The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

Freedom from Sin's Grasp - 5

Note: See the Answer Key at the bottom of this page to fill in the blanks.

This portion of Paul’s letter deals with the ____________   _______________   ___________ of the Gospel:  Because of what Jesus has done in shedding His Blood to ______________ our sins and dying on the Cross that we may be ________________ in our old, sinful nature, we have the opportunity to live in freedom from sin’s grasp!

Overview:

 

Romans 8:1-17  Life in the Spirit

     Paul now moves to an explanation of the means by which our death to _________ and new life in Jesus Christ, gets ____________ _______ in us:  The Holy Spirit.  Apart from the Holy Spirit the reality of our death to sin, our crucifixion with Jesus, and our __________________ life never becomes a reality, but when the Holy Spirit comes into our ____________ and we give Him control, the reality of the new life in Jesus comes forth! Let’s turn now to Romans 8:1-17 and look at each verse:

1So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

What an amazing reality!  There is NO CONDEMNATION for those who belong to Jesus.  No matter what the world may tell us; no matter what we may tell ourselves; when we belong to Jesus there is NO condemnation.

APPLICATION POINT:  We live in a world that is based on condemnation.  Oh, the world tells us that we are all “okay” on the surface, but the point of all advertising is that we are lacking something—the right toothpaste, car, beer, furniture, deodorant, etc… and if we just buy what they’re selling we will really be “okay.”  The world of medicine works from a “disease-model” seeking to find out what is WRONG with us and either remove it or drug it.  Paul’s message that there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who belong to Jesus is RADICAL to the core.  It means that because of Jesus we really ARE “okay”!

 2For the power (literally, “law”) of the life-giving Spirit has freed you (me) through Christ Jesus from the power (law) of sin that leads to death.

Whether we translate the “power of the life-giving Spirit” or the “law of the life-giving Spirit” the point is the same:  We require and outside influence to overcome the power or law of sin that leads to death in our lives.  We will never overcome sin through our efforts alone.  It requires that the Holy Spirit come and live in us, if we are ever to receive the new life that is eternal.

3The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.

Notice that Paul points out that God put a “different plan” into effect to save us.  Does this mean that God changes His mind? That He doesn’t know what is going to happen next, so He has to “improvise”?  Some theologians assume this is the case and their way of viewing God’s action/reaction to human behavior is known as “process” theology.  They see God as making things up as He goes along.  This is counter to Biblical theology, which assures us that before the foundations of the universe God knew what we were going to do, so His different plan, is only a different plan from _____  _________________.  God knew all along that the Law would not save us, and that He would have to come Himself in the form of Jesus.  

Paul points out the key distinctive between Jesus and us from a human viewpoint:  Jesus never sinned. Since the law requires a sacrifice for sin, Jesus—the sinless one—could offer Himself as a once and for all payment for all of us, thus ending the need for animal sacrifices, since His perfect blood overcome all human sin.  This is a crucial theological truth.  Once again, many biblical scholars approach Jesus from a human point of view, and therefore assume that Jesus could not be perfect.  If Jesus was not perfect then all of Jesus’ teachings are invalid, as well as all of Paul’s, because their foundation is that Jesus is a substitute for us, and if He is just like us, He cannot be our substitute.

 4He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us (by us) who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Here Paul makes the key point that the requirement of the law is fulfilled as we follow THE SPIRIT and not the sinful nature.  This is a matter of choice.  It is not automatic.  As Paul tells us in Galatians 5, we are never free of the struggle that goes on between the flesh and the Spirit!

APPLICATION POINT:   Living in the Spirit is possible for every Christian, but such a life does not happen spontaneously.  Receiving Jesus into our lives, and thus the presence and power of His Spirit is not the same as receiving a “vaccination” against sin.  We aren’t automatically protected.  We must call on the Spirit to live in and through us at each ______________  ______________.  Otherwise, the new life, which IS a reality from the moment of our salvation, never becomes evident to those around us, providing at best a “mixed testimony,” and at worst cause for those who are lost to remain so, because of our hypocrisy.

5Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.

Here Paul offers another masterfully simple statement!  When the sinful nature is in control of our lives the “fruit” will be sinful thoughts and behaviors.  When the Holy Spirit is in control, the “fruit” will be godly thoughts and actions.  Jesus made this point in His sermon on the mount.  A “tree” is known by its “fruit.”

 6If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.

Paul restates the results of having our sinful nature or the Holy Spirit in control of our lives:  we are either “dead” or “alive.”  Notice that Paul points out that it is in the MIND where the control battle takes place.

APPLICATION POINT:   Paul focused a great deal on guarding our minds, on having our minds transformed, on the mind as the point of the battle between the flesh (sinful nature) and the Spirit.  Our culture bombards us with thousands of messages every single day, intended to penetrate our minds at the conscious or subconscious level and to weaken our defenses to the things of this world.  We must, indeed, “guard” our thoughts, and most importantly of all dwell on Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to have control of our minds, so that we will live the life Jesus died to give us!

 7For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.

Paul simply reiterates that the battle for in our lives is ____________.  The sinful nature will never submit to God’s will.  This has been true since Eve willfully rejected God’s plan for her and Adam; and Adam went along with Eve’s rebellion.  We must recognize that in our lives our sinful nature cannot be “disciplined” or “trained,” or “educated” into obedience to God or love for Him.  It must ________, or we will never please God.

 8That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Even the actions we carry out that seem to be in obedience to God, which derive from our sinful nature, only serve to deepen our pride in our own abilities, than recognizing our absolute dependence on Jesus.

9But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all.)

Here Paul makes the transition to the Spirit-filled life, and what happens when we are controlled by the Spirit.  The first statement is an acknowledgment by Paul that his readers, the Romans are NOT controlled by their sinful natures.  They have already “died” to sin, and risen again in the new life that Jesus offers.  Paul then moves on to make a conditional statement—You are controlled by the Spirit IF you have the Spirit of God living in you.  This is a pivotal condition!  Only as we receive the salvation that Jesus offers does the Holy Spirit ____________ in us.  We must intentionally respond to Jesus’ offer of new life, salvation, of spirit-controlled, spirit-filled living.  It is not automatic and God won’t force it upon anyone.

 10Since Christ lives within you, even though your body will die because of sin, your spirit is alive (the Spirit will bring you eternal life), because you have been made right with God.

Paul offers us a key reality:  the consequences of sin are not overcome by our deliverance _________ sin. While we will not ultimately die forever, our physical bodies WILL die.  The Holy Spirit transforms us through the process of sanctification, and yet none of us can escape physical death, unless Jesus returns while we are still living.

APPLICATION POINT:  Paul’s point of the consequences of sin remaining even after we receive the Holy Spirit is crucial for our everday living as followers of Jesus.  We can never assume that the consequences of our sin can be eradicated.  The pain and suffering we cause others and ourselves through our sin is real and the consequences permanent.  We are forgiven of the sins themselves through the blood of Jesus, but often the consequences impact our present and future here on earth.  Thus, the sooner we give the control of our lives to the Holy Spirit, the sooner, we can live to God’s glory and provide consequences that bring life and joy, rather than death and suffering.

 11The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you.

Paul speaks of giving life to our mortal bodies in two ways here:  first, we have the life in the Spirit, which we enjoy here on earth.  This life transforms us into people who are agents and ambassadors for Jesus.  Our words and actions become life-giving and life-transforming through the power of the Holy Spirit.  In this sense our mortal bodies are given life.   Second, our mortal bodies will be given a literal new life when we die.  We will rise from the dead, even as Jesus rose from the dead, and spend eternity in God’s presence.

12So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.

Our sinful natures WILL lie to us.  Satan WILL lie to us.  We may believe the lie that we cannot change, that we cannot keep from sinning, that in this life we will always be in bondage to sin, but Paul makes it clear that we are under NO OBLIGATION to do what our sinful nature urges us to do.   The matter of ______________ rises before us again.  God offers us the freedom to choose life or death,  Spirit, or sinful nature.  He honors our choices, regardless of their consequences, because that is the way of love.  Love never coerces.  It offers and waits for a response.

13For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it (put it to death) and its evil deeds, you will live.

Here Paul lays the choice and the consequences of our choice before us.  We can either follow the sinful nature and its urges—resulting in death; or we put the sinful nature to death through the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT and live.

APPLICATION POINT:   The choice seems so easy.  Who would rather die than live?  Who would rather be mean-spirited than spirit-led?  No one—at least on the surface.  But the sinful nature is deeply rooted within us.  Therefore, we must be vigilant in giving over control to the Holy Spirit --- in the small and great decisions and actions of life.  Where is your area of greatest struggle with giving control to the Holy Spirit?

 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children (sons) of God.

Our relationship with God changes when we are led by the Spirit.  We become ___________________ instead of servants enemies of God.  This change of relationship makes all the difference!

15So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family (You received a spirit of sonship)--calling him “Father, dear Father.” (Abba)

Paul emphasizes the change of relationship from slaves to children.  We needn’t COWER like fearful slaves in the presence of God.  We ought to have the boldness of children, who know that their Father loves them and will always be there for them.    The word “Abba”  is the Aramaic word used by small children, much as we use the word “Daddy.”  Both Jesus and Paul emphasize this intimate relationship with God by using this close, personal title for God, the Father.

16For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.

We are called to examine our hearts and see whether we KNOW that we are God’s children.  If we do, and this is confirmed by the Holy Spirit, it makes all the difference in the world—we can face anything.  If we don’t, then NOW is the best time to let God become our heavenly Father!

17And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Paul concludes this section with a promise and a challenge---since we ARE God’s children we will receive the inheritance/the treasures promised to all of God’s children, starting with Jesus.  But if we want to share the glory, we must also share in the _____________________ of Jesus.  We’re all eager to share the joy and the blessing, but the suffering is another matter.   Jesus suffered much during this life BEFORE He was crucified—rejection, ridicule, constant harassment by the religious leaders, not to mention that He had no home or worldly possessions.  But His intimate relationship with His heavenly Father, and His recognition of His calling, allowed Him to overcome all the challenges and suffering—even the CROSS, in order to give each of us the same opportunity to be God’s children, that He already knew!

ANSWER KEY:   really fantastic news, forgive, crucified, sin, lived out, resurrection, spirits, our perspective, decision point, real, die, live,  from,  choice, children, suffering

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