The Spirit who gives life

Good morning, If you have a copy of God’s word please turn with me to Romans chapter 8. As we turn there, I just want to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to preach the next two weeks. I am excited to be with you all, and open up God’s word, and I have been praying that it will be as edifying to you all as it was to me in preparing for this message.

I have titled this message this morning… The Spirit who gives life

Read… Romans 8:1-11

I want to provide a little bit of context before we dig into the text. If you know much about the book of Romans is message is rooted in Romans 1:16-17 which says “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.

Paul throughout the whole book is making a powerful argument that often ties into these two verses, and today we will see this as well.

As we fast forward to Romans chapter 8 verses 1-11 I want you to know that Paul’s main idea for verses 1-11 is this.....

x2 Believers in Christ can have a Spirit-filled life because the finished work of Christ.

In the beginning of Romans chapter 8 we just saw a transitional word therefore, and when you get to a word like this you must figure out what its therefore. The context is so important and In this case its best to go back to Romans chapter 5 to understand where Paul has been. In Romans 5 Paul makes the argument that the death that reigned in Adam can end because of Christ.

In Chapter 6 Paul tells the believers in Rome that the deadness that came from sin, can now turn into being alive for God, and become slaves to righteousness

In chapter 7 he deals with the law and problems that come from the flesh even for believers.

now in Chapter 8 we see the the Spirits work in believers, and whats comes from that work.

For those who are taking notes I have three points I want you to write down that really expand the main idea that I mentioned just a few moments ago. and that is that Believers in Christ can have a Spirit-filled life because the finished work of Christ

Having the Holy Spirit means no condemnation for believers in Christ.

The verdict for the church of Rome is not guilty. The bondage that they once had does not exist for those who are in Christ. The Spirit does what the flesh cannot do. The church at Rome heard some great news. This good news is that they were set free from the power that the law’s death sentence had given them. This was because of what Christ had done. See it was Christ who fulfilled the law perfectly.

The saving work of Christ is seen so clearly in verse 3, 4 I want to read it again. 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, in order that the righteousness requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.

The people of Rome needed to hear that Jesus Christ is the one who came to set them free. Paul makes it clear that the flesh is weak and could not save itself. No matter what the people of Rome could attempt to do it would never be enough to save itself, and the same thing applies to us today. God had to make a way to himself, because outside of God coming to us we will all be condemned, and the great news that Paul is telling the people of Rome is that he did make a way.

Christ came in the flesh. The second person of the Trinity entered into his own creation as a man. Jesus Christ is 100 percent God and 100 percent man, and the result of this coming he condemned sin the flesh. Which can be best summed up by saying Jesus Christ lived a perfectly life, died on the cross for all of God’s children, he took the wrath that sinners deserve, and three days latter rose again showing that he has dominion over sin and death. He fulfilled the law when we could not, and the beauty of this truth, is that believers in Christ have no condemnation. Because what happens when you put your faith and trust in Christ, Christs righteousness if imputed to the believer. Which implies that believers by faith have the righteousness of Christ and can be saved.

This can be illustrated in a courtroom setting. Imagine sitting in a courtroom knowing every single thing you have done wrong in your life, and so does the judge. The sins are far more than you ever count. Its clear the judge will say guilty. There is no chance for pardon, no chance for a lesser sentence. There isn’t a hope that in 5 to 10 years your death sentence would be up and and then you are free. Its only condemnation. Its a death sentence. But if you are in Christ, Jesus takes your place. No longer do the list of sins that are never ending count against you. They disappear from your record, and your standing with God says not guilty. You are free, because of Christ, and the precious gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the people of Rome there was to be a sense of confidence because of the finished work of Christ, and gift of the Holy Spirit. Believers today live out this same confidence by faith knowing that our Standing in Christ means we are right in the eyes of God, and that alone motivates every believer to live for Christ. Like I just mentioned a free man lives as thought they are free. Because there is no condemnation for believers in Christ. Believers in Christ can have a Spirit filled life because of the finished work of Christ.

Life outside the Spirit brings death for those who are not in Christ.

The life outside of the Spirit brings death. Paul makes it perfectly clear. The flesh thinks and does things that are not honoring to God. Only those who have the Spirit can set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Paul wants the people of Rome to know that if you are not of the Spirit you will do your own things, but if you are of the Spirit you will set your minds of the things of the Spirit.

He emphasizes that even more so in the verse 6. Which highlights what I wanted you to write down. Setting your mind of the flesh produces death. Nothing good comes from setting your mind on the flesh. You dont see the beauty of Christ and his word, or his church , or the goodness of everything he gives. The flesh brings only death.

As bad as the flesh is, Paul also gives the people of Rome the alternative and that is setting your mind on the spirit which is life and peace.

Romans 5:1 brings that promise into greater light by saying, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This flesh that brings death is no match for the peace that comes from having the Spirit and knowing Christ.

However, Paul wants to sure the church of Rome knows the evil of the flesh, and I want you to know that being in the flesh cannot produce life. Paul goes about explaining this in a few more ways. He said the mind of the flesh is hostile to God. The flesh also does not submit to God’s law. It cannot submit to it. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. This is a scary truth of scripture. For the people of Rome, and for us. The word cannot is used twice which means without the Holy Spirits works in us we cannot please God.

Listen to the words of 1 Corinthians 2:14, “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.” This is just like what we see in Romans chapter 8. In the flesh things of God are foolish, and in the flesh we will never understand the things us God.

John Piper says it like this, “In the flesh we do not have the ability to please God or submit to him, resulting in an active rebellion which expresses a deadness to spiritual things which gives rise to a mind that is given over to the world minus God.

We live in a world that is surrounded by fleshly living, unfortunately since the fall of Adam people have been doing there own thing and often calling it good, while I could give 1000’s of examples I want to quickly give you a history lesson about Pol Pot

Pol Pot (1925-1998)

Pol Pot was the leader of the Cambodian revolutionary group the Khmer Rogue, which had orchestrated the Cambodian genocide. Pol Pot believed in destroying the Cambodian civilisation in order to start a new regime and usher in a new age. He is probably the only man is history who ordered mass genocide on his own country. During his reign as Prime Minister from 1976 to 1979, his policies led to the death of around 2 million people which was 25% of the entire population. He liked to keep the skulls of people he had killed and he went as far as ordering babies to be torn limb by limb.

This is just one example of what life outside of the Spirit looks like. While yours and my sin doesn’t compare to Pol Pot outside of the Spirit of God we to do things that are hostile to God, and show our rebellion against God. The reality is Life outside the Spirit brings death, and this helps show us our need for Christ. And Even though the flesh produces death. Believers can be confident because there is no condemnation for those who have the Holy Spirit and .Believers in Christ can have a Spirit-filled life because the finished work of Christ.

Having the Holy Spirit gives believers assurance of a new life

Paul just got through making the argument that those who are in the flesh are dead, they have no life. But Paul say’s the glorious truth that every believer in Rome, and today want to hear after reading the previous verses, You however are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if in fact the spirit of God dwells in You.

Believers in Christ are not in the flesh they are in the Spirit, because they have been bought by Jesus Christ. Believers do not belong to the flesh anymore, but to Christ. This changes everything about the the believers life because we now have the ability to serve our savior rather than flesh, The Spirit is now the driving force of our life, rather than the flesh and this because of the Spirits work in us.

Verse 10 really drives home Paul’s argument. He says two important things. One the body is dead because of sin. The penalty for sin is death. Everyone will die because of their sin.

The unbeliever who dies in their sin will face eternal damnation,

BUT the believer who dies will die in Christ, will be counted as righteous because they are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and given the righteousness of Christ.

See the gospel is called good news because the message gives life in world that offers only death, and the beauty of verse 10 is we have something that only can come from something outside ourselves, and that is the righteousness the comes only by faith in Jesus.

I love how Paul doesn’t stop in verse 10. The riches of God’s grace is un-measurable. Not only were the believers of Rome and believers today given the righteousness of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but we too will also be raised from the dead. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies through the spirit that dwells in you. Though our body may die, we will be raised from the dead.

One commentary said this, “Because of the renewing force of Christ’s resurrection, believers have no excuse for succumbing to sin and the flesh. If they believe God raised the Son, they should also believe God’s presence in their life and the church means they are raised above the law of sin and death.”

The great news of assurance gives us hope for today, and all of eternity, and that changes everything about our own lives. Knowing Christ by faith and having the Holy Spirit is a real game changer. And if you have been following along you know that this means that believers in Christ can be have a Spirit filled life because of the finished work of Christ. and this is because there is no condemnation for believers in Christ, the Spirit power is changing us and we have assurance of this new life.

We cannot just stop hear hear without figuring out how we apply this message to our lives.

Cultivate a spirit filled life that’s focuses on Christ, and not the flesh

To cultivate means that we are going to develop a plan, and the text has taught us that we must not live in the flesh, because all it produces is death. The flesh is easy to please in the world we live in. We live in a distraction-filled society. We have cell phones, tv’s, computers, tablets, sports, video games, news networks and all other kinds of distractions, and why I am not saying these are all of the flesh, much of it is. I would be the first to admit that these things are entertaining they often dont help form a mindset of Christ.

See Cultivating a spirit filled life that focuses on Christ, and not the flesh involves the mind and the heart. When we are born again we are given a new heart, but our mind is still in need of that change. You can be sitting in this room, and be a born again Christian, and yet not live a spirit filled life that focuses on Christ, and focuses on the flesh. In fact you be a mature believer and do that very thing too often.

So how do you cultivate your spirit? Paul says it best in Romans 12:1-2 which says, “ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The answer to this question starts with being in the word. Not just reading it to read it, but to be changed by it.

Philippians 4:8 helps us cultivate a Spirit filled life even better, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” With all the bad that comes from the flesh, believer think about the things of God, and let those things cultivate a spirit filled life that focuses on Christ and not the flesh.

If we are to be a people that is led by the Spirit we must actually know what the Spirit says. Be in word, surround yourselves with the thing of God, be in good company, and live as though you have been set free.

Whats amazing about this text and about this application is that you believer listening in this room can do this very thing, because of spirits work in you. God’s redemptive work in your life doesn’t just save you and leave you as you are its a transformative work. The saving work of Christ comes and meets you in the darkest of places, but it doesn’t leave you there. This week develop a plan that will help you fead your Spirit and not your flesh. Cultivate a spirit filled life that’s focuses on Christ, and not the flesh

Gospel Invitation

You can’t read this chapter without noticing the death that the flesh produces. If you look back in verse 1 you can clearly see Paul said that their is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In verse 6 you see that the mind of the flesh is death. In verse 7 you see that the flesh is hostile to God, it doesn’t submit to God’s law, and verse 8 the flesh doesn’t please God. The means that everyone who is not is Christ is condemned.

BUT Paul gives the cure for condemnation, and that is Jesus Christ. See Christ did what we could not do. His Son lived in bodily form just like you and I, yet he lived a perfect sinless life, he in fact as the text says condemned sin in the flesh on the cross by taking the punishment that only sinners deserve, and died a sinners death, but three days latter he rose again showing that he has dominion over sin and death, and the good news is this, that if you believe what I just said you too can have eternal life, by repenting of your sin ( turning away and trusting in Christ as your lord )

Remember the main idea that Believers in Christ can have a Spirit-filled life because the finished work of Christ.

1. Having the Holy Spirit means no condemnation for believers in Christ

2. Life outside of the the Spirits power brings death for those who are not in Christ

3. Having the Holy Spirit gives believers assurance of a new life

and to apply this text Cultivate a spirit filled life that’s focuses on Christ, and not the flesh

Next week will pick right back up in Romans chapter 8 and see what it means to be Heirs with Christ , and how that perspective changes our lives.