Series Big Idea: "The gospel of Jesus Christ gives believers a new way of life - abundant life through the Holy Spirit"

Sermon Big Idea: "Despite the presence of sin's power, the Holy Spirit frees the believer from this craving"

Key Scripture (Romans 8:5-14)

(Romans 8:5-14)

For those who live according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ For the mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ¹⁰ Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you. ¹² So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, ¹³ for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 

Last week I started my sermon series on Romans 8 by showing that the Apostle Paul argued the fact that because believers have died with Christ, we are free from the condemning force of the Law. There is no condemnation for those in Christ. We have been justified (declared by God righteous) because we have been dressed in the righteousness of Christ. Therefore, I believe that the underlying theme of chapters 5-8 is the security of the believer. When we can look at our lives and see the characteristics of a saved person, this will promote our sense of eternal security.

In our passage, Paul contrasts the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit found in (Galatians 5:19- 23). In Galatians, he listed the deeds and fruit of the Spirit but here he discusses where these come from. It is only possible for our minds as humans to be set on one thing: the desires of the flesh or the desires of the Spirit. The new life in the Spirit that he talks about is what makes it possible for the believer to set their mind upon what the Spirit desires.

Throughout the early part of these verses, it seems Paul is talking about two different kinds of people. But in reality, he is showing two ways of living life in God’s world by contrasting the extremes. A believer can live according to the desires of the flesh and experience hostility toward God and death, or he can live life according to the desires of God as revealed in His Word and that is empowered by the Holy Spirit which will lead to life and peace.

Verse 14 is key to this entire section. The leading of the Spirit that Paul is discussing here doesn’t have to do with finding God’s will for our lives. Also, he is not talking about the abuse of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. He is talking about something called gospel mortification which wants to eradicate every area of sin from my life, making me want to live for the glory of God and want to please Him. If we find ourselves in this condition, then this is one of the pieces of evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives.

The Holy Spirit will bring Scripture to our minds. He will convict us of sin. He will illuminate the Scripture to us. He will communicate the truth of Scripture so you and I can understand that we will be judged someday. As He is doing this in my life and as I am putting to death the deeds of the body, Paul says this becomes proof that I am a son of God.

Conclusion

The leading in this passage is the Holy Spirit’s work to convince me and guide me to live a holy life, to put sin to death, and to give me the energy and will to do that. Paul told the church at Philippi (Philippians 2:12), to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. The question you and I must ask is, do I have a desire to be holy, do I have a desire to live for God? If our answer to that question is no, then obviously we are not going to have much assurance. But if I look at my life and admit that I often fail and there are even times I must push myself to live for God, yet there is this underlying desire to live a holy life, our eternal assurance will be more firm.

When we as Christians begin to enjoy our role as heirs to the kingdom of God, all the insecurities that feed even the way we behave will slowly disappear, and our sins with them.

Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:

Holman Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version Bible

King James Version Bible

Christian Standard Bible

Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Victor Books, 1985.

Richards, Lawrence O. The Bible Reader’s Companion. Electronic ed., Victor Books, 1991.

Jamieson, Robert, et al. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997.

Blum, Edwin A., and Trevin Wax, editors. CSB Study Bible: Notes. Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.

Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans. W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1988.

Barry, John D., et al. Faithlife Study Bible. Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.

Dockery, David S., editor. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.

Water, Mark. Key Word Commentary: Thoughts on Every Chapter of the Bible. AMG Publishers, 2003.

Brannan, Rick, and Israel Loken. The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible. Lexham Press, 2014.

Barton, Bruce, et al. Life Application New Testament Commentary. Tyndale, 2001.

MacArthur, John F., Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.

Radmacher, Earl D., et al. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. T. Nelson Publishers, 1999.

Smith, Jerome H. The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: The Most Complete Listing of Cross References Available Anywhere- Every Verse, Every Theme, Every Important Word. Thomas Nelson, 1992.

Kruse, Colin G. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Edited by D. A. Carson, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2012.

Boa, Kenneth, and William Kruidenier. Romans. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.

Moo, Douglas J. Romans. Zondervan Publishing House, 2000.

Mounce, Robert H. Romans. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.

MacGorman, J.W. Layman's Bible Book Commentary, Romans, 1 Corinthians. Copyright 1980 Broadman Press, Print

Pate, C. Marvin. Romans. Edited by Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Baker Books, 2013.

Newell, William R. Romans Verse-by-Verse. Christian Classics Ethereal Library, n.d.

Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the New Testament. Logos Bible Software, 2009.

Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.

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