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Life in the Spirit: New Father (Romans 8:1-17)

Jesus Lives for You

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. ³ 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, ⁴ 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.

Path 1. Living under the law leads to failure and condemnation

• Law = God’s commands over our lives for the JUDGE
• Flesh = our sinful flesh leads to our sinful failure
• Condemnation = 1). a judgement 2). a punishment

Path 2. Living under the Spirit leads to Jesus and freedom

1. Jesus lived by Spirit like Adam – body w/o sin nature “likeness of human flesh”
2. Jesus fulfilled the law
3. You are now free to live for Christ as Christ live in and through you

• “in Christ” & “in him” “in the beloved” – 216X Paul’s 13 letters
• “Christian” only 3X in NT
• Not found prior to Paul, rare outside of Paul

1. Positionally – we are in Christ (imputed righteousness)
2. Practically – Christ is in us through the Holy Spirit (imparted righteousness)

= Family hike. Fork in the road up or down. We split. Down was dead end.

Critical Theory, Cancel Culture, and Demonic Condemnation

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Condemnation = 1). a judgement 2). a punishment

1. I condemn myself: 1. tender conscience 2. grace not for me. 3. can’t forgive self
2. My archaeologist condemns me.

• Buried w/Jesus, dig it up. Record wrongs 1. roast 2. Act like an enemy

3. Satan condemns me

Jn 8:44 You are of your father the devil, & your will is to do your father’s desires…there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar & the father of lies.

Satan tells the unbeliever they are not condemned

-Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Satan tells the believer they are condemned

-Rev. 12:10–11 “the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…”

POKER TELL

1. Condemnation is hopeless – “always” “never. Conviction is hopeful.
2. Condemnation is General. Conviction is Specific.
3. Condemnation is often 2^nd person “YOU”

= EXAMPLES FROM THE PEOPLE

God condemns me?

a)    Conviction? YES

b)    Consequence? YES

c)    Correction? YES

d)    Condemnation? NO

Culturally

1. Traditional Theory – build something (church, family, business, marriage, gender)
2. Critical Theory – tear down what someone else built

• Accuser – started as God’s critic, spirit of the Critic
• Heaven on earth w/o God – counterfeit justice
• We are god. Those people are Satan. We judge, punish them = condemnation
• Worldliness – education, media, social media

=Cancel Culture – technology like God knows all, forgets nothing = condemnation

God The Spirit Lives In You

Romans 8:⁵ 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

-We were made for perfect

-We settle for new

1. New Relationship – “does not belong to him” vs “Christ is in you”
2. New Mind – “mind on the things of the flesh” vs “minds on the things of the Spirit”
3. New Nature – “flesh” vs “Spirit”
4. New Desires – “hostile to God” vs “submit to God’s laws”
5. New Power – “cannot…submit to God” vs “the Spirit of God dwells in you”
6. New Life – “cannot please God” vs “righteousness”
7. New Destiny – “death” vs “life”

=New ends in perfect when God is finished

God the Father Lives With You 

Romans 8:¹² So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

• Ancient world – life could be brutal for a child, no legal rights
• Father was the law. Quality life – character father
• Unwanted (illegitimate, girl, disabled) – garbage heap, abused, slaves prostitute/soldier
• Only hope – new father adopted you

= Envision abused, disowned, hopeless child being adopted by a father. Now see self

Is the Father punishing you when you are suffering?

1. We learn to appreciate the suffering we have caused Jesus

2. We learn to appreciate the suffering we have caused others

3. We prepare for coming hardship

4. We cultivate eternal character

5. We invest in eternal rewards

6. We receive more anointing of the Spirit