20220403 Romans 8 He is the Spirit Who Gives Life

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.

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.

(1) What does the Spirit’s life look like?

More than a change of attitude. More than turning over a new leaf. More than changing habits or adopting a religious attitude.

The Spirit of life gives spiritual life

Redemption, the act of salvation, is more than momentary event.

It begins with the eternal plan of the Trinity to redeem a people who will worship and glorify the Lord.

It continues with the personal redemption of each elect person.

It will reach its consummation when we are glorified and with Christ for all eternity.

We were spiritually dead when the Spirit called us to life.

This call, which opened our eyes, was followed by regeneration, which gave us faith.

And by faith we are justified, declared righteous.

By the Spirit we are adopted

By the Spirit we are sanctified

By the Spirit we persevere

By the Spirit we will be glorified

Redemption: Accomplished and Applied (Chapter I: The Order of Application)

With all these considerations in view, the order in the application of redemption is found to be, calling, regeneration, faith and repentance, justification, adoption, sanctification, perseverance, glorification.

(2) The Spirit of life gives eternal life

The Book of Ephesians

Ephesians 1:13 ESV

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

Finally, we may glance at one passage in Paul, Ephesians 1:13: “In whom ye also, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also having believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.”

The sealing with the Holy Spirit is that which follows upon the hearing of the word of truth and believing.

Hearing and believing are therefore prior in order and cannot be made to follow the sealing of the Spirit.

Dead in trespasses and sins. Made alive. But what was taking place in this transaction from death to life?

Who was doing this work? Were you doing something? How were you able todo it?

(3) The Spirit’s life is received by grace through faith

Eph 2:1-10 - from death to life

Ephesians 2:1–10 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

You were dead (1)

The Spirit made you alive (4-5)

You are adopted, seated with him (6)

You are saved by grace through faith, it is the gift of God (8)

- the grace the faith

Not by works - you don’t save yourself, you don’t keep yourself

Not your works but the work of the Spirit

We are His workmanship - the transformation of the Spirit, all that the Spirit has done, is doing, will do

1. He is the Spirit of Life (2)

Why is He called the Holy Spirit when the Father and the Son are holy? - he produces holiness He is the Spirit of holiness.

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.

2. His life enables us to live according to the Spirit (4)

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 Father, the Son, the Spirit in perfect harmony accomplish our salvation and our our sanctification

3. His life transforms our minds (5)

Romans 8:5 ESV

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.

4. His mind gives us life and peace (6)

Romans 8:6–7 ESV

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.

5. The Spirit given life can please God (8)

Romans 8:8 ESV

8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

6. There is an inseparable link between life in the Spirit and life in Christ (9)

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.

7. There is an inseparable link between justification, regeneration, and sanctification (10)

Romans 8:10 ESV

10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

8. The Spirit of life who raised Jesus is the same Spirit who dwells in you (11)

Romans 8:11 ESV

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.