Romans 8:1-17

Overview

Romans chapter 8 is the high point in this epistle, because it reveals the power source that you need to overcome all things in this world. This chapter reveals the assurance and freedom that can be yours through the power of the Holy Spirit working within you. Paul refers to the Holy Spirit 20 times in this chapter, which clearly illuminates that His Spirit in the only way you can access all these blessings that are yours in Christ Jesus. The apostle begins with the fact that those who are in Jesus Christ are no longer under condemnation, but have been set free from the power of sin and death through the liberating power of the Spirit. Paul then contrasts a life lived according to the flesh with a life led by the Spirit, emphasizing that believers are adopted as children of God, and can call Him their Father. He acknowledges the present suffering we all go through, but frames this suffering as temporary, compared to the eternal future glory that we will enjoy. The apostle powerfully explains how the Spirit helps us in our human weakness, even interceding in us as we pray, while God works all things together for good for those who love Him. Paul ends this chapter in a triumphant declaration that there is nothing in this life that can separate believers from the love of God that is in Christ. Paul now begins this chapter’s instruction with three incredible freedoms! May God open your heart so that you might understand and experience these truths!

Our freedom Vs. 1-4

In these first few verses, Paul declares some of the most glorious truths that any believer could ever hear, and more importantly, experience. There is a glorious freedom in Christ, and it is yours! You have been liberated from all that would bind and hinder you. What does this freedom that God has given to you consist of? Paul states, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Rom. 8:1-4).

Freedom from condemnation. Vs. 1

This passage must be compared with Paul’s previous statement in Romans 3:19 to be fully appreciated. “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” What an incredible contrast to this verse is revealed here in Romas 8:1. Paul declared, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” In other words, the law was given to bring all men to a realization of God’s lawful requirements, which revealed that they were guilty, condemned, and in need of a Savior because they had broken these commands. The gospel came to proclaim that the price had been paid for all of our sins, and that all men could be free from guilt and condemnation because of Christ’s redemption.

The most important thing to notice in this verse is why there is no condemnation, and to whom this freedom has been given. There is only one reason, and one person that has been freed from all condemnation. This blessing is only for those who are in Christ. Your position in Christ is the only reason you have been qualified to be partakers of this freedom. Paul thanked God for all the privileges that have been given to us when he wrote, “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Col. 1:12). This freedom from condemnation is one of the most glorious aspects of our inheritance in Christ! If you are a Christian, this freedom is yours right now! Nothing further needs to be done. You are free from all condemnation!

However, a believer is not free from conviction or reproof for any sin he or she may commit. Paul told Titus that he was to preach the Word of God so as to bring conviction on those who heard him. He wrote, “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). Paul also explained to Timothy that this was the purpose that God had sent His Word to us. He reminded his son in the faith, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:14-17). Experiencing reproof and conviction is also the most important reason why you should be studying the Word of God on a daily basis. We all need conviction and reproof daily to remind us that we are to pursue holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). Therefore, every believer is free from condemnation, but not free for God’s conviction and reproof.

What does it mean to be in Christ, and what are the benefits of being in Him?

Another essential question you must answer is, how does someone get to be in Christ? To be in Christ means that you have believed and received Christ by faith. The Apostle John declared, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). Jesus explained to His disciples what life would be like after His resurrection. He told them, “Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:19-20). Therefore, once you receive the risen Christ, He comes to live within you by His Spirit, and you are also in Him.

The first benefit of putting your faith in Jesus is that you begin to experience this freedom from all guilt and condemnation for your sins. The burden of your guilt lifts off of your heart. Jesus explained this benefit from the beginning of His ministry. He taught, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). Why does simple faith in Christ bring this blessing? Because, if you believe in Jesus that means that you have repented of your sin and been forgiven. Jesus made it clear that repentance and real faith will always go together when He said “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). When you repent, He also purifies your heart “by faith” (Acts 15:9). Therefore, if a person repents, believes, and is cleansed and forgiven of their sin, this means that they are justified from all that would condemn them. Paul has already taught this truth when he explained that God gives His righteousness, “through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22-24).

In addition, you must be very clear about what this does not mean. Being set free from condemnation does not mean that God condones sin. No! He condemned sin, and He condemned it at the cross upon His own Son. He will never condemn those who believe, confess, and repent of their sin, because He will be faithful to His Word (1 John 1:9). The woman taken in the act of adultery was a perfect example of God’s heart toward a repentant sinner. He told her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11). Notice that when Jesus chose not to condemn her, He did not condone her sin, because He told you to go and sin no more. Have you believed, confessed, and turned to Him and asked for His forgiveness? If you have, there is therefore now no condemnation for you!

Understanding the different kinds of condemnation

1. The guilt and condemnation from your past sins.

Each of us have sinned and done things that we regret terribly before we came to faith in Christ. Paul has already made absolutely clear that if we have been justified in Christ by faith, that the sins we have previously committed are put away. He wrote earlier in this epistle that, “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:24-26). What grace has been bestowed upon us that God would take the iniquity of us all, and punish it on Jesus! As the Prophet Isaiah predicted, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:5-6). As David also rejoiced in this fact he declared, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:10-12). Thank you Lord, for removing our past transgressions!

2. The guilt and condemnation from your present failures.

The same thing is true when we fail and experience guilt and condemnation for our present failures. The Apostle John admitted that as believers we were going to commit single acts of sin that we would immediately ask His forgiveness for, and that were also provided for in the atonement of Christ’s death. He declared, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). He also taught that all we must do was to confess these sins to God, and He would be faithful to forgive these sins. He wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The verb confess in this verse is in the present tense in the original language, which means that we must continually confess our sins to Him, knowing that He is always faithful to forgive us our sins!

3. The condemnation of hell.

When Jesus referred to condemnation, He was also speaking of the ultimate condemnation of hell. Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and declared, “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?” (Matt. 23:33). He told them that because of their religious hypocrisy, devouring widows’ houses, and making deceitful prayers that they, “will receive greater condemnation” (Luke 20:47). Knowing what Jesus taught here, may each of us be kept from this kind of false religion!

Why do professing Christians still experience condemnation?

Knowing these truths, why is it that some Christians still battle with condemnation? How could this occur if someone were in Christ? If you are a believer who is still experiencing condemnation, you must realize that this means that condemnation is coming from another source, because it is not coming from God. There are several possibilities that you should consider.

1. You may be condemning yourself, because of your lack of understanding or faith in the truths that are taught in Romans 1-8. This is why the Apostle John declared, “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (1 John 3:20-21). John understood that sometimes our own hearts will condemn us, but God is greater knowing all things. I will explain what He knows a little later in this study. This kind of condemnation within the heart usually comes to a believer, because they have an overly sensitive conscience. Paul explained this problem occurred during the first century when new believers struggled over eating meat that had been sold in the market place, which had previously been offered to idols. They lacked the knowledge that the idol was nothing, and that the meat that they were eating had no spiritual effect upon them. Paul wrote, “But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:3-8). In addition, note in the verses above, that God knew the people’s hearts, and that even though they loved Him, they didn’t have a complete knowledge of the truth (1 Cor. 8:3). This is exactly what the Apostle John taught. “God is greater than your heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20). He sees your overly sensitive conscience, and knows what is happening to you. God may also see that you are in the same struggle that Paul had with his self-will in Romans seven, and you need to be confident that He will not condemn you. He knows all things, and because of this fact, He is going to encourage you, and lead you to the freedom that is revealed in this eighth chapter of Romans. The Father is for you, not against you!

2. Condemnation within believers can also come from Satan. He is called a liar, deceiver, and the accuser of the brethren (John 8:44; Rev. 12:10). Be assured, that this condemnation is going to come your way. You must resist him steadfast in the faith. Peter taught, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9). Satan can also intentionally misuse Scripture, and turn the conviction of the Holy Spirit into condemnation. Satan loves to impersonate the Holy Spirit’s conviction. Remember, Satan is a liar and a deceiver. Don’t fall for this deception! You must remember that conviction will always draw you to the Lord, and cause you to repent. On the other hand, condemnation always drives you away from God, and makes you feel unworthy to approach Him. Therefore, guard your heart and mind!

3. It is also important to recognize that the promise of no condemnation is only given to those, “Who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” If a professed believer is practicing lawlessness and immorality, that individual should not have any expectation that they will not be condemned with the world. Jesus made this concept absolutely clear when He told His disciples, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:21-23). Jesus also declared that if one of His servants turned away from Him and went back to eat and drink and be drunk He said, “If that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers” (Luke 12:45-46). This is also why Paul commanded the immoral Corinthian church to repent when he wrote, “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31-32). You should be very thankful for God’s chastening in our lives. These words of Jesus and of the Apostle Paul are very clear, therefore, do not trust in the religious teachings of those who teach contrary to these words!

4. The last reason you may be experiencing condemnation is that you may not actually be a Christian, which would mean that you are not in Christ. If you continually question your salvation, I would suggest that you go back and make sure what you believe, and determine if you have seen some actual fruit of your faith. Please read my article entitled, “What does it mean to be born again.” www.covenantkeepers.org/bible-studies/topical-studies

Freedom from the law of sin and death. Vs. 2

Paul declared this second aspect of freedom when he wrote, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). What is the law of sin and death, and how does the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set you free? What are these two laws, and how do they work? Understanding these two laws and how the law of sin and death has been nullified by the Spirit of life are critical concepts for you and anyone who desires to experience true freedom in their walk with Christ.

A law is an established principle or rule that should control the actions of a person. A law is also a principle or rule that works the same way every time. As in the case of a scientific law, it relates to an observable principle that we count on as a fact, such as the scientific laws of motion, the laws of thermodynamics, or the law of gravity. The law of gravity can be proven every time you make the choice to drop an object; the law of gravity will always take effect and demonstrate its reality. This law will work the same way every time you take a similar action. Likewise, the law of the Spirit of life, and the law of sin and death work the same way every time you make choices today in your life. As you trust God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, the law of the Spirit will always bring about life and freedom from the power of your sinful desires. The opposite is also true. Every time you yield to sin the opposite law will always bring about death and bring you into bondage. The glorious truth is that you have a choice as to which law will be in effect in your life. The reality is that you have been set free from the law of sin and death once and for all. But do you believe this as fact? How can you know this fact is true? Because the law of the Spirit of life is a higher law than the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death cannot hold you in bondage any longer. Let me illustrate.

Illustration # 1 - The Law of sin and death is like the law of gravity that holds you captive to the ground so you won’t float away into the atmosphere. The law of the Spirit of life is like the law of lift that supersedes the law of gravity when you get on an airplane. Every time you fly in an airplane you should marvel at the law of lift nullifying the law of gravity. The newest models of a fully loaded 747 jumbo jet weighs 910,000 pounds, yet it defies the law of gravity every time it lifts off the ground. Have you ever wondered, how a plane that heavy can do that? It flies because it is obeying a simple law called lift. It’s a higher law than the law of gravity. Lift is created by the shape of the wing and the airflow over its surface. The higher pressure that is created under the wing creates this lift pushing the wing up, and causing the plane to lift off the ground.

The law of lift is exactly what happens to a person who yields to the law of the Spirit of life. If you yield to this law of the Spirit you will begin to soar over the power of sin in your life. But you may be thinking right now, That may work with gravity, but could this principle really ever work to enable me to get free from my anger, my lust, or my pride? Let me assure you that Paul believed that the law of the Spirit could do just that! He saw this higher law of the Spirit at work in His own life, and believed this same freedom could also be yours! This is why he wrote this epistle. But do you believe the testimony of God’s Word, or are you believing what you feeling? Let me illustrate this principle in another way.

Illustration # 2 - The law of sin and death is like a 300-pound sumo wrestler. You weigh in at 150 pounds. Imagine that you are in a tag-team-wrestling match, and you are about to be pinned by this sumo wrestler. It looks like there is no way out, and you are about to lose the match. What should you do? The wonderful thing is that you have a 1,000-pound wrestler on your team! Quickly you tag his hand, and he jumps in on this sumo wrestler, and you are set free. The Spirit is like having this 1000-pound wrestler on your team. No wrestler on the opposing team is a match for the forces you have at your disposal. There is no sin in your life that can’t be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. You can be set free from certain defeat every time you simply cry out to the Spirit for His help. But you must ask. As the Apostle James declared, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). You should be asking multiple times a day for His help.

Which law are you living under today? Do you live with the constant defeat of the law of sin and death, or are you living in the freedom of the law of the Spirit? Jesus assured us, “How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him” (Luke 11:13). Every time you ask for more of His Spirit in your life, He will rule over the law of sin and its attempt to dominate your life. As you wait upon the Lord and seek Him for His strength you are going to soar, and you will defy the power of sin that seeks to cause you to crash in defeat. Remember the promise of God. “Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Is. 40:31). This verse promises that you can experience strength, power, and the ability that is far beyond what you have ever thought possible! Ask Him for the wings of His Spirit today!

3. Freedom from trying to be righteous. Vs. 3-4

In verses 3 and 4 Paul declares this third aspect of freedom. He wrote, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” This is such a glorious truth that can bring so much freedom to your spiritual life! Note that God chose not to condemn you, but He chose to condemn the thing that stumbles you, which is sin in the flesh. God dealt with the source of our problems, and the source of all our struggles. Remember Paul declared that, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Rom. 7:18-20). Paul realized that God had put his sin nature to death with Jesus on the cross, so that sins power had been rendered inoperative (Rom. 6:6). Then as he yielded to the law of the Spirit to rule in his life, only then the righteous requirements in the law could now be produced in his heart.

What the law could not do, and what he could not do because of the weakness of his flesh, God did for him by sending His Son to fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 3:15). Remember, the law could do many good things, such as instruct and reveal God’s character and truth to us, but the law could not enable our flesh to do what God required. This is why Jesus came! He came to do what was impossible for any of us to do, which was fulfill the law. Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement of the Law (Matt. 5:17). He lived a perfect life, and then He paid the penalty for all of our sins. Jesus then declared that He wanted us to simply believe in Him, and what He had done for us (John 3:16). Once you put your faith in Him, He comes to live inside of you? Then by the power of His Spirit, He does inside you what you could never do on your own. This is the simple truth Paul was declaring in this text. In other words, Paul was saying, “Stop trying to make yourself righteous; He has already made you righteous, and is transforming you every day to be conformed to His image.” Therefore, let the Spirit do His work within you.

Paul declared in Colossians 2:10, “You are complete in Him.” God’s work has been completed through His Son, and if you are in Him, then you are also complete. The word complete means that a work has come to an end, and there is nothing still wanting. This refers to your standing in Christ, not the work of transforming you into His image which is a daily work of the Spirit. This means that there is nothing still wanting, or nothing you still need to do to make yourself righteous in the sight of God. Your standing in Christ is as righteous as it will ever be, simply by your faith in Him (Rom. 3:21-22). But God is still working out within your heart the righteous requirement of his law. So, all you need to do is just yield to His Holy Spirit. Paul also makes it clear that to experience this work of God within, you must walk according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh. The words according to mean, by or after. In other words, don’t walk by the means or power of your flesh and self-will, rather walk by the means of the Spirit, and allow the Spirit to control you. This is where the freedom occurs! Paul taught that we should be, “Confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). He also declared, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). Be confident that He will do the work within you. Yield to His Holy Spirit, and He will do it!

The Freedom to choose. Vs. 5-11

Paul declared, “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, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:5-11).

In the previous verses Paul has revealed our incredible freedom in Christ. Now he explains our responsibility to use this freedom by choosing what is spiritually good for our lives. Paul starts this section of Scripture by explaining the essential difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. All people who live on this world are in one of two categories: You either have your mind set on the flesh, and you are choosing to live according to the flesh, or you are choosing to set your mind on the things of the Spirit, and live under His control. The verb to set in this phrase to set your mind is in the present tense in the original language. This means that you can continually either direct your attention to, seek after, or to strive after the things of the Spirit, or the things of the flesh. These words reveal the obvious choice you must make, which will determine just how much you will experience the freedom Paul is discussing in these verses.  

Do you understand that you have a tremendous freedom as a believer to choose where you set your mind, and whom you will serve? Paul declared to the Colossian church that Jesus has, “Delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1:13). Jesus has delivered you from the enemy of your soul who blinded you and held you captive all your lifetime (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:1-3). This is why those who believe can as Isaiah declared, “refuse the evil and choose the good” (Is. 7:15). Solomon wrote that the wicked do not, “choose the fear of the Lord” (Prov. 1:29). God commanded the His people to, “Choose what pleases Me, and hold fast to My covenant” (Is. 56:4). Jesus also taught, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24). The word desires in this command means to choose to come after Him. All of these choices are absolutely essential if you want to experience a true relationship with the Lord. Your responsibility is to make the right choices, and the first choice you must make is to set your mind on the things of the Spirit. You have the freedom to make this choice! What choices are you making each day? Are you setting your mind on the fleshly pleasurable things of this world, or on the things of the Spirit? This choice will determine every other choice you make in life. The problem is that many Christians want to set their minds on the things of the flesh part of the time, and the things of the Spirit when it is convenient. This double-mindedness results in sure defeat in the war with your flesh that rages within you. This is why the Apostle James warned all believers about being double-minded. He wrote, “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:7-8). How can you stop this double-mindedness that leads to defeat? Let me list some of your choices.

1. Choose to seek the things that are above. Paul said, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). All the spiritual blessings that God wants to bestow upon you are found in Christ. If He possesses what you are looking for, then seek Him and the power of His Holy Spirit to come and rule inside your heart.

2. Choose to control your thought life. Paul also said, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2). What do you allow your mind to dwell upon? Are they fleshly things and worldly desires, or the things of God? What you think about will have a real effect upon your spiritual freedom and satisfaction. Remember that Jesus rebuked Peter for his wrong thinking when He said to him, “For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Mark 8:33). Is this the issue that hinders you?

3. Choose to reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God. How do you do this? Go back to Romans 6 in this book, and reread that section. Remember, your sinful desires do not have the right to rule you anymore. You have been bought with a price. You belong to God! Declare to Him that He has the right to rule inside of you. This is what it means to surrender and present yourself to Him!

4. Choose to stop sowing seeds that can only end in failure. Paul warned the Galatian church, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Gal. 6:7-8). What kind of seed are you sowing? Just as in farming, you can’t expect to reap green beans when you have sown corn in your field. Likewise, you can’t reap life when you are sowing seeds that can only bring death. What do I mean? What kind of music do you listen to? The words that you hear are sowing thoughts within you that are either godly thoughts or worldly ones. What kind of movies do you watch? Movies are also sowing images into your mind that will either stumble you or uplift you. What kinds of books or magazines do you read? These books and magazines are also sowing certain concepts into your heart and mind. Who are your friends? Your friends that you spend time with will either build you up spiritually, or encourage compromise? What kinds of places do you go for recreation? All of these choices are what sow seeds of failure, or victory in your life. True victory depends upon what you choose to set your mind upon, and how you choose to behave. Your choices will always determine victory or failure in your life.

There is no neutral ground.

The fruit of your decisions will either bring death or life to your soul (Vs. 6). There is no middle ground. Why? Because Paul explained that your carnal mind is at enmity with God. The word enmity is a word that means hostility, or is in opposition to God. Your carnal fleshly nature is hostile and in opposition to the law of God, and will never subject itself to the law of God. In addition, Paul teaches that your flesh cannot please God no matter how hard you try. This is why you can never reform your fleshly nature. God knew this, and this is why He put your fleshly sinful nature to death with His Son on the cross (Rom. 6:6). Today, every believer must put off the old man by faith, by surrendering to the power of the Spirit.

Also, notice that Paul reminds all believers that they are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in them. Our position has been permanently changed. We are in Christ and God dwells in us. This means that we have been translated into His kingdom, and His Spirit now resides in us. The greatest proof that God does indeed live in us is the fact that He has given us His Holy Spirit. The Apostle John stated, “And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (1 John 3:24). Rejoice in this fact! If the Spirit lives in you, then this is proof positive that God dwells in you.

What does this mean for those who are in Christ, and filled with the Spirit? Paul declares that, “If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:10-11). What did Paul mean by these statements? He simply means that your body is dead in its ability to help you live the Christian life. The body is literally as lifeless and powerless as a corpse. Your physical body has no power to help you do what is good, and it is appointed to die one day because of sin. But, the real you, your spirit, is alive because the Holy Spirit lives inside you. The Spirit lives in you only because of the righteous act of Jesus Christ. Therefore, when Christ makes His home in you, He does what comes natural to Him, He produces life within you. John again declared this same truth when he wrote, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). Then the biggest blessing occurs when you die, because the Holy Spirit who lives in you will raise you up to life in the resurrection. What a glorious assurance we have!

Freedom to allow the Spirit to lead. Vs. 12-14

Paul now encourages us all to allow the Spirit to lead us to the appropriate choice, and live like free men and women. He explains, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Rom. 8:12-14).

What is one important fact that proves you are a son of God? The fact that you are led by the Spirit of God. This fact confirms that you truly are a child of God. What will the Spirit lead you to do if you are His son or daughter? According to Paul, the Spirit will lead you to put to death the deeds of your body. When you take this action, it is proof positive that you are a child of God.

Paul explained that you are no longer a debtor to the flesh anymore. You are actually a debtor to God to live after the Spirit, because He has bought and paid for you, and set you free. You don’t have to obey the dictates of your flesh anymore. But I have heard many Christians say to me, “I can’t stop doing this sin.” This is not a correct statement for any believer! Why? Because if this statement is true, then you must not really be a Christian, because Christians can stop their practice of sin. If you are in Christ, you have been set free from the power of sin. Now I am not saying that you won’t struggle with your fleshly desires to sin. But you must understand that you have been set free from the dominion and control of sin in your life, which allows you to make a choice. This is why Paul declared, “For sin shall not have dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14).

The point Paul is making in these verses is that you are not a debtor to the flesh, but a debtor to God to live unto Him as His servant. You owe the Lord your entire life, because He has set you free from the law of sin and death. “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20). This is how you can glorify the Lord and fulfill your debt to God. Exercise your freedom of choice, and put to death the deeds of the body. How can you do this? The word you is found four times in verse 13, revealing that you have a choice to make in putting to death the deeds of your body. Paul made it extremely clear that, “if you” will take the action of putting to death these deeds, you will live. Whose responsibility is it to take this action? It is your responsibility! God has done the work of conquering your sin nature, but you must make the choice to put off the old man and his deeds (Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:8-9). However, you can’t make these deeds of the flesh to die by your own will power. No! Paul wrote that if you, “by the Spirit” make these deeds of the flesh to die, then you will live. The Spirit of God is the only person who can do this work of put to death the desires and the deeds of your flesh. But it all begins with your choice to ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then He does the work!

Don’t live according to the flesh! Vs. 4, 5, 13

It is important to note that Paul was talking to believers in this text, and was telling them not to live according to the flesh. If he wrote this command, then it must be possible for a believer to choose to give into the flesh. But what will be the result of that choice? He makes it very clear that, “You will die.” The law of sin and death is still in effect for anyone who walks according to the flesh. Your human responsibility is to yield to the Holy Spirit, so you can live. The solution to this dilemma is to simply surrender, and seek His power. I encourage you the next time you sense the power of your sinful desires awakening, simply stop and pray, “I surrender to you Lord. I can’t free myself from my sinful desires. Lord, help me right now, by filling me with your Holy Spirit. Make the old me to die.” Only by the power of His Spirit can you be made free. The Spirit is the only one who can cause the desires of your flesh to die within you. You cannot kill these desires by struggling to free yourself. That is a losing battle. Freedom only occurs when you cry out for the Spirit to come. It’s that simple! This is what Paul encouraged when he said, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). This where you will find the freedom you are looking for. The words in this verse, “walk in the Spirit” mean to order your life and your conduct according to the Spirit. In other words, allow the Spirit to control you as you walk through your day. Cry out to God throughout the day for Him to fill you with His Spirit, and He will do it. The result will be life within you, and victory over the desires of the flesh.

Freedom from fear. Vs. 15-17

One of the most destructive emotions known to man is fear. However, in your relationship with the Lord, He will also set you free from fear by the power of His Spirit. This freedom is another very powerful ministry of the Spirit of God. If anyone is in Christ, that person has received the ability by the Spirit to come to the Father with total confidence. This freedom of access is because of their position as an adopted son or daughter. Paul writes, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:15-17). Paul’s principle point in this passage is that when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you, He delivers you from the bondage of fear. When the Lord saves you, naturally you come to realize that God loves you, and has called you by His grace into a relationship with Himself. This is why you can naturally cry out to Him as your “Abba, Father.” The Aramaic word Abba was the personal name that only a son or daughter would use for their own Father. It was an intimate name, as opposed to the formal name for the head of the house. This intimate relationship with your heavenly Abba is enabled by the Spirit Himself living within you. The Holy Spirit is the one who convinces you that you are in God’s family, but even more than that, you are a joint heir, and not some second-class child.

It is essential to understand that not only does the Spirit come within you to set you free from fear, but the Spirit also leads you to the One who sets you free! Think of how precious this is. The Spirit of God comes into your heart to lead you to a deeper and more intimate fellowship with the Father. As you surrender and begin to pray, the Holy Spirit leads you to this intimacy of fellowship with your heavenly Abba. As you cry out to Him as your personal Abba, the fear is gone, because your sins are forgiven, and you have the assurance that you are justified in His sight as a full son or daughter. You are confident that you are a part of God’s family. If you do not experience this intimacy while you are praying, you need to question why this confidence is missing. Are you still sensing guilt and condemnation? Is your mind set on earthly things? Are you still playing with the things of the flesh? If these things are occurring, you will not experience Him as your Abba. You need to go back to study more fully the first seven chapters of this epistle.  

Adopted into His family Vs. 15

Many times, when people read this statement that believers have, received the Spirit of adoption, they read right past it. But the analogy of adoption into the family of God is a powerful illustration. In Roman culture when someone was adopted, all rights and responsibilities that were connected to their old family were severed, once and for all. The adopted child was then granted the status of an equal inheritor with all rights and privileges of a natural born child. Now relate this illustration to your relationship with the Father and the position that you possess now in His family. You are not a foster child, a stepchild, an under-age child, or child on probation. You are an adult son of God who has full rights and privileges as an heir of the king, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Paul explained this privilege more fully when he wrote to the Ephesian church and declared, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:3-6). Your adoption into His family was something He did before the foundation of the world. This was the good pleasure of His will to take you as His own. This adoption has made you fully accepted just as the Father accepts His own Son, because you are in His Beloved Son! Wow! Rejoice in this privilege you have been given by His incredible grace!

His Spirit bearing witness with your spirit Vs. 16

Do you sense the Holy Spirit bearing witness within you and convincing you that you are truly His child? This is an essential experience of all true believers. The Apostle John taught us, “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son” (1 John 5:9-10). If you have believed the testimony that God has given concerning His Son, you will have this witness within your heart. This personal witness of the Spirit is greater than any witness that man could give you. Men can tell you that they believe you are a child of God, but these words of assurance are only limited. This is why the Spirit of God has come to bear witness that you are a child of God. A non-Christian cannot experience this witness, because they do not have access through prayer to God. They don’t see Him as their Father. Solomon declared, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Prov. 28:9). He also states, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight” (Prov. 15:8). If a person has no access to the Father in prayer, they cannot ever enjoy the assurance of the Spirit, that an adopted son or daughter of God will have. The only prayer of the wicked that God will hear is a sincere prayer of repentance and a request for forgiveness and mercy. He will never turn that request away!

A joint-heir Vs. 17

You are also a joint-heir with Jesus Christ to all that the Father possesses. It’s hard to comprehend all that this means, because it seems counter-intuitive that we as fallen creatures could ever become a joint-heir with Jesus Christ. Our minds struggle with this concept, but this is what God’s Word declared. I would never make this statement, except for the fact that the Scriptures declare it. Think of it, that God has made you an equal partner with His own Son. This is what it means to be adopted and justified by the Father. You are seated in Christ in heavenly places! This is your position at this moment as a believer. What an incredible statement! But, look at what Scripture declared. Jesus promised every believer, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:21). These statements are beyond our comprehension. What Jesus has won by His death and resurrection, are all yours. Jesus also illustrated this fact in the parable of the prodigal son. He declared to His eldest son, “You are always with me, and all that I have is yours” (Luke 15:31). Should not this knowledge of your position in Christ change the way you pray? I hope that it does!

Suffering for His sake Vs. 17

This passage also makes clear that if you want all of this glorious inheritance, you must also be willing to inherit one more thing, suffering. Notice this last phrase in verse 17. “If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Willingness to suffer is another real proof that you truly are His child. Scripture is very clear on this fact. Paul wrote, “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29). Paul also said, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). When you love someone, you will naturally give of yourself to sacrificially serve them, even to the point of pain and suffering. How many times have I sat beside a parent of a terminally ill child who has said to me, “If I could, I would trade places with my child right now. I would willingly take this suffering upon myself today.” Are you willing to serve and sacrifice like this for those you love? Likewise, I believe your love for Christ will also cause you to make any sacrifice that would be necessary to follow Him, even if it meant suffering at the hands of others. Jesus told His disciples at the beginning of their ministry, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12). Is this the mindset you have today concerning your relationship with Jesus? Are you willing to be mocked by others who think you are crazy or dumb for being a Christian? Or, do you hide your light under a basket, and refuse to let anyone know that you are a believer? Rather, let your light so shine as you love others, as you speak to them of your love for Jesus, and as you are willing to suffer persecution for His sake! If you choose to live in this manner, one day He will grant you to be glorified together with Him!