(Romans 8:1-4) The Believers Parent: The Holy Spirit

Romans continues its theme of reminding believers about our new life found in Christ. However, Paul adds another layer – The Holy Spirit. Our salvation is orchestrated by the Father, carried out by the son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This passage describes how the Holy Spirit walks side by side with us as we live out our new life in Christ. This should be a great comfort to the struggling Christian as we pursue a life that is continually transformed into the likeness of Christ.

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INTRODUCTION:

Go running with our kids

One of the Laborer’s of parenting is the privilege - of teaching children how to clean up.

One of the wonders of parenting - is the common sense “things” you have to teach your children.

And what often

It sometimes amazes me what I have to teach my children.

For Example:

It is common sense that I have to take my muddy boots off when I come into the house…but I have had to teach that to every one of my children.

It is common sense that a plate of bacon at the breakfast table is meant to be shared … but one of my children ate the whole plate of bacon while dad’s back was turned…and their answer was oh … sorry dad.

Another area that defies logic - is picking up their rooms.

One areas that

Like most parents - I expect my children to clean up their own room.

But often cleaning up their room requires a lot of teaching.

It was just the other day that I was inspecting one of my kids rooms ...

Their

when I found a pile of their stuffed animals all over the floor

…and their honest answer was - Oh, I am sorry dad … I didn’t see that.

when I found a pile of their stuffed animals all over the floor.

And I am like - how did you not see that.

It looks the Mongolian army spread across the floor.

And then I look at their dirty clothes basket … and it looks like Mount Everest grew around it.

and their honest answer was - Oh, I am sorry, I forgot that.

It is just amazing how such obvious messes’s can honestly be missed by children.

It almost defies logic … except they are children who have to learn and grow.

Spiritually - We are often just like that.

We all, even as Christians, often are blind to sin in our lives.

We all have piles of sin scattered about our lives ...

that we just don’t see.

Or we forget about.

And if we were left to ourselves, we would live unwittingly in a constant spiritual mess of sin.

What are passage this morning teaches us is that we are not alone…

Just like a parent lovingly points out the messes in their Children's lives.

We who trust in Christ alone for our salvation,

also have a Holy Spirit .... that lovingly points out the spiritual messes in the lives of God’s children.

Observe in - how the Holy Spirit helps us live the new life Jesus bought us.

Romans 8:1–11 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 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. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 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.

Romans 8:1–4 ESV

Romans 8:1

Rom 8:1

According to Paul,

PROP: The Holy Spirit Helps us Live a New Life in Christ.

TRANS: And Paul gives us 2 ways the Holy Spirit Helps us.

Paul continues what is a familiar theme to us by now as we work through the book of Romans.

You might say – that he continues to peel the onion of our new life found in Christ.

Romans chapter 6 emphasized our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. In other words - We are free from slavery.

Romans chapter 7 emphasized how our new life relates to the Law of Moses. In other words - Living a new life is not found in trying harder.

Romans chapter 8:1-4 begins to emphasize how our new life relates to the Holy Spirit. Our new life comes from the Holy Spirit who gives us life.

In fact, John Piper says -

There is no other chapter that combines the intercession of the Holy Spirit in us, with the intercession of the Son for us, in the service of the never-failing love of God the Father over us. (John Piper)

Observe how the Holy Spirit helps you live a new life in Christ.

How does the Holy Spirit help us live a new life?

1) The Spirit gives us freedom from the rule of sin and death. ()

Romans 8:1–2 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Did you hear that?

a) Holy Spirit provides no condemnation.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

That is a simple truth… That every one of us who are believers in Jesus rejoice at.

You might even say - that is why I trust 100% of my eternal life to Jesus.

But do we live that way?

I Challenge those who today are not trusting in Christ to save them – do you live as though that is true?

And if you're not a believer today – I guarantee you don't.

Because consider the inverse of what Paul is saying.

If there is no condemnation if you believe in Christ,

then those who have not Christ are under condemnation.

Peter Said in ,

Acts 4:12 ESV

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

And that ought to terrify you today – I am under the wrath of God ()

Every person who does not trust in Christ dieing on the cross for their sins,

and only the cross,

Should live as though they are under the anger of God.

Because they are.

But if you are a person who says I cannot earn my way to heaven because I am a sinner before God… Therefore I trust 100% of my soul to Jesus earning my way to heaven.

Then I ask you – do you live as though there is no condemnation for you?

“no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"

If you are a believer in Christ … you have no condemnation.

ILLUSTRATION:

I Remember counseling a lady my first year here at Bethel.

As best as I can tell… She believed in Jesus Christ.

But we sat down and she poured out to me … how she struggled with depression.

She lived in constant guilt and regret...

Her life could be summed up as

I've have failed God,

and I've have failed my husband,

and I've have failed my kids,

… And I am just a terrible rotten person.

But is that true?

According to God's word… The believer in Jesus Christ has no condemnation.

In other words – you have no reason to feel guilty because Jesus paid for your guilt.

We have to remember that in this life - no one is perfect (Not even Believers)

but there still is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.

[[[[[And if God can see fit through his son to forgive us… Then we ought to see fit to be able to forgive ourselves as well. ]]]]

ILLUSTRATION:

But that is a pretty big point isn't it.

How is it possible that I no longer live under condemnation?

And Paul tells us that in verse two.

Romans 8:2 ESV

2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

How is that possible?

We have already learned that that it is possible through Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:20 ESV

20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

But our text here adds another way.

Not a different way,

but another piece of how that happened.

Further,

b)Holy Spirit set us free from the power of sin.

In the power of the Holy Spirit we are set free from the law of sin and death.

The law here is not Moses's law, but the basic rule of sin in our life.

ILLUSTRATION:

For example… Gravity is a basic law of living here on earth.

As a kid I loved playing baseball.

And I had a little T-Ball net that I could throw a baseball at and it would bounce back.

I spent hours catching the ball and . .

No matter how many times I threw a baseball

No matter how hard I threw it

No matter how steep of an angle I would throw it at.

it always come down at some point.

That is the law of gravity.

In fact Baseball is based on the constant Law of Gravity.

In the same way, sin and death was a law in our life.

It was a basic, constant, dependable ruling principle in our life.

But our text tells us -

The Holy Spirit sets us free.

The Holy Spirit uses the gospel of Jesus Christ to set us free from the rule of sin and death.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 8:2

a once-for-all act of freedom at salvation

How does the Holy Spirit help us live a new life?

It starts with setting us free from the - bondage of sin.

It sets us free from the bondage of sin.

It breaks the constant, dependable, principle of sin in your life.

[[[[[You don’t have to let sin rule your life … you can choose to break the law of sin and live the New life Christ bought you. ]]]]

ILLUSTRATION:

Thinking back to parenting here…do you ever just let your children ruin their life?

PAUSE

I have said this before, I love walking in the woods with my kids.

This weekend we went up to Camp Grace…and climbed up to the cross.

And Eli we joke is my Navy seal … because he has no problem jumping off the tallest rock he can find.

But did I let him?

And of course not … I was right there keeping him away from the edge…even he wasn’t smart enough to understand what could happen.

The Holy Spirit is the same way …

In addition,

c) Holy Spirit set us free from final judgement. (Spiritual death)

What does it mean the law of sin and death?

Death many times in Romans means more then just dying…but often has the idea of final judgement.

(That is Spiritual death)

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(This idea of death being more then physical death is also emphasized as a fitting antithesis of life.)

We no longer have to wonder what happens when I stand before God … because we are set free from judgement.

One day we will no longer experience physical death because God will raise us from the dead…

and we don’t have to fear Spiritual death because Jesus set us free.

How does the Holy Spirit help us live our new life?

a) Holy Spirit provides no condemnation. (We don’t live in guilt)

a) Holy Spirit provides no condemnation.

b)Holy Spirit set us free from the power of sin. (We don’t have to live ruled by sin)

c) Holy Spirit set us free from final judgement. (We don’t have to fear God’s Wrath)

What an amazing new life the Holy Spirit gives us through Christ.

But the Holy Spirit’s work doesn’t stop there.

Further,

2) The Spirit guides us according to God’s ways. ()

Why did God give Israel the law?

And according to - to make us Holy like God is holy.

Leviticus 19:2 ESV

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

However,

Did the law do that?

And of course we all know the answer to that.

Whether humanity had the law of God or not… It was ruled by sin.

As long as we were sinners the law can never make us holy.

But that is why the gospel is such great news.

It destroys the power of sin

and allows us to live according to God's ways.

In effect… The gospel does what the law could never do.

Romans 8:3–4 ESV

3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The first part is really nothing new…

We already knew that Jesus dying on the cross set us free from sin.

Romans 6:6 ESV

6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

So what is Paul making the point of?

That we can now live according to the spirit.

Our text uses the word walk… But it doesn't literally mean walk.

This is a term to describe how we live.

ILLUSTRATION:

One of our English idioms is – Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk.

What does that mean?

It Means - We live what we claim.

The word walk here is the same kind of idea.

Amplified Bible

Romans 8:4 AMP

4 So that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit [our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the Holy Spirit].

Rom 8:6

Before Jesus,

we had no choice but to live based on the demand of our sinful flesh.

And then Jesus changed that.

We can now live according to the spirit

It's interesting that he doesn't say according to law here.

The righteous requirements the law is fulfilled…

But were not living according to the law.

The righteous requirements the law is fulfilled… But were not living according to the law.

We live according to the spirit.

In other words…

The Christian no longer lives according to the role of sin…

But according to the ways of the Holy Spirit.

In a historical sense - we fulfill the Law.

Leviticus 19:2 ESV

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

But in a personal and practical sense - the Holy Spirit is now our guide.

Psalm 37:23 ESV

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;

Ps 143:10

Psalm 143:10 ESV

10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Before we were separated from God as enemies of God,

but now we walk guided by the spirit.

You might say… The spirit shepherds our soul just like a sheep herder guides his sheep.

He leads us down the right path.

If you have time in your devotions this week… take a minute to go back and read and consider how the Holy Spirit shepherds your soul.

If you have time in your devotions this week… You take a minute to go back and read and consider how the Holy Spirit shepherds your soul.

Psalm 37:23 ESV

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;

What this text is saying is that you and me can actually do this.

The Holy Spirit leads our conscience morally and providentially down the right path.

We can do this in terms of ri

Perhaps you're sitting here and saying… I don't feel like the Holy Spirit leads me down the right path.

Because I so often find myself down the wrong path.

I am like that lady you were talking about …who always found herself failing everyone.

And especially God.

It is almost laughable to say, I am becoming Holy as God is holy.

And I understand the doubt that many of us feel when we talk about living according to the spirit and not the flesh.

But I remind us … That this is a progressive sanctification.

Paul is not saying we are now suddenly perfect… But that we are increasingly becoming more Christlike.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

May I also cautioned us not to ignore this text either.

So often we think we can't live the way Jesus lived.

That is perfect.

And so we don't even bother trying.

Our sanctification may be progressive and will never be complete until Christ returns…

But much of Scripture tells us to live this way… Progressively becoming more Christlike.

Afterall -

- tells us to go from one glory to another.

tells us to go from one glory to another.

Romans 6:1–2 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:1 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?

Rom 6:1

- And this passage is meant to encourage us to live the new life Jesus gave us.

And this passage is meant to encourage us to live the new life Jesus gave us.

This passage is meant to encourage us to live the new life Jesus gave us.

It is meant to be a comfort and encouragement.

- don’t let guilt stop you from living a new life in Christ.

- nor let the difficulty of our calling stop you either.

Why?

Because the Holy Spirit is here to help you.

There would be no point in even trying if you didn’t have the Holy Spirit.

But you do.

Romans 8:9 ESV

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Romans

If you are a believer this morning ...You have the Holy Spirit who walks side by side with you. And helps you live according to God’s ways.

CONCLUSION:

3) Spirit Sets Our Minds Upon God’s Righteousness. ()

So According to Paul -

We are amazed

Our children so often amaze us in how much guidance they need to clean up their messes.

But we are the same way - as the children of God.

The Holy Spirit Helps us Live a New Life in Christ.

1) The Spirit gives us freedom from the rule of sin and death. ()

a) Holy Spirit provides no condemnation.

b) Holy Spirit set us free from the power of sin.

c) Holy Spirit set us free from final judgement. (Spiritual death)

2) The Spirit guides us according to God’s ways. ()

He is like a shepherd guiding us down the ways of God.

ILLUSTRATION:

4) Spirit Gives us a New Life. ()

Thinking back to parenting here…

Our children so often amaze us in how much guidance they need to clean up their messes.

PAUSE

But we are the same way -

Just like our children trying clean their rooms up.

We often are blind to the messes of sin in our life.

And we have an amazing habit of becoming ok with those sin messes.

This weekend we went up to Camp Grace…and climbed up to the cross.

And Eli we joke is my Navy seal … because he has no problem jumping off the tallest rock he can find.

But praise God we are not alone.

But did I let him?

God in the beautiful trinity loves and fathers us.

And of course not … I was right there keeping him away from the edge…even he wasn’t smart enough to understand what could happen.

The Holy Spirit is like a parent lovingly pointing out the messes of our life … helping us live according to God’s ways.

My hope this morning is that you will leave here encouraged knowing you are not alone.

The Holy Spirit is the same way …

But the Spirit is right there beside you helping you live the new life Christ bought you.

Questions:

a) Do you struggle with guilt? How does help us deal with our guilt?

b) Why should this section give us confidence in living the new life found in Christ?

c) Why should our indwelling of the Holy Spirit make a difference in our Christian living?

d) Do you struggle with believing the Holy Spirit guiding you to God’s ways? (Be Honest) How does this chapter encourage us to be confident in the Spirit’s work?