Sanctification Part IV Romans 8 Bible Study 104 – Class 9

Summary Romans 6 instructs us that righteousness is a requirement for the Christian. Romans chapter 7 teaches us that while righteousness is required, it is nevertheless humanly impossible, due to the weakness of our flesh and the power of sin. Romans 8, Paul explores the divine provision for righteousness—the Holy Spirit, by whose power Christians can fulfill the righteousness which the Law commanded and which God still requires.

Chapter 6 In chapter six, we learned we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection. Our union with Him is by the grace of God which nullifies human pride in our own spiritual accomplishments. We also learned that our sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven in order that we may “count ourselves dead to sin, but alive to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11)

Chapter 7 God’s Holy Law: Living in the Spirit frees us from the Law, which revealed that death was a result of sin 7:1-14 The Two Laws: Paul experienced a conflict within himself between the sin and the good which indwelt him serving either the flesh or the law of God 7:15-25

Review and Introduction Review from two week ago in chapter 7 the struggle to live the Christian life - Romans 7:24 “Who will set me free?” We find the answer in Romans 8:2 “through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free”. Holy Spirit frees us, gives us the power to really live for God.

Romans 8 Paul makes a Declaration of Freedom, spiritual freedom through the Holy Spirit. He speaks of 4 freedoms that we who are believers are to enjoy right now. Freedom from Judgment Romans 8:1-4 Freedom from Defeat Romans 8:5-17 Freedom from Discouragement Romans 8:18-30 Freedom from Fear Romans 8:31-39

Freedom from Judgment Romans 8:1-4 The Law cannot condemn us - Romans 8:1. One of Paul’s favorite expressions = “in Christ”, writes this in all his epistles, it means we have a new position, new sphere of living. B. Law cannot control us (Romans 8:2). “Free from that cycle of sin and death” Romans 7:25 because Jesus gave himself willingly as a “sin offering” requirements of the law are met. The Law could not condemn sin but God did, sending Christ to die for sin so the Law would be fulfilled in those who walk in the Spirit 8:3-4

Freedom from Defeat Romans 8:5-17 Power - Romans 8:5-13. Romans 7 dominated by words “I”, “my” “me”, struggle of our lives when we’re living out of our own power, hoping our self-determination will help us make good choices. That often ends up in defeat Romans 7:24 “what a wretched man I am”. By contrast, Romans 8 is characterized by the word “Spirit” 17 times - through power of the indwelling Holy Spirit that we have power to live the Christian life, not our own. That power is available to you when:

Power!!! This power is available to you when: Holy Spirit controls your mind (Romans 8:5-9) Paul points out that there are only two different mind sets These two mind sets oppose each other Your mind is either controlled by the Spirit or the sinful nature. Remember Paul is talking to Christians, who have the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 that if you don’t have the Spirit, you’re not yet a Christian.

Seal with Holy Spirit When you trust Christ as your Savior, Lord, (Ephesians 1:13) you were “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance”. “Seal with Holy Spirit” = metaphor describing how God has given each believer the power of the Holy Spirit living inside enabling us to live differently than we did before. The mind controlled by the Spirit is totally different: it’s life, peace, pleasing to God.

Romans 8:5-10 The result of a fleshly mindset is death, but those who are spiritual have life and peace, because the one yielding to the flesh is against God and is unwilling and unable to subject himself to God’s law, which is unpleasing to God 8:5-8 Those in whom the Spirit of God dwells are in the Spirit which is proof that they belong to Christ. Because of sin, the body of those in Christ is dead but their spirit is alive because they are righteous 8:9-10

Holy Spirit controls your body (Romans 8:10-13) Those who are saved, evidence = Holy Spirit indwells you, because He does, your very body becomes the house, temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19, 20). Paul says when self, the flesh, has the controller we live defeated lives. The flesh is always going to click on programs that encourage our self-absorbed, self-centered, pleasure seeking lives, things that turn us away from God, that engage our minds and our bodies in sin. However, when the Spirit has the controller, He will focus us, our minds and bodies, on what pleases God and will give us the power to turn off anything else. He gives us power: we also see He gives us a place in the family of God.

Place - Romans 8:14-17 Paul says the Holy Spirit places us into the family of God 3 things about your place in the family “Led (willing led) by the Spirit” in the family - Romans 8:14. As we yield to the Spirit, He guides us. John 16:13 “Loved by the Father” - Romans 8:15, 16. “Abba” is the cry of a baby for his father in Aramaic, in English, “papa” “daddy”. Joint heirs with Jesus - Romans 8:17. Two-fold meaning: we expect sufferings now but we anticipate glory later.

The Spirit of Adoption The spirit of adoption which we have received does not lead us again into bondage but enables us to call God our Father, and testifies that we are God’s children, heirs, and joint heirs with Christ in suffering and glorification 8:15-17

Homework Study the books of the Bible Study Bible Verses Bring your journal next week Based upon today’s lesson, write in your journal the sins that you struggle with and using Romans 7, how should understand and deal with it Be able to discuss the Doctrines of Condemnation, Justification and what you have learned about Sanctification thus far.

Bibliography John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible Bible.Org (Note the outline was taken from this website) BiblePilot.com