Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Romans

Romans 8:1-11 Part 1

Intro: At the end of the summer, I was traveling  on Eatontown Blvd toward the race track heading to the bank. As I approached Main St. in Oceanport, I noticed, in my rear view mirror, red and blue revolving lights. As I focused my gaze, I noticed it was a police car............and he was motioning for me to pull over. If you  have ever been pulled over by the police, you know how I felt. My heart was beating very rapidly  and I began to perspire even though I had the air on. My breathing became shallow and I felt lightheaded.

 That was physically, emotionally and mentally I was even more of a wreck. What did I do? Why did he stop me? Oh no, points on my license..and in NJ  ahhhhh... insurance surcharge. What would I say? I'll deny everything...no I can't do that I'm a pastor.......Oh no,.......... I'M A PASTOR! How is this going to look, what about my reputation, what about the church? What will they think? I though my head would explode! The policeman came up to my car: 'drivers license and registration please'. Did you know you were traveling 42 mph in a 30 mph zone? No, officer.  He went back to his car. I think they only do that to make you feel worse.

 Anyway, he came back and said that since I was a local resident, he would let me go with only a warning.  I took a deep breath, said thank you . The officer drove off. I remained on the side of the road  saying ...thank you , thank you, thank you,  thank you Jesus.  As I sat there my mental/emotional demeanor changed. My heart was still pounding but for joy now. I was so happy and thankful I didn't get a ticket that I turned up the radio and sang  loudly to some Christian song I had on in the car.
     Being let off the hook ...........was the greatest feeling.

Background: Paul spoke in chapter 7 from the bottom of his  heart. With great emotion and mental anguish, he told us that he and we will struggle with sin in our lives.

 In chapter 8 Paul speaks with the same intensity of emotion but now in hope, and joy, not in despair and helplessness. Up to this point in his letter , Paul had not given much attention to the Holy Spirit. But now, the Holy Spirit of God makes His grand entrance and the tenor of the rest of Paul's letter is radically changed.

Trans: Open your Bibles to Romans chapter 8, Paul is setting the scene for the benefits of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Believer.  The first benefit Paul tells us about is

I. No Condemnation: God's Spirit brings Life (Rom. 8:1-4)
Read: Rom. 8:1
    A. No Condemnation
 Stop right here. There are few statements more exciting, more important than this one in all Scripture.  Romans 8:1 is the climax, the high point of the letter to date. All else that follows is an explanation of this great and wonderful truth. This is at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The very reason we have life and life eternal.

 This is what the Believer who struggles with sin and the sinner on his knees seeking God's forgiveness has been desperately longing  to hear. The depression ...gone, the guilt of  our sin.... gone, the sense of failure..... gone...in  4 words.
Therefore       Now       No       Condemnation.

 In order to make our English translations read better, the order of the Greek words is changed. However, the Greek positioning of these words helps to show the emphasis intended by the writer. Let's look at the four words in the Greek order.

No: This is the first word in the Greek text and as the first word it is meant to show a strong, emphatic statement.

Therefore:  What did I tell you to do when you see this word in a text? See what it is there for. This truly is a great therefore as it relates to and brings to head all that was said in chapters 1-7.

Now: Is related to time. It has to do with the change that has taken place since the Believer has been justified by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We were once guilty and condemned to death for our sin. But now, by God's grace that has changed.

Condemnation: This not only means to pronounce guilt but also the sentence received after being found guilty.

ILL: James Montgomery  Boice, author, Bible Scholar and pastor of 10th Presb. church in Phila., Pa. paraphrases it this way ' Not only is the Christian not in a state of condemnation now, he never can be, it is impossible.'

 Believers are not only released from the eternal consequence of sin: condemnation and death but from the present consequence of the battle with sin: despair and defeat.

 With the entrance of the Spirit in verse 2 there is no further talk of defeat. The battle within us continues But Now where the Spirit is in control, the power of the Spirit is manifested and victory over sin is  attained.

APP: Believer, Satan will often pull you over as you journey to Jesus Christ  and charge you with sin. But before you get nervous, depressed and defeated, remember that the indwelling Holy Spirit of God, thru of the work of Christ on Calvary, has let you off the hook.  Think about that.  What kind of emotion comes to your heart and mind? Does your heart pound  with joy when you hear
No Condemnation, No Condemnation, say it with me,  No Condemnation?

 This should make you want to jump up and shout at the top of your voice. Praise God, Thank you Jesus, Bless you Holy Spirit.

Trans:  But perhaps there are some who are not so excited and rightly so. Paul draws a line in the sand, making a distinction that is  necessary  for the Holy Spirit to be the Helper, Jesus said He would be. Understand that there is a condition associated with this great and glorious truth.

   B. In Christ Jesus
 The condition is that we must be in Christ Jesus. The word 'in' means to be united with. To know and be assured that you will not be condemned for your sin, you must be in, united with Jesus Christ.  If you are not a Believer, not 'in 'Christ, then you will pay the penalty for your sin: present and eternal condemnation and death as Rom. 6:23 tells us.

    C. The Spirit of Life
 Believer's however, experience freedom from the bonds of sin and death by what Paul calls the Spirit of Life. We are no longer dead in our sins but alive in Christ.. Paul attributes this metamorphosis to God's Spirit who gives us life. There is perhaps no more exciting or wonderful name for the Holy Spirit in all Scripture. The Spirit of Life. He comes from the Father who is the author of life and takes up residence in the Believer, banishing  the spiritual deadness that once ruled. Dullness, deadness and defeat now, thru the Holy Spirit give way to vitality, life and victory. The reason there is no condemnation, no death for the believer is because he has Life inside him, the Holy Spirit of Life.

Conclusion:

 That's the good news for the Believer, the one who is In Christ.  The bad news is condemnation, and death are the natural consequence of the sin in  those who don't know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

 The good news is that since God sent His Son , Jesus, to be a sin offering, to pay the payment for your sin, you don't have to pay it yourself.  The bad news is that if you don't accept His death as payment for your sin, before you die, it's too late.

 The good news is that your life from this moment forward into eternity can be changed by faith, believing Jesus is the Son of God, by asking Him to forgive your sins and by accepting His death as payment for your sin.

 Do this and you will be In Christ. The Holy Spirit will take up residence and give you Life....

 Perhaps your heart is beating pretty quickly right now. That just might be God tugging  at it.. Accept Jesus as your Savior and your rapid pulse will be an indication of new found joy because you too will be able to say,

 There is therefore now no condemnation , because I am in Christ Jesus.