Heirs with Christ
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One day Theodore Roosevelt had been speaking sternly to his son, Kermit, and in desperation finally reached down to shake him.
Whereupon Ethel, Kermit’s sister, touched her father’s arm and cried out, “Shake me, Father, shake me!” The church that wants spiritual power must ask to be shaken.
Last week we saw Paul continue to discuss the reality of the Christian life "in the Spirit"...
And we realized that Paul completely understood what was at stake in his expounding of this topic.
in verse 6 he said:
6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
And so eternal life, and eternal death are at stake here...
That justification is a matter of eternal life and eternal death.
That being "in the Spirit" is eternal life, and being "in the flesh" is eternal death.
And we saw that it's FROM GOD that we are placed in Christ...receiving the Spirit of God.
That FAITH ALONE in CHRIST ALONE comes from GOD ALONE...
and yet...we have a role to play.
We are to set our minds on the things of the Spirit - make every effort to add:
virtue
knowledge
self-control
perseverance
worship
brotherly affection
love...to our faith.
love...to our faith.
That we would make every effort to add these things to our faith.
A FAITH of equal standing with Peter and the apostles...
And the question last week was this - DO you know yourself this way before the Lord?
Or do you have an identity crisis...?
Do you know that you have a faith of equal standing with the apostles???
Do you know that you have been given all things regarding life and godliness???
If you don't know yourself this way before the Lord, then the world will not know you this way.
If you sit in here today justified before God, saved....then you should know that Scriptures are constantly calling us to become who we already are.
SLIDE:
The Bible is constantly calling us to become who we already are.
Our problem is that we have an identity crisis.
We forget so often, who we are...in Christ!
And Paul today is going to walk us through some massive promises of God...
...and show us what they mean for us....for those who are His.
We're going to focus in today on verses 12-17, but we're going to start with verse 10.
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.
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
So last week we walked thru verses 10 and 11, but what we see Paul saying is -
...IF you are in Christ...
...then there is a part of you that is dead, while at the same time there being a part of you that is alive.
We saw this same thing back in chapter 7.
That Paul's outer flesh (body) was dead due to sin...
..BUT that his inner being...was redeemed, justified...saved....ALIVE.
And this new person now...one part dead, the other part alive...
And so TODAY - we’re gonna see what Paul claims WE ARE - as Believers - and we see this - in v17 on the screen.
We are HEIRS of God - and FELLOW HEIRS with Christ.
NOW - - From here - earlier in this passage Paul DESCRIBES aspects of WHAT THAT MEANS - for us.
And the FIRST thing we’ll see - BEING an HEIR - in this.
SLIDE: Being Heirs with Christ: We Are Debtors
Being Heirs with Christ
Being Heirs with Christ
verse 12:
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
As Heirs - we have an OBLIGATION!
He’s saying - IF the Spirit of God dwells in you, then you have an obligation....you are a debtor...
not to the flesh...
not to that which brings death...
not to live according to the flesh...
Why?
verse 13:
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die...
But as we read in verse 2 of chapter 8
If you ARE in Christ, then the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death....
This is saying that IN CHRIST - death has NO HOLD of you.
second part of verse 13:
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
This verse is an awesome verse!
This verse has ALL of human history within it's meaning.
The first half of the verse is talking about unregenerate souls...unjustified people...
...and the second half of the verse is talking about people who ARE justified.
To help us with this, we need to think back to chapter 7 when Paul discussed the inner person and the outer flesh.
When Paul says "If you live according to the flesh you will die"...
...he's not referring to a Christian who sins.
Think back to the inner person, and the outer flesh.
22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
So back now to verse 13 of chapter 8,
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
...The phrase "live according to" is referring to how the inner being lives.
He's saying - IF your inner being is fleshly, you will die!
*SLIDE - inner - outer sin
If your inner being is still a SLAVE to SIN, you will die.
The first half of this verse is speaking to UNBELIEVERS...
second half of the verse...
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Who is Paul speaking to here?
I believe he’s saying - IF you are an unbeliever you will die.
BUT - if you’re a BELIEVER - MEANING - by God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit) you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
REMEMBER - the Bible often tells us to DO WHAT HAS ALREADY been DONE!
Paul says - I reach for Christ because I am held by Him.
To those who have faith - the Bible says - PURSUE faith
Last week - we saw that ALL things have been given to us as believers - and then it says - MAKE EVERY EFFORT to add those things to your faith.
With that being said...
SLIDE: Being Heirs with Christ: We Make War
Being Heirs with Christ
Being Heirs with Christ
IF now you've been given the Spirit...that Spirit now wages war against your outer flesh...which pursues sin.
*SLIDE - Romans - Struggle
This completely supports what Paul was saying in chapter 7, that the Christian life is a Spiritual war...
...between sin and obedience...
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
So what we can conclude here from verse 13 - is that the Christian life is a life spent "putting to death the deeds of the body"
HOW DO WE DO THIS?
How do we put to death the deeds of the body?
And before we run to - any specific activity or action...
...let's see what Paul says...
...by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body
By the Spirit (CAPITAL S) ...By the Holy Spirit - we do this.
Ok, but how do we do this BY THE SPIRIT?
From the text, let’s DIVE INTO HOW WE FIGHT...
let's hit 3 steps to kill sin...by the Spirit.
The first step in putting to death the deeds of the body...BY THE SPIRIT is this...
...To Set Your Mind On The Things of The Spirit
SLIDE: Heirs with Christ Fight: With Minds Set on Things of the Spirit
Heirs with Christ Fight:
Heirs with Christ Fight:
1. Set Your Mind On The Things of The Spirit
1. Set Your Mind On The Things of The Spirit
We're going to see this by looking back at Romans 8:5-6
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.
We're talking about putting to death the deeds of the body...
...killing sin in our lives...
And yet we can't forget...
The only sins that we can put to death are the ones that have already been conquered by Christ...
Basically, this is saying that only Christians can put to the death the deeds of the body
An unbeliever can't do this...is UNABLE to do this...
Why?
Because any moral accomplishment in their life is rendered SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, and self-righteousness is sin!
AND SO, when I say - Hey, put to death the deeds of the body - I'm talking to Christians...
And the first step in killing sin is this - Set The Mind on the Things of the Spirit!
Ok, question...
What are - the "Things of the Spirit"?
So here's step 2- and step 2 is a clarification!
SLIDE: Heirs with Christ Fight: With Minds Set on God’s Word & Truth
Heirs with Christ
Heirs with Christ
2. Set Your Mind On The Words of God, and Their Truth
2. Set Your Mind On The Words of God, and Their Truth
If we're going to set our hearts and minds on the Things of the Spirit SO THAT we can kill sin in our lives...
...then WHAT are we looking at?
Let's go to 1 Corinthians 2:12-14...
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
So Paul here is referring to his own teaching...
and he says...
...we impart this (these things) in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit
"things of the Spirit" in words...
v14
The natural person does not accept the [things of the Spirit] [these words] of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
So we're to set our minds on the things of the Spirit in order to kill sin in our lives
...and here Paul describes the Things of the Spirit as the Words of God...and their truth.
The Word of God and it's truth is what the natural man does not understand, nor is he ABLE to...
He rejects the Word of God - but a spiritual person accepts the Word...
So in order to put to death the deeds of the body BY THE SPIRIT...
you must set your mind on the Things of the Spirit...
...You must set your mind on the Word of God and its truth!
AND this plays right into Ephesians 6:17
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Put to death the deeds of the body...BY THE SPIRIT...
The Spirit's sword is...the Word of God!
So set your Mind on the Words of God and their truth...but do this in a certain way...
How?
Should we approach doing this in our own strength??
SLIDE: Heirs with Christ Fight: With Faith, Not Works of Law
Heirs with Christ Fight
Heirs with Christ Fight
3. By Hearing With Faith, Not By Works of the Law
3. By Hearing With Faith, Not By Works of the Law
Set Your Minds on the Word of God and its truth...BY Hearing with Faith, Not By Works of the Law.
5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—
So the Spirit is supplied to us for the killing of sin in our lives...by hearing with faith.
So, FAITH hears and receives, and embraces the Word of God - which the Spirit uses to kill sin!
And it goes back to our text today - -
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
So when the Word of God is heard and believed (the sword of the Spirit), the Spirit moves and kills sin.
How do we kill sin by the Spirit?
We hear with faith, the Word of God...
...and hearing the Word with faith, the Spirit kills sin...attacks sin.
It’s not MY power!
So think about this -
We should know by now, that Paul has been calling all mankind to stand with him on - - what?
FAITH alone in Christ alone...
Faith...right?
...but for what reason??
for Justification...right?
That we are justified by FAITH alone in Christ alone...
So our justification hinges on faith...
but check this out...
Once we ARE justified, we begin the process of....sanctification.
Growing in holiness...
Growing in Christ-likeness...
Living a new life in the Spirit...
But how does the Spirit work in our lives?
...by hearing with FAITH...
So by faith we are justified
by faith we are sanctified
Faith, not works, is the way we are made right with God; and faith, not works, is the way we engage the Holy Spirit to kill sin.
When Christ died on the cross, He purchased BOTH our justification...and our sanctification.
...united to Him in His death, and united to Him in His resurrection.
Justification and Sanctification both obtained by faith.
By grace we are saved through FAITH (Ephesians 2:8) (justification)
And we are to THEN...LIVE BY Faith (Galatians 2:20) (sanctification)
By faith...
By faith...
And this points to this paradox of - Us doing something...we don't do.
That [WE] would put to death the deeds of the body, but do it in a way that it's the Spirit doing it!
Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians...
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
I worked...though it wasn't me...
I did this...thought it wasn't me...
And so we can begin to see the connection between FAITH and God's glory!
Paul's saying - I worked...thought it wasn't me, but God's grace
See, Paul, hearing with Faith, believing the Word...worked!...though it wasn't him but God grace...therefore - glory to God!!
Do you see the connection...?
Hearing with faith, we kill sin in our lives, THOUGH IT BE NOT US killing the sin...but God's grace....
...THEREFORE....
Glory to God!!
Faith glorifies God...
and this makes sense, even with the Spirit involved! Jesus said...
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
The Spirit glorifies Christ.
So we now...putting to death the deeds of the body, BY the Spirit...glorify Christ.
This is what it is to be lead by the Spirit...to live by FAITH...
Notice I said that WE are lead BY the Spirit...
Let's look at verses 13-14
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Do you see how it says it - it says:
...IF by the Spirit, YOU put to death the deeds of the body you will live...
It sounds as if the Spirit is an instrument in our hands doesn't it?
If BY this instrument...you kill sin, then you will live...
Sounds like we are to wield this instrument....
But verse 14, clairifies for us how this plays out...
14 For all who are [led by the Spirit of God] are sons of God
So understand...WE are lead BY the Spirit.
The Spirit is not an instrument in our hands...we are instruments in His hand...
So - Putting to death the deeds of the body BY the Spirit...IS...to be LED by the Spirit.
Doing something "by the Spirit" means being led to do it by the Spirit.
We are not leading the Spirit...He is leading us.
And the evidence that we are the children of God is that the Holy Spirit confirms his presence by leading us into war with our sin.
We can't take this out of context and say things like:
If by the Spirit I go to the right church, then I'm a child of God.
If by the Spirit I choose the right job, then I'm a child of God.
If by the Spirit I give my money away, then I'm a child of God.
NOW...the Spirit will help us in these areas...
NOW...the Spirit will help us in these areas...
But this is not the point of this text...
It says:
Kill sin by the Spirit, BECAUSE all who are THUS led by the Spirit are the children of God.
SLIDE: Being Heirs with Christ: We are Children of God
Being Heirs with Christ
Being Heirs with Christ
Children of God are people who have received the Holy Spirit, and therefore people who make war on their sin.
And this just highlights what we started last weeks sermon off with...
...That this life in the Spirit is not static...
Why?
Because the Holy Spirit, now inside of us, moves in our lives.
...and fights sin.
...and from here Paul highlights for us the effects of having the Holy Spirit.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
SEE - Being heirs with Christ - we are now CHILDREN of God...
And HOW DOES THAT truth play itself out in our ives?
No FEAR!
We have a LOVING Father!
Paul here is explaining that those who have the Spirit of God inside of them...
...are sons of God...
Why?
Because of what we received...
We didn't receive the spirit of SLAVERY to fall back into fear, but instead...
...received the Spirit of adoption as sons...
And being God's sons, WE cry out...by the Spirit - ABBA FATHER! (Father, Father)
And by this crying out - - the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we in fact are children of God...
And notice how the Holy Spirit works in us...
Who does the crying out??
"WE" do the crying out...
WE cry out ABBA Father....by the Holy Spirit.
This is NEW affections for God on display in our lives... NOT just lip service...
WE attack sin in our lives...by the Holy Spirit...minds set on the Words of God and His promises...
...Crying out ABBA FATHER...
And this work of the Holy Spirit, manifested in our lives...
...ASSURES us what is awaiting us!!
TRULY believing we are NOW children of God… - that truth wars against FEAR in this world....
And that’s GOOD - because of what we know awaits BELIEVERS in Jesus!
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Now in this new life of the Spirit...
Paul says that we will receive our inheritance from God.
If we are children of God, then we are also heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ...
But what do we inherit??
OUR INHERITANCE
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
So if we share the faith of Abraham, then we are fellow heirs with him, and we share in the inheritance....namely the world.
Likewise if we're heirs of God, then we will inherit what is God's...
1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
If the earth is the Lord's and everything in it, then we will inherit all that is His...
In 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, Paul puts it this way...
21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours,
23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
What is the inheritance of all those who have the Holy Spirit??
All things...
ALL things...what does it say...
For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death - all are yours...
Death is ours?
What does that mean?
It means that ALL things, even death itself, will serve our joy!!
We NEED to grasp this!!
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, being children of God, EVEN death will serve our JOY!
why?
To live is Christ, and to die is GAIN!
Suffering, tribulation, trials, heartache, loss, struggles....ALL of it...will serve our Joy!
This is why Paul can end verse 17 the way he does...
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
IF we indeed suffer with Him, in order that we may also be glorified with Him.
So Paul here is stating that the inheritance that awaits believers (those who have the Holy Spirit), is an inheritance that follows gospel suffering.
That this inheritance is only dispensed to those who suffer with Christ....
Those united to Christ in His death through faith...
Those who embrace gospel suffering in this life...
Those who suffer with Christ will receive this inheritance.
Those who do NOT suffer with Christ...
Those who do not embrace gospel suffering in this life WILL not inherit the blessing of God...
...and ultimately, will NOT be glorified with Him.
and so in closing...
CLOSING
Being Heirs with Christ
We are Debtors
We Make War
With Minds Set on Things of the Spirit
With Minds Set on God’s Word & Truth
With Faith, Not Works of Law
We are Children of God
Eternal Life comes to those who...
BY THE SPIRIT, put to death, the deeds of the body.
How do we do this...by the Spirit?
We set our minds on the things of the Spirit...
Which means we set our minds of the Words of God and their truth.
And we do THIS by hearing with Faith, not by works of the law.
So, hearing the Word BY FAITH, we fight sin in our lives BY the Spirit, by trusting and believing the truth of the Word....
...and when we ACT on that trust and belief, we put to death the deeds of the body....BY THE SPIRIT.
And underlying all of this, is the Holy Spirit inside of us, crying out ABBA Father....giving us assurance that we're His...
Giving us an assurance that we WILL inherit ALL things, the blessings of God...
IF INDEED we suffer with Him.
No pain, no gain
No cross, No crown
No suffering, No inheritance
This is God's plan for us...
SO that...
We may also be glorified with Him...
Do you want to fight sin in your life?
It only happens BY THE SPIRIT...
It ONLY happens when we set our minds on the Word of God, believing and trusting its truth.
And we can only SET our minds on the Word, when we hear WITH FAITH....on just hear it with our ears.
We fight sin the same way we got saved...
By faith....
Let's pray...
