1. The law failed to justify - In accounting terms, it could only produce debits with no offsetting credits. Heb. 7:19.

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1 Explore the Bible Lesson Preview November 20, 2005 "Led by the Spirit" Background & Lesson: Romans 8:1-14 Motivation: Romans 8 begins with no condemnation and ends with no separation: Praise the Lord! Having previously established our freedom from the Law, Paul now explains how to live according to the Spirit. (Note: this lesson in the quarterly is dated 11/13/05). I. Living According to the Spirit (1-8) A. No Condemnation: "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." (1) Believer's Study Bible, p. 1609: 8:1 "One of the most gracious of God's promises is given in this verse. The word condemnation' may also be translated judgment.' There is no judgment for those who are in Christ because sin has already been judged in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. This chapter beautifully begins with no condemnation,' and it marvelously ends with no separation (v. 39) for those who are in Christ Jesus." 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3: B. Freedom "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (2) This freedom is in contrast to slavery (6:6), dominion (7:1), and death (3:5). Paul wrote to the Corinthians "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Cor. 3:17b). C. Success "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 condemned sin in the flesh." (3) 1. The law failed to justify - In accounting terms, it could only produce debits with no offsetting credits. Heb. 7: The Law was weakened by Human Frailty - God's law was fine; it was humanity that was 1 / 7

2 weak. Thus the law revealed our weakness. 3. Christ solved the problem "His own Son" expresses both the contribution and cost to which God was willing to go to solve our problem (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). This verse expresses Christ's incarnation "in the likeness of sinful flesh." Explore the Bible Commentary (Fall 2005) p. 114: "Jesus came in flesh like ours. Paul used the term flesh three ways. He used it to mean literal, human flesh (see 2:28). Also, looking at things according to the flesh meant viewing them from a human standpoint instead of from God's standpoint (see 1:3). He also referred to living according to the flesh instead of according to God (see 8:4). In 8:3 Paul meant that Christ, God's Son, came in literal, human flesh. Paul described Christ's human nature as like ours. Like means a resemblance that amounts to equality or identity.' In people human nature is flesh ruled and corrupted by sin because they have sinned. In Christ human nature was sinless because He never sinned and thus was not under sin's domain as humans are. In flesh like ours, He identified with us. As fully man and fully God, He was tempted to sin as we are but chose not to sin." (Matt.1:11; Jer.22:24-30; John 1:14; Phil 2:5-8; 1 John 3:5; Heb. 4: Christ Succeeded in Condemning Sin - "on account of sin; He condemned sin in the flesh" (3b) Through His death on the cross, Christ pronounced judgment upon sin. Paul wrote "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:21). D. Justified "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." (4) (Gal. 5:16-26) E. Perspective "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 2 / 7

3 Spirit." (5) Walking in the Spirit provides a new orientation, new direction and a new perspective. Paul wrote of the renewing of your mind (12:2). "...whateve r things are true...noble,...just,...pure,...lovely,...good report, if there be any virtue, if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things" (Phil 4:8). F. Life and Peace "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 be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (6-8) Rom. 3:9-12 These verses summarize the contrast: SPIRIT CONTROLLED LIFE SELF (CARNAL) CONTROLLED LIFE "no condemnation" (1) "cannot please God" (8) "free from the law" (2) "sinful" (3) 3 / 7

4 "righteous requirement of the law fulfilled" (4) "the law of sin & death" (2) "set their minds on the things of the (5) Spirit" "things of the flesh" (5) "life and peace" "enmity against God" (7) II. Living in the Spirit (9-11) A. Salvation Is Evidenced by the Holy Spirit "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." (9) Believer's Study Bible, p. 1610: 8:9 "The presence or absence of salvation for a man is determined by the presence or absence of the Holy Spirit. Regardless of works, religion, or ritual, men are lost if they do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Conversely, VV. 10, 11 clearly; and assuredly state that a man is a Christian when, through regeneration, the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence in his heart. 4 / 7

5 B. Christ's Presence Is Evidenced by Life "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (10) "The Spirit-controlled life, the Christ-centered life, the God focused life is daily coming nearer heaven even when it is still on earth. It is a life which is such a steady progress to God that the final transition of death is only a natural and inevitable stage on the way. It is like Enoch who walked with God and God took him. As the child said: Enoch was a man who went on walks with God - and one day he didn't come back.' No sooner has Paul said this than an inevitable objection strikes him. Someone may object: You say that the Spirit-controlled man is on the way to life; but in point of fact every man must die. Just what do you mean?' Paul's answer is this. All men die because they are involved in the human situation. Sin came into this world and with sin came death, the consequence of sin. Inevitable, therefore, all men die; but the man who is Spirit-controlled and whose heart is Christ-occupied, dies only to rise again. Paul's basic thought is that the Christian is indissolubly one with Christ. Now Christ died and rose again; and the man who is one with Christ is one with death's conqueror and shares in that victory. The Spirit-controlled, Christ-possessed man is on the way to life; death is but an inevitable interlude that has to be passed through on the way." (William Barclay, The Letter to the Romans, pp ). (1 John 5:10-13) C. God's Power Is Evidenced in the Resurrection "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." (11) The ultimate "sign" of Jesus' Messiahship was His resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:3). The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will also "give life to you mortal bodies." (1 Cor 15:12-19; John 3:16-21) III. Living By the Spirit (12-14) A. We Owe Nothing to the Flesh "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh." Proverbs states "...the borrower is servant to the lender" 22:7b) And, it is a fact of life that creditors dictate terms to debtors until the debt is cleared. Because Christ has cancelled out debt to sin, we have no obligation to ( 5 / 7

6 "live according to the flesh." Sin has no power over us to dictate our actions. B. We Can Choose to Live by the Spirit "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." Paul states that the choice is clear-cut: "live according to the flesh and you will die" (cf 6:23). However, the Spirit gives us the power to "put to death the deeds of the body." How does this happen? 1. We choose daily to practice "spiritual breathing" - exhale the bad (confess sin) and draw in the good (submit anew to the control of the Spirit - draw on His power). 2. We choose daily to fortify ourselves by His Word - daily reading, study and memorization provide growing strength (2 Tim. 3:16; Ps. 119:105; 119:11). 3. We choose daily to fellowship with Him in Prayer (Eph. 6:18; Phil 4:6; 1 Thes. 5:17). 4. We choose daily to walk by the Spirit in obedience to God's revealed will (John 14:15). C. God's Fatherhood is Evidenced by the Holy Spirit's Leadership "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (14) Following the leadership of the Holy Spirit is not just a good idea, it is a test of sonship. From Jesus to John, the uniform message is that children of God "walk in the light" (1 John 1:5-10). The Holy Spirit provides us leadership, direction and power. (John 3:3, 36; 1 John 3:1-3). 6 / 7

7 Application: 1. Living in the Spirit provides power and direction for daily living. 2. Living in the Spirit is a choice we make. (6:16-22) 3. Living in the Spirit is evidence of regeneration. (2 Cor. 5:17) Explore the Bible Teachers Packet: Item 19 Handout: The Holy Spirit Illustrator: p. 69 "The Sons of God" Notes & Dates: Nov Christmas store collection; Nov am and 6:30 pm services, Adult Bible study optional; Dec. 3 - Christmas MTC 10-4, Dec. 9 & 10 - Christmas Music Program, Dec One Service (5:00 p.m.) only, Dec One Service (10am) Adult Bible study optional. 7 / 7