Uncontainable

ME:

When I was younger, I couldn’t wait to become an adult. I thought once I became an adult that everything would be easier. I thought I would no longer have people telling me what to do and when to do it and I wouldn’t have to listen to what my parents would say and i’d become my own boss.

I was sadly mistaken. As I grew up I realized that we would always have someone to order us around and give us orders and be under obligations to answer to our spouses,bosses at work, and anyone else who held authority over us. When I got married I had an obligation to her to love her as Christ loves the church. When ian was born I had an obligation to Him to raise him up in the Lord. Life comes with a lot of obligations and not all of them are burdens some can be the most joyful experiences in your life but, they are still obligations.

In our text today, the Apostle Paul mentions an obligation we all have as Christians to the gospel. Lets read together.

(NIV)

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Paul begins our text by saying “therefore”. Now in scripture a hermenuetical principle is when you see a “therefore” you need find out why it’s therefore because context is everything!

The scripture preceeding it and what we talked about last was that if the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is living in you then that same Spirit will raise you from the dead.

No more obligation to the Flesh

So therefore, since we have that truth, we have no more obligation to live according to the flesh because that power has been broken. We are now capable of living according to it.

Consequences of following the flesh

Benefits of following the Spirit

Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Freedom from fear

The right to call God father

Witness of the Spirit

Heirs of God