Introduction
As we carry on with our study in Romans, Paul introduces the Holy Spirit to our connection with Jesus – God with Us. In the previous seven chapters Paul introduces the Good News of the Gospel while confronting the Bad News of his day. He made it clear, whether Jew or Gentile, we were all under the effect of the Bad News because of the sin that is so prevalent in the world. God’s answer to the world-wide crisis of wickedness and lawlessness is the person of Jesus Christ. And when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, there is a righteousness that is given and imparted to us. This is Good News.
One of Paul’s challenges was the issue of overcoming sin and it’s affect upon his personal life. He speaks to this in Chapter 7 – He tried to live righteously by obeying the Law but ended up failing miserably. His sin nature had enough control over him to make it plain that no matter how he tried to keep the Law, he fell far short of God’s measuring line. He ends up crying out in Rom 7:24-25 - “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Paul’s powerful statement displays his trust / faith in Jesus Christ – Immanuel - God with us.
Whenever there is a therefore in the Scriptures, you should see what is it there for... Paul has clearly revealed that our trust and faith in Jesus Christ is the basis for our righteousness. Now he transitions to presenting a solution to mankind’s slavery to sin – the Holy Spirit (Rom 8).
Living in the Holy Spirit
The topic for this morning is living by the Power of the Holy Spirit. We have learned that justification is an act of God not man. It is like the Judge in the courtroom pronouncing us Not Guilty. It is the decision of God to acquit the guilty, as a result of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Justification is based on a transaction that happens outside of ourselves, whereas something must also happen on the inside of our lives. In order to receive the blessings from the work that God has done outside of us, we must now experience the work that he does within us by the Holy Spirit. Here are a few key points to consider in light of “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:1-2).
· No Condemnation. Our righteousness is found IN Jesus Christ (Not Guilty). Condemnation refers to guilt, burden, remorse, displeasure because of temptation and sin. Freedom from condemnation is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In other words, when you get called before the Judge, there is nothing to fear because there is no condemnation, because we are IN Christ Jesus. Not one iota of condemnation.
· We have freedom from the effect of the law of sin and death through IN-dwelling of God’s Spirit. Our living in righteousness is found IN the empowering of the Holy Spirit. We are no longer under the authority and power of sin. As a result of Jesus’s death and resurrection, those who have faith in Jesus, are fully justified and are not in any way condemned by God. We are now under the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
· What is the difference between justifying and sanctifying faith?
I look at this thought in this way. I am fully Justified by my faith and trust in Jesus Christ; no condemnation. I am fully Sanctified by living under the power of the Holy Spirit; no condemnation. I have a lifetime to learn how to live with the Holy Spirit; abide, dwell, rest, welcome, surrender.
“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Rom 8:5-7).
We are to be controlled by the Spirit of God. Our minds, emotions and actions directed by the Holy Spirit in our lives… We are to embrace the process of being made like Jesus in our character and actions. As we are willingly led by the Spirit of God as sons and daughters of God, the Spirit cries out within us, “Abba Father” (Rom 8:14-15).
Living in Hope
Romans 8:18-27 reveals to us that earthly suffering is real but is not meant to be without the experience of God’s glory and presence in our lives. Christians do not escape the harsh realities of the fallen world in which we live, such as sickness, injuries, natural disasters, Covid-19, poverty, financial loss. And there are times when these challenges tip over into persecution like in the Roman Empire of Paul’s day. Oftentimes the struggles of life cause our hope to weaken (hope deferred makes the heart sick – Prov 13:12) and in this passage here are a few keys to keeping your hope alive. There is a day coming when the sons of God will be revealed (Rom 8:19). What does this mean?
· Firstly, in each and every generation since the time of Christ, the sons of God have arisen. The church has shone light into a dark world. Even though there may be resistance, there is a sense that creation is encouraged by the Light of God.
· As well, the sons of God being revealed is the unveiling of God’s family of glorified humanity; in other words, those justified through faith in Christ. But we can’t stop there, because the sons of God are also those led by the Spirit of God as we saw earlier.
· There may also be a suggestion of the unveiling at the apocalypse, as Jesus returns with His “holy ones”. This divine return of Jesus as King, ultimately ushers in the renewal and transformation of the whole creation. It means that one day sin will be destroyed and that we will be “brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God”.
Romans 8:22 25 states – “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
· Romans chapter 8 is a powerful passage that highlights the importance of the Holy Spirit to the church of Rome. Now Paul tells us how to keep our hope alive. In our weaknesses, in our times of struggle and hopelessness, the Holy Spirit is there to pray for us and to help us pray.
Rom 8: 26-27 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
Living in Love
Here is a famous passage of Scripture – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Living in love is part of living an overcomers life. Paul has been identifying to the Church in Rome the awkward tension between the Good News of the Gospel and our human realities in life. He assures believers that God is working for the ultimate good. There will be struggles. Love is key on our part…
Romans 8:31-39 – “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
In Conclusion
At this point, then, we need to review and summarize what Paul has been teaching about the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is not ashamed of the Gospel (Rom 1:16). We all fall short of the glory of God – Bad News (Rom 3:23). Faith is essential in our relationship with God (Rom 4:3). We have been justified by faith through the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1). We are dead to sin and the law (Rom 6-7).
Today, Paul leaves us with the powerful message of the Spirit of God working in our lives. We are able to overcome the challenges of life. The Spirit of God works in us the fulness of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. How encouraging, how hopeful to draw into a relationship with Jesus – Immanuel – God with us. How exciting and thrilling to be empowered to abide and thrive with Holy Spirit – God in us.
The Spirit has access to all the wisdom and knowledge of God. When we abide in Him, He leads us continually into truth—causing us to grow and mature spiritually. He is our teacher (1 John 2:27), and those who depend on Him will know where to go and what to do because they are following His heavenly directions. Romans 8:14 tells us: “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” If you are a child of God, you have access to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
He is the best guide ever because He has all the information you need from the past, the present, and the future. I am old enough to remember when people did not have GPS software on their phones (or on anything else!). We actually had to keep maps in the glove boxes of our cars—folded maps made of paper! We’d use them to figure out how to get to a new address. Looking back on those old days of studying maps (and asking for directions at gas stations), I wonder how any of us found our destinations. The Holy Spirit is like your internal GPS, except that He never gets confused or offers wrong information. But if you want to know the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you must learn to discern His voice and His subtle nudging’s.
Let’s Pray…