Grace and peace be multiplied to
each of you this evening and the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our
Lord. It is a great joy to be with you. Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
we pray again and afresh that You would be our teacher and that You would open our eyes that we
may behold wondrous things from Your Word. Give us understanding and we will obey Your Word and keep
it with our whole heart; in Jesus' name. Amen. My assignment is to begin our
study of Romans chapter 8. Let me start by reading to you from God's
Word, Romans chapter 8 verses 1 through 4. "There is therefore now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free
in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened
by the flesh, could not do. By sending His own Son in the likeness
of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous
requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the
flesh but according to the Spirit." Amen. Permit me to label the message simply
"No Condemnation," "No Condemnation." Moses saw a bush that was on
fire but was not consumed. Wanting a closer look, a voice
spoke to Moses from the bush ordering him to remove the sandals from his feet. Moses was standing on holy ground. It is with
the same sense of reverence that you and I should approach the study of Romans chapter 8.
Roy Laurin comments as he begins his writing on this chapter that it is with mixed feelings that
we come to the threshold of this great chapter, feelings of joy and fear. Joy, because of
the wonder and beauty of this chapter, fear, that in failing to bring out the
breadth and depth of its truth. Romans chapter 8 is the greatest chapter
in the Bible. If the Bible is a gold ring, Romans 8 is the centrally mounted diamond.
Romans 8 begins with "no condemnation" and ends with "no separation." In thirty-nine verses, Paul
celebrates the eternal security of the believer in Christ Jesus. But the point of the entire chapter
is succinctly stated in the opening verse. "There is therefore now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus." The religious leaders brought a woman
taken in adultery to Jesus. They asked Him what to do with her. They knew that the law
commanded that an adulterer be put to death. They also knew that capital punishment had to
be authorized by the Roman occupying forces. It was a trap. But Jesus stooped down
and began to write in the dirt. And then He stood and said to the crowd around Him,
"Let him who is without sin cast the first stone at her." And then He stooped down and began
writing in the dirt again. When He arose again, the crowd had dispersed. And in John 8 verses
10 and 11 Jesus asked the woman, "Woman, where have they gone? Where are your
accusers? None left to accuse you?" "No one, Lord," she answered. Jesus said to her,
"Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." In too many instances, we act like those religious
leaders, filled with accusation and condemnation. The truth of us all is that we are like that
woman taken in adultery. One word describes us all, "guilty." Romans chapter 3 verse 23
indicts the entirety of mankind. "For all have sinned and fallen short of the
glory of God." But the One who wrote a defense in the dirt for the adulterous woman
has written a defense in His own blood for us. Faith in Christ saves us from
the penalty and the power of sin. Romans chapter 8 verses 1 through 4 summarize
the work of salvation of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
But what does it mean to be saved? Let me offer four answers from
Romans 8 verses 1 through 4. Consider first, true assurance. True
assurance. Romans 8, it's the greatest chapter in the Bible. Romans chapter 8 verse 1 is
the greatest verse in this great chapter. "There is therefore now no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus." "Therefore" directly connects chapter 8 to chapter 7, but
ultimately "therefore" connects chapter 8 to all that Paul has previously written in the first
seven chapters of this letter. He is now drawing a conclusion on the basis of the presentation
of the gospel he has laid out in this epistle. And now, he triumphantly concludes,
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." The word
"condemnation" is more than just the opposite of "justification." It is, it is penalty
after the sentencing of the guilty. It is both condemnation and punishment.
F.F. Bruce called it "penal servanthood." The opening chapters of Romans declares
the universal condemnation of all mankind. Jews are guilty before God.
Gentiles are guilty before God. All are guilty before God. But that is not the
final verdict of those who are in Christ Jesus. "There is now therefore no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus." The term here "condemnation" is used three times in the New
Testament, all in Romans. Romans chapter 5 verse 16 says, "And the free gift is not
like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought
condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification."
Romans chapter 5 verse 18 says, "Therefore, as one trespass led
to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life
for all men." Now, here in Romans 8 verse 1, Paul says, "There is now therefore no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus." No condemnation. This is our assurance in Christ. The unbeliever's judgment day is before him. The
believer's judgment day is behind him. "There is now therefore no condemnation in Christ."
Notice the scope of this Christian assurance, "Now no condemnation." Now no condemnation. "Now" speaks in real time.
The past verdict stands today. Heaven is our hope, but you do not have to wait
to get to heaven to have assurance of salvation. There is "now no condemnation." "Now" speaks
in real time. "No" speaks for all time. It is emphatic in the original language
of a complete cessation. There is no condemnation. This is not a mistrial that may
be retried at some point later down the road. This is an absolute dismissal of
all charges with extreme prejudice. "There is now no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus." In John chapter 5 verse 24, Jesus says, "Truly, I say to you that whoever hears My word and
believes in Him who sent Me is not condemned." He will not face the judgment. He has passed
from death to life. This objective truth should be the subjective experience
for every believer in Christ. If God declares no condemnation in Christ, you
should not condemn yourself. Respond to Satan's whispered accusations with confidence that by the
finished work of Christ your case is closed. There is the scope of our Christian assurance here but
consider the sphere of our Christian assurance. We are reminded in this opening verse that
there are two classes of people, only two classes of people in the world: those who are in
Christ Jesus, those who are not in Christ Jesus. What's the difference between these two
categories of people? I'm glad you asked. It is the difference between life and death.
It is the difference between truth and error. It is the difference between salvation
and judgment. It is the difference between godliness and wickedness. It is
the difference between heaven and hell. Romans chapter 8 verse 1 is good news,
but it is not good news for everyone. It is not good news for those
who are not in Christ Jesus. It would only be good news for everyone
if this verse was just half a verse. If Paul just said, "There is therefore now
no condemnation," period, point, paragraph, then the world could claim this assurance
without conversion, without repentance, without saving faith. But the good news for
the believer is bad news for the unbeliever. John chapter 3 verse 18 says, "Whoever believes
in Him is not condemned, but the one who does not believe is condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of the only Son of God." The unbeliever is to face full and final
condemnation from God in eternal punishment. But worse, the unbeliever will not just face
that one day, the unbeliever is condemned already because he has not, she has not believed in
the name of the only Son of the living God. But thanks be to God to those who are in Christ
Jesus. "There is therefore now no condemnation." This is a statement of the spiritual,
mystical, intimate union between Christ and the believer.
We are in Christ Jesus, and that is the basis of our assurance. There are many reasons to condemn us, yet there is no condemnation in Christ.
Romans chapter 6 verse 23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Christ is the righteous One. By
saving faith, we are in Christ Jesus. "Therefore, there is no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8 verse 34 asks, "Who is there to condemn? Christ
died. More than that, He is risen again. He is seated at the right hand of God
and He is making intercession for us." And so, the passage begins with the statement
about the believer's true assurance. But secondly, consider with me
"spiritual freedom," "spiritual freedom." Romans chapter 1 verse 4 says that Jesus
Christ our Lord "was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of
holiness by His resurrection from the dead." Romans chapter 5 verse 5 says that hope in
God "does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts by
the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." After Romans chapter 1 verse 4 and Romans chapter
5 verse 5, the Holy Spirit is not mentioned again in this letter until Romans chapter 8
verse 2. Yet, there are some nineteen references to the Holy Spirit between
verse 2 and verse 27 of this chapter. There are in a real sense three
mega themes in Romans chapter 8, three mega themes. The eternal security of the
believer, the sanctification of the believer, and the Spirit's ministry to the
believer. It is in verse 2 now that Paul begins to address the Spirit's ministry
to the believer. And he says in verse 2, "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free
in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." Here, reference to the law is not
a reference to the law of Moses. It is reference to a principle of or
standard or power of control. It in fact assumes coercion the way Paul is
using the term here in verse 2. It is more here than just the principle
that governs; it's a power that controls. And he presents this double statement
about the law to draw a contrast. He says that the law, the controlling
power of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from
the law of sin and death. When you go down to Romans chapter
8 verse 9, the (b) part of the verse says that anyone who does not have the
Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him, but when you trust the Lord
Jesus Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your
heart immediately, completely, and permanently. What is the work of the Holy
Spirit in the life of the believer? Paul here says the Holy
Spirit is the Spirit of life. The Holy Spirit is life-giving, life-changing,
life-filling. And, "The law," he says, "of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." This draws us
back to the end of Romans chapter 7 verse 24 going into verse 25, Paul says, "Wretched man that
I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" This is not merely the testimony of the
Apostle Paul. This is the testimony of every believer who is in Christ. Verse 1 teaches there is no divine condemnation
in Christ Jesus. Verse 2 teaches there is spiritual liberation in Christ Jesus. The law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law, from the controlling power
of sin and death. Sin corrupts; death consumes. It is bad enough to struggle with
the law of sin or death. It is worse to live under the controlling
power of sin and death. But in Christ, Paul says, the law of the Spirit of
life sets us free from the law of sin and death. This does not mean the Christian
no longer has to struggle with sin and death. It means sin and death
does not have the victory over the believer. The law of the Spirit of life has set you free
in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. James Stifler comments here "Gravity never
ceases, but it may be overcome." Hallelujah! This morning I sat at the
gate waiting for my flight to take off to come here to be with you.
As we sat at the gate, gravity was at work, but when we took off and ascended and cruised
at 30,000 feet gravity was still at work but there was a power on the inside of the
plane that overcame gravity's downward pull in a greater, deeper, higher way.
Paul declares, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you
free from the law of sin and death." To run and work the law commands,
yet gives me neither feet nor hands. But better news the gospel brings.
It bids me fly and gives me wings. And so there in the text there is true
assurance. There is secondly spiritual freedom. You consider with me further divine
intervention, divine intervention. Verse 3 says, "For God has done what the
law, weakened by the flesh, could not do." Hallelujah! But Paul is now again changing the
way he is using the term "law," and this is not an unusual way to use language in secular vernacular.
The word "law" can refer to a legal ordinance or a scientific fact. You can use the term different
ways and Paul apparently is doing that here. Here, "law" is not governing, controlling
principle; it is divine standard. He is referring to the law of Moses, and he
is again drawing a contrast and declares that God has done what the law could
not do. God has done what the law could not do. What is it that the law could not do? Verse 1 and
verse 2. The law cannot save us from condemnation. The law cannot set us free from the
controlling power of sin and death. Romans chapter 7 verses 7 and 8 says, "What then
shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would
not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law
had not said, 'You shall not covet.' But sin, seizing an opportunity through
the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart
from the law, sin lies dead." The law can teach us the commands of God. The law
can show us how we should live. It can expose us when we have missed the mark, but it cannot
save us. It cannot make us righteous. It cannot even stimulate us for righteousness.
To the contrary, it stimulates us to sin. Paul said, "I wouldn't even have known what was
covetousness till the law told me not to covet. Then I started coveting all kinds of stuff." Verse 3 of our text is clear.
The problem is not the law. The law is good. The problem is not
the law. The problem is the weakness of our flesh. Let me give you a big
theological word for it: iniquity. Our sinful nature fuels our sinful ways. There is a spiritual perversion
that makes us inclined to do wrong. We have a virus in our software
that makes our hardware malfunction. Thus Romans 7:21 through 23, Paul says, "So I find it to be a law that when
I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inner being,
but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind, making me captive
to the law of sin that dwells in my members." All of us face this reality. Paul says that the law can't
save us because of the weakness of the flesh. The rich young ruler came to Jesus wanting to know
what to do to gain eternal life. Jesus pointed him to the Ten Commandments. And amazingly the rich
young ruler said to Jesus basically, "Is that it? Oh, I've been doing that since I was a child."
Jesus said, "Oh good! One thing is lacking." And it's the truth of all of us. No
matter how good we may think we are, there's something lacking. Personal goodness cannot save us.
Works of the law cannot save us. Keeping the law cannot save us.
Obeying the Ten Commandments cannot save us. Living by the Golden Rule
cannot save us. But God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. This is the
divine intervention of the sovereign grace of God. God has done for us in Christ what
we could never do for ourselves. Ephesians 2:1 says we were dead in sin.
Ephesians 2:2 says we were bound in sin. Ephesians 2:3 says we were condemned in sin.
Then Ephesians 2 verses 4 and 5 says, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His
great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made
us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved." That's our testimony: "But God." What does it mean to be saved? We
see in the text true assurance, spiritual freedom, divine intervention,
fourthly and finally new life, new life. Romans 6 verses 3 and 4 says, "Do you not know that all of us who have
been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by
baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, we too may walk in the newness of life." God has not saved us for us
to continue in our old ways. God has saved us that He may give us new life. And thus, we see at the end of
verse 3 going into verse 4 that justification is married to sanctification. Paul first says a word about the believer's
justification. How is it that God has done for us what the law could not do? Verse 3, the (b) part
says, "By sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned
sin in the flesh." God sent His own son. Patriarchs, priests, prophets were sent from
God, but they did not come to save us. They needed saviors themselves. God sent His own Son.
God sent His own Son. The language hints at the pre-existence of Christ. God sent His
own Son. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God." But God sent His own Son. It is a dishonor to view Christ merely as a great teacher, a great
leader, a great prophet. He is God's own Son. God sent His own Son to save us. Luke 19
verse 10, Jesus says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the
lost." "God sent His own Son," verse 3 says, "in the likeness of sinful flesh and
for sin." Paul chooses his words carefully here. He is not saying that Christ came
only in the likeness of flesh. Jesus was truly God and truly
man, "The Word became flesh." Yet, he is not saying that Christ came in
sinful flesh. Christ came in the flesh, but He was no sinner. Hebrews 4:15, "We do not
have a high priest who cannot sympathize with us in our weakness, but one who was tested, tempted
in every respect as we are, yet without sin." This is the mystery of the incarnation. God sent His own Son in the likeness
of sinful flesh and for sin. Christ did not come merely to be our example;
Christ came to be our substitute. For sin He came. 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For our sake He (God) has
made Him (Christ) to be sin who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in
Him." And thus, He condemned sin in the flesh. John was at the river baptizing all
the sinners and Jesus showed up. And John needed to make it clear that this One is
not just another sinner getting in the water, and thus he declared, "Behold, the Lamb of
God, who takes away the sins of the world! There is a statement about the
believer's justification, but there is further here a statement about the believer's
sanctification. Verse four states the purpose of the incarnation and the atonement of Christ. "In
order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according
to the flesh but according to the Spirit." Justification and sanctification are distinctive works of God. They are not
disconnected works of God. He has justified us by the finished work of Christ
"in order that," says verse four, "the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in
us," not fulfilled by us, but fulfilled in us. Justification is the event. Sanctification
is the process. Justification is the root. Sanctification is the fruit. Justification
is the cause. Sanctification is the effect. The goal of our salvation is not merely that we
could go to heaven. It is that we would be holy. Romans 8:29, "For whom He foreknew
He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be
the firstborn among many brothers." That's God's purpose for the believer, that
we would be conformed to the image of His Son. Like I said the way I like to say it, it is
the will of God to have the Spirit of God use the Word of God to make the children
of God look like the Son of God. Augustine said the law is given that grace
might be sought and grace is given that the law might be fulfilled. Verses 1 to 2 describe
the believer as being in Christ Jesus. Now, the believer is described another way at
the end of verse 4, "Who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
This is an explanation, not an exhortation. He describes the believer as those who walk not according to the flesh
but according to the Spirit. The evidence of conversion is new life. God, the indwelling presence of the life-giver
King will change the way you walk. What a metaphor for Christian living! It's a walk.
"Walk" means I'm on the path. Furthermore, "walk" means I'm making
progress. Hallelujah! Haven't arrived yet, but I'm making progress. "Walk" means
I'm headed toward the destination. Believers are those who walk not according
to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Galatians chapter 5 verse 22 and 23
says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, patience, peace, goodness,
kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control; against such there is no law." Glory to God! Father, thank You for Your Word tonight. Thank you that there is no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus. He has paid it all by His blood and righteousness. You have
settled our sin debt, declared us righteous, given us a new standing before You, and
by Your Holy Spirit You have set us free. You've done it. You've done
what we cannot do for ourselves. You've done what the law could not
do, being weakened by the flesh. You've done it for us by sending Your Son
who died at the cross and rose from the dead that by faith in Him Your righteous requirements
might be fulfilled in us to Your glory. Help us to walk out these truths in the
name of Jesus and for Your glory. Amen.
