HOW CAN I HANDLE THE STRUGGLE INSIDE ME?
Romans 8:1-11
People think that when we trust Christ and receive security of eternal life, we can live however we want.
Since salvation isn't based on works, it doesn't matter how we live.
Is this the logical conclusion of the gospel?
Is it enough to just be sure about eternity? Does God want more?
Doctrinal teaching concerning God's provision of our justification concludes with an explanation of the primary result of salvation by faith.
The good news isn’t limited to our glorious future in our eternal home.
The gospel also brings us good news for life today:
God transforms our life by means of faith in Christ.
Paul used this truth to answer 3 OBJECTIONS concerning the gospel (6-7).
Some people oppose the gospel because they assume that if salvation is by faith alone, we can live however we please.
This is a false interpretation of the gospel.
* We’ve died to sin; therefore we can’t go on practicing it (6:1-14).
* Although we were slaves to sin, we’re now free to serve God (6:15-7:6).
* What we were unable to do by law, since law doesn’t give us power to fulfill its demands, has been made possible through Christ (7:7-25).
For that reason, we can now live a new life that is pleasing to God.
End of ch. 7, Paul reaffirms the weakness of the law.
In spite of its good function of revealing sin and revealing God's holy standards, the law can't give us power to meet those standards.
It leaves us frustrated because we’re incapable of satisfying its demands 7:19-24
Kent Hughes: “I think it is misleading, and thus not spiritually healthy, to imagine that Rom. 7 is anything other than the Apostle Paul describing his own struggle as a Christian trying to please God in his own strength. . . . To argue that Rom. 7 cannot be the experience of a great Christian is to espouse an unrealistic and unhealthy approach to the Christian life. . . . Paul’s passionate conclusion is the cry of every Christian who has ever tried to please God on his own. [in his own strength] . . . We want to do good, but we end up doing the very thing we did not want to do.” [Do YOU know that feeling?]
Contrast law, which can’t give power for godly living–gospel provides power.
Victory is possible through Christ 7:24-25
HOW CAN WE LIVE A LIFE THAT PLEASES GOD?
TWO KINDS OF LIFE—2 ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES 8:1-4
We can live by the flesh NIV = “sinful nature” or “sinful man,” is literally “FLESH”
What does it mean to live this way? What’s he talking about?
"FLESH" – at least 4 meanings:
1) Physical flesh = the body, or even that which is eaten (= meat).
2) Lit.—Physical aspects of life–contrasts physical and spiritual aspects of life
3) Fig.—Material things–what’s seen
4) Our efforts to accomplish something.
Contrast described in Gal. 5:16-25.
Human effort goes against the efforts of the Spirit.
OUR NATURE INCAPABLE OF PRODUCING WHAT GOD WANTS TO PRODUCE.
[ Do you want to know what our efforts will produce? ] Gal. 5:19-21.
Contrast what the Spirit produces in us – 5:22-23.
Spirit and the flesh are in continual conflict. 5:16-18
=> 24-25 The solution: walking by the Spirit
Rom 8 uses “flesh” to express this idea: our efforts to live a good life.
Our BEST efforts bring us back to Paul’s desperate cry every time! “Who will rescue me?!!
8:1 Those “in Christ”–who trust Him, not ourselves–are no longer under God's condemnation
Since we are in Christ, . . .
We are not condemned
This Spirit has delivered us from the law's control 8:2
We’ve been set free
"Reuben Johnson "Reuben, you don't belong there anymore. You're a free man!"
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus set us free from bondage to the law of sin and death.We don’t have to serve it anymore!
EVEN OUR BEST EFFORTS can't satisfy the law's demands.
We’re weak 8:3a Rom. 7: the problem is US—we suffer from “weak flesh.”
Our best efforts only produce sinful deeds 8:3b
God has fulfilled His requirements in us 8:3-4
We can live by the Spirit What’s it mean to live this way?
Power for godly living from H.S. Who lives in all who trust Christ.
THE WAY OF THE FLESH 8:5-8
People who try to live a good life this way only think about US and what WE achieve in life, whereas those who live by the power of H.S. depend on Him and think in terms of what God wants to do in us 8:5
Each sets their mind on what characterizes their source of power:
Our efforts => ungodly, rebellious attitudes and actions => death.
Life controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace 8:6
Our plans wage war against God's plans.
OUR BEST EFFORTS WILL NEVER PLEASE GOD!
Salsipuedes Creek.
“Way of the Flesh,” man’s best shot, will never “make it” with God
That way is characterized by death
by hostility toward God
by inability to obey God’s laws
“One ship sails east, another west
We need a better way!
Spirit gives power so we can live a different way:
THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT 8:9-11
When He comes to reside in us, the Spirit teaches us a new lifestyle.
He does work so we live different way 8:9
THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT 8:9-11
When He resides in us, the Spirit teaches us a new lifestyle.
He does a work in our lives so we live a different way 8:9
H.S. produces godly living: fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
People who don't experience this work in their life have reason to ask whether we really belong to Christ, because the Spirit lives in all who are His.
We have hope of eternal life because God's righteousness has been credited to our account 8:10
Presence of Spirit gives us hope for future.
Same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead has power to give us new life also.
He turns thought back around: the Spirit’s presence in our life gives us assurance He’ll raise our body, as He did Jesus’ body.8:11
2 resurrections go together: Same Spirit resurrects us
to holy life now
and, after death, to eternal life!
Two alternative lifestyles– Which way would YOU rather go?
way of the flesh–"I'd rather do it myself"–which leads to discovery we’ll never make it!
way of the Spirit–allowing Him to live His life through us.
What does your life produce when you’re in control?
What does it produce when the Spirit controls it?
Which lifestyle do you prefer?
NAS— contrast: “walking according to the flesh“ ( 4-5) and being “in the flesh” (8-9).
NIV—“living according to the sinful nature” , and being “controlled by the sinful nature”.
Thinking becomes like that which characterizes the flesh:
Flesh produces death. Flesh is hostile to God.
Flesh can’t obey God’s law. Flesh can’t please God.
You don’t want to live that way!
One reason we don’t want to live like those “in the flesh” is because those who are “in the flesh” aren’t “in the Spirit.” And those who aren’t “in the Spirit” don’t have the Spirit.
If God’s Spirit lives in you, => you aren’t “in the flesh”
If you belong to Christ, => you have the Spirit of Christ.
If you have the Spirit of Christ, => you’re not “in the flesh.”
If you’re not “in the flesh,” => you don’t want to act like you are.
Therefore, don’t walk according to the flesh. => Walk according to the Spirit!”
If you’re walking “according to flesh”, you’re acting like people “in flesh”–don’t belong to Jesus.
Stop acting like godless people! Stop thinking the way godless people think!
Why? Because that’s the way of death. That’s the way those who are hostile to God act.
That way you can’t please God. That way you can’t obey God’s righteous demands.
What is that way? “I’d rather do it myself! —By my efforts! Stop trying to do it yourself!
Let the Spirit produce His fruit in you!