Romans 8:1-13 (Wednesday Evening Bible Study)

Romans 8:1-13

• On January 6, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed Congress on the state of the war in Europe. Much of what he said in that address has been forgotten. However, at the close of his address, he said that he looked forward “to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.” We might call this part of his speech “A Declaration of Freedom.” Roosevelt went on to name those four freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. These words are still remembered, even though their ideals have not yet been realized everywhere in the world.
• Context:
  • Romans 8 is the Christian’s “Declaration of Freedom,” for in it Paul declares the spiritual freedoms we enjoy because of our union with Jesus Christ. It is a freedom based on our faith in Jesus and God’s gift of the Holy Spirit. In this chapter Paul mentions the Holy Spirit nineteen times.
• First, there is freedom from judgment.
  • In the previous chapter Paul wrote about his own struggle with sin. He doesn’t do the good he wants to do, instead he finds himself doing the wrong he doesn’t want to do. Sin is waging a war within him and too often he finds himself failing. So he cries out,
  • Romans 7:24
    • What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?   But then Paul follows it up with
  • Romans 7:25
    • 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!…
  • Now Paul writes…
• Romans 8:1-4
• Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
• Romans 8:1-2
• Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.
  • Does this mean that the Christian will never have failures or will never sin?
    • No …Paul just explained his struggle with sin
  • Why is there no condemnation?
    • The reason for the lack of condemnation is found in three words – “in Christ Jesus.” Because we are in Christ Jesus we will not be condemned. In Adam we were condemned, but in Christ there is no condemnation. When we were under the law we face condemnation, but in Christ we are free.
    • Because of what Jesus Christ has done.  No condemnation at all!  The penalty and punishment was totally taken care of for those who are in a saving union with Jesus Christ.
  • How are we free from the law of sin and death?
    • The law cannot condemn you. Why? It cannot condemn you because Christ has already suffered that condemnation for you on the cross.  The law of sin and death has been replaced with the law of the Spirit who gives life.  That is where the Christian lives now. Death has been dealt a blow by the resurrection of Christ.
    • The Christian may at times sin, we can be assured that these sins do not condemn us because Christ has already died for them and we belong to Him.
• Romans 8:3
• 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering,
  • What was the law powerless to do?
    • To save the only way  the law saves is if you  keep it  perfectly
  • When was sin condemned in the flesh?
    • When Jesus was nailed and died on the cross
• Romans 8:4
• 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
  • What is the righteous requirement of the law that was met for us?
    • Sin must be punished is the righteous requirement… and for those in Christ living according to the spirit that sin has been  punished in Christ.
  • The first freedom we have is from condemnation…
  • Second, there is freedom from defeat
    • Sin and death are defeated in us thru the Holy Spirit.
    • Jesus redeeming work and the sending of the Holy Spirit which brings life enables us to overcome the  power of sin and that remains in our fleshly bodies.
• Romans 8:5-8
• 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
  • What is the contrast between living according to the Flesh and the Spirit?
  • Flesh
    • Mind of Fleshly Desires
    • Death
    • Hostile to God
  • Spirit
    • Mind on Spirit Desires
    • Life and Peace
    • Reconciled to God
  • Notice can the person governed by the flesh live according to the Spirit?
    • No! Because they are living  under  the law not under  grace… this doesn’t mean they can’t respond  to the  gospel and come to faith and repent.
    • But a person who exists according to the Spirit can they choose to continue to live according to the flesh? YES
• Romans 8:9-11
• 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
  • Is it possible to belong to Christ without the Holy Spirit?
    • No
  • What is going to happen to our physical bodies?
    • Eventual death 
    • Why?
      • Curse of sin   
  • How does the Spirit counter this?
    • Two ways…Brings life… makes it possible for us to live in a right way and that same Spirit that raised Christ is indwelling us
• Romans 8:12-13
• 12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
  • What does it mean that we have an obligation?
    • The word “obligation” is a banking term referring to something owed to another person. Paul says we don’t owe our old lives one red cent.  Our obligation is to the Spirit,  We owe to the  Lord to  live a  holy life.
  • Does the fact that we have been redeemed and received the gift of the Holy Spirit guarantee our holy living?
    • This makes it possible…but it is not automatic nor is it even inevitable. Grace doesn’t make us robots. We are still free will creatures it is up to us.
• TAKE AWAY
  • If we are in Christ we are not under condemnation
  • We have freedom from Judgment and Freedom from Defeat
  • We have an obligation considering all the Lord has done and  is doing to being about our salvation
  • Live according to the Spirit