Romans 8

Recap:

Intro:

This chapter is said to be one of the greatest in the Bible.

This chapter focuses mainly on the Holy Spirit and His work..

We’re going to hopefully learn how to oppose our flesh and walk in the Spirit.

At the end of Chapter 7, Paul is crying out for help!

V.1-4

There is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus.

Condemnation is condemning… So, it is the result of judgment…

If you are condemned, then you are going to hell.

SO, Paul is telling the people who have Christ, that you are no longer condemned, because you belong to Jesus, you belong to the savior.

So, if you do not belong to Christ, and you were to die today, you would stand before Him and be judged...

For those who belong to Christ, you will be in heaven hearing Him say “well done.”

In Christ, you are free from death.

When you belong to Jesus you are set free from sin, death, and all those things.

Sin brings for death, while the Spirit brings Life.

Yes, we still die, but death means unto hell.

Death for the unbeliever means hell.

Death for the believer means life, because you have the Spirit and the Spirit brings forth salvation.

The Holy Spirit brings life.

In Christ, the Law is fulfilled.

No one could attain freedom over sin through the Law.

The law was powerless to free from sin.

The Law was good! But because of our sinful nature, the law couldn’t deliver us from sin… Hence, why it revealed sin.

The only way to free from sin was by God sending Jesus, in the flesh.

Jesus condemned sin, so that those who belong to Him won’t be condemned.

SO, we are free from death, we are free from SIN, but you can put yourself under that bondage again.

You’re free from sin, if you belong to Christ. But, you still have to choose whether to sin or not.

V. 5-8

What is your mind set on?

Better yet, what do you care more about?

Your sinful interests?

The Things of God?

are you always going against God’s word?

Are you always fighting to be obedient to God’s word?

If you’re fighting to be obedient then you will have victories… However, if you aren’t fighting, then you won’t overcome the sin.

If we are fleshly minded, it will only lead to death.

The mind here means, “Mind-set, aspirations.”

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 8

Want to know how to experience the stench of death in your life? Live carnally. What does it mean to live carnally? Jesus associated it with Gentiles who were concerned with nothing more than what they would eat, what they would wear, and where they would go (Matthew 6:31, 32). A carnal person asks, “Where can we eat now? What new hobby can we enjoy? What vacation can we take?”

You see, we think living in the flesh is synonymous with committing blatant sins. But in reality, to live in the flesh simply means to give priority to the things of the material realm. Why is that death? Because man was created in the image of God. Since God is a Trinity—Father, Son and Spirit—He created man as lesser trinity of spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is the deepest part of you, the “real” you. The soul is your mind and emotions. The body is the thing you live in temporarily. When God created man, there was a beautiful connection between the spirit of man and the Spirit of God as Adam and God walked together in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). But when Adam gave in to his flesh and ate the forbidden fruit, he allowed his body—the material aspect of his nature—to assume predominance over his spirit, thereby severing his direct communion with God’s Spirit

The sinful mind is hostile to God, it doesn’t submit to God, and it cannot submit to God’s law.

Hostile = Hatred

The flesh doesn’t want to live out

Galatians 5:24 NKJV

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

“It is not black, but blackness; it is not at enmity, but enmity itself; it is not corrupt, but corruption; it is not rebellious, it is rebellion; it is not wicked, it is wickedness itself. The heart, though it be deceitful, is positively deceit; it is evil in the concrete, sin in the essence, it is the distillation, the quintessence of all things that are vile; it is not envious against God, it is envy; it is not at enmity, it is actual enmity.” (Spurgeon)

This is like Solomon… In Ecclesiastes, he pursued everything to satisfy his flesh, but nothing ever did.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 NKJV

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

So the question is:

What has been ruling your soul?

Your flesh or God?

If all you’re living for is fleshly things, then you will never be satisfied.

But, if you are living for the Spirit, you will have peace.

V.9-11

If you belong to God, you should be living by the Spirit.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 8

The word “dwell” means “to be at home.” Is the Spirit of God at home in you? If you’re a believer, He’s in you—without question. But is He at home in your life? Can He just kick back in the easy chair of your heart and say, “I’m so glad to be in your life; I’m so glad you’re Mine”? Or do you take Him to activities, listen to conversations, and involve yourself in that which makes Him uneasy?

Paul said…

1 Corinthians 6:15 NKJV

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not!

Whatever you are doing, you are subjecting the spirit of God to.

However, if you don’t have the Spirit of God, then you are not even God’s, you aren’t saved.

You will die, but you will have life in Heaven

Yes, everyone dies.. It’s a part of life.

However, for the unbeliever death leads to hell.

For the believer, death leads to life… Because you will be with Jesus.

Since, you’ve been justified, made right with God, your body will be raised from the dead.

Because God has put righteousness in the believers account, you are now spiritually alive.

You have eternal life now, because you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

If you are a believer, you have the Holy Spirit, and he should be leading your life.

If you are a believer, you have no condemnation… you were made right with God.

If you are a believer, your mind is set on Christ and the things of Him.

If you are not a believer, then you have none of these things.

If you are not a believer, and die, then hell is the next destination.