We have already considered our suffering with Christ in the form of affliction and persecution because of our firm stand on the Word and unwavering faith. It has well been said that faith is trusting in spite of consequences. So when affliction or persecution arises because of our stand on the truth and trust in Christ, we trust in spite of consequences. We take our stand on the truth; we will not be moved; and we refuse to throw away our confidence. This is called the perseverance of the saints and those who have been genuinely saved will persevere to the end.
So affliction and persecution are intended by the devil to cause men to stumble and turn away from the truth, believing his lie that Christians are not supposed to suffer. But on the other hand God uses affliction and persecution to cause genuine Christians to cling tighter to Him and prove them to be His children through their perseverance. The ones that endure to the end are proven to be the children of God and the ones that don’t endure to the end are not and will not be saved (Matthew 24:13).
Christians are to know and believe God’s truth that they are to suffer and that their suffering is working for them and not against them. With suffering comes the temptation to “throw in the towel” and give up on the faith. However, God gives His children the grace and the power to endure for His name’s sake (2 Timothy 1:8-12). So when we endure suffering without turning away from the truth; trusting God through it all (Romans 8:28); we prove that we have genuine biblical faith (1 Peter 1:7-9) and are not of those who shrink back and prove themselves to be children of destruction (Hebrews 10:35-39).
All suffering, no matter what form it takes, is a threat to ones faith and will ultimately prove that faith to be either genuine or counterfeit. So the Holy Spirit wants us to shore up our faith by the Word of God (Hebrews 4:2); knowing that God’s intentions are for our good even through our suffering (Romans 8:28); and to trust Him completely in spite of the circumstances (Romans 8:35-39; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 3:14). We are to be patient and persevere and live by faith (Hebrews 10:35 – 11:1).
So here is the wonderful truth that is presented to us in God’s Word – suffering is the divine decree of an all-mighty, all-wise, and all-loving Creator that causes us to rejoice in Him for what He has done, for what He is doing, and for what He is going to do. Suffering prepares us for glory (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5). Suffering causes us to long for what is coming - glory (Romans 8:23).
But not only do we suffer and long for glory – so does the creation (Romans 8:18-22)
Suffering works for us and not against us (Romans 8:18). In the hands of our wise and loving heavenly Father we are going from groaning to glory. Our suffering in this world is worth it because our sharing in glory will be greater. Our suffering is temporary; our glory will be eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Therefore we have a proper perspective about suffering and we do not focus on it but on what is to come. This makes all the difference in the world. We see our suffering as a necessary means to a greater end. This makes the suffering endurable and worth it! Suffering is a tool that God uses to prepare us for the glory that is to come and that makes the suffering worth it. We are given the example of suffering the pains of childbirth (Romans 8:22) and the joy of the baby’s birth causes the suffering of labor to dim in comparison. The glory we will see and the glory we will share will be far beyond all comparison to the sufferings we endured.
We are not alone in this suffering or this longing (Romans 8:19). The creation is watching and waiting for the glorification of the children of God which will result in the glorification of the creation. Creation is patiently enduring suffering and eagerly waiting to be set free which will not happen until the children of God are glorified. The glorification of the children of God is the culmination of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem all who will believe in Him from sin and creation from the curse (Colossians 1:20). So when this blessed event happens – the revealing of the sons of God – the creation will be set free (Romans 8:21) – and it will all be the result of the sinless life, sacrificial death, and supernatural resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then we will cry, “Glory!” The creation will cry, “Glory!” We will bow on our knees and clap our hands and sing, “Glory!” And all creation in one huge symphony will sing, “Glory!” Glory to the Son of God!
Suffering is intended by God for good for the children of God and for the creation (Romans 8:20-21). God Himself is the One who subjected the creation to futility. Man is responsible for the curse on creation but not the one who cursed it. Subjecting the creation to futility was God’s judicial and righteous judgment because of man’s sin. However, God’s ultimate design in death and decay is two-fold. First and foremost, suffering because of the curse is to define the reality and horrors of sin. There are great and severe consequences to sin because our sin is against a holy and righteous God. Second, suffering because of the curse is to demonstrate the wisdom, power, and love of God through His ability to make suffering work for us and not against us. Suffering makes the children of God better. But notice too that creation will also be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Romans 8:21). The curse will be removed and there will be no more suffering. There will be a new heaven and new earth with no more suffering of any kind. God will be glorified for His ability to save and deliver from bondage!
Suffering is designed by God to end in life and not death for the children of God and for the creation (Romans 8:22). God wants us to have the proper perspective for the suffering that is happening to us and the whole creation. For those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28), suffering is like the pains of childbirth – it is going to end in life and not death. Our suffering will be worth it and it will dim in comparison to glory that is coming. Our groans that arise from our suffering are like the screams of a woman in the maternity ward. Knowing where the screams are coming from and why they are coming makes all the difference in the world as to how you look at the suffering. So be patient; persevere; and live by faith! God knows what He is doing!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Suffering with Christ (Romans 8:17)
Romans 8:17 speaks of our suffering with Christ so that we may also be glorified with Him. Implied in this verse is the truth that the children of God will be persecuted, lied about, ostracized, and hated by the world – especially by the unbelieving, unregenerate, religious world. The children of God will suffer for their faith. The Bible doesn’t hide this truth but speaks of it clearly, plainly, and often.
Suffering in the form of persecution and hatred from the world is intended by the devil to keep men in his kingdom; operating by the flesh rather than by faith; concerned for their comfort rather than their character; and more concerned about what other men say and think about them rather than what God says and thinks about them. Suffering with Christ is a price to high to pay for those who don’t have biblical saving faith. So suffering in the form of persecution and hatred from the world is used by the devil to cause those who are moving toward the truth to turn away from it. “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21).
Notice how Jesus says that this person doesn’t have biblical saving faith – “Yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary.” This type of man professes faith – “This is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy” – but does not possess faith – “Yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary.” Suffering in the form of persecution and hatred from the world will cause this type of man to stumble and to turn away from the truth – to live by flesh and not faith – because the price is too high.
The person with a profession of faith but who does not possess biblical saving faith will then seek to be friends with the world so that he does not have to suffer with Christ. Since afflictions or persecutions arise because of the word, the professor who is not a possessor resorts to walking in craftiness and watering down the word (2 Corinthians 4:2); peddling or corrupting the word of God (2 Corinthians 2:17); seeking the favor of man rather than the favor of God (Galatians 1:10); removing the offense of the cross (Galatians 5:11); and making himself a friend of the world (James 4:4) just to name a few.
The one who professes faith but does not possess faith will not take a firm stand on the truth of the word of God. The reason is because taking a firm stand on the word of God which is taking a firm stand on truth is what brings the heat – affliction and persecution arises because of the word. People who will not stand in the truth and suffer with Christ do not belong to Him. Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil and want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him” (John 8:44). These people do not stand in the truth and do not suffer with Christ. “Submission to Christ without submission to the Scriptures is submission to a self-made Christ, not submission to Christ” (John Piper).
You can take a modern day professor of faith who does not posses faith and put him on Larry King Live and when asked by Larry King, “What about the Jews and others who don’t believe in Christ, will they go to hell?” And the instant reply is, “I don’t know! That’s God’s business. I can’t be their judge!” And then – presto – our world friendly, truth denying, Scripture twisting heretic, is loved by all men and esteemed as a hero of the faith. And how quickly men forget that Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way” (Luke 6:26), and, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
But those who have received the love of the truth so as to be saved take a stand in the truth and suffer with Christ because of it. These are not just professors of faith – these are possessors of faith. Becoming a genuine believer will not make one popular – it will make one persecuted! We will not be in step with the world – we will be out of step with the world and because of this the world will hate us.
Our suffering with Christ and being afflicted and persecuted because of the word is absolute evidence that we are indeed children of God. When we are insulted, falsely accused, hated, ostracized, and our names scorned as evil for the sake of Christ, we know that we do indeed belong to Him.
The children of God suffer with Christ because they do not corrupt the word of God; they do not water down the word of God; they seek the favor of God rather than the favor of men; they do not attempt to remove the offense of the cross; and they do not make themselves friends of the world and enemies of God!
It is God’s will that His children suffer with Christ (1 Peter 4:12-19). Through our suffering with Christ, God chips away at all that does not conform to the image of His Son so that He can make us more like Jesus. Through our suffering with Christ, God causes us to walk by faith – entrusting our souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right – and not by flesh. Through it we learn that God is causing all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Through our suffering with Christ we know that we are children of God and that we genuinely have received the love of the truth. We also know that our suffering is working for us and not against – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us” (Romans 8:31)?
Suffering in the form of persecution and hatred from the world is intended by the devil to keep men in his kingdom; operating by the flesh rather than by faith; concerned for their comfort rather than their character; and more concerned about what other men say and think about them rather than what God says and thinks about them. Suffering with Christ is a price to high to pay for those who don’t have biblical saving faith. So suffering in the form of persecution and hatred from the world is used by the devil to cause those who are moving toward the truth to turn away from it. “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21).
Notice how Jesus says that this person doesn’t have biblical saving faith – “Yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary.” This type of man professes faith – “This is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy” – but does not possess faith – “Yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary.” Suffering in the form of persecution and hatred from the world will cause this type of man to stumble and to turn away from the truth – to live by flesh and not faith – because the price is too high.
The person with a profession of faith but who does not possess biblical saving faith will then seek to be friends with the world so that he does not have to suffer with Christ. Since afflictions or persecutions arise because of the word, the professor who is not a possessor resorts to walking in craftiness and watering down the word (2 Corinthians 4:2); peddling or corrupting the word of God (2 Corinthians 2:17); seeking the favor of man rather than the favor of God (Galatians 1:10); removing the offense of the cross (Galatians 5:11); and making himself a friend of the world (James 4:4) just to name a few.
The one who professes faith but does not possess faith will not take a firm stand on the truth of the word of God. The reason is because taking a firm stand on the word of God which is taking a firm stand on truth is what brings the heat – affliction and persecution arises because of the word. People who will not stand in the truth and suffer with Christ do not belong to Him. Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil and want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him” (John 8:44). These people do not stand in the truth and do not suffer with Christ. “Submission to Christ without submission to the Scriptures is submission to a self-made Christ, not submission to Christ” (John Piper).
You can take a modern day professor of faith who does not posses faith and put him on Larry King Live and when asked by Larry King, “What about the Jews and others who don’t believe in Christ, will they go to hell?” And the instant reply is, “I don’t know! That’s God’s business. I can’t be their judge!” And then – presto – our world friendly, truth denying, Scripture twisting heretic, is loved by all men and esteemed as a hero of the faith. And how quickly men forget that Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way” (Luke 6:26), and, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
But those who have received the love of the truth so as to be saved take a stand in the truth and suffer with Christ because of it. These are not just professors of faith – these are possessors of faith. Becoming a genuine believer will not make one popular – it will make one persecuted! We will not be in step with the world – we will be out of step with the world and because of this the world will hate us.
Our suffering with Christ and being afflicted and persecuted because of the word is absolute evidence that we are indeed children of God. When we are insulted, falsely accused, hated, ostracized, and our names scorned as evil for the sake of Christ, we know that we do indeed belong to Him.
The children of God suffer with Christ because they do not corrupt the word of God; they do not water down the word of God; they seek the favor of God rather than the favor of men; they do not attempt to remove the offense of the cross; and they do not make themselves friends of the world and enemies of God!
It is God’s will that His children suffer with Christ (1 Peter 4:12-19). Through our suffering with Christ, God chips away at all that does not conform to the image of His Son so that He can make us more like Jesus. Through our suffering with Christ, God causes us to walk by faith – entrusting our souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right – and not by flesh. Through it we learn that God is causing all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Through our suffering with Christ we know that we are children of God and that we genuinely have received the love of the truth. We also know that our suffering is working for us and not against – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us” (Romans 8:31)?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Children of God (Romans 8:12-17) - Five Evidences
The apostle Paul has been laboring to show and explain how the Gospel of justification by grace through faith establishes the Law of God rather than nullifying it (Romans 3:31) and how justification by faith NEVER gives a license to sin (Romans 6:1-11) but justification by faith ALWAYS results in sanctification (Romans 6:12-23).
All of Romans 6, Romans 7, and Romans 8 is an explanation for why people who are justified by faith alone will not continue in sin and how justification by faith establishes the Law rather than nullifies it.
So, in Romans 7, Paul had to deal with both the intent of the Law (Romans 7:1-13) and the inability of the Law (Romans 7:14-25) to show that he was not preaching against the Law and that the Law was indeed that which is good (Romans 7:16). The intent of the Law is to show us God’s righteous character and our unrighteousness. The Law shows us how bad we are; it actually stirs up our badness. However, the Law also has an inability – it cannot justify a single sinner! So not only can the Law not justify – neither can it sanctify.
Then in Romans 8, the apostle Paul got to the heart of the matter as to why justification by faith NEVER gives a license to sin and ALWAYS issues in sanctification – the person who is justified by faith is given the Holy Spirit of God who is the power of godliness.
Paul has been making two comparisons and contrasts in Romans 8:1-17. He has been comparing and contrasting the lost man to the saved man; the man of the flesh to the man of faith; the self-led man to the Spirit-led man. One of the primary dangers that Paul is warning about in this section is that of having a form of godliness but denying its power. In other words Paul is warning about being controlled by the flesh and claiming to be saved when in reality that is impossible. No one is saved who does not have the Spirit of God and who is not controlled by the Spirit of God no matter how religious he appears.
Romans 8:1-4 teaches us of exempted living for the believer. The believer is exempted from the Law and its penalty because his penalty has been paid for by Christ. And now the believer can live for Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit rather than attempting to please God by the Law in his own power.
Romans 8:5-8 teaches us of the excluded life for the unbeliever – even if he claims to be a believer. The unbeliever has no power or ability to obey and please God because he does not have the indwelling Holy Spirit. The unbeliever can only live by the flesh and not by faith and therefore can never please God.
Romans 8:9-17 teaches us of the exalted life for the believer. The believer lives the exalted life; he lives on a higher plane because he has the Spirit (Romans 8:9-11) and the Spirit has him (Romans 8:12-17).
In Romans 8:12-17 Paul gave five evidences of the Spirit having the believer:
The first evidence that the Spirit has you is that by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:12-13). This means that you are committed to the Lordship of Christ in your life; that you are not leaning on your own understanding; and you are not being self-led. You are growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and are learning to obey all that He has commanded. You are not your own – you have been bought with a price – so you are learning to glorify God in your body and surrender it to Him. You have a new relationship to self and sin – you are fighting against it.
The second evidence that the Spirit has you is that you are being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14). This means that the government of your life rests on His shoulders and that He is in control and not you. This also means that you are being led by the Word of God because this is what the Spirit uses to guide God’s children. You will be growing in both hearing and obeying the Word of God. The Spirit will lead you into all truth and will give you the power to obey that truth by adjusting your life to that truth. You will begin to have discernment and will know the difference between true and false teachers because you are being guided by God’s Word which is evidence that you are being guided by God’s Spirit. All of this added together will mean that your walk is characterized by living by faith and not by the flesh.
A third evidence that the Spirit has you is that you have a new relationship to God with Him as your Father (Romans 8:15). This means that you are not a slave but a son. You obey God because you love Him and want to please Him, not because you are afraid of the consequences. Christians are not slaves afraid of a mean master but are children in awe of a loving Father. We see how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God; and such we are (1 John 3:1). This is our motivation for putting to death the deeds of the body. The Spirit does not lead us into obedience by stirring up slavish fear. He leads us into obedience by stirring up family affection – love for God as our Father. The Spirit does not make us slaves who act out of fear but sons who act out of faith. Faith is trust and trust is based on love, not fear! So not only do we have a new relationship to sin and self (putting to death the deads of the body), we also have a new relationship to God (with Him as our Father).
A fourth evidence that the Spirit has you is that He witnesses that you are a child of God to your spirit (Romans 8:16). The Spirit of God makes God’s love for us real by pouring out God’s love for us in us (Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:16). And then we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). So you see, our service to God is out of love for God and not out of fear. And since we serve God out of love we serve Him the way that pleases Him and not our own way. We do the will of God the way of God from the Word of God because we love Him – and this is how the Spirit of God witnesses to us that we are the children of God (see 1 John 2:3).
A fifth evidence that the Spirit has you is that you suffer because of your love for God and your relationship to Him (Romans 8:17). We suffer for the sake of righteousness and for the sake of Christ. The reason is because we live by faith and not by flesh and the world hates us for it. They do not know God and therefore they do not know us (1 John 3:1). This is why they hate us and why we suffer with Him (John 15:18-21).
All of Romans 6, Romans 7, and Romans 8 is an explanation for why people who are justified by faith alone will not continue in sin and how justification by faith establishes the Law rather than nullifies it.
So, in Romans 7, Paul had to deal with both the intent of the Law (Romans 7:1-13) and the inability of the Law (Romans 7:14-25) to show that he was not preaching against the Law and that the Law was indeed that which is good (Romans 7:16). The intent of the Law is to show us God’s righteous character and our unrighteousness. The Law shows us how bad we are; it actually stirs up our badness. However, the Law also has an inability – it cannot justify a single sinner! So not only can the Law not justify – neither can it sanctify.
Then in Romans 8, the apostle Paul got to the heart of the matter as to why justification by faith NEVER gives a license to sin and ALWAYS issues in sanctification – the person who is justified by faith is given the Holy Spirit of God who is the power of godliness.
Paul has been making two comparisons and contrasts in Romans 8:1-17. He has been comparing and contrasting the lost man to the saved man; the man of the flesh to the man of faith; the self-led man to the Spirit-led man. One of the primary dangers that Paul is warning about in this section is that of having a form of godliness but denying its power. In other words Paul is warning about being controlled by the flesh and claiming to be saved when in reality that is impossible. No one is saved who does not have the Spirit of God and who is not controlled by the Spirit of God no matter how religious he appears.
Romans 8:1-4 teaches us of exempted living for the believer. The believer is exempted from the Law and its penalty because his penalty has been paid for by Christ. And now the believer can live for Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit rather than attempting to please God by the Law in his own power.
Romans 8:5-8 teaches us of the excluded life for the unbeliever – even if he claims to be a believer. The unbeliever has no power or ability to obey and please God because he does not have the indwelling Holy Spirit. The unbeliever can only live by the flesh and not by faith and therefore can never please God.
Romans 8:9-17 teaches us of the exalted life for the believer. The believer lives the exalted life; he lives on a higher plane because he has the Spirit (Romans 8:9-11) and the Spirit has him (Romans 8:12-17).
In Romans 8:12-17 Paul gave five evidences of the Spirit having the believer:
The first evidence that the Spirit has you is that by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:12-13). This means that you are committed to the Lordship of Christ in your life; that you are not leaning on your own understanding; and you are not being self-led. You are growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and are learning to obey all that He has commanded. You are not your own – you have been bought with a price – so you are learning to glorify God in your body and surrender it to Him. You have a new relationship to self and sin – you are fighting against it.
The second evidence that the Spirit has you is that you are being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14). This means that the government of your life rests on His shoulders and that He is in control and not you. This also means that you are being led by the Word of God because this is what the Spirit uses to guide God’s children. You will be growing in both hearing and obeying the Word of God. The Spirit will lead you into all truth and will give you the power to obey that truth by adjusting your life to that truth. You will begin to have discernment and will know the difference between true and false teachers because you are being guided by God’s Word which is evidence that you are being guided by God’s Spirit. All of this added together will mean that your walk is characterized by living by faith and not by the flesh.
A third evidence that the Spirit has you is that you have a new relationship to God with Him as your Father (Romans 8:15). This means that you are not a slave but a son. You obey God because you love Him and want to please Him, not because you are afraid of the consequences. Christians are not slaves afraid of a mean master but are children in awe of a loving Father. We see how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God; and such we are (1 John 3:1). This is our motivation for putting to death the deeds of the body. The Spirit does not lead us into obedience by stirring up slavish fear. He leads us into obedience by stirring up family affection – love for God as our Father. The Spirit does not make us slaves who act out of fear but sons who act out of faith. Faith is trust and trust is based on love, not fear! So not only do we have a new relationship to sin and self (putting to death the deads of the body), we also have a new relationship to God (with Him as our Father).
A fourth evidence that the Spirit has you is that He witnesses that you are a child of God to your spirit (Romans 8:16). The Spirit of God makes God’s love for us real by pouring out God’s love for us in us (Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:16). And then we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). So you see, our service to God is out of love for God and not out of fear. And since we serve God out of love we serve Him the way that pleases Him and not our own way. We do the will of God the way of God from the Word of God because we love Him – and this is how the Spirit of God witnesses to us that we are the children of God (see 1 John 2:3).
A fifth evidence that the Spirit has you is that you suffer because of your love for God and your relationship to Him (Romans 8:17). We suffer for the sake of righteousness and for the sake of Christ. The reason is because we live by faith and not by flesh and the world hates us for it. They do not know God and therefore they do not know us (1 John 3:1). This is why they hate us and why we suffer with Him (John 15:18-21).
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Exchanged Living (Romans 8:12-14)
The natural man does not have the Spirit. The natural man can be either religious or irreligious. Regardless of whether he is religious or not, the natural man does not have the Spirit. It is the religious natural man for which the Bible has the most negative denunciations and against which the severest of warnings are directed. The religious natural man who claims to be saved and claims to be a servant of God only has a form of godliness but has denied its power (2 Timothy 3:1-5). He does not have the Spirit; he is not saved; he cannot properly interpret Scripture; he cannot and will not subject himself to the Law of God; the requirement of the Law is not fulfilled in him; and he cannot please God (Romans 8:4-8).
The Christian does have the Spirit. The Christian doesn’t have a form of godliness that is devoid of the power of godliness. The Christian has a form of godliness and the force of godliness – the Holy Spirit. Because the Christian has the Spirit he receives the things of the Spirit; he sets his mind on the things of the Spirit; he can properly interpret Scripture; he obeys the Scriptures because he loves Christ; the requirement of the Law is being fulfilled in him; and because he is living by faith and not the flesh he can please God.
The Spirit has the Christian (Romans 8:12-17). Here we are getting to what is the all important and logical conclusion of the matter – not only are we indwelt by the Holy Spirit we are owned by the Spirit. When a Christian stops short of this conclusion he may wrongly believe that he has the Spirit and that the Spirit is under his control or that the Spirit is only there as some form of mystical magic genie to solve our problems when we can’t solve them ourselves. However this is a reversal of true Christianity and the purpose of the Spirit’s indwelling us. We don’t have the Spirit so that we can control Him – we have the Spirit so that He can control us!
Many a person has falsely concluded that Christianity is inviting Jesus into ones life. The fallacy of this kind of thinking is that it turns Christianity into a utilitarian religion where Jesus is “added” to ones life for selfish reasons. Some examples of this would be someone “adds” Jesus to his life so that he can have his best life now, or so that he can have the purpose driven life, or so that he can have a fire insurance policy from hell, and all sorts of other wrong and selfish reasons for “adding Christ to ones life.”
Christianity is not inviting Jesus into ones life. Christianity is “Christ, who is our life!” Christianity is not us holding on to our lives and “adding” Jesus to it. Christianity is dying to our life and having it replaced by His life. “I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.” Christianity is substitution not supplementation; it is replacement not redecoration. Christianity is exchanged living!
The sooner we learn that it is the Spirit who gives life and that the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63) – that the flesh cannot add anything of any value to serving God and pleasing God – the sooner we can learn the lesson of Romans 7 – that there is nothing good in us, that is, in our flesh (Romans 7:18). We cannot and dare not serve God in the flesh.
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – (Romans 8:12). We don’t owe the flesh anything. The flesh has only brought trouble into our lives. It does not subject itself to the Law of God, it is hostile to God, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The one who sows to the flesh will from the flesh reap corruption (Galatians 6:8). Instead we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts (Romans 13:14).
We are not to coddle the flesh we are to crucify the flesh! “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). And since that monumental moment when we first died to self and crucified the flesh through identification with Christ our substitute we don’t revert back to believing that our old self is capable of being reformed and being able to serve and please God. No! Instead we die daily and set aside the old self with its evil practices and put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.
We have no obligation to the flesh – we have no obligation to the old self – we are not to live according to the flesh. We are to no longer be guided by our sinful and selfish desires.
For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die (Romans 8:13). Here we understand that those who are living by the flesh and not by faith are going to face eternal death. We know this because everyone whether saved or not is going to die a physical death except for the saved that are alive at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. So this death that is warned against in this verse is eternal death and judgment that will happen to those who although they may claim to be saved and claim to be serving God have not crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. They are not living by faith; they are not being guided by the Word of God but instead are leaning on their own understanding and attempting to do the will of God the way that seems best to them. They have not been saved and they must die!
But if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Romans 8:13). Here we understand that those who are putting to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit are never going to face eternal death and destruction. Christians do and will face physical death but never eternal death. In these verses we are seeing the differences between living in the flesh and living by faith – between being self-led and Spirit-led. Those who are self-led do not have the Spirit no matter how loudly they proclaim that they do. Genuine Christians do have the Spirit but more than that – the Spirit has genuine Christians. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to control and guide the Christian. The Christian does not lean on his own understanding but trusts God with all his heart. Yielding to the Spirit’s control means that the deeds of the body are being put to death.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). And all who are not being led by the Spirit of God, these are not the sons of God!
The Christian does have the Spirit. The Christian doesn’t have a form of godliness that is devoid of the power of godliness. The Christian has a form of godliness and the force of godliness – the Holy Spirit. Because the Christian has the Spirit he receives the things of the Spirit; he sets his mind on the things of the Spirit; he can properly interpret Scripture; he obeys the Scriptures because he loves Christ; the requirement of the Law is being fulfilled in him; and because he is living by faith and not the flesh he can please God.
The Spirit has the Christian (Romans 8:12-17). Here we are getting to what is the all important and logical conclusion of the matter – not only are we indwelt by the Holy Spirit we are owned by the Spirit. When a Christian stops short of this conclusion he may wrongly believe that he has the Spirit and that the Spirit is under his control or that the Spirit is only there as some form of mystical magic genie to solve our problems when we can’t solve them ourselves. However this is a reversal of true Christianity and the purpose of the Spirit’s indwelling us. We don’t have the Spirit so that we can control Him – we have the Spirit so that He can control us!
Many a person has falsely concluded that Christianity is inviting Jesus into ones life. The fallacy of this kind of thinking is that it turns Christianity into a utilitarian religion where Jesus is “added” to ones life for selfish reasons. Some examples of this would be someone “adds” Jesus to his life so that he can have his best life now, or so that he can have the purpose driven life, or so that he can have a fire insurance policy from hell, and all sorts of other wrong and selfish reasons for “adding Christ to ones life.”
Christianity is not inviting Jesus into ones life. Christianity is “Christ, who is our life!” Christianity is not us holding on to our lives and “adding” Jesus to it. Christianity is dying to our life and having it replaced by His life. “I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.” Christianity is substitution not supplementation; it is replacement not redecoration. Christianity is exchanged living!
The sooner we learn that it is the Spirit who gives life and that the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63) – that the flesh cannot add anything of any value to serving God and pleasing God – the sooner we can learn the lesson of Romans 7 – that there is nothing good in us, that is, in our flesh (Romans 7:18). We cannot and dare not serve God in the flesh.
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – (Romans 8:12). We don’t owe the flesh anything. The flesh has only brought trouble into our lives. It does not subject itself to the Law of God, it is hostile to God, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The one who sows to the flesh will from the flesh reap corruption (Galatians 6:8). Instead we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts (Romans 13:14).
We are not to coddle the flesh we are to crucify the flesh! “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24). And since that monumental moment when we first died to self and crucified the flesh through identification with Christ our substitute we don’t revert back to believing that our old self is capable of being reformed and being able to serve and please God. No! Instead we die daily and set aside the old self with its evil practices and put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.
We have no obligation to the flesh – we have no obligation to the old self – we are not to live according to the flesh. We are to no longer be guided by our sinful and selfish desires.
For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die (Romans 8:13). Here we understand that those who are living by the flesh and not by faith are going to face eternal death. We know this because everyone whether saved or not is going to die a physical death except for the saved that are alive at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. So this death that is warned against in this verse is eternal death and judgment that will happen to those who although they may claim to be saved and claim to be serving God have not crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. They are not living by faith; they are not being guided by the Word of God but instead are leaning on their own understanding and attempting to do the will of God the way that seems best to them. They have not been saved and they must die!
But if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Romans 8:13). Here we understand that those who are putting to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit are never going to face eternal death and destruction. Christians do and will face physical death but never eternal death. In these verses we are seeing the differences between living in the flesh and living by faith – between being self-led and Spirit-led. Those who are self-led do not have the Spirit no matter how loudly they proclaim that they do. Genuine Christians do have the Spirit but more than that – the Spirit has genuine Christians. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to control and guide the Christian. The Christian does not lean on his own understanding but trusts God with all his heart. Yielding to the Spirit’s control means that the deeds of the body are being put to death.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). And all who are not being led by the Spirit of God, these are not the sons of God!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Exalted Living (Romans 8:9-11)
Romans 8:5-8 tells us of those who operate in the flesh – in their own strength and wisdom – rather than by faith – in the strength and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Those who operate in the flesh are “trying” to live the Christian life; trying to please God in their own power through their own ingenuity. It cannot be done! The requirement of the Law is not being fulfilled in those who walk according to the flesh, whether they are religious or irreligious (Romans 8:4). It is impossible because the flesh does not and cannot subject itself to the Law of God (Romans 8:7) and therefore the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:8).
Since the flesh does not have the power to obey God and please God, then the Christian life cannot be lived by inspiration but only by incarnation. The Christian life can only be lived by the indwelling Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The flesh may wrongly believe that it has the ability to obey and please God, but it doesn’t! Christianity is not a reformed life but a replaced life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Those in the flesh can only live by inspiration in their own power and are certain to fail in their attempts to obey God and please God. It is impossible that they can succeed – if they could then Christ died needlessly! Those in the flesh are excluded from being able to fulfill the requirement of the law and from being able to please God – they are excluded from exalted living. Only those in the Spirit can live the exalted life and that life is lived by faith and not in the power of the flesh. Those in whom the Spirit of God dwells and who by faith are guided by the Word of God will experience three aspects of the exalted life.
The extraordinary life - Romans 8:9 – those in the Spirit; in whom the Spirit of God dwells are able to live the exalted life because Jesus is able to live His life in and through them. Those in the Spirit live the exalted life because they are in the process of living the extraordinary life (Galatians 2:20). Anyone who is not living the extraordinary life cannot live the exalted life and does not belong to Christ.
The exchanged life - Romans 8:10 – here we see that the essence of Christianity is the exchanged life – “If Christ is in you”. Colossians 3:3-4 gives us a clearer understanding of this verse showing that the essence of Christianity is the exchanged life – “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
Galatians 2:20 also gives more clarity to this verse so that we can understand what is meant by “though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” “Though the body is dead because of sin” corresponds to “It is no longer I who live.” “Yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness” corresponds to “But Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” The essence of Christianity is the exchanged life. It is the replaced life and not the reformed life. Don’t forget that Jesus warned of the extreme dangers of having a reformed life but not a replaced life (Matthew 12:43-45).
The expectant life - Romans 8:11 – to get clarity and understanding about this verse we go back to Colossians 3:3-4 – “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” The Christian is sealed by the Holy Spirit who was given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:14). Our resurrection from the dead is guaranteed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
We don’t have the power in and of ourselves to live the Christian life and neither do we have the power to raise ourselves from the dead. The Christian life is by faith from start to finish! The Christian life is by incarnation – “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27) and not by inspiration.
Can you imagine someone in the flesh getting inspired to raise himself from the dead? No – because he doesn’t have that capability! Neither does the man in the flesh have the capability of living the exalted life – it can only come by the exchanged life which is a result of true and saving faith in Jesus Christ. No one who wants to keep control of his own life has understood the gospel or responded properly to Jesus Christ. If Christ isn’t your Lord – if the government of your life doesn’t rest on His shoulders – then there has not been an exchanged life and neither can there be an experience of the exalted life which only comes by faith in the Son of God.
We can’t live the God-pleasing life; He never said we could; He can and He always said He would. We don’t have to try – we have to trust – hallelujah! Christians have the Spirit and can therefore live the exchanged life which will translate into the exalted life. The Christian will be sanctified because he no longer lives for himself but for Him who died on his behalf
Since the flesh does not have the power to obey God and please God, then the Christian life cannot be lived by inspiration but only by incarnation. The Christian life can only be lived by the indwelling Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The flesh may wrongly believe that it has the ability to obey and please God, but it doesn’t! Christianity is not a reformed life but a replaced life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Those in the flesh can only live by inspiration in their own power and are certain to fail in their attempts to obey God and please God. It is impossible that they can succeed – if they could then Christ died needlessly! Those in the flesh are excluded from being able to fulfill the requirement of the law and from being able to please God – they are excluded from exalted living. Only those in the Spirit can live the exalted life and that life is lived by faith and not in the power of the flesh. Those in whom the Spirit of God dwells and who by faith are guided by the Word of God will experience three aspects of the exalted life.
The extraordinary life - Romans 8:9 – those in the Spirit; in whom the Spirit of God dwells are able to live the exalted life because Jesus is able to live His life in and through them. Those in the Spirit live the exalted life because they are in the process of living the extraordinary life (Galatians 2:20). Anyone who is not living the extraordinary life cannot live the exalted life and does not belong to Christ.
The exchanged life - Romans 8:10 – here we see that the essence of Christianity is the exchanged life – “If Christ is in you”. Colossians 3:3-4 gives us a clearer understanding of this verse showing that the essence of Christianity is the exchanged life – “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
Galatians 2:20 also gives more clarity to this verse so that we can understand what is meant by “though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.” “Though the body is dead because of sin” corresponds to “It is no longer I who live.” “Yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness” corresponds to “But Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” The essence of Christianity is the exchanged life. It is the replaced life and not the reformed life. Don’t forget that Jesus warned of the extreme dangers of having a reformed life but not a replaced life (Matthew 12:43-45).
The expectant life - Romans 8:11 – to get clarity and understanding about this verse we go back to Colossians 3:3-4 – “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” The Christian is sealed by the Holy Spirit who was given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:14). Our resurrection from the dead is guaranteed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
We don’t have the power in and of ourselves to live the Christian life and neither do we have the power to raise ourselves from the dead. The Christian life is by faith from start to finish! The Christian life is by incarnation – “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27) and not by inspiration.
Can you imagine someone in the flesh getting inspired to raise himself from the dead? No – because he doesn’t have that capability! Neither does the man in the flesh have the capability of living the exalted life – it can only come by the exchanged life which is a result of true and saving faith in Jesus Christ. No one who wants to keep control of his own life has understood the gospel or responded properly to Jesus Christ. If Christ isn’t your Lord – if the government of your life doesn’t rest on His shoulders – then there has not been an exchanged life and neither can there be an experience of the exalted life which only comes by faith in the Son of God.
We can’t live the God-pleasing life; He never said we could; He can and He always said He would. We don’t have to try – we have to trust – hallelujah! Christians have the Spirit and can therefore live the exchanged life which will translate into the exalted life. The Christian will be sanctified because he no longer lives for himself but for Him who died on his behalf
Friday, February 5, 2010
Excluded Living (Romans 8:5-8)
In this section Paul contrasts the differences between the saved and the unsaved – between those who experience exempted and exalted living and those who are excluded to that way of life because they are trying to live it in their own power. So it is here that Paul speaks of the differences between the Spirit-led life and the self-led life; humble dependence verses prideful independence; Lordship verses non-Lordship; and trusting verses trying.
This is of utmost importance because the Bible speaks clearly and completely about the truth of multitudes perishing who thought they were saved (Matthew 7; 24; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Peter 2:1-2).
Because of the reality of the danger of being deceived we are told to make sure that we are saved – “Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you…” (2 Peter 1:10). We are told to test ourselves to see if we are in the faith – “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith: examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). And we are told how to test ourselves (1 John and Romans 8:5-17).
So in this section (Romans 8:5-17) Paul contrasts and compares the differences between the saved and the unsaved primarily to show how those who are saved will live an exalted and sanctified life in the Spirit and how those who are not saved will live an excluded and unsanctified life in the flesh. We can divide this section into three categories: (1) those who are in the flesh (8:5-8), (2) those who have the Spirit (8:9-11), and (3) those whom the Spirit has (8:12-17).
For now our primary concern will be with those who are in the flesh according to Romans 8:5-8. Here we see three characteristics of those who are in the flesh:
Those who are in the flesh mind the things of the flesh (Romans 8:5). What does it mean to mind the things of the flesh? Before we answer that question let me tell you what it does not mean. Minding the things of the flesh does not mean that a person is not religious; it does not mean that a person does not go to church; it does not mean that a person does not read the Bible; and it does not mean that a person does not have a profession of faith. A person can do all those things and still be someone who minds the things of the flesh. A person can do all those things and still be lost – the Bible even tells us that many preachers and teachers of God’s Word mind the things of the flesh instead of things of the Spirit and that they are false and lost.
So what does it mean to mind the things of the flesh? As simply as I can state it, minding the things of the flesh means to live by the flesh rather than by faith. It means to be self-controlled or self-led rather than Spirit-controlled or Spirit-led. It means to be governed by worldly principles rather than by principles of the Word. We are actually given many examples of this in the Bible.
In Jude 11 we read about Cain, Balaam, and Korah – all given as examples of men who operated by the flesh and not by faith.
Cain rebelled against God’s way of justification by approaching God on his own terms and not on God’s terms. Cain departed from the Word of God and offered God something other than what God prescribed. Cain operated in the flesh and not in faith – he minded the things of the flesh. Cain wanted to do it his own way and not God’s way. And we read that by faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous… (Hebrews 11:4). We also read that Cain was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous (1 John 3:12).
Balaam rebelled against God’s way of sanctification by encouraging the people of God to compromise their purity, holiness, and separation through committing acts of immorality both spiritually and physically. Balaam caused the people of God to be defiled with the world by teaching them to be friends with the world and to love the world. Balaam operated in the flesh and not in faith – he minded the things of the flesh. Balaam wanted to do it his own way and not God’s way and he taught the people of God to do it the same way. Balaam’s motive was fame and fortune and not the well-being of God’s people or the glory of God.
Korah rebelled against God’s way of glorification by exalting himself over God’s appointed leaders. Korah deceived himself with his works by gathering 250 men of renown and assembling themselves against Moses and Aaron for the purpose of self-exaltation. Rather than by faith trusting God to exalt him in due time, Korah took matters into his own hands and operated in the flesh. Korah operated in the flesh and not in faith – he minded the things of the flesh. Korah wanted to do it his own way and not God’s way!
In Jude 16 we read about these people who mind the flesh – “These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts [desires]; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.” Now let me ask you, where do you see any living by faith in the person who is taking matters into his own hands to bring about what he desires? This is minding the flesh and not living by faith. Is this person saved?
Jude 17-19 says, “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, ‘In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.’ These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly minded, devoid of the Spirit.” Being worldly minded is to mind the things of the flesh; to be devoid of the Spirit; and to not live by faith.
So we ought to be able to see that those who are in the flesh and mind the things of the flesh are worldly minded rather than Word minded. They operate in the realm of man’s best thinking (philosophy) rather than God’s revealed truth (theology). This is what makes the false preachers and teachers so dangerous and so successful. To the worldly minded man the worldly minded teaching of the false prophets sounds like truth.
The Bible tells us that these false prophets are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them (1 John 4:5). But it also tells us that the true prophets are from God; he who knows God listens to them; he who does not know God does not listen to them. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:6).
False prophets and their followers mind the things of the flesh and are worldly minded. What does it mean to mind the things of the flesh? It means to be self-controlled or self-led.
So I pray that you get the picture that those who are in the flesh and mind the things of the flesh do not live by faith and end up violating the Word of God. The requirement of the Law is not fulfilled in them.
Those who are in the flesh are dead to the things of God and are still at war with God (Romans 8:6-7). We saw what it means to mind the things of the flesh, but what does it mean that the mind set on the flesh is death? First it means that the mind set on the flesh is a mind that is in rebellion against God. The root of death is sin or rebellion against God. The mind set on the flesh is death because it is an independent spirit. It has a suicidal love affair with independence and self-determination. The mind set on the flesh is worldly minded and devoid of the life giving Spirit of God. No matter how loudly it proclaims to honor and serve God it is anti-God and anti-Christ and it does not and cannot subject itself to the Law of God.
For another thing it means that those who are in the flesh and set their minds on the things of the flesh are dead to the things of God. We will look to 1 Corinthians 2:3-14 to establish this truth.
Those whose minds are set on the flesh have a type of faith but not biblical saving faith. The mind set on the flesh rests on the wisdom of men rather than the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:3-5). The mind set on the flesh is dead to the things of God and alive to philosophy and worldly wisdom.
The mind set on the flesh does not understand the wisdom of God nor the ways of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). God’s wisdom is hidden from the unsaved and it is foolishness to those who are perishing. The unsaved look at the ways of God and in essence say, “God wouldn’t do that; God doesn’t work that way; or that will never work.” It is impossible for the unsaved to operate by faith according to God’s wisdom because they are dead to the things of God.
The mind set on the flesh does not accept or receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised or understood (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore, the unsaved, those who set there minds on the things of the flesh cannot and will not live by faith. This truth leads to the second truth that is stated in Romans 8:7 – “Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the Law of God, for it is not even able to do so.”
So those who are in the flesh are dead to the things of God and are still enemies of God – they are hostile toward God. This means that they have not been justified and that they do not have peace with God. They are still in their stubborn independence and self-determination – even as they attempt to do what they think to be the will of God.
No man can do the will of God in the flesh. Our text says that it is impossible. The only way to do the will of God is by faith through the indwelling Spirit. This is why Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). This brings us back to the truth that Christianity is trusting not trying. We can’t obey God in the flesh – He never said we could – He actually said we couldn’t. We can only obey God by faith – trusting Him with all our hearts and leaning not on our own understanding. We must remember this truth – we can’t, He never said we could; He can, and He always said He would.
So clearly we can see that those who are in the flesh are dead to the things of God and are still at war with God – they have not been justified.
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:8). This truth is more than obvious. Since those who are in the flesh are still in their rebellion and suicidal love affair with independence and self-determination – they cannot please God. All that this type of person can do is sin against God while claiming to obey God. This means that they are not being sanctified no matter how religious or how good their works seem to be when judged according to appearance.
A person can give his life going around trying to bring about world peace or cure world diseases or fight world hunger or diminish world poverty and still not please God. All of this can be done in the flesh and can be a result of the heresy of works righteousness which will eternally damn the soul.
Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Romans 8:8 says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. It is of utmost importance that Christians learn the differences between flesh and faith because much of what is being called Christianity in our day is nothing short of deeds of the flesh counterfeiting and posing as faith.
This is of utmost importance because the Bible speaks clearly and completely about the truth of multitudes perishing who thought they were saved (Matthew 7; 24; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Peter 2:1-2).
Because of the reality of the danger of being deceived we are told to make sure that we are saved – “Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you…” (2 Peter 1:10). We are told to test ourselves to see if we are in the faith – “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith: examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). And we are told how to test ourselves (1 John and Romans 8:5-17).
So in this section (Romans 8:5-17) Paul contrasts and compares the differences between the saved and the unsaved primarily to show how those who are saved will live an exalted and sanctified life in the Spirit and how those who are not saved will live an excluded and unsanctified life in the flesh. We can divide this section into three categories: (1) those who are in the flesh (8:5-8), (2) those who have the Spirit (8:9-11), and (3) those whom the Spirit has (8:12-17).
For now our primary concern will be with those who are in the flesh according to Romans 8:5-8. Here we see three characteristics of those who are in the flesh:
Those who are in the flesh mind the things of the flesh (Romans 8:5). What does it mean to mind the things of the flesh? Before we answer that question let me tell you what it does not mean. Minding the things of the flesh does not mean that a person is not religious; it does not mean that a person does not go to church; it does not mean that a person does not read the Bible; and it does not mean that a person does not have a profession of faith. A person can do all those things and still be someone who minds the things of the flesh. A person can do all those things and still be lost – the Bible even tells us that many preachers and teachers of God’s Word mind the things of the flesh instead of things of the Spirit and that they are false and lost.
So what does it mean to mind the things of the flesh? As simply as I can state it, minding the things of the flesh means to live by the flesh rather than by faith. It means to be self-controlled or self-led rather than Spirit-controlled or Spirit-led. It means to be governed by worldly principles rather than by principles of the Word. We are actually given many examples of this in the Bible.
In Jude 11 we read about Cain, Balaam, and Korah – all given as examples of men who operated by the flesh and not by faith.
Cain rebelled against God’s way of justification by approaching God on his own terms and not on God’s terms. Cain departed from the Word of God and offered God something other than what God prescribed. Cain operated in the flesh and not in faith – he minded the things of the flesh. Cain wanted to do it his own way and not God’s way. And we read that by faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous… (Hebrews 11:4). We also read that Cain was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous (1 John 3:12).
Balaam rebelled against God’s way of sanctification by encouraging the people of God to compromise their purity, holiness, and separation through committing acts of immorality both spiritually and physically. Balaam caused the people of God to be defiled with the world by teaching them to be friends with the world and to love the world. Balaam operated in the flesh and not in faith – he minded the things of the flesh. Balaam wanted to do it his own way and not God’s way and he taught the people of God to do it the same way. Balaam’s motive was fame and fortune and not the well-being of God’s people or the glory of God.
Korah rebelled against God’s way of glorification by exalting himself over God’s appointed leaders. Korah deceived himself with his works by gathering 250 men of renown and assembling themselves against Moses and Aaron for the purpose of self-exaltation. Rather than by faith trusting God to exalt him in due time, Korah took matters into his own hands and operated in the flesh. Korah operated in the flesh and not in faith – he minded the things of the flesh. Korah wanted to do it his own way and not God’s way!
In Jude 16 we read about these people who mind the flesh – “These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts [desires]; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.” Now let me ask you, where do you see any living by faith in the person who is taking matters into his own hands to bring about what he desires? This is minding the flesh and not living by faith. Is this person saved?
Jude 17-19 says, “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, ‘In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.’ These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly minded, devoid of the Spirit.” Being worldly minded is to mind the things of the flesh; to be devoid of the Spirit; and to not live by faith.
So we ought to be able to see that those who are in the flesh and mind the things of the flesh are worldly minded rather than Word minded. They operate in the realm of man’s best thinking (philosophy) rather than God’s revealed truth (theology). This is what makes the false preachers and teachers so dangerous and so successful. To the worldly minded man the worldly minded teaching of the false prophets sounds like truth.
The Bible tells us that these false prophets are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them (1 John 4:5). But it also tells us that the true prophets are from God; he who knows God listens to them; he who does not know God does not listen to them. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:6).
False prophets and their followers mind the things of the flesh and are worldly minded. What does it mean to mind the things of the flesh? It means to be self-controlled or self-led.
So I pray that you get the picture that those who are in the flesh and mind the things of the flesh do not live by faith and end up violating the Word of God. The requirement of the Law is not fulfilled in them.
Those who are in the flesh are dead to the things of God and are still at war with God (Romans 8:6-7). We saw what it means to mind the things of the flesh, but what does it mean that the mind set on the flesh is death? First it means that the mind set on the flesh is a mind that is in rebellion against God. The root of death is sin or rebellion against God. The mind set on the flesh is death because it is an independent spirit. It has a suicidal love affair with independence and self-determination. The mind set on the flesh is worldly minded and devoid of the life giving Spirit of God. No matter how loudly it proclaims to honor and serve God it is anti-God and anti-Christ and it does not and cannot subject itself to the Law of God.
For another thing it means that those who are in the flesh and set their minds on the things of the flesh are dead to the things of God. We will look to 1 Corinthians 2:3-14 to establish this truth.
Those whose minds are set on the flesh have a type of faith but not biblical saving faith. The mind set on the flesh rests on the wisdom of men rather than the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:3-5). The mind set on the flesh is dead to the things of God and alive to philosophy and worldly wisdom.
The mind set on the flesh does not understand the wisdom of God nor the ways of God (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). God’s wisdom is hidden from the unsaved and it is foolishness to those who are perishing. The unsaved look at the ways of God and in essence say, “God wouldn’t do that; God doesn’t work that way; or that will never work.” It is impossible for the unsaved to operate by faith according to God’s wisdom because they are dead to the things of God.
The mind set on the flesh does not accept or receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised or understood (1 Corinthians 2:14). Therefore, the unsaved, those who set there minds on the things of the flesh cannot and will not live by faith. This truth leads to the second truth that is stated in Romans 8:7 – “Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the Law of God, for it is not even able to do so.”
So those who are in the flesh are dead to the things of God and are still enemies of God – they are hostile toward God. This means that they have not been justified and that they do not have peace with God. They are still in their stubborn independence and self-determination – even as they attempt to do what they think to be the will of God.
No man can do the will of God in the flesh. Our text says that it is impossible. The only way to do the will of God is by faith through the indwelling Spirit. This is why Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). This brings us back to the truth that Christianity is trusting not trying. We can’t obey God in the flesh – He never said we could – He actually said we couldn’t. We can only obey God by faith – trusting Him with all our hearts and leaning not on our own understanding. We must remember this truth – we can’t, He never said we could; He can, and He always said He would.
So clearly we can see that those who are in the flesh are dead to the things of God and are still at war with God – they have not been justified.
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God (Romans 8:8). This truth is more than obvious. Since those who are in the flesh are still in their rebellion and suicidal love affair with independence and self-determination – they cannot please God. All that this type of person can do is sin against God while claiming to obey God. This means that they are not being sanctified no matter how religious or how good their works seem to be when judged according to appearance.
A person can give his life going around trying to bring about world peace or cure world diseases or fight world hunger or diminish world poverty and still not please God. All of this can be done in the flesh and can be a result of the heresy of works righteousness which will eternally damn the soul.
Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Romans 8:8 says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. It is of utmost importance that Christians learn the differences between flesh and faith because much of what is being called Christianity in our day is nothing short of deeds of the flesh counterfeiting and posing as faith.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
No Condemnation - Exempted Living (Romans 8:1-4) Part 2
The Law cannot claim you (Romans 8:3-4)
Since the Law cannot condemn you it also cannot claim you. Why is this so? Because Christ has already set you free from the Law’s condemnation by suffering and paying for the Law’s just claim over you on the cross. The “law of double jeopardy” states that a man cannot be tried twice for the same crime. God would not be just to condemn you when He has already condemned Jesus Christ in your place as though He was you. Since Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sins and since you are in Christ, God will not condemn you.
The only safe place from the just wrath of God is in Christ Jesus. This is true because the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who could and did suffer the wrath of God in our place so that we wouldn’t have to.
The Law cannot save a sinner from the wrath of God – it can only condemn the sinner and guarantee that he will indeed be the recipient of God’s wrath. Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20) and because of this the Law brings about wrath (Romans 4:15).
In Romans 8:1-2 we saw the twin truths of justification and sanctification and their relationship to one another. Romans 8:1 is a declaration of justification through no condemnation. Romans 8:2 is a declaration of sanctification because of no condemnation. We saw that justification is the cause of sanctification and that sanctification is not and cannot be the cause of justification. So this means that God’s legally declaring us righteous in Christ is the foundation and cause of our actually becoming righteous by loving Jesus and living for Jesus.
Romans 8:3-4 declares these twin truths of justification and sanctification once again. The Holy Spirit of God wants us to understand the God ordained order of our salvation. Justification always precedes and causes sanctification. Where there is no sanctification, justification has not taken place – not because sanctification causes justification but because justification always causes sanctification. These twin truths are devastating to the heresy of easy-believism and firmly establish the Biblical truth of Lordship salvation.
But not only are these twin truths devastating to libertinism they are also devastating to legalism. Paul has been laboring to show both the intent and the inability of the Law so that men would see their need to be justified and sanctified by faith and not by the Law. In other words the apostle has been laboring to show that the Law cannot justify and that it cannot sanctify. This is the perfect antidote against legalism.
So in Romans 8:3 we read about what the Law could not do but what God could and did do. “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.” Here we see four statements in this verse: (1) The Law cannot condemn sin in the flesh and therefore it cannot justify or sanctify, (2) the Law cannot justify or sanctify because of the weakness of our flesh, (3) what the Law could not do God did, and (4) God condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son and therefore we can be justified and sanctified by faith in Christ.
The Law cannot condemn sin in the flesh and therefore it cannot justify or sanctify. This doesn’t mean that the Law cannot criticize sin or show it to be worthy of death – this is precisely what the Law does. In the sense of passing the sentence of death on the sinner and guaranteeing that it must take place, the Law is perfectly capable. But this is not what our text is speaking of. Our text is speaking of having the ability to set us free from the law of sin and death not by condemning sin in the flesh by criticizing it but by actually condemning sin in the flesh by carrying out sin’s penalty through capitol punishment on a willing and able Substitute. This the Law cannot do! The Law cannot justify the sinner; it cannot exempt him but can only demand his execution. The Law cannot sanctify the sinner; it cannot change him but can only charge him with his crimes.
The Law cannot justify or sanctify because of the weakness of the flesh. “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh….” This portion of verse 3 tells us why the Law cannot justify or sanctify – the weakness or wickedness of our flesh. The problem with the Law is not that its commandments are evil (Romans 7:12) but that we are evil and sold into bondage to sin (Romans 7:14). The word flesh means our old fallen nature – what we are by nature because of our connection to Adam. We are by nature sinners! Therefore it is our nature to rebel against God and His Law and therefore we are rightfully under condemnation. This means that we need to be delivered from the just condemnation that belongs to us and we need a new nature. We need justification and sanctification.
How will we be delivered from condemnation? Not by keeping the Law – we can’t! How will we get a new nature? Not by keeping the Law – we can’t! How then? By trusting not trying! The sooner we see our sickness the sooner we can seek the Savior! Our flesh cannot be empowered by the Law for the Law does not arrest sin in us but arouses it!
What the Law could not do, God did! The Law could not exempt us it could only guarantee our execution; the Law could not justify us. The Law could not change us it could only charge us with our crimes; the Law could not sanctify us! What the Law could not do, God did! God exempted us and justified us and He changed us and sanctified us. How did God do this?
God condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son. Here is the high and holy doctrine of Penal-Substitution. God executed the just penalty for sin in the flesh of His sinless Son as an offering or substitute for my sin and your sin. There was no sin in Christ to condemn so the condemnation that He received was not His own but as a substitute for others. This is clearly seen in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
My sin was punished fully and in its finality in the body of Christ. And if my sin was punished there finally and fully, then I will not be punished for it again – “My sin O the bliss of this glorious thought; my sin not in part but the whole; is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!” (Horatio G. Spafford, It Is Well With My Soul, 1873).
But what was the purpose of God justifying us by condemning our sin in the flesh of His sinless Son? Was it just so that we would be justified and have a fire insurance policy guaranteeing that we wouldn’t go to hell? Did God intend to justify us and not change us? What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the condemnation of the Law but under grace? May it never be!
God justified us so that we would love Him and serve Him and thereby be sanctified. This is what verse 4 declares – “So that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
The love of God rescued us from the wrath of God so that we would love God and serve Him in newness of life. Our justification causes our sanctification. We love Him because He first loved us. Another way of saying this wonderful truth is that we are sanctified because He first loved us and justified us. Our obedience is a result of love not Law.
The believer lives a righteous life, not in the power of the Law, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. The believer lives a righteous life, not by trying, but by trusting. This is what Paul meant when he said all the way back in Romans 1:17 that the righteous man shall live by faith.
The righteousness that God demands in His Law is fulfilled in us through the Holy Spirit’s power. Our sanctification – fulfilling the requirement of the Law – is based on our justification – Christ’s fulfilling the requirement of the Law on our behalf.
The Law cannot condemn us and it cannot claim us because of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. We now have no condemnation and experience exempted living.
Since the Law cannot condemn you it also cannot claim you. Why is this so? Because Christ has already set you free from the Law’s condemnation by suffering and paying for the Law’s just claim over you on the cross. The “law of double jeopardy” states that a man cannot be tried twice for the same crime. God would not be just to condemn you when He has already condemned Jesus Christ in your place as though He was you. Since Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sins and since you are in Christ, God will not condemn you.
The only safe place from the just wrath of God is in Christ Jesus. This is true because the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who could and did suffer the wrath of God in our place so that we wouldn’t have to.
The Law cannot save a sinner from the wrath of God – it can only condemn the sinner and guarantee that he will indeed be the recipient of God’s wrath. Through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20) and because of this the Law brings about wrath (Romans 4:15).
In Romans 8:1-2 we saw the twin truths of justification and sanctification and their relationship to one another. Romans 8:1 is a declaration of justification through no condemnation. Romans 8:2 is a declaration of sanctification because of no condemnation. We saw that justification is the cause of sanctification and that sanctification is not and cannot be the cause of justification. So this means that God’s legally declaring us righteous in Christ is the foundation and cause of our actually becoming righteous by loving Jesus and living for Jesus.
Romans 8:3-4 declares these twin truths of justification and sanctification once again. The Holy Spirit of God wants us to understand the God ordained order of our salvation. Justification always precedes and causes sanctification. Where there is no sanctification, justification has not taken place – not because sanctification causes justification but because justification always causes sanctification. These twin truths are devastating to the heresy of easy-believism and firmly establish the Biblical truth of Lordship salvation.
But not only are these twin truths devastating to libertinism they are also devastating to legalism. Paul has been laboring to show both the intent and the inability of the Law so that men would see their need to be justified and sanctified by faith and not by the Law. In other words the apostle has been laboring to show that the Law cannot justify and that it cannot sanctify. This is the perfect antidote against legalism.
So in Romans 8:3 we read about what the Law could not do but what God could and did do. “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.” Here we see four statements in this verse: (1) The Law cannot condemn sin in the flesh and therefore it cannot justify or sanctify, (2) the Law cannot justify or sanctify because of the weakness of our flesh, (3) what the Law could not do God did, and (4) God condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son and therefore we can be justified and sanctified by faith in Christ.
The Law cannot condemn sin in the flesh and therefore it cannot justify or sanctify. This doesn’t mean that the Law cannot criticize sin or show it to be worthy of death – this is precisely what the Law does. In the sense of passing the sentence of death on the sinner and guaranteeing that it must take place, the Law is perfectly capable. But this is not what our text is speaking of. Our text is speaking of having the ability to set us free from the law of sin and death not by condemning sin in the flesh by criticizing it but by actually condemning sin in the flesh by carrying out sin’s penalty through capitol punishment on a willing and able Substitute. This the Law cannot do! The Law cannot justify the sinner; it cannot exempt him but can only demand his execution. The Law cannot sanctify the sinner; it cannot change him but can only charge him with his crimes.
The Law cannot justify or sanctify because of the weakness of the flesh. “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh….” This portion of verse 3 tells us why the Law cannot justify or sanctify – the weakness or wickedness of our flesh. The problem with the Law is not that its commandments are evil (Romans 7:12) but that we are evil and sold into bondage to sin (Romans 7:14). The word flesh means our old fallen nature – what we are by nature because of our connection to Adam. We are by nature sinners! Therefore it is our nature to rebel against God and His Law and therefore we are rightfully under condemnation. This means that we need to be delivered from the just condemnation that belongs to us and we need a new nature. We need justification and sanctification.
How will we be delivered from condemnation? Not by keeping the Law – we can’t! How will we get a new nature? Not by keeping the Law – we can’t! How then? By trusting not trying! The sooner we see our sickness the sooner we can seek the Savior! Our flesh cannot be empowered by the Law for the Law does not arrest sin in us but arouses it!
What the Law could not do, God did! The Law could not exempt us it could only guarantee our execution; the Law could not justify us. The Law could not change us it could only charge us with our crimes; the Law could not sanctify us! What the Law could not do, God did! God exempted us and justified us and He changed us and sanctified us. How did God do this?
God condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son. Here is the high and holy doctrine of Penal-Substitution. God executed the just penalty for sin in the flesh of His sinless Son as an offering or substitute for my sin and your sin. There was no sin in Christ to condemn so the condemnation that He received was not His own but as a substitute for others. This is clearly seen in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
My sin was punished fully and in its finality in the body of Christ. And if my sin was punished there finally and fully, then I will not be punished for it again – “My sin O the bliss of this glorious thought; my sin not in part but the whole; is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!” (Horatio G. Spafford, It Is Well With My Soul, 1873).
But what was the purpose of God justifying us by condemning our sin in the flesh of His sinless Son? Was it just so that we would be justified and have a fire insurance policy guaranteeing that we wouldn’t go to hell? Did God intend to justify us and not change us? What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the condemnation of the Law but under grace? May it never be!
God justified us so that we would love Him and serve Him and thereby be sanctified. This is what verse 4 declares – “So that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
The love of God rescued us from the wrath of God so that we would love God and serve Him in newness of life. Our justification causes our sanctification. We love Him because He first loved us. Another way of saying this wonderful truth is that we are sanctified because He first loved us and justified us. Our obedience is a result of love not Law.
The believer lives a righteous life, not in the power of the Law, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. The believer lives a righteous life, not by trying, but by trusting. This is what Paul meant when he said all the way back in Romans 1:17 that the righteous man shall live by faith.
The righteousness that God demands in His Law is fulfilled in us through the Holy Spirit’s power. Our sanctification – fulfilling the requirement of the Law – is based on our justification – Christ’s fulfilling the requirement of the Law on our behalf.
The Law cannot condemn us and it cannot claim us because of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. We now have no condemnation and experience exempted living.
Monday, February 1, 2010
No Condemnation - Exempted Living (Romans 8:1-4)
The Law cannot condemn you (1-2)
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The apostle is here speaking of justification. For those who are in Christ Jesus their penalty for violating the Law has been paid by Jesus Christ. All who are under the Law are under the Law’s condemnation and curse. The Law condemns those who are not in Christ and it demands their execution for their violation of the Law. Romans 3:20 shows the “therefore” of condemnation because of the Law’s conclusion that by works of the Law no flesh shall be justified in God’s sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Romans 8:1 shows the “therefore” of no condemnation on the basis of being in Christ under grace and not in Adam under the Law. For all who are in Adam and have not been transferred into Christ through faith in Christ, have not been justified; the Law’s condemnation on their lives has not been eradicated; and their penalty or condemnation must be paid by them just as the Law demands.
For those who are in Christ, the requirements of the Law have been fully satisfied on the basis of the sinless life, sacrificial death, and supernatural resurrection of Christ, so that the Law no longer has jurisdiction over the believer and it cannot condemn the believer. By faith in Christ and being in Christ we have died to the Law and been released from its condemnation of us.
What does “no condemnation” mean for those who are in Christ in this fallen sin-sick world? What is Paul saying in Romans 8:1 when he says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”?
Paul was saying that all of God’s just and righteous wrath and holy opposition toward us has been absorbed by another on our behalf. In other words, the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty has been turned away from us by being poured out on Jesus Christ so that what God’s holy nature and Law required for our sin was fulfilled in Christ our Substitute so that God can justify us and remain just in the process. This means that in Christ, God is for us and not against us. Paul comes to the glorious climax of this truth in Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
But now on the other hand, those who are not in Christ Jesus, those who have a profession of faith but no possession of faith, and those who make no claim of faith whatsoever will find the terrible truth that the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty has not been turned away and that God is against them and not for them.
This truth is easily seen in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 – “…when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His might angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
So Romans 8:1 is the wonderful good news of no condemnation for those who have been justified by faith in Christ and are indeed in Christ. But how does one begin to know for sure that he has been justified and is indeed in Christ?
Well for starters as we answer that question let me state the obvious truth and then we will proceed to prove it – genuine and biblical justification always precedes and empowers sanctification. Without sanctification following justification there has been no justification. This is what James was writing about in his letter. A faith that does not work cannot be saving faith. In other words a justification that does not produce sanctification cannot be biblical justification.
Notice Romans 8:2 – “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Here we don’t see justification, we see sanctification. The declaration of our justification is in verse 1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” – that’s justification. But here in verse 2 we see a description of practical sanctification. Sanctification proves justification but does not cause it. Justification causes sanctification and if there is no sanctification then justification hasn’t taken place. This is the truth the apostle Paul was teaching in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
The basis for the truth and assurance that there is therefore now no condemnation is the phrase “in Christ Jesus.” In Adam all die – in Adam we were all condemned. In Christ there is no condemnation because in Christ all shall be made alive – so in Christ all are justified.
But we also see the wonderful truth that all who are in Christ are also in the process of being sanctified because we have been set free from the law of sin and death through the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Paul went on to say in his letter to the Corinthians – “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
We have died to the Law and its penalty in Christ and have been given a new life principle by the Spirit of life so that the Law cannot condemn us. We are new creatures who are no longer under condemnation. Our penalty has been paid by our Substitute who loved us and gave Himself up for us so that we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf. Because this is true we are in the process of being sanctified because we are now living for Jesus. This is exempted living – from the Law.
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The apostle is here speaking of justification. For those who are in Christ Jesus their penalty for violating the Law has been paid by Jesus Christ. All who are under the Law are under the Law’s condemnation and curse. The Law condemns those who are not in Christ and it demands their execution for their violation of the Law. Romans 3:20 shows the “therefore” of condemnation because of the Law’s conclusion that by works of the Law no flesh shall be justified in God’s sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Romans 8:1 shows the “therefore” of no condemnation on the basis of being in Christ under grace and not in Adam under the Law. For all who are in Adam and have not been transferred into Christ through faith in Christ, have not been justified; the Law’s condemnation on their lives has not been eradicated; and their penalty or condemnation must be paid by them just as the Law demands.
For those who are in Christ, the requirements of the Law have been fully satisfied on the basis of the sinless life, sacrificial death, and supernatural resurrection of Christ, so that the Law no longer has jurisdiction over the believer and it cannot condemn the believer. By faith in Christ and being in Christ we have died to the Law and been released from its condemnation of us.
What does “no condemnation” mean for those who are in Christ in this fallen sin-sick world? What is Paul saying in Romans 8:1 when he says, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”?
Paul was saying that all of God’s just and righteous wrath and holy opposition toward us has been absorbed by another on our behalf. In other words, the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty has been turned away from us by being poured out on Jesus Christ so that what God’s holy nature and Law required for our sin was fulfilled in Christ our Substitute so that God can justify us and remain just in the process. This means that in Christ, God is for us and not against us. Paul comes to the glorious climax of this truth in Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
But now on the other hand, those who are not in Christ Jesus, those who have a profession of faith but no possession of faith, and those who make no claim of faith whatsoever will find the terrible truth that the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty has not been turned away and that God is against them and not for them.
This truth is easily seen in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 – “…when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His might angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
So Romans 8:1 is the wonderful good news of no condemnation for those who have been justified by faith in Christ and are indeed in Christ. But how does one begin to know for sure that he has been justified and is indeed in Christ?
Well for starters as we answer that question let me state the obvious truth and then we will proceed to prove it – genuine and biblical justification always precedes and empowers sanctification. Without sanctification following justification there has been no justification. This is what James was writing about in his letter. A faith that does not work cannot be saving faith. In other words a justification that does not produce sanctification cannot be biblical justification.
Notice Romans 8:2 – “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Here we don’t see justification, we see sanctification. The declaration of our justification is in verse 1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” – that’s justification. But here in verse 2 we see a description of practical sanctification. Sanctification proves justification but does not cause it. Justification causes sanctification and if there is no sanctification then justification hasn’t taken place. This is the truth the apostle Paul was teaching in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
The basis for the truth and assurance that there is therefore now no condemnation is the phrase “in Christ Jesus.” In Adam all die – in Adam we were all condemned. In Christ there is no condemnation because in Christ all shall be made alive – so in Christ all are justified.
But we also see the wonderful truth that all who are in Christ are also in the process of being sanctified because we have been set free from the law of sin and death through the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Paul went on to say in his letter to the Corinthians – “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
We have died to the Law and its penalty in Christ and have been given a new life principle by the Spirit of life so that the Law cannot condemn us. We are new creatures who are no longer under condemnation. Our penalty has been paid by our Substitute who loved us and gave Himself up for us so that we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf. Because this is true we are in the process of being sanctified because we are now living for Jesus. This is exempted living – from the Law.
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