Breaking The Chains Of Bondage

BREAKING THE CHAINS OF BONDAGE

The word bondage come from the Greek word “douleuo” doolyoo’-o which means to be a slave to (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary): KJV -- be in bondage, (do) serve(-ice). It comes from the word doulos -- pronounced: doo’-los, which means a slave (literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): KJV -- bond(-man), servant.

We have all been in bondage of some kind in our lives, some of us still are. We have become slaves of bondage to a variety of things in our everyday lives. It can be alcohol, drugs, hate, jealousy, or any other thing that keeps you separated from the love and inheritance of God. I want to use the book of Romans and look into how we can break those chains of bondage by using God’s word.

Let’s pray

Romans 8:1-17

1-4

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I. The first verse is so key and is something you need to know

A. Pastor Ed touched on it last Saturday night when he was here

B. Believers may be chastened by the Lord, but will not be condemned with the world.

1. No condemnation for those in Christ

2. God does not put you down or hate you

3. He will correct and convict you of sin

a. Jesus took all our sins on the cross

b. As a loving Father he convicts us of our mistakes

c. But not for ever; confess it and it’s forgotten

II. The second verse points to the law of the spirit

A. What is the principle of their walk; the flesh or the Spirit, the old or the new nature, corruption or grace?

1. Which one are you walking by?

a. Walking by the flesh means walking in darkness of sin

1. Corruption and despair of sin

2. Obstacles of sin keeping you from your inheritance

b. Walking by the Spirit is walking in the sunshine of God

1. The promise of help and strength during trouble

2. The spiritual path to all the your needs

3. We can come before God’s throne for help in times of trouble

4. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

III. God did what the law could not do

A. God showed his hate for sin by the sufferings of his Son in the flesh, that the believer would be pardoned and justified.

B. This was God’s total condemnation for sin through His son

C. Thus satisfaction was made to Divine justice, and the way of salvation opened for the sinner.

1. The law could not be fulfilled by us but by Christ alone

2. There needed to be a perfect sacrifice to cover our sins

3. It was fulfilled for us; this the belief of all true believers

4. The intent of God was the welfare of our eternal soul

a. Those of the spirit are concerned about the pleasures eternity

b. Those of the flesh are concerned about pleasures of here and now

5-8 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

IV. It depends on what your mind is set on

A. Which way do our thoughts move with most pleasure?

1. Those who have bondage of the flesh have one set of pleasures

a. Worldly things and material things

b. Carnal things of fleshly pleasures

c. Those that live in the sin of bondage are dead

2. Those who focus on the Spirit focus on spiritual pleasures

a. Others are alive to the God and have His promise of inheritance

3. By the grace of God that have a sanctified living soul