The Promised Blessings of those in Christ!
Romans 8:1-39
Those in Christ will not be Condemned (8:1-17)
Those in Christ will not be Forgotten (8:18-34)
Those in Christ will not be Separated (8:35-39)
Good morning.
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We are back into our Series, “Summer in Rome” after taking a week off for our family Sunday and Jonah.
I want to just kind of recap where we have been so far.
Recap
We started out learning that the gospel is the power of God for salvation and for righteous living. And we saw that there is no excuse for those who will stand before God one day who do not believe in Christ and who are trusting in anything besides Christ for their salvation.
We also saw that for those who reject God, there are consequences that show up as evil and sin continues to expand throughout our life and society.
Paul goes on to explain that there is absolutely no one who deserves any of the blessings God has to offer, but that he gives them freely to those who trust him in faith and that this is the way it has always been, even back to Abraham.
Then Paul discusses the dual nature of the Christian and the relationship between the Christian and the law saying we are not under the law but under grace and he describes the war that is going on between the sinful nature and the spiritual nature and the battle between living in your own power and living in the power of the Spirit.
Chapter 7 kind of ends on this note of life is going to be a constant battle between the evil I don’t want to do and the good that my spirit desires to do.
Now, if you would turn with me to Romans chapter 8,
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we will see that Paul begins by telling his readers that even though this battle is faced, those in Christ can be assured by some incredible promises!
Let’s read chapter 8 and then get a big picture overview of the incredible blessings that those in Christ have!
Romans 8
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 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. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 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.
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. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
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. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 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.
12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 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, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Pray
Now if the book of Romans has been described as the gold ring of Christianity, Chapter 8 could be described as the diamond of that ring.
Paul takes us from the warring between flesh and spirit that we experience while we are still in these bodies, to sharing with us some of the unbelievable blessings that are promised to those who are in Christ!
And he begins by telling us that
Those in Christ will not be Condemned at his return!
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Romans 8:1-2
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
This is a truth and blessing that we often forget.
We often think that when we sin, we are going to face condemnation.
Venial vs. Mortal sins
I grew up in a religious system that categorized sins as mortal vs. venial.
Big, serious sins were mortal sins. Lesser sins were venial. The mortal sins, if you committed them, would lead to eternal condemnation, if you died without first confessing them and offering Penance for them.
This belief in certain sins condemning us while other sins do not, is contrary to the teaching of Scripture.
Paul just finished chapter 7 saying he still battles sin and does the things he doesn’t want to do and doesn’t do the things that his inner man, his spirit, wants to do. And now, even though that is going on inside him, says that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.”
Christ has died to pay for your sins. The sins you have committed beforehand, the sins you just committed, the sins you will commit in the future.
There is no condemnation if you are in Christ, if you have received him as your Savior.
Jesus affirms this same truth in John 3:16-18.
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John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
The truth is there is only one sin that will cause condemnation and that is the sin of unbelief, the sin of not receiving the one and only way to a relationship with God, and that is through Jesus Christ.
Those who are in Christ will not be condemned. Those who do not receive Christ will be condemned.
Transition
There are many people who have struggled with verses 5-17 trying to determine where they are in this. They have trusted in Christ but are still battling sinful thoughts, so they think they have “the mind of sinful man.”
He is not saying those who sin are controlled by the sinful nature. We have already seen that all of us still sin and Paul still sinned. No, Paul here is contrasting a person who is a believer in Christ with someone who has not received Christ as Savior.
He even tells the Romans in verse 9
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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. 10
Even though we battle sinful thoughts, just as Paul revealed he battled these thoughts and actions in chapter 7, the very fact that it is a battle is evidence of Christ in us.
Grace is challenging
Now this thing called grace was challenging to a lot of people.
There were some who thought that if we are saved solely by grace, and that Christ died for all our sins, past, present and future, then we can go on sinning in the future without consequence.
Paul addressed this in chapter 6. He said by no means. We have died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?
Does this mean we will not sin? No. But it does mean that sinning is going to be a battle.
If we can sin and not face a battle inside ourselves, if we don’t face the conviction of the Lord when we sin, we should examine ourselves to see if the Spirit of God really lives in us.
Paul tells us that those who are in Christ will have the Spirit of God.
And if we have Christ, by daily focusing on that relationship and His love for us, we can be strengthened to overcome temptation and live in a way that will glorify Him by sinning less and less as we rely on the spirit.
Paul goes on beginning in verse 8:15, telling them
Romans 8:15-17
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15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
We are heirs with Christ and because He was condemned for our sin, and those who have received Him, will not face condemnation.
This is one of the most unbelievable blessings of all. We are not going to be condemned because of our sin. We have been given life in Christ instead! Praise the Lord.
But not only will we not face condemnation,
Those in Christ will not be Forgotten while on earth!
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Romans 8:18-34
There are times that we may feel like the Lord has forgotten us, especially when we are suffering through difficult times in our life.
“Lord where are you?” “Don’t you hear my prayers?” “Have you forgotten me?”
We feel this way at times not because we have been forgotten by the Lord, but because we have forgotten His word.
We have been told throughout Scripture that we will face suffering and trouble.
Jesus told us in John 16:33 –
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In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:12-13, not to be “surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
No, Scripture is clear that we are going to face suffering. But Paul’s view of this suffering is that it is “not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
As we keep our focus on the glory to come, the Holy Spirit strengthens us in our suffering so that we might persevere through times of suffering to the glory of God and rely more and more on Him in an ever deepening relationship.
Good life = no reliance
The reality for us is that when life is going along well, we tend not to rely on God, but ourselves. Relying on ourselves, on our own strength is not glorifying to the Lord.
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12 that the Lord had given him a thorn in his flesh, not because the Lord did not love Paul and had forgotten about him, but to help Paul rely on the Spirit of God more and more
The Lord said to Him as he prayed and asked for this thorn to be removed,
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"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
So what does Paul do then? He doesn’t think God has forgotten him. Instead, he says
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Realize that in our times of suffering, we have not been forgotten. On the contrary, we are being given the opportunity to have Christ’s power rest on us and to be strong!
Paul tells us in the Romans passage here in Romans 8:26-28
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that the “Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:26-28)
The Spirit of God is strengthening us in our weakness and making us strong in Him. We are being purified, and matured, and these trials and sufferings are not only maturing us, but Paul tells us here that God takes all things, everything that goes on in our life, the good, the bad, the painful suffering, and He takes it and works it out for good for those who love Him.
Joseph
Joseph is a great example of God taking what others meant for evil and working it out for good.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. They hated him and wanted to be rid of him.
But God was with Joseph and directed things so that he would end up in Potipher’s house.
Great, but Potiphers wife wrongly accuses Joseph of trying to take advantage of her and Joseph is then thrown into jail. But the Scripture tells us that God is with Joseph.
Joseph interprets the dreams of the baker and butler correctly but then the butler forgets about Joseph and for another 2 years, Joseph sits in jail.
All of this occurs over 13 years and then finally God exalts Joseph to the second highest position in Egypt.
But Joseph recognizes all of this as God’s work and when Joseph has an opportunity to get back at his brothers who caused all those 13 years of slavery and jail, he says to them
Genesis 50:20
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You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
God has not forgotten us in our suffering. On the contrary! God wants to draw us closer and deeper into relationship with Him. He is using the trials and tribulations in our life not only to purify and strengthen us, but He is taking it all and using it for the “good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (v. 8:28)
Oh how Go loves us.
And He not only loves us now, but Paul affirms for us that
Those in Christ will not be Separated from His love ever
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Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We all want to be loved. Satan wants you to believe that God does not love you. If you sin or do something wrong, God takes his love away from you.
That is not true. God loves you and nothing will separate you from His love if you are in Christ, if you have received Jesus as your Savior.
Because when you receive Christ, the Father seals you with the Holy Spirit and when He looks at you, He sees His own Son who has sacrificed for you and died for your sins.
God’s love for you and me is not some emotional feeling.
It is an act of His will that is demonstrated in the sacrifice of His son.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son… (John 3:16)
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God loves you and has not just said it, but showed us through His actions toward us.
Through sacrifice, through His presence so that we might not face condemnation, but have eternal life instead and experience life to the full regardless of circumstances, regardless of suffering we face. God has not forgotten you, but is working to draw you deeper into relationship with Him so that in any and every situation you can have peace and joy.
We have got to keep our focus on Him, however, if we are going to experience that fully on earth.
But that all begins with a continual realization that God has loved us greatly and continues to love us and that nothing can ever separate us from His love.
Receiving Christ and being in Christ guarantees our eternity, guarantees that we will not be forgotten and guarantees that we will never be separated from the love of God.
Conclusion
Are you in Christ? Have you received Him as Savior?
The Scriptures tell us that we become His child when we receive Christ, when we believe in His name.
John 1:12
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— NIV
Romans 10:9
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. NIV
The Lord has promised blessings to those who are in Christ.
That we will not face condemnation, that we will never be forgotten, and that we will never be separated from His love.
If you have never trusted in Jesus and received Him as Savior, why don’t you receive Him today by confessing that belief to Him.
Let’s pray
