Text: Romans 8:1-14Uncovering Religion

Introduction

• There is a move of deception sweeping through main stream churches which is so powerful in its influence that it has singlehandedly decommissioned much of the Western Church from effectiveness.

• This move has been a watering down of the Gospel message to the Crowleyian philosophy of “Do What Thou Wilt,” yet you can’t lose your salvation if you believe in Jesus Christ.

• In essence: Holiness is no longer a absolute necessity for the average Christian.

Set Free from Sin

• Romans 8:1-2 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”

• If you live according to the Spirit there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, but if you live according to the sinful nature there is condemnation in Christ Jesus.

Powerless Law

• Romans 8:3 “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.”

• You cannot overcome sin by obeying the law, you can only overcome sin by living by the Spirit.

• It took Jesus Christ to come as a sin offering for the sins of all men, and for men to walk in the victory which He gained.

Condemned Sin

• Romans 8:3b-4 “And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”

• We must remember this, that Jesus has condemned sin in sinful man, if we continue to partake of sin, we partake in something He condemned, now that is dangerous.

• He condemned sin so that righteousness will be fully met in us, by living according to the Spirit.

Minds Set on the Spirit

• Romans 8:5 “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.”

• We must keep in mind that Paul was preaching to believers here and exhorting believers who have their minds set on what the sinful nature desires.

• Carnal Christians are condemned in Scripture: “If we live according to the sinful nature we will die.” (Romans 8:13)

Sin Death

• Romans 8:6 “The mind of sinful man [Or mind set on the flesh] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;”

• Most people don’t want to live holy lives as Christians because they don’t want to give up sin (they think sin brings them so much pleasure).

• But a life of sin leads to depression, despair, bitterness and ultimately death.

• But if our minds are controlled by the Spirit we will have peace and ultimately eternal life in Christ.

Clothed in the Lord Jesus Christ• Romans 8:7-8 “the sinful mind [Or the mind set on the

flesh] is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”

• Christians who set their minds on sinning and living a life which gratifies the desires of the sinful nature cannot please God.

• Romans 13:14 “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. [Or the flesh]”

• Galatians 5:16 “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

How to Tell Who is a Christian

• Romans 8:9 “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.”

• The BIG “IF”, You are not controlled by the sinful nature “IF” the Spirit of God lives in you.

• If you are not controlled by the sin nature that is because the Spirit lives in you, and therefore you belong to Christ.

• However, if you are controlled by the sin nature, then the Spirit does not live in you, therefore you do not belong to Christ.

How to Tell Who is a Christian

• Romans 8:10 “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.”

• So we know who the true Christians are, they are the ones who do not live according to the sin nature.

• This is also how we can tell if we belong to Christ also.

Life to Us

• Romans 8:11 “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”

• This same Spirit of the Father who raised Jesus from the dead lives in all those who walk according to the Spirit, and this same Spirit will also give life to us and we will not see death.

Sinful Nature Brings Death• Romans 8:12 “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation —

but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.”• Paul again is referencing His brothers in Christ and explains that

they have an obligation to live according to the Spirit and not according to the sinful nature, He then adds:

• Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die;”

• This is one powerful verse directed at brothers in the Lord, that if they live according to the sinful nature they will indeed die.

• Some theologians will weaken this verse by teaching that Paul was talking about merely leaving this earth early and going to heaven, but is that what Paul means? Scripture tells us that God hates sin and condemns sin in sinful man.

Led By the Spirit

• Romans 8:13-14 “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

• We are clearly told to put to death the misdeeds of the body by the power of the Spirit and then we will live eternally in Christ, and we will be considered sons of God.

• I believe there will be a lot of very shocked people awakening in hell after death, who never in their wildest dreams thought they would go there.

Comments on Romans 8:13

• Barnes commented, “If you live to indulge your carnal propensities, you will sink to eternal death;”

• Gills commented, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die,.... Such persons are dead, whilst they live, and shall die a second or an eternal death, if grace prevent not.”

• Matthew Henry wisely states, “If any habitually live according to corrupt lustings, they will certainly perish in their sins, whatever they profess.”

Conclusion

• We need to constantly check ourselves by these verses.

• Ask yourself this question, “Am I living by my sinful nature or by the Spirit of Christ?”

• This question is the most important question you could ever ask because the answer will determine your eternal life in Christ.

• Evidence that you are saved is that you walk by the Spirit and not by the sinful nature.