Title Page. Lesson Ten Romans 8:1-4 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after

Title Page

Lesson Ten

Romans 8:1-4

Romans 8:1-41 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:9-11

Romans 8:9-119 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Romans 8:12-14

Romans 8:12-1412 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Focus Verse

Galatians 5:16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall

not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Focus Thought

Those who walk in the Spirit experience the power of the Spirit to overcome

all enemies.

IntroductionIntroductionThe Book of Romans is likely the most important epistle that the apostle Paul wrote to those who believe in Christ Jesus. Like no other, it brings the hope of salvation to sinful, unregenerate mankind. Myer Pearlman summed up the theme of Paul’s treatise: “The justification of sinful men, the sanctification of justified men, and the glorification of sanctified men, through faith and by the power of God.”

Introduction

Early in the book, Paul began to expose the sinfulness of mankind: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23); “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). But throughout his discourse on sin, he wove the message of hope: “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20); “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). At the outset of his writing, Paul proclaimed, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

IntroductionThe sixth chapter admonishes Christians to live above sin, but chapter seven expresses the frustration of one who tries to do so by relying on the flesh. It tells of the conflict between the fleshly nature of mankind and the Spirit of God. The eighth chapter—a beacon of hope—is the pinnacle of Paul’s epistle. In fact, our text dispels despair with a shout of victory through the Holy Spirit in the very first verse.

Romans 8:1

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the

flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).

IntroductionIt is not God’s plan for Spirit-filled believers to live under condemnation. Through His mercy, God may send us conviction at times, but He will never condemn us. Condemnation is the enemy’s attempt to cause one to throw up his hands in frustration. The motive is to cause one to give up the spiritual fight and quit walking in the Spirit. Thus, the believer should consistently, carefully consider whether he is walking after the desires of the flesh or following the leading of the Spirit. The apostle Paul gave us the principle that should guide our lives: “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

I. Weakness of the Flesh (A)Weakness of the Flesh

A. The Law of Sin

“For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14).

I. Weakness of the Flesh (A)This passage does not describe a Christian who is Spirit-filled and living fervently for God. Rather, it speaks of the frustration that one experiences as he tries to serve God and live holy in his own strength and by his own effort. It describes the struggle between the flesh—the sinful nature—and the Spirit of God. This struggle occurs in the mind and soul of a believer who is trying to make it on his own. The lesson that we should learn is that we cannot live for God in our own strength.

Galatians 5:17

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things

that ye would” (Galatians 5:17).

I. Weakness of the Flesh (A)In the Book of Galatians, Paul taught that we can only overcome sin through the grace and Spirit of God. The law in itself is inadequate, for it only illuminates the sinfulness of mankind and has no power over sin. The law brings the consciousness and the knowledge of sin, but it cannot justify or sanctify us. Paul further described the end of one who walks in the flesh, for this lifestyle only results in a corrupt and evil life.

I. Weakness of the Flesh (A)A new convert came to his pastor and told him of the turmoil that was raging in his heart. He said, “It is as though there are two dogs within me fighting—a good dog and a bad dog. Pastor, I don’t know which one will win.”The pastor replied, “I know which one will win. It is the dog that you are feeding.”

I. Weakness of the Flesh (A)In the Book of Romans, Paul commanded, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:14). We should consistently focus on feeding our spiritual nature by following God’s Spirit and denying fleshly desires.

I. Weakness of the Flesh (B)B. The Carnal Mind

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace”

(Romans 8:6).

I. Weakness of the Flesh (B)After a person is born again of the water and the Spirit, he still has choices to make. Either He can choose to walk after the Spirit, or he can choose to walk after the flesh. He can choose to have worldly values, or he can seek the heavenly. The important thing is not how long we have been following the Lord, or even how far we have gone, but the most important thing is the direction in which we walk. We should consider whether we are facing and walking toward the world, or facing and walking toward God. These are two opposite directions with two distinct and different destinations.

I. Weakness of the Flesh (B)If we continue giving in to our sinful nature after our new-birth experience, we will live after the flesh. We will cater to the needs and the drives of the physical man and adopt the system of this world and its values. Following the basic human trait of greed, we may even pursue worldly wealth, fame, and power. The Bible refers to this as being carnally minded and declares it as enmity against God. Moreover, to be carnally minded will never give us the satisfaction that it appears to promise, and it certainly will not give us eternal life. In fact, it will only result in spiritual death.

I. Weakness of the Flesh (B)Paul begged us to present our bodies to God as living sacrifices. (See Romans 12:1.) We can accomplish this only by allowing God to transform and renew our minds in the Holy Ghost. That is why Paul followed this statement with a warning not to allow the world to press or squeeze us into its mold.

Romans 12:2

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the

renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and

acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

II. Walking in the Spirit (A-B)

Walking in the SpiritIndeed, we can walk a higher road by walking after the Spirit of God. Jesus instructed us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. By following the leading of the Spirit, we can desire that which is good, acceptable, and perfect in the eyes of God. Through our sensitivity to the Spirit’s desires, our priorities then will be God’s, thus allowing God to fulfill His will in our lives.

II. Walking in the Spirit (A-B)“In sum, Christian holiness does not come by

external commandments (the law of God) or by the human desire to do good (the law of the mind). Rather, sanctification comes by internal power granted by the Spirit of God (the law of the Spirit)” (The Message of Romans, David K. Bernard, 172).


A. Fruit of the SpiritBefore Jesus left His disciples, He promised, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:16-18). He promised that He would send another Comforter—that He would be in them and would abide with them forever. Furthermore, He identified this Comforter as none other than His own Spirit—the Holy Spirit of God.


When we receive this promise, we will know it by the initial sign of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance—just as happened on the Day of Pentecost. This is not the only sign, however, for a Christian filled with the Holy Ghost also will exhibit the fruit of the Spirit that Paul named in his letter to the Galatians. (See Galatians 5:22-23.)


B. Led by the Spirit

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will

send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).


If we have the Spirit of Jesus living within us, we also should live in Him and allow Him to guide and lead us. Paul declared that if we walk in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, we are free from the law of sin and death. (See Romans 8:2.) The law has no claim on us, nor can it condemn us. Jesus Christ paid our debt by suffering and dying on the cross. As a man, He came in the likeness of sinful flesh and bore our sins in His body on the cross. He did for us what the law could never do. Paul further observed that God’s righteousness is fulfilled only in those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. (See Romans 8:4.)

II. Walking in the Spirit (C)C. Overcoming the Flesh

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”

(I John 2:16).

II. Walking in the Spirit (C)John summarized all temptation as fitting into three categories:

(1)the lust of the flesh, (2)the lust of the eyes, and (3)the pride of life.

All three were present in the temptation of Eve in the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. (See Genesis 3:1-6.) Eve looked upon the fruit and desired to eat it because the serpent promised that it would make her wise. This is the first biblical reference to the battle between the flesh and the Spirit.

II. Walking in the Spirit (C)When the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness for the devil to tempt Him, the first encounter was to satisfy the desires of the flesh. The second was to show His power, and the third was to worship the devil in exchange for all the kingdoms of this world. Jesus overcame all these temptations by quoting the Word of God. (See Matthew 4:1-11.) Likewise, the power of God’s Word in our lives will help us to withstand any temptation that comes our way.

Hebrews 4:14-16

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the

heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have

not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points

tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto

the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

II. Walking in the Spirit (C)Not only did Jesus die to forgive our sins, but He also understands the battle and gives us the power to live above the sinful flesh. The writer of Hebrews declared, “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). We are neither helpless nor alone if we have the Spirit of Jesus dwelling within us. We have both the name of Jesus and the Word of God to give us power to live free from sin.

II. Walking in the Spirit (C)Someone asked a lady about the change in her life and the obvious victory that she exhibited over her former habits. Her answer was simply to give the credit to Jesus living within her. She said, “When the devil comes knocking on my door to tempt me, I just send Jesus to the door. When the devil sees Jesus, he says, “Excuse me. I must have the wrong address.”

III. The Power of the Spirit (A-B)

The Power of the Spirit

A. Gifts of the SpiritNot only does the Spirit direct and lead the individual child of God, but He also empowers the body of Christ collectively with His spiritual gifts. (See I Corinthians 12.) God has placed within the church spiritual gifts that operate through Spirit-filled believers. Paul listed nine spiritual gifts, but they all are from the same source—the Spirit of God.


God does not provide these gifts to the church to lift up any individual member, but He uses individual members to minister to needs that arise within the body of Christ. When God uses an individual in this way, it should be both an orderly and humbling experience that manifests the love of God. Certainly, we should desire and pray that God would use us so that these gifts continue working by the Spirit in the church today.


B. Miracles, Signs, and Wonders

“God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his

own will” (Hebrews 2:4).


At the same time that Jesus promised to send the Comforter to His believers, He also promised that His disciples would do even greater works than He had done. (See John 14:12.) In His closing remarks to His disciples, He promised that miracles would be active and evident in the lives of all believers (Mark 16:17). Therefore, the disciples expected miracles, signs, and wonders, as their prayer in the Book of Acts evidenced: “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus” (Acts 4:29-30).

III. The Power of the Spirit (A-B)We see this as a common occurrence in the

ministry of Peter and the other disciples in the Book of Acts. (See Acts 5:12; 19:11-12.) Since God is still the same today as He was in the early church, we too can claim miracles, signs, and wonders by the working of the Holy Ghost.

IV. Eternal Life through the Spirit

Eternal Life through the Spirit

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he

that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans

8:11).

IV. Eternal Life through the Spirit (A-B)

A. Born Again by the Spirit

Although Nicodemus came to Jesus to honor Him, Jesus cut through his graciousness right to the point. Jesus informed him that he must experience a new birth in order to receive eternal life. Nicodemus’s thinking of natural birth questioned the feasibility of such an occurrence. Jesus declared to him, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6).


Jesus later compared the new-birth experience to “living water,” which would be in us like “a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10, 14). Again on the last day of the feast, He stood and cried, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).


The evidence of conversion is the presence of the Holy Spirit within, witnessing that one is a child of God. Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we could never please God or belong to Him. (See Romans 8:9.) The gospel message is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because He died for us, we die to worldly desires in repentance. Because He was buried for us, we are buried with Him in water baptism in Jesus’ name. Because He rose again, we also rise to a new life by receiving and living in the Holy Spirit.


B. Resurrection PowerNot only do we have abundant life through the Spirit now, but we also have the promise of everlasting life. What a hope! The same Spirit that was in Christ Jesus is in us. The same Spirit that raised Him from the dead will also quicken our mortal bodies. The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you” (II Corinthians 4:14).

I Corinthians 15:51-55

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal

must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,

and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass

the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

(I Corinthians 15:51-55).

I Thessalonians 4:16-17“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ

shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall

we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

ReflectionsIf we learn to walk in the Spirit, we experience the triumph of a victorious life in Christ Jesus. We experience the power of the Spirit to overcome all spiritual forces in our lives. Moreover, the Spirit helps our infirmities, and it helps us pray for the things that God desires for us. (See Romans 8:26.) Furthermore, the Holy Ghost residing within us places us in a new position in Christ, and walking in the Spirit gives us power over the lust of the flesh. Through birth in the Spirit, we become the sons of God, which positions us to receive the inheritance of eternal life.

ReflectionsPaul assured us of victory: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). He further promised that our walk in the Spirit keeps outside forces from separating us from the love of Christ. Certainly, “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

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Title Page. Lesson Ten Romans 8:1-4 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after