Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

I would like us to begin with a question.

What does the Christian have that others do not?

Many today cannot understand why anyone would want to be a Christian.

They seem to think that you miss out on so much.

But the fact is the Christian has more than the unbeliever could ever imagine.

So, What does the Christian have that others don’t?

From our reading in , we learn that there are three things that the Christian has.

Three things that before they came to Jesus they never had but now in Christ they do.

If you are a Christian, then these are what you have by the free grace of God.

We see the Christian has a new Master, a new Father and a new inheritence.

Firsrly then we see that the Christian has a new Master.

I.

A New Master

In verse 12 we read these words.

"Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—"

Paul speaking about what has already been mentioned, that there is no condemnation for the Christian and that the Christian is now in the Spirit and has a hope of the resurrection.

He says “Therefore” in light of these truths we are debtors.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

We are still debtors.

However, the one we are debtors to has changed.

Paul goes on “we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.”

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.”

The Christian is no longer a debtor to the flesh.

The flesh is referring to the sinful nature, the evil passions and desires that we were once slaves to and indebted to.

This flesh no longer has any say over us.

We owe nothing to the flesh.

Illustration: Freed slave ignores his old master.

In Paul uses the metaphor of death to show our freedom from the bondage of the flesh, he says that we as Christians are dead to sin.

Meaning that the flesh no longer has unhindered sway in our lives.

Here he is repeating what he has already said just in different words.

The Chrisrian is dead to sin, the Christian is no longer a debtor to the flesh.

People who do not believe in Jesus Christ think that they are free because they can do as they please, they can do what they like.

Get drunk.

swear, blaspheme, tell lies.

But the reality is they are not free, they are slaves.

Slaves to the flesh, they are debtors to their sinful nature and whatever it commands them to do they do it.

But the Christian is no longer a debtor of the flesh and do they must not live according to the flesh.

They must not live in obedience to sin.

Then Paul tells us why “For if you live according to the flesh you will die...”

Those who live according to the flesh, according to their sinful desires without repentance, without turning to the Saviour, they will die.

The death spoken of here isnt just the physical death that we all must face unless the Lord returns before.

The death spoken of here is what the Bible calls the second death.

Its eternal death, its an eternity in hell.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

So Paul says thats why the Christian isn’t to live according to the flesh because in Jesus Christ they have been forgiven for their sin, they have been saved from hell.

They will not face the second death, instead they have eternal life.

Yes, the Christian is still a debtor but not to the flesh.

In verse 13 God’s word tells us who we are debtors to.

“but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Here Paul tells us who the Christian is a debtor to.

The Christian is a debtor to the Spirit.

His new master is the Holy Spirit.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

It is the Spirit of God that we owe our obedience to, to him and him alone.

Paul tells us that through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Christian can now kill the deads of the body.

Allo fo the sin that used to plague the life of the Christian before they were converted, now through the Holy Spirit, he can put them to death.

To put it simply now he can stop doing them.

But Paul tells us not only that the Christian can kill the sinful deeds of the body but that they must.

This is because if you are a Christian you are a debtor to the Holy Spirit.

He has say over your actions and desires.

So you must obey him.

You must kill the deeds of the body, repent of them, stop doing them.

Then Paul gives another reason.

If you do these things “ You will live.”

but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Thats what the Christian has to look forward to.

They will live.

The life spoken of here is in contrast to the death spoken of in the same verse.

Just as that death is eternal so this is eternal life.

Life that begins now and goes on forever in heaven.

The Christian has a new Master.

They now have the Holy Spirit who has set them free from the bondage of the flesh that was bringing them into death and now they are heading for life enabled by the Holy Spirit to kill the sinful deeds of the body and to live holy lives.

Illustration:

A picture of this is found in the OT.

God’s people the Israelites were in bondage to the Egyptians for 400 years, they were slaves of the Egyptian people for all this time.

Then God sent Moses to Pharoah in order to set his people free.

Moses led the Israelite people out of Egypt into the wilderness towards the promised land.

The Israelites were set free from their slave masters in Egypt.

But yet they still had a Master and that was the LORD God who had set them free.

God set them free from bondage and then gave them a new way to live, a way that was in obedience to him.

App-

That’s a picture of what God has done for us who are Christians.

He has delivered us from the bondage of the sinful flesh and now enables us by His Holy Spirit to live holy lives that are pleasing to him.

The question we must ask ourselves is; Are we living lives that are pleasing to God? Are you putting to death the sinful deeds of the body?

So, what does the Christian have that others do not?

The Christian has a new Master.

Next we see that the Christian has a new Father.

II.

A New Father v.14-15

In verse 14 The Apostle Paul says “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

To be led by the Spirit of God simply means to have God’s Holy Spirit living inside of you.

This phrase is not speaking about a special group of super spiritual Christians who alone are led by the Spirit, but instead it is speaking of every genuine Christian who has been born-again.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

What does it about those who are led by the SPirit of God?