Romans Lesson 14

Introduction

A very pleasant good day to you, and welcome to Let the Bible Speak. I encourage you to get your New Testaments and be opening with me to the book of Romans, where today we’re going to be studying the eighth chapter of Romans, at least the first seventeen verses of Romans chapter 8. To many people, many students of the Bible, Romans chapter 8 is the high point of the Bible, because it opens with the fact that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, and it closes with a statement that there is no separation from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Indeed, it is a great book, and it teaches us how that as we walk by the Spirit and are led by the Spirit, that we prove ourselves and are proven to be the children of God, and indeed are joint heirs with Christ.

It’s a great text, and I hope that you’ll have your chapter, your Bible open to this chapter, and read right along with us. If you’ve been studying with us, you know that in the few verses of our last study, we were showing how that the apostle described the struggle that the Christian has with sin, even though it is our desire to serve God perfectly, and we delight in the law of God after the inward man, yet we find in our own flesh that there are times we do things we wish we had not, and we leave undone things we wish we had done. And how can we win in this struggle against sin? And yet the apostle has shown us in these few verses that while we’re not perfect, by the grace of God there is forgiveness through Christ Jesus our Lord.

There’s an attitude we must have, and then we find that even in this text, it is the attitude to follow, even after Christ Jesus, to have the mind of Christ. It’s an attitude of obedience. You have your Bibles open now. Let’s read from Romans chapter 8, the first four verses as we began to see the meaning of this particular context. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, and that it was weak through the flesh, God sent his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemn sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.

1. Two Laws at War

Now you notice in these few verses, it’s really a continuation of the thought, as chapter 7 concluded, where he’d been talking about the fact that there were two laws at war. And really the laws in Romans chapter 7, verses 21 through 25, were describing the law of the flesh and the law of the spirit, or the law of the inward man, the law of the spirit, and the law of the outward man, or the law of flesh. He really called them the law of God after the inward man in verse 22 of chapter 7, which is really equal to the saying as the law of the mind, which is chapter 7, verse 23, and also in verse 25. So he used those terms, the law of God after the inward man, which is what our mind is, as the inward man, the spirit of man, and is seeking to do the law of God.

But there is another law at war, and he called that the law of sin, chapter 7, verse 23, or also verse 25. And it’s equal to the law of sin and death that we’ve just read about in chapter 8 and in verse 2. Well, not to be confused by all this terminology, but to rather make it simple. He’s just simply saying there’s this battle going on. And do we walk after the flesh? Do we just yield to whatever temptations we may have in the flesh? Well, there’s several passages in the Bible that speak about that war that’s going on, that battle. Not only here in Romans chapter 7, but Ephesians chapter 4 speaks about putting off the old man, putting on the new man. Colossians chapter 3 speaks about the same.

Galatians 5.

Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. You can’t just do whatever your flesh desires to do. There is the mind that is in control. Someone has said an old Indian proverb that says, there are two dogs fighting within me. There’s the one that wants to do bad, and there’s the one that wants to do good. And which one wins the battle? He said, Well, it’s the one that I feed the most. And really, there’s a whole lot to that, even as the Christian. Whatever he feeds his heart with, whatever he feeds his mind with.

You see, we can choose which law controls. We walk after the Spirit by following the Word of God. We feed our heart with the Word of God. And we continually pray to God. Now, in our text here, he is saying, while there’s this battle going on, and chapter 7 can by saying, I’m wretched when I think about the sin that I commit. And he asked the question, who shall deliver me from this body of sin? And then he found the answer. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So is chapter 8 and verse 1 coming to a conclusion, and you might say this our climax of this of this thought, he says, There is therefore now. You see, the word therefore says, look to what it’s been built upon.

2. There Is Therefore Now No Condemnation

What’s he talked about beforehand? But now, in consideration of that, there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Now, this is not a text to say, once saved, always saved, as though there is no condemnation now, nor never ever shall be. One can turn his heart against the Lord. He can quit feeding his heart with the will of God, and he can make the choice to quit believing or following the Christ. But the comfort of the passage is that there is security of the believer. The one who continually walks after the Spirit, who sets the principles and the goals of serving God, who finds that when he does commit sin, that there is a willingness and a readiness on his part to repent of that sin.

And the broken spirit of the contrite heart to confess that sin before God and even to pray for forgiveness. As 1 John chapter 1 and teaches how that when we confess our sins, he’s faithful and just to forgive us our sins. It’s of these kind of individuals that there is now no condemnation. In fact, in Christ Jesus, there is the forgiveness or justification by the blood of Christ. This is a point really that’s been talked about or taught throughout this book.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. And from that high point, that this expression of the theme of this book, he pointed out that men need the gospel. In fact, the next two chapters dealt with the very principle that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. What’s the point of that? There is forgiveness through Christ Jesus. Not by perfect law keeping, because none can do that, but through Jesus Christ, there is forgiveness. By the grace of God, in fact, is the point. Back in Romans chapter 3 and verses 23 through 26, he said, All have sinned and come short of the glory of freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God.

To declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. You see, in Christ Jesus, God can be just. How is that? Because the penalty of sin has been paid. God set forth his law that sin is worthy of death. And Jesus Christ died in my place, in your place. Now God can be just because the majesty of the law is upheld. That penalty’s been paid. Isaiah over 700 years before Christ came in prophecy said in Isaiah 53, verses 4 and 5, surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.

The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes, we are healed. We do not deserve that forgiveness. But what’s the point? In Christ there is no condemnation, because he’s paid the penalty for us. And so is our text in Romans chapter 8 says, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. You see, God sent his son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin. The law, Moses, our law in general, could not provide that forgiveness. Law demanded justice, and justice said the penalty of sin had to be paid. But in Jesus Christ, that law has been satisfied. The righteousness of the law is fulfilled. Now in Christ we find forgiveness, no condemnation.

3. Carnally Minded Is Death, Spiritually Minded Is Life

But look at verses 5 through 13 with me. The Scripture says, For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. But they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

But of the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die. But if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. You see, the emphasis and flow of this whole thought is that if in Christ be in you, if indeed the Spirit of God is in you, and you notice in in verses 8 and 9 and verse 9 particularly, those two are used interchangeably, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ.

It’s as though to say, if indeed you’re following after the will of God, and you have Christ in you, then you’re not going to yield to the fleshly lust. Sin shall not reign in your mortal body. To be carnally minded means to be fleshly minded. To have the attitude, I’m going to do what I want to do. You know there are a lot of people in the world that just says, eat, drink, and be merry. Do your own thing, man. It doesn’t matter what you do, just please yourself. They live with the pleasures of this world. That’s carnally minded. He says to be carnally minded is death. That is, it leads to eternal and spiritual death. On the other hand, to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

It brings eternal life. Now we make the mind, we make up our mind which which it is that we we live by. Really, the question should be asked with what is your mind preoccupied. The wise man in Proverbs 23 and verse 7 says, As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. And if your mind is carnal, that is to always want to do just what you have temptations in the flesh to do, then you can count on eternal death. But on the other hand, if you’re willing to live for the Lord and put Christ first in your life, then you’re going to have eternal life and peace. In fact, when he says in here that if the Spirit of God dwell in you, if Christ be in you, verse 10, the body is dead because of sin.

There are some who’ve taken this text and say, oh, well, that means that the person who has not been elected by God just cannot live righteously. And that’s a misuse of the text. It isn’t saying that God is the only one who controls our life, and we cannot change if we were born in sin. The truth is, what he’s saying is that we have to make up our minds. And if you if you’ve decided in your heart to live just to gratify the fleshly lust, you can’t live for Christ. You can’t be both. It’s the hypocrite who professes to serve Christ but still lives after the flesh. But if you make up your mind to live after the Spirit, if Christ is in you, there’s an attitude.

4. The Mind of Christ: To Obey God

What is the attitude? If you have the mind of Christ, if you have the Spirit of Christ, well obey. What was the Spirit of Christ? Hebrews chapter 5, verses 8 and 9 describes it so very well when it says, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Now that’s the Spirit of Christ to say, Lord, thy will be done, not just to do my things selfishly, but to do God’s will. In fact, in Philippians chapter 2, listen to the text when it says, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient of death unto death, even the death of the cross.

What’s the mind of Christ? To obey God. Isn’t a strange thing that in this great book of Romans, there are those who read the word grace and they see it in contrast to law, and they sort of come with the conclusion that, well, we don’t really have to do anything. God does it all. It’s by grace, unmerited favor. And the myths, a great major underlying point. That it is by grace on God’s part that He’s provided the means of salvation. But we have a part in it, and that is to walk by faith. And to walk by faith means that our mind, our spirit, obeys. We can’t just do what we want to do. There is the attitude of the Spirit that has the spirit of Christ.

And if it’s the Spirit of Christ, it says, I’m going to do what God says. Christ did that even to the point of death. He humbled himself and became obedient even to death. In fact, if Christ dwells in you, the flesh resists evil. In fact, he says, verse 12, therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, you shall die. But if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Paul said in Galatians 2 and verse 20, I’m crucified with Christ. It is no longer I that live it, but Christ that liveth in me. And the life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

If the flesh is crucified, that means I’m not going to do what the flesh may desire. There’s a different standard of life. There’s obedience now is my standard. In Colossians chapter 3, verses 1 through 4, look at where he talks about the mind. He says, If then ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. And then he goes on to talk about mortifying the deeds of the body. Put to death for an occasion, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence or desire, covetousness, which is idolatry.

5. Led by the Spirit, Sons and Joint Heirs

For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Don’t lie one to another, Colossians 3 9. Put on the new man, verse 10. There’s a different standard of life. Saved by the grace of God, yes, but only if we have the mind of Christ that seeks those things above and puts on a new lifestyle, obeying God’s will. We’re going to pause for a moment. When we come back, we’re going to look further at the fact that the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. What a wonderful thought. Hope you’ll stay with us to it until we return. In Romans chapter 8, in verses 14 through 17, the scripture says, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And of children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together. What a wonderful thought to think that our inheritance is from God. Who owns the world? You know, many times parents we make wills and we talk about the inheritance that we’re leaving our children. In fact, sometimes you may have seen the bumper sticker, I’m spending my children’s inheritance. Well, we may laugh about things like that, or even be serious about the fact that there is an inheritance, and sometimes quite a sizable sum of money or valuable goods and property has been left to children to inherit.

But when you think about the inheritance of a Christian, if all the world is put together, all the gold and silver and the precious jewels does not even begin to compare with the inheritance that is from God, who is the builder, the maker, and the sustainer of this world. Indeed, what a great thought. But it’s only to those who are the children of God. And he says here that those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Quite important, therefore, to understand what does it mean to be led by the Spirit of God. It is not just a mystical feeling that is emotional somewhere within our heart. We can know whether or not we’re led by the Spirit of God.

6. The Spirit Beareth Witness With Our Spirit

He says that, in fact, here, verse 16, the Spirit beareth witness with our Spirit. Now, truly, those who are the children of God have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them. And there’s quite some controversy as to whether it’s a personal indwelling or what is the means or method by which the Holy Spirit dwells within us. We noticed earlier in verse 9 that the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are used interchangeably in that particular verse. And really, through that context, it had to describe or describe the kind of lifestyle. The Spirit of God is within one. Christ is in one. God is in one who is walking according to the will of God, obeying his will. And so it is that the Spirit of God to dwell in one is accomplished by having obedience to the Word of God.

The means by which the Spirit dwells within us, or God dwells within us, or Christ dwells within us, is through the Word of God. Ephesians 5 and verse 18, in fact says, Be filled. A parallel text in Colossians, the word of Christ dwell in you richly. And so it is as we allow the Word of God to fill our hearts. How is that how is that possible? Well, let’s understand, first of all, that the Word of God, the Bible, as we have it, is inspired by the Father, by God, revealed through the Holy Spirit. In John chapter 16 and verse 13, Jesus in fact told his apostles that when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth. And in fact, he’ll not speak of himself, but what he shall hear, that’s what he shall speak.

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 2, verses 11 through 13 spoke how that he said, even the words that we speak, that is, men, what we write, he said, are not the words of man’s wisdom, but they are the words revealed by the Spirit. In fact, he says, that which we write are the spiritual words, comparing spiritual things with spiritual words. So what is the Bible? It’s the word of God. But how do we have it? Through the Holy Spirit. Now, if you’re going to be led by God, or led by the mind of Christ, or led by the Spirit, you really don’t separate the one from the other. How do we know the mind of God? Through this, the revealed word, through the Bible. How does faith come?

Well, we probably are all familiar with Romans 10 and verse 17, where the scripture says, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith doesn’t come by some miraculous infusion of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, but rather by the hearing of the Word of God, revealed by the Spirit. The Spirit is made known unto us the will of God. And so when he says in verse 16, the Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit. Now, there’s a mutual. There’s two bearing witness. Our spirits bearing witness, the Holy Spirit’s bearing witness. But how does the Holy Spirit bear witness whether we’re the children of God? Well, Ephesians chapter 3, verses 3 through 5 describes how that the Word of God has been given to us, and the reason for which it is given to us, in fact.

When the apostle says, How that by revelation he made known unto me, that is God made known unto me the mystery as I wrote a foreign few words. So how do we have the testament? It was revealed to an apostle by inspiration, and it’s been written. And he says, Whereby when you read you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. So here we have the Word of God revealed through the Spirit, and we now have it written, and we can read it, and as we read it, we understand it, producing faith in our hearts. The Holy Spirit bears witness through the revealed word.

How do you know who God is if you don’t have the Bible really to read and tell you about his love? How do you know Jesus Christ, that he died for us if you didn’t really have the Bible to confirm that he is the Son of God, of the lineage of Abraham, of David, and that he fulfilled every prophecy. You see, the inspired word of God produces faith as we see the facts that are recorded and as have been fulfilled. No man could have written it if he wanted to. But it bears witness what is God’s will. Now there’s the other side of this. Our spirit bears witness with the Holy Spirit. When you come to the Word of God, do you find in it things that you don’t want to do?

You don’t want to obey. There are some people who actually come to the Word of God and they hate what it says because they do not want to change their lifestyle. But on the other hand, if we find the Word of God saying, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, Mark 16 and 16, we now have a choice to make. Either to believe in Jesus Christ and to be baptized for the remission of sins, or to reject that. And our spirit knows whether or not we’ve done what the Bible says. In 1 John chapter 2, verses 3 through 5, the scripture says, Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoso keepeth his word in him, verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that we are in him. Now we have a way of knowing whether or not we are the sons of God, and it’s whether or not we’ve kept his word. If you find in the Bible commandments of God that are revealed, and you obeyed them, you know God. That’s what it says. But if on the other hand you say, Well, I know am I, you know, I may the Bible may say that, but I just don’t believe it’s necessary, and I’m not going to obey it, then the scripture says you’re a liar. The only way the Holy Spirit bears witness with your spirit is that we mutually come to agreement that here is God’s will revealed by the Spirit, and I’m willing to obey it.

Conclusion

As 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 22 says, seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, and the unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. Have you obeyed the word of God? Well, what a beautiful text in Romans chapter 8. That those who have allowed themselves to follow the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. They are joint heirs with Christ. Indeed, they have an inheritance, and they call upon the Father. Abba, Father. Father, Father. Well, we’re going to continue our study in this great chapter of Romans in our next lesson.

Until then, we bid that the grace and peace of our Lord be with you.