised, so will our bodies be raised through His Spirit (Rom. 8:11)

That brings us to the conclusion of Salvation’s Result Detailed in Romans chapter 8 where it starts right out by telling us that...

We have been set free so we can live free.

We have been set free by God through Jesus Christ by the giving of His Spirit who has given us life.

1369There have been many who would do well if they would learn that they have nothing beyond what God has given them. And the more God has given them, the more they are in debt!—5.298

Charles Spurgeon

In a civilization like ours, I feel that everyone has to come to terms with the claims of Jesus Christ upon his life, or else be guilty of inattention or of evading the question.

C. S. Lewis

The life of Christ is in you by reason of His death. For you the Holy Spirit has so worked in you that the life of God is within you and you can never die! Because Christ lives, you must also live. Knowing And Doing, Volume 54, Sermon #3092 - 2 Corinthians 8:9

Charles Spurgeon