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Romans 8:1-11The Safest Place To Be Is In _________WREFC 1/27/19Where’s the safest place on earth to live? Luis Villazon answered that question in the online version of BBC Focus Magazine. He said: “The solitary confinement cells at the ADX Florence ‘supermax’ prison in Florida will keep you safe from most direct physical threats, including other prisoners. But your mental health will certainly suffer. If you want to live a more normal life while keeping safe, try Singapore, which was ranked the safest country in 2016 by the Legatum Institute. To keep safe from disease, move to Luxembourg, which scored top for health and was still in second place for security.” (1)Villazon’s response to the question is limited in scope, because he’s only addressing a temporal safety in this life. What about the life to come? Where’s the safest place to be in time and eternity? The bible says “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb.9:27). In our natural born state, we are all guilty sinners and worthy of God’s judgment. Because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, we are destined for hell where we will suffer the wrath of God forever. But there is a go-to-place where we can escape God’s righteous wrath. Our text in Romans points us to the safest place to be for all eternity. Open your Bible to Rom.8:1. Rd Rom.8:1 The safest place to be is where?—"in Christ Jesus". The most important question that you will ever need to answer is “Am I ‘in Christ Jesus’?”. If you are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation. If you are in Christ Jesus, you have eternal security. We need to put this verse in context to get a better understanding of what it means. The “therefore” in v.1 takes you back to chapter 7. In chapter 7, Paul talked about his struggle to live the Christian life. His struggle is our struggle. There’s a battle going on between our sin nature and our new nature. The sin nature wants to break God’s Law and our new nature wants to obey God’s Law. Do you struggle to serve God and to obey His commandments? Your battle with sin is a good indicator that you’re a child of God. Saved people hate sin; lost people love to sin. Saved people desire God’s will; lost people have no desire for God’s will. If you don’t struggle with sin and desire to do God’s will, maybe you need to examine your spiritual condition Paul ends chapt.7 with a humble confession and a desperate cry for help: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Rom.7:24-25) When you reach the point of despair, then you’ve come to the place where you’ll reach out to God for deliverance. Christians are not perfect. They fall into occasional sin. But they need not worry about God’s judgment because Paul emphatically states that there is “now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”.There are three words or phrases that we must understand to grasp the truth of verse 1: “no condemnation”; “now”; and, “in Christ Jesus.”What does Paul mean by “no condemnation”? He means that God will not punish us for our sins. Why? How? Because the punishment we deserved fell on Jesus Christ. He bore the penalty of death for us. God has a gavel of grace. He pronounces this verdict for all believers: “No judgment! No punishment! No condemnation!” The fifth word in our English translation of v.1 is “no”. In the Greek construction, “no” is actually the first word in the sentence! Paul wants to emphasize in the strongest possible way that there is NO condemnation. You might translate the sentence this way: “There is absolutely no condemnation for believers—none whatsoever!” Paul is not saying “No struggles”. He’s not saying “No mistakes”. He’s not saying “No failures or sins”. Christians do have struggles. They make mistakes. They fail and fall into sin. But Paul is saying, that in the midst of our struggles and mistakes and failures and yes, even when we fall into occasional sin, there is “no condemnation”. Abraham lied about his wife; David committed adultery and murder; Peter denied His Lord 3x. To be sure, they suffered the consequences of their sins, but they did not suffer condemnation. One of my favorite hymns is?“And Can It Be That I Should Gain?”?by?Charles Wesley. The last stanza could have been inspired by Rom.8:1 …… No condemnation now I dread;Jesus and all in Him is mine;Alive in Him, my living Head,And clothed in righteousness divine,Bold I approach th’eternal throne,And claim the crown, through Christ my own. Amazing love; how can it be?That Thou, my God, should’st die for me. The next word we must understand in v.1 is the word “now”. Not tomorrow, not next week, not at some point in the near or distant future, but right now, today there is no condemnation. At this very moment in time, Christians are safe and eternally secure from God’s judgment, punishment, and condemnation. Our next phrase clarifies what we mean by Christian. Christians are “those who are in Christ Jesus.” The promise of “no condemnation” is available to all but it only applies to “those who are in Christ Jesus”. It’s not automatic just because you go to church or read your Bible or tithe your gross income. No Condemnation is only for those who are “in Christ Jesus.” This is one of Paul’s favorite phrases. He uses “in Christ” 164x. To be a Christian is to be “in Christ”.Kata 1Cor.15:22, you are either in Christ or you are not: For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” It’s like Noah and the Ark. God told Noah to build the ark because He was going to send judgment on the earth. The only way to escape judgment was to be?in?the ark when the floods came. Those who entered the ark were safe; those who were outside were condemned. In other words, like the ark in Noah’s day, the safest place to be right now when it comes to God’s just judgment on sin is in Christ Jesus.If we believe that Christ bore the punishment we deserved, we have a new position in Christ. When God looks at us now, He sees the righteousness of His Son. We stand before God justified in Christ. All charges against us have been dropped—“No condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Before we go any further, I think it’s important to ask you now “Are you in Christ Jesus?” If you can say “Yes” then rejoice, give thanks and praise God for these grace filled words—NO CONDEMNATION!There’s one mord in v.1 we need to look at. Those who are in Christ Jesus are people “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Now, if you’re following along with a bible translation other than the KJV or the NKJV, you’re probably wondering, “Where did that phrase come from? It’s not in my bible.” Some bible scholars tell us that this last phrase is not in all the Greek manuscripts. That’s why most modern translations leave it out of v.1. But all the Greek manuscripts include that same phrase in v.4. So, in practical terms, there’s no reason why it should be excluded in v.1. The people who claim to be “in Christ Jesus” are the people “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit [capitol S—Holy Spirit]” Some see this as a conditional statement. In other words, we face no condemnation so long as we walk kata the Spirit and not kata the flesh. But “no condemnation” is a permanent declaration. To be in Christ is a permanent position. The context points to a statement of fact. Those who are “in Christ Jesus” demonstrate that they are truly saved by walking or living in the Spirit and not walking or living in the flesh. We’re talking about a lifestyle—a pattern of behavior.We saw in chapter 6 that we who are "in Christ Jesus" cannot continue to live in habitual sin anymore. As I said before, Christians are not sinless. There will be times when we give into the lusts of the flesh and grieve the Holy Spirit. That’s what the struggle is all about in Romans 7. The sin nature is at war with the new nature. How do you win the war with sin? The answer is right here in v.1—Those who do not walk according to the flesh but walk according to the Spirit win the war with sin, not perfectly or permanently, but more consistently. In Rom.7, the focus was on self. Paul used the word “I” 32x. Do you remember all those “I” verses in Rom.7: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do” (Rom.7:15). In Rom.8, the focus is no longer on “I”; the focus is on “Spirit”. The Greek term for Spirit is pneuma. In 20 of the 21x it appears in Rom.8 it refers to the Holy Spirit. The word “I” only appears once in chapt.8. “Spirit” (chapt.8) replaces the “I” of chapt.7. You may be thinking, “That’s wonderful preacher. Now I know you can count. But how does that tally of terms contribute to my understanding of the war with sin? It means that “I” will never win the war with sin, hence the frustration of chapt.7. But in the power of the Holy Spirit, victory over sin will be the norm. So, there’s a double blessing in Rom.8:1. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, and there is also no frustration for those who walk according to the new nature controlled by Holy Spirit and not according to the old nature controlled by the flesh! That brings us to v.2:Rd Rom.8:2The two references to the word “law” mean a law principle. A law is the principle by which something operates.(pic of apple falling off tree)The law of “sin and death” is like the law of gravity.?What goes up must come down. The law of sin is that principle in us that pulls us downward into death. In our unsaved condition, the law of sin and death used to control us and condemn us. But there is another law principle that sets us free from the law of sin and death—it’s the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. This law is like the law of aerodynamics used by an airplane to overcome downward force of the law of gravity.Think about a big 747 jet airplane waiting for take off. The law of gravity says “That humongous plane full of passengers and luggage aint gonna fly.” But when you consider the power of its engines, and watch it rise above the runway, you realize that the law of aerodynamics overcomes the law of gravity. In a similar way, the law of sin and death still works in our flesh, but it’s superseded by the law of the Spirit of life. The Holy Spirit activates the risen life of Jesus Christ that empowers us to rise above the flesh and live in obedience to God’s Word. The law of the Spirit of life sets us free from the law of sin and death so we can soar to new spiritual heights.It’s all about choice. Will I choose to let the sin nature control my life or will I choose to let the new nature control my life? Will I choose to give in to the lusts of the flesh or will I choose to yield to the Holy Spirit who empowers me to live for God? Warren Wiersbe makes a helpful comment about our freedom in Christ. He says “… I have been set free to become all that God wants me to be, to achieve all that God wants me to achieve, to enjoy all that God wants me to enjoy.” (2) Paul leaves the law principle and returns to the Mosaic Law in vv.3-4:Rd Rom.8:3-4To fully understand what these verses are saying, we need to break them down one phrase at a time. So, back to v.3 we go: “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh …” The Mosaic Law or the 10 Commandments?can do certain things. It tells us about God’s character; it reveals His holy standards, it exposes our sins. But the Law?is weak in the sense that it cannot energize our fleshly nature to obey God; it can’t give us the power to please God.Now let’s tack on the next phrase: “What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son …” In other words, the law could reveal sin, but it could not conquer sin. Only God can conquer sin through the merits of His Son Jesus Christ. How was that accomplished? The last phrase in v.3 supplies the answer: God sent His Son “in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin …” Paul carefully chose his words by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was sinless, but He came in the likeness of sinful human flesh. Let me explain. In order to defeat sin, Jesus had to identify with those who were slaves of sin. Through the virgin birth, the sinless Son of God took on a human body. On the cross, as the next phrase explains, Jesus “… condemned sin in the flesh..” That means sin was?condemned?in the?human flesh—the physical body?of Jesus. He bore the condemnation we deserved. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That’s why Paul said “No condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. The safest place to be is in Christ.Paul continues in v.4: “… that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us”:Once again, Paul is careful with his word choice. He does not say that?we?fulfill the?righteous requirement of the law. He says that the righteous requirement of the law is?fulfilled in us. It isn’t fulfilled by us but in us through Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law by living a perfect, sinless life. Because we Christians are “in Christ”, the law is fulfilled in us. By faith, His righteousness becomes our righteousness. By faith, our punishment becomes His punishment. In other words, Jesus is our substitute. He was treated as a sinner so we could be treated as righteous. The people who enjoy this salvation blessing are further identified in v.4 as those “who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” That’s the same phrase we saw in v.1. It means we no longer have to be dominated by sin. Our life is now marked by the freedom to choose to obey the Holy Spirit, not the flesh. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to please the Lord. The O.T. prophet Zechariah said “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zech.4:6).Here’s what we’ve seen so far. Rom.8:1-4? introduced us the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a struggling Christian. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do what the flesh could never do—to obey and please the Lord.Now, in vv.5-11, Paul is going to contrast the people who have the Holy Spirit living in them and those who do not. He’s going to show us the results of those who walk according to the Spirit and those who walk according to the flesh. Specifically, he’s going to give three reasons why it’s impossible to please God in the flesh. The first reason is found in v.5:Rd Rom.8:5It’s impossible to please God in the flesh, because those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the flesh. The word “flesh” does not mean the soft tissue covering the skeletal frame of a human body. I know it’s confusing. That’s what flesh meant in v.4 when we talked about Jesus condemning sin in the flesh—his physical body. But the word “flesh” here refers to the fallen human nature corrupted by sin. Context always determines the meaning of a word. Paul is talking about unbelievers with a one-track mind. They have a fixed mindset on carnal, fleshly, corrupt things. They habitually think about ways to gratify the desires of their sin nature. As one person described it they are like a radio that can only receive AM signals.?There’s no connection to sterophonic FM channels. (3)?Unbelievers are tuned into the AM signals of the sin nature; they cannot please God. But believers are on a different wave length. Their minds have been changed through repentance and faith in Christ. Their thoughts are consistently fixed on the FM channel of the Holy Spirit. They’re the ones who please God. But make no mistake about it. If believers become careless, they can switch back to the AM signal of the flesh. That’s what happened to the apostle Peter. Do you remember the time that Jesus told His disciples that He was going to be rejected by the Jews and die on a cross??Peter took Him aside and began to lecture Him on the power of positive thinking.?But Jesus rebuked Peter, saying,?“Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”?(Mk.8:33).Jesus’ rebuke makes it evident that Peter’s had a mindset that reflected Satan’s values, not God’s. Satan does not fight fair so we Christians better be prepared to resist him by setting our minds on spiritual things, not carnal things. Philippians 4:8?tells us what we’re to think about:?“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”?One pastor made this comment: “For too long we who have been given new minds have been too willing to check them at the door as we leave church on Sunday morning. We think like pagans during the week but like Christians on Sunday morning. No wonder the world is little impressed with our Christianity. They’ve never seen the real thing in action. What a difference it would make if we began to ‘think Christianly’ and ‘act Christianly’ in the workplace this week.” (4) Guard your thoughts—that’s where the battle to live for God is won or lost. There’s a second reason why it’s impossible to please God in the flesh:Rd Rom.8:6 The reason why it’s impossible to please God in the flesh is because a mind that is fixed on the flesh not only results in death, it IS death. Death is separation from God. The fleshly mind is so foreign to God that those whose minds are set on the flesh are alienated from God. They are spiritually dead to the things of God. And that translates to distorted world view that calls evil good and good evil. However, to be spiritually minded, that is, if you have a desire to pursue spiritual things, biblical things, godly things, it demonstrates that you are secure in Christ Jesus. To have a mindset that is fixed on the Holy Spirit IS life and peace. If you have life in Christ, you will have peace with God—no condemnation. There’s a third reason why it’s impossible to please God in the flesh:Rd Rom.8:7Those who have a mind-set focused on the flesh are actually hostile toward God and His Word. Carnal, fleshly, unregenerate people are God haters. They reject His authority and resist His Word. Perhaps you’re thinking, “But I know unbelievers who don’t?hate God. Some of them are quite religious.” They may be religious, but they’re still enemies of God. The Bible makes a clear distinction: you either love God with all your heart and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ because He saved you, or you hate God because you don’t want Him to tell you what you can and can’t do. Unbelievers may be religious, but it’s a religion to their liking. They manufacture a God that fits their lifestyle. As one commentator put it, they prefer a God who is tolerant, cuddly and user-friendly. (5) But that kind of fleshly thinking puts them at odds with the Trinitarian God of the Bible. “Pleasing God in the flesh is as impossible as trying to train a wolf to be a sheep dog. Being righteous in the power of the flesh is like trying to teach a corpse to dance. It simply cannot be done.” (6) The flesh cannot be reformed, renewed, or reconciled to God. It will never be at peace with God because it’s forever at war with God. And that’s why Paul summarizes this section in v.8 by saying “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Do you have unsaved family or friends? Apart from being in Christ and walking in the Spirit, their minds are set on the flesh. Until they trust Christ as Savior, their spiritual status is death, not life. They’ll be enemies of God till the day they die, unless they reconcile with God before they die. Does this cause you to have a little more concern for unsaved family and friends? Rom.8:5-8 contrasts those who live in the flesh and those who live in the Spirit. What two things describe those who are fleshly minded?—spiritual death and hostility towards God. What two things describe those who are spiritual minded?—eternal life and peace. That brings us to Vv.9-11, where the spotlight is on those who are in the Spirit—the people who have a spiritual mindset, not a fleshly one. Verse 9 further explains what it means to be a Christian: Rd Rom.8:9True Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The moment you trust Christ as Savior, the Third Person of the Trinity takes up permanent residence inside your body. Your physical body is home to the Holy Spirit. You don’t need to ask Him to come in. He enters at conversion and He’s there to stay.If the Holy Spirit is not in you, then you’re not saved.That means, you don’t need more of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit needs to get more of you if you want to please God and glorify God in life and ministry. Rd Rom.8:10Paul says the?“body is dead because of sin.”??The principle of death is at work in your physical body.?It’s destined for the grave.?You are a clock that is winding down till your ticker stops. It happens to all of us sooner or later. You can eat healthy and exercise regularly, but you will eventually die. But when the Holy Spirit comes into our life at the moment of conversion, He brings life, He gives life He imparts the righteous life of Christ in us. The Holy Spirit has given us righteous life now. Dying on the outside, yet new life on the inside. Because of sin, we die; because the Holy Spirit, we live. And through the power of the Holy Spirit we can live to serve and please God! Rd Rom.8:11 Are you saved, are you in Christ, are you walking in the Spirit, are you spiritually minded, are you indwelt by the Holy Spirit? Then you have something to look forward too. One day you will receive a glorified body. At the any moment return of Jesus Christ, your mortal body will be raised in the likeness of His resurrection. It doesn’t matter if you’re burned at the stake as a martyr, or get eaten by a shark while surfing, or get blown to bits in an explosion, or decompose in a grave, God will raise that body. He will make it new and indestructible, and unite it with your soul. And so, we shall always be with the Lord, body and soul. In other words, one of the blessed results of the Holy Spirit living in us is that He not only given us righteous life now, He will give us resurrection life in the future!Life without Jesus Christ and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit grim. As the bumper sticker says, “Life is tough and then you die.” Even if you live to be 100, so what? Then what? But if you’re in Christ when you die you have hope. The God who raised Jesus from the dead will raise you through His Spirit who lives in you.Near the end of his life, evangelist D. L. Moody said, “Soon you will read in the newspaper that I am dead. Don’t believe it for a moment. I will be more alive than ever before” (cited by Randy Alcorn,?Heaven?[Tyndale], p. 31). I’ll close with a question. Make sure that you can answer it with a confident “Yes”: Are you in Christ Jesus? A “Yes” answer means no-condemnation. A “No” answer means yes-condemnation. The safest place is in Christ Jesus.______________________________________________________________________________(1) (2) (3)(4) (5) (6) ................
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