The sermon 'No Condemnation for those Who are in Christ Jesus' by Jason Dohm focuses on Romans 8, emphasizing that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. The sermon is divided into three sections: verses 1-4 highlight the concept of no condemnation and life through the Spirit; verses 5-11 explore the contrast between living according to the flesh and the Spirit; and verses 12-17 discuss the concept of sonship through the Spirit and the inheritance believers have with Christ. A significant emphasis is placed on the role of the Holy Spirit, mentioned 18 times in this chapter, as freeing believers from the law of sin and death and sanctifying them. The sermon argues against the idea of 'carnal Christians' and emphasizes that the Holy Spirit bears fruit in the lives of believers. It also distinguishes between condemnation and conviction of sin, asserting that while there is no condemnation, believers will continue to experience conviction leading to repentance. The sermon underscores the necessity of cooperating with the Holy Spirit in sanctification, as a response to God's grace. Finally, it highlights the believers' adoption as children of God, their inheritance with Christ, and the expectation of suffering alongside Christ as part of their spiritual journey.

If you would turn with me to Romans 8, start in verse 1, and read through the end of the chapter. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin. He condemns sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, He is not His.

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For If you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, But you receive the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves grown within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope, but for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined, to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified. But what then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?

It is God who justifies Who is he who condemns it is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen? Who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written, for your sake We are killed all the day long.

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Heavenly Father we thank you for your word We thank you that we can trust it, that it is sufficient for everything that we need. Lord, I pray for Jason as he comes to bring your words to us that He would speak boldly, that You would give Him the words to say, Lord, I pray that You would show us areas where we don't please You, that You would change our thinking, and that we would please You with our lives.

In Jesus' name, Amen. Well, good morning, friends. How's the sound? Is it coming through OK? Now we turn towards the sermon for today out of Romans 8.

Rick read the whole chapter. And you can be thankful that we're not tackling the whole chapter today. But we are tackling 1-17 and it is a magnificent passage and it centers around what we get in the first phrase of the book. There's no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Last week Scott talked about the end of chapter 7 verses 13-25 in chapter 7.

And Paul in that section has been describing this great conflict that we can hopefully all identify with that is being waged between our mortal bodies which still has its lust that war within us, that call to us to be obeyed, and that is at war with our inward man, which wills to do good and delights in the law of God." I just love one of the comments that Matthew Henry made about last week's text. He's just very frank. He admits that it's a difficult text to discern whether this is talking about Paul before he was saved, or whether it's talking about an unregenerate person or a regenerate person. And he says this, and I think it's very convincing. He's talking about this text that we just studied last week.

He said, so far does the evil prevail here when he speaks of one sold under sin, doing it, not performing that which is good, that it seems difficult to apply it to the regenerate, who are described to walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. And yet, so far does the good prevail in hating sin, Consenting to the law, delighting in it, serving the law of God with the mind that it is more difficult to apply it to the unregenerate that are dead in trespasses and sins. And I think what Matthew Henry says here will be strongly reinforced here in chapter 8. What we're going to see in chapter 8 is that the unregenerate mind does not delight in the law of God in any way. And it helps us think back about this passage from chapter 7.

Paul is addressing in this passage from last week in chapter 7, Paul is addressing the reality that sometimes we don't act like what we are. As in the case of Abraham, Abraham's declared righteousness, except we've got the record. And we know that after Abraham is declared righteous, we've got all sorts of interesting stories about Abraham, don't we? Where he doesn't act like what he's declared to be, where he is acting faithless and he's calling his wife his sister and doing all sorts of things that we would say is happening in a regenerative man? Yes, it is.

God is making progress in Abraham. But there are also times where we find ourselves offering our members as instruments of unrighteousness, which Paul has also addressed in Romans. But be that as it may, Paul ends chapter 7 in this way. This is the last verse of last week's text. He says, Oh wretched man that I am!

Who can save me from this body of death?" He doesn't leave the question hanging out there, he answers it and says, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And so this is where we pick up in chapter 8. And we'll be splitting these 17 verses that we're covering this week into three sections and we'll be looking at each section in detail verse by verse. And here are the three sections. We'll keep 1 through 4 together.

They really hang together nicely. And it talks about no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. And that we've been given life through the Spirit. And the second section is verses 5 through 11. And it talks about these two states.

There's one state of being in the flesh, walking in the flesh, and there's another state that's being in the Spirit or walking in the Spirit. And then lastly, in verses 12 through 17, we'll be talking about sonship through the Spirit and what that means for sanctification and that we have an inheritance with Christ. Verses 12-17 will really just send us into hyperspace and praise to God as we see that we are co-heirs with Christ. So that's how our time today will be divided. And before we start with the text, one significant point that should be mentioned now so that we're really attuned and we're looking for it as we work our way through the passages is the overwhelming emphasis on the Holy Spirit in chapter 8.

In chapters 1 through 7, the Holy Spirit has been mentioned one time. Are you awake? In chapters 1 through 7, the Holy Spirit has been mentioned one time. In chapter 1 verse 4, the Holy Spirit is mentioned nowhere else in chapter 1-7. Now we get to chapter 8.

And in this one chapter, the Holy Spirit is mentioned 18 times and 14 of those are in the text that we're covering today. The work of the Holy Spirit is everywhere in this chapter and in our text today the Holy Spirit is freeing us from the law of sin and death and He's sanctifying us and He's leading us and He's testifying within us to our adoption as God's children. This is a passage about the work of the Holy Spirit. It's not really about us at all. It's about the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

And lastly, we find that really there's nothing new in Chapter 8. Everything that we'll touch on today and in the coming weeks until we finish Chapter 8 are concepts and themes that have been introduced by Paul earlier in Romans, and that now he's expanding on them and really giving his own exposition on themes that have already been introduced. So we won't really see a lot that is new, but we'll see them further developed. Before we embark on the verse by verse, look at this passage. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we know how dependent we are to You for all things, even looking at your word, especially looking at your word. We rely on the Holy Spirit to come and be our tutor and convince us of the rightness of it and to help us to understand it and most of all to cause us to be not just hearers of it but doers of it. And so we pray that the Holy Spirit would be free among us to work in us that which is pleasing in your sight. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

So verses 1-4, you really need to have your finger in chapter 8 because we're going to continue to go back to it. We'll be looking at the actual phrases in the text, so please remain there. I'll read verses 1-4 again. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, and that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin. He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." So now we have verse 1 on the screen in isolation because verse 1 frames everything that will be discussed in chapter 8 and the entire chapter hinges on a proper understanding of verse 1. And it's a verse that can be interpreted in two very different ways, and so it's critical that we get it right. The first part of the verse is very glorious, but it's also pretty self-explanatory. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

It's the second part that requires some thought and some carefulness. And really it's a good case study for hermeneutics or the principles that we should be using to properly interpret Scripture. And This is the phrase, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. We need to determine about this phrase if it's a description of those who are in Christ Jesus, that it tells us something that is a reality about those who are in Christ Jesus, or if it serves as a qualification that splits those who are in Christ Jesus into two groups. One group that does walk according to the Spirit and one group that does not walk according to the Spirit.

How we interpret this, whether we decide that it's a description of those who are in Christ Jesus, or whether it's a qualifier that splits into two groups, is going to color, completely color, how we view the rest of the chapter because it's an interpretive lens on the whole rest of the chapter. A first good question is, when we're looking at text and deciding what the proper interpretation is, a first good question is, what does the text require? What does the text require? And often that's a question that exposes biases that we bring to the text. We find ourselves sometimes reading things into the text that it doesn't require, that are a possible interpretation, but the text doesn't require.

And they're things that are at odds with the broader, clearer teaching of Scripture. And I think we're in danger of that here because in the modern church there is a lot of teaching about the carnal Christian. Have you ever heard teaching about the carnal Christian? And some of these things we would embrace and We would say yes. We would say holiness is important.

Yes. And it's important for Christians who are in sin to repent and return to the Lord and obey the Lord. Yes, we would affirm all these things. But at the heart of that teaching, it says there are Christians out there and there's never any progress in their life, because they're the carnal Christians. They're not the ones who are, quote unquote, walking in the Spirit.

They're carnal Christians. Brothers and sisters, That is baloney. That is a doctrine that says when the Holy Spirit of God indwells a person that it's possible for him to not generate any fruit in a life. This is doctrine that must be rejected. And So one thing we'll acknowledge about this first verse, and particularly this phrase, is that this text by itself doesn't require either interpretation.

In other words, you can't look at this verse in isolation and make a judgment on which it is, whether it's a description or whether it's a qualifier. And so what do we do when that happens? It happens quite frequently, actually. So it's good to know what we should do when that happens. First, we look at the immediate context.

There's a paragraph before this one. There's a paragraph after it. And the author is always making a case. He's building a teaching on things that are interrelated. So when we want to look at how to properly interpret any verse, we look at the immediate context to see how it interrelates with the other things the author is saying in close proximity to that verse.

Secondly, we look at what the author's driving at in the book. Romans has some overarching themes that drive the theology of Romans. And we should see how the possible interpretations match up with and interrelate with the overarching themes. And thirdly, we look at the broad sweep of Scripture and say, what does the Scripture teach in this category? So that's what we're going to do here.

And I'm going to argue, and I'm going to argue quite violently actually, that this phrase is simply a description of those who are in Christ Jesus and not at all a qualifier that splits Christians into two groups. So as we embark on this task, first of all, I just want to acknowledge that I'm setting aside, completely setting aside the fact that most modern Bibles don't even have this phrase that's in question in the Bible. If you have an NASD in front of you, or an ESD, or a Holman Christian Standard, if you have an NIV in your lap, all you see is there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. And it totally truncates the second part. You don't even have it in your Bible if you have one of those versions.

We happen to be working out of the New King James, so we have this added phrase. And the reason is that the base text that the New King James is based on has it, but older texts and what modern textual critics have decided are older and better texts don't have this phrase at all. But we're just going to set that argument aside and we're going to say that it doesn't really matter which modern Bible you have in your lap, that really the meaning of it is the same. And what I want to do is first turn to the immediate context. And so we're going to go to verse 9 and verse 14, and I'm going to say that those are the key to understanding this in the immediate context, because those verses define those who are in Christ Jesus and consequently those who are not in Christ Jesus.

Let's look at these two verses. Verse 9, but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. So we learn something about those who are in Christ in verse 9. And it's that if you're in Christ, you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

And if you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, you're not in the flesh, but you're in the Spirit. Now I want to couple that with verse 14 so we can see them all in the same view. Verse 14 says this, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. You see what verse 14 is saying? As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

In other words, sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. There's not another kind of sons of God. When the Spirit of God takes up residence in a man or in a woman or in a child, He leads. It doesn't say, for as many as follow the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. That would put the initiative completely on man's side, and that's not how it is.

It says, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, These are the sons of God. And if we broaden out and we get outside the immediate text and we say, what does Romans say? Well, the context of Romans is about what? It's about justification by grace alone through faith alone. And so, if condemnation for our sin is only turned aside if we can somehow muster up a consistent walk in the Spirit, if our effort can produce the right consistency in walking in the Spirit.

What is that? What is that? That's not salvation by grace alone, through faith alone. This is about the work of the Holy Spirit and not us. And it's very easy to take this verse and this phrase and turn it into a very subtle work salvation, isn't it?

Where Our, quote unquote, walking by the Spirit, our efforts to walk in the Spirit becomes the thing that pulls us out of the path of God's wrath and not the work of Christ and His righteousness imputed to us aside from any merit of our own. Here's what Romans 5 says, Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. Peace with God, no condemnation. It's a tight linkage between the beginning of chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 8. There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

This is peace with God. And this is what Paul is saying in Romans 5.1 as well. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." We get outside of the book of Romans, we start looking for what Jesus said about the topic. A good place to go is John 3, where Jesus talks about salvation, where He talks about God's love for the world and people believing on Him. And He says this in John 3, 18.

He who believes in Him, this is believing in Jesus, He who believes in Jesus is not condemned. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son. So strongly believe that if we look inside this passage and we look at the overarching themes of Romans, and then we look across the broad sweep of Scripture, we see something very consistent and we can confidently affirm that this phrase, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit, is a simple description of those who are in Christ Jesus.

And now that we've looked extensively at the second part, let's go back and glory in the first part. Brothers and sisters, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. We've earned a verdict, brothers and sisters. It's a guilty verdict. That's what we've earned.

And yet, the wrath of God and the right penalty for the verdict has been turned aside, that we wouldn't pay it for ourselves and stand condemned as we deserve to be condemned, but that that verdict, that penalty would be turned aside and applied to the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross that we would walk free, acquitted. This should cause our hearts to rise up in praise and thankfulness to God. One last point. As we look at this first verse, as glorious as it is, let's not confuse no condemnation with no conviction for sin. Chapter 8 verse 1 is not saying, there is therefore now no conviction for sin for those who are in Christ Jesus.

And that would be totally contrary to chapter 7 And to a later section of our text today, Matthew Henry says something very beautiful about this. And even though it acknowledges that there is still conviction for sin, it's so freeing and refreshing to read these words. He says this, and he's referring back to the end of chapter 7. This is his triumph after that melancholy complaint and conflict in the foregoing chapter. Sin remaining, disturbing, vexing, but blessed be God, not ruining.

He does not say there is nothing in them that deserves condemnation. For this there is, and they see it and own it and mourn over it and condemn themselves for it, but it shall not be their ruin. They may be chastened of the Lord, but not condemned with the world." Do You ever find yourself confusing the two? There's no condemnation. We see conviction of sin, oh I'm so condemned.

No, you're just convicted of your sin. You ought to be convicted of your sin. It leads you to repentance so that there will be times of refreshing. This is a great blessing from the Holy Spirit. There is a morbid introspection that causes us to dwell on our sin more than we should and causes us to remain as if we were under condemnation, but we shouldn't confuse no condemnation with no conviction of sin.

I'm confident we'll continue to receive chastening from the Lord. That conviction from the Holy Spirit about our sin is going to remain a part of our experience this side of heaven. And then in verse 2, Paul says, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. He starts this out by saying four. There's a reason that there's no condemnation pointing back to verse 1.

There's a reason that there's no condemnation. What is that reason? It's because the law of The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. I think the Holman Christian Standard has a very interesting rendering here. It just shuffles the word a little bit and it just gives you a different angle on it.

And the Holman Christian standard renders it this way. The Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. The Spirit's law of life. It was a law of sin and death, but now it's a law of life. There's a new principle that's governing.

It's not law as in written commandment. You'd have a hard time searching your Bible for something that directly calls itself the law of life, thou shalt have life. But it's an overriding principle. When Paul says law here, that's what he's talking about. It's the overriding principle like gravity is.

Like if you drop a quarter you know which direction it's heading. Every time, it's never any deviation, and that's what Paul is saying here. There is a law of life, like the law of gravity. It's an overriding principle that those who are in Christ Jesus had been set free from the law of sin and death. You know, before you came to Christ, it was a different law.

And it was a law where you got what you deserved, where wages were paid for the work done. And the wages of sin is death. And if you had violated the law in one part, you had broken it in every part. That was the law that was governing then. The wages of sin is death.

And You'd sinned and you had your wages coming to you. But now Paul said there's a new principle. It's the law of life. Why? Because we've shined ourselves up?

No, don't be absurd. It's not that. It's because the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us and the sin, the wages that we deserve have been imputed to Him. And so what we see in verse 2 is that this is not simply the absence of a negative. No condemnation.

It was bad, but now it's not going to be bad. It's not just the absence of the negative, but it's the piling on of a glorious positive. There's life in Christ Jesus. It's not just being acquitted, now on your way. You're not guilty anymore.

Make your own way. No. It's life in Christ Jesus. It's a life that has joy, that has peace, that has comfort from the Holy Spirit, that has fellowship, that has family, where we never had family before. Look around the room.

What are the blessings of life in Christ Jesus? It's not just the not guilty plea, But it's the lavishing on of the blessings of life in Christ Jesus. And then, Paul talks in verses 3 and 4 about the inability of the law to do what Christ did. The law could not, cannot, will not do what Jesus Christ came to do. Not because of any defect in the law.

Paul says it's not the law's fault. But there's a weakness there because of the sinfulness of our own flesh. Paul sheds light on this in Galatians 3. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not, for if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

But the Scripture has confined all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. That after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. The law is great for diagnosing.

The law can put its finger on the problem, so that sin becomes utterly sinful, is what Paul says. This is one of the benefits of the law. This is a key use of the law. Sin in our own eyes would become utterly sinful. It diagnoses the problem.

But if you take the problem that the law has identified, and you try to use the law to fix it. Watch out! There's nothing but heartache there. The law can diagnose, but if you take the thing that the law is pointing to, that it's identified, you try to fix it with the law. Romans tells us a lot about that.

And the law is unable to do it. Wasn't made for it. Was never intended for it. It cannot be used for it. So Paul says, oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you in Galatians?

Having begun by the Spirit, will you now be perfected by the flesh? May it never be." And then Paul returns to the topic of condemnation in 4. And this time, he says that there is condemnation. But it's not for those who are in Christ Jesus, it's for sin. Sin is condemned.

In chapter 5, Paul talks at length about the reign of death through sin. Death is reigning through sin. And here in chapter 8, he proclaims that for those who are in Christ Jesus, that that reign is over. The reign of death through sin is over. Sin is condemned and Jesus Christ is able to deliver us from this body of death.

Hallelujah. Next section, starting in verse 5, 5 through 11. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be.

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Look at this passage.

When you look at the passage, it's definitely a fair question to ask, is this a parallel passage to the end of chapter 7? Is Paul reiterating and re-teaching what he taught at the end of chapter 7, because it has some level of similarities that might cause us to suspect that. It's a parallel passage. But I think that in the light of verse 9, and let's look at that again, Verse 9 says, but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And I keep bringing us back to this verse because I think it so clearly defines the terms that Paul is using. It helps us keep our wits about us as we look at some things that could be confusing. And Paul in verse 9 says, if you're in Christ you have the Holy Spirit within you. If you have the Holy Spirit within you, then you're in the Spirit, period.

End of discussion. Read everything else in light of that. So in light of verse 9, And also in light of the fact that the state described in this text has a mind that is enmity with God, which is at war with God, which is something that's completely at odds with what we saw in verse 7, isn't it? Verse 7 said, Paul's describing as inward man, and he said, his inward man delights in the law of God. Here in chapter 8, that is not what Paul is talking about.

This is not someone who is inward man, delighting of God. It's someone who has a mind that is enmity with God. So I think I can say with confidence that these are not parallel passages that are just teaching the same thing. And there's broad agreement from the commentators that the state described here in this section as living according to the flesh and as being in the flesh is an unregenerate state. It's not any more complex than that.

Living according to the flesh, being in the flesh, is an unregenerate state, not saved, Not yet born again. And Jesus helps us to understand this also in John 3. John 3 is a great text to put alongside Romans to help us to understand it. Jesus says, that which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the flesh is flesh.

And that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. In other words, there's two very different states here. It's not even different states, it's different kingdoms. Those who are born of the flesh, they're in the flesh.

And that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. So that what's required is a total rebirth, is to be born again. Galatians 5 says this, you've seen this a hundred times, welcome to the 101st. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." You see right here at the beginning, these things are a fruit of the spirit. They're not a result of our own efforts, our own will. And also, that we're to be engaged here as well. Not that we're not even in the picture.

It's not a picture where we don't exist, but it's a picture where the Spirit has the lead role. The Spirit is the guarantor of the results, not our own efforts. And the Spirit brings forth fruit, and here's what the fruit looks like. And yet, even within the same passage, there's a call and exhortation for us to not work against the Spirit, but as He's producing fruit in us to support that, to engage in that. And so it's a perfect passage to help us today, because we see these two dynamics in play.

One, that those who are Christ, those who are in Christ Jesus, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit who is effective. I've said this once, but I'll say it again now. The case doesn't exist where the almighty Spirit of God dwells in a man and bears no fruit. That's nonsensical. Who could conceive of such a thing that the Spirit of God would take up residence in a person and then no fruit would ever come forth.

How logical is that? And yet, also, that there's this second thing that's wedded to that, not in opposition, but married to it, that there's an exhortation to us that are in Christ to walk in the Spirit, to act like what we are. We've been declared righteous. Now, act righteous. There's a debt, and we're going to come back to this in Romans.

There's a debt of gratitude. Not a debt of earning salvation, but a debt of gratitude for the pronouncement that God has made. That though we deserve condemnation, we've been freed from it. Verse 5, for those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh. For those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Verse 6, for to be carnally minded is death, But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Life in the Spirit being spiritually minded is life and peace. It's life and peace. And this takes us where? It takes us right back to verses 1 and 2.

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. What is that? That's peace. No condemnation is peace with God. You didn't have peace with God, you had war with God.

That's a very dangerous position to be in, but you're not in that position anymore if you're in Christ Jesus. There's no condemnation, there's life, There's peace. And then verse 2, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. There's life and peace. He's saying again here in the second section.

He's affirming in the second section what He said in the first. There's life and peace. There's no condemnation and there's life in the spirit. You're beginning to see how all this fits together. It takes a while.

There's a lot of terms. You have to be careful and let the author define the terms and then work carefully through, keep the things that are clear in focus and use those things that are clear as lenses to see the other things through. And then all of a sudden you start to see how these things interrelate to each other and it becomes this beautiful consistent teaching of what Paul is saying. Verse 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be.

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Paul says this so clearly to the Corinthians. "...But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned." Before salvation comes to a man or a woman or a child, they're in this natural state that is even unable, never mind about willing, willing is not even on the table. They're unable to receive the things of God because they are spiritually discerned. And this is what Paul is saying in Romans 8, that the carnal mind is enmity against God, that it is not subject to God, nor can it be. John MacArthur has a very helpful comment here.

He says, The unbeliever's problem is much deeper than acts of disobedience, which are merely outward manifestations of inner fleshly compulsions. His basic inclinations and orientation toward gratifying himself, however outwardly religious or moral he may appear, are directly hostile to God. Even the good deeds unbelievers perform are not truly a fulfillment of God's law." Did you hear that? I'm going to re-read that. "...even the good deeds unbelievers perform are not truly a fulfillment of God's law, because they are produced by the flesh for selfish reasons and from a heart that is in rebellion." And here John MacArthur is lining up with what Paul will say further on in Romans 14.23, for whatever is not from faith is what?

Sin. Whatever is not from faith is sin. So when the hypocrites in Matthew 6 are doing their quote unquote good deeds, and they're giving money, and they're praying, and they're fasting, they're actually sinning even while they do them they're sinning in their quote-unquote good deeds because and and this is the Achilles heel of good person theology. And it's everywhere, so you know what I mean when I say good person theology. They're very moral.

They're a good person. How could they go to hell? They're a good person. Really. All the the quote unquote good deeds done by quote unquote moral people who are not in Christ are simply sustaining them, propping them up in their rebellion against Almighty God.

Their consciences are comforted that they're doing things that are good and moral, and they're sustaining themselves in their rebellion against Almighty God, their Creator. They have no interest in serving God Almighty who made them and gave them a life. But their consciences are eased by doing good things. It's so prevalent. We need to be armed for bear out there to take on good person theology anywhere we see it.

Because It's such a deterrent to the Gospel that people would think that being in some ways moral and giving money and praying and fasting, doing religious things or good things to other people could Bring them any merit before a holy God. That's why people don't turn to Christ. They're suppressing the truth in their unrighteousness. They're thinking according to the wrong standards. They want to be more moral than their neighbor and be justified by that.

When the standard is Christ, never sin. Matthew Henry says this, and it helps us understand how flesh and spirit relate, because there is a connection as we saw in Romans 7. �All the saints have flesh and spirit in them, But to be in the flesh and to be in the spirit are contrary. It denotes our being overcome and subdued by one of these principles. The Spirit visits many that are unregenerate with his motions, which they resist and quench.

But in all that are sanctified he dwells. There he resides and rules. He is there as a man at his own house, where He is constant and welcome and has the dominion. Shall we put this question to our own hearts? Who dwells?

Who rules? Who keeps house here? And now Paul sends us out of this section with a great hope, saying in verse 10, And if Christ is in you, The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. Verse 11, but if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your moral bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." Yes, yes, we are still tied to this body of death, which has its lusts, And these lusts want to be obeyed. But verse 11 is a great promise for our future.

A promise which Paul consistently teaches. Consider these parallel passages. Romans 8. This will be probably in next week's teaching. Paul goes on to talk a lot about this, and one of the things he says is in this verse, not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves, grown within ourselves, eagerly awaiting the adoption, the redemption of our body.

There's a promise that even though we're still tied to these dead bodies, these bodies of death, that there's going to be a redemption of this body. Last section. We're almost there. Where are we? If I don't know, I can't expect you to know, can I?

All right. 823. Alright, 823. Okay, yes. It's very disorienting.

Sorry about that. Look in your Bibles at verse 12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God, And if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together." Paul starts out by saying, Therefore, brethren, he's pointing back to these beginning sections of the chapter, as a result of these things, brethren, as a consequence of these things, brethren, that you're not condemned, That you do have life in Christ Jesus. That your mortal bodies will be resurrected at a great day in the future. Live like it!

Therefore, brethren, You're not condemned. You do have life. Your bodies will be redeemed and resurrected. Live like it. You're debtors to the gracious mercies of Almighty God.

Now live like it. Brothers and sisters, Paul calls us debtors. Not to the flesh, to live that way. But the gracious mercies of Almighty God have made us debtors. To live in a way that would be pleasing to God.

It's a call to holiness. And He calls us in verse 13 to wield the Holy Spirit as a mighty weapon for the putting to death of the deeds of this old body. Here we owe a debt to John Owen to help us expand this out. We did our study last year. To wield the Holy Spirit as a mighty weapon for putting to death the deeds of the sinful man." Paul writes this to the Ephesians, "...But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." John MacArthur says this.

Paul's first instruction concerning what his readers must do in the struggle with sin destroys several false views of how believers are made holy. One, that in a crisis moment we are immediately made perfect. Two, that we must let God take over while we remain idle. And three, that some turning point decision will propel us to a higher level of holiness. Rather, the Apostle says the Spirit provides us with the energy and power to continually and gradually be killing our sins, a process never completed in this life.

The means the Spirit uses to accomplish this process is our faithful obedience to the simple commands of Scripture. Let's not be disoriented by the fact that there's a calling to co-labor with God in our sanctification. We really do see these two things at work. Thing one is that sanctification is the work of God. He who began a work in you will complete it." Sanctification is the work of God, and yet, we see these exhortations To do something, to engage, to put to death.

How can this be if it's God's work? What are these exhortations about? It's very simple. The exhortations are a means. Are a means.

God has given us a new heart, a heart of flesh. It was a heart of stone, but God has given us a new heart, a heart of flesh, it was a heart of stone, but God has given us a new heart that inclines us to the things of His. He's given us life in Christ Jesus. He's given us a thousand reasons to live as debtors to the grace of God. And then he gives us these exhortations, knowing that he's turned our hearts towards himself.

He gives exhortations to his sons to engage in the things of which He Himself is the guarantor. They work together. We see this everywhere. We see this in James. Salvation is through faith alone, but a faith that doesn't yield any fruit isn't faith at all.

We see this everywhere. This connection between justification, being declared righteous and sanctification, are never, ever, ever, ever separated as if justification could happen and then there would be no sanctification. It's a thought not given anywhere in Scripture. And so, sanctification is God's work. He is the guarantor of it.

And yet, He exhorts His sons whose hearts He's turned towards Himself to engage with Him in the process. It's a co-laboring. And we need not think too well of ourselves because we've been invited to be a co-laborer in our sanctification. Because even in those things, He's turned our hearts towards Him. He makes us willing to do these things.

There's still no room for boasting. And now we turn to sonship. We turn to sonship. And Paul echoes the words of his Lord, Jesus Christ, who in the Garden of Gethsemane in this most tender time where he's crying out to God, Jesus says, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me, nevertheless, not what I will, but you will." That's a refrain that Paul picks up.

That there's a spirit that is indwelling us. There's a spirit that's indwelling us, and it allows us to cry out, Abba Father, as Jesus cried out, Abba Father. Jesus addressed His Father this way and we can understand that, can't we? Jesus was the eternally begotten Son, member of the Trinity. It makes sense that He would address His Father with this tenderness.

And now Paul says that for those who are in Christ Jesus, The Holy Spirit relieves us from the bondage of fear and bears witness in our hearts that we are children of God so that we also cry out, Abba, Father." Paul writes this to the Galatians. I just love looking up cross references in the Pauline books, in the books that Paul wrote. You just see this massive body of consistency. What he's teaching here, he's teaching there, and as he just fortifies his own teaching and clarifies his own teaching, he's so consistent in what he says to different groups. Paul writes this to the Galatians, But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father, therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, than an heir of God through Christ Jesus. Therefore you're no longer a slave but a son, an if-a-son, and an heir of God through Christ Jesus. Oh, the riches of Christ. Oh, the riches of Christ. That those who are enemies of God, not only unable to be subject to God, but worse yet, unwilling in every way to be subject to God.

Under condemnation, dead in sin, should be acquitted, should be declared innocent, should be freed from condemnation and made righteous and given a life through Jesus Christ, a life of abundance and blessing, of joy and peace and fellowship and comfort, and to be made true sons of our heavenly Papa. That's what Abba means, it's Aramaic for daddy or Papa. And finally, our position of sonship causes us to share in Christ's inheritance, to be joint heirs with Him. This will be much expanded on throughout the rest of chapter 8, so I won't say much of it here. But I will say a little.

Paul says in Ephesians, In Him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His glory." We were sealed with the Spirit. Our inheritance is guaranteed. And then finally, lest we get the wrong idea about the rest of our lives, that it's all Flowers and sunshine every minute. Life in Christ. Flowers and sunshine every minute.

Paul reminds us that to have God as our Father, we must expect that we will share in the sufferings of Christ, our older brother. If you want to have God as your Father, you must brace yourself to share in the sufferings of Christ, our older brother. And Paul says this everywhere as well, Philippians 1.29, for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3.12, yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. All, not some, are those that live in the third world, are those who live in the hot spots where persecution is particularly acute, but all who desire to live godly will suffer persecution. And finally I'll leave with one last scripture given to us by Peter.

It's a great summation of the passage that we've been in today. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. We're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, the inheritance guaranteed. And God Almighty Himself is taking us to heaven to share in the inheritance of Christ. And He Himself will keep us for that day.

He Himself will keep us for that day. He is faithful. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, no wonder the angels longed to look into these things. They are so glorious.

When we Think of our condition before you called us to yourself according to your purposes. We were enemies, unwilling, unable to be subject to you. And then that you radically moved in our hearts to translate us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of your glorious Son. God, we know that this makes us debtors. Not to the flesh to live according to it, but to live in a way that would express our gratitude for the things that you've done.

Not so that we'd be justified, but so that we might show you that we love you. That you are our Father, our Papa. Oh God, thank You for the riches that we have in Christ Jesus. May they be ever before our eyes so that we live as a thankful people before You. We ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.