Today, we look at what it means to have freedom from indwelling sin and why it’s important.
To get a
good idea of what this all means, I want to give you the definition of
indwelling. It means permanently present in or spiritually
possessing someone's soul or mind: "the indwelling God"
Romans
8:1-8
'(1)
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do
not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (2) For the law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and
death. (3)For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh,
God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of
sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,(4)that the righteous requirement of the law
might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according
to the Spirit. (5) For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on
the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things
of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace. (7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God;
for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (8) So then, those
who are in the flesh cannot please God.'
When I first
started going to church as a young convert, I remember a preacher saying once
that whenever you see the word “therefore”, it is there for a reason. And it usually is pointing back to a verse or
two before the one it is in. It just so happens that is the case here.
Here in
verse one, we see therefore, so we need to jump back to verse 7:25 and see what
it says to understand how it pertains to verse 8:1.
Romans
7:25 - 'I thank
God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the
law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.'
Paul starts off
by thanking God and giving Him praise that there is victory through Jesus
Christ, who delivers believers from the body of death, the flesh. So, Paul
concludes that the problem is not the law; the problem is the flesh. From this
argument, Paul moves into verse 8:1, which tells us the solution, that
salvation that is found in Jesus Christ alone.
I.
(Vs
1) There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
A.
Who
do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
II.
We
need to see here that we need to take not of what is being said here. We must walk according to the Spirit and not
according to the flesh.
A. Notice this continues
to say, “those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the
Spirit.”
B. This is not only
talking about salvation here to not be condemned. It’s saying that we must be walking according
to the Spirit.
C. We are going to see why that is in a few
verses. To live according to the flesh is to be carnally minded. If you've set your mind on the things
of the flesh you are carnally
minded. Carnal is where we get the word “meat” from.
III.
Paul depicts the freedom of living in the
Spirit.
A.
No
condemnation!
B.
In
Christ, we are no longer under the sentence of the law, but we are empowered by
the Spirit to live for Christ.
IV.
(Vs
2) The law of the Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit who energizes our renewed
spirit.
A.
It
is also possible that the word refers to the Spirit in us that has now been
brought to life.
V.
(Vs
3) The law could pronounce judgment on sin, but the law could not do
anything about sin itself.
A.
It
had no power to put sin to death in a person’s life.
B.
God
accomplished what the law could not do by sending His own Son.
C.
Jesus
came in the likeness of sinful flesh: Jesus, as God, took on our human nature,
a nature that was susceptible to temptation. Although He was tempted, He never gave
in. He never sinned.
VI.
(Vs
4) The purpose of the coming of Christ was that the law might be fulfilled.
A.
The
believer gains the righteous standard of the law – love – not by means of the
law, but by being in Christ and walking according to the Spirit.
VII.
(Vs
5) The Greek word rendered set their minds includes a person’s will,
thoughts, and emotions. It also includes assumptions, values, desires, and
purposes.
A.
Setting
the mind on things of the flesh or on the things of the Spirit
means being oriented to or governed by those things on which we focus.
VIII.
(Vs
6) Peace is the resolution of the intense warfare that is described in
Chapter 7, as well as the inward harmony and tranquility that results from
yielding to God.
IX.
(Vs
7) the reason that being carnally minded results in death (vs 6) is that the
carnal mind is an enemy of God.
A.
The
mind of the flesh is hostile to God and can never submit itself to the law
of God.
X.
(Vs.
8) Being in the flesh, is different from “walking according to the
flesh.”
A.
Being
in the flesh means being unregenerate or sinful.
B.
People
in that state cannot please God.
Closing:
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