Romans 8:12-13

I'm really fortunate, as I've said before, to have some depth of preaching here at Christ Family Church.

It was so nice to take a little break as Sam and I had Judah to get to focus a little bit of energy on that,

but also to get to hear some great gifted men come to us and speak about the Spirit of God.

We're bringing that to a close.

We're starting to get to the end of that subject matter, although we're not there quite yet.

Let's read together verse 12 and verse 13 of chapter 8.

So then, brothers, 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.

And so we see Paul draw a conclusion in verse 12 that we are no longer indebted to live by the flesh.

He's made that argument to us leading up to this point.

Chapter 8, verse 10 and 11.

But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

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.

Previously, in chapter 6, verse 17 and 18, he wrote,

But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

and having been set free from sin have become slaves of righteousness.

So the conclusion that he's bringing us to after he's said all this is that the bondage of sin has been ended.

We're no longer debtors to the flesh to live according to the flesh.

And the implication, then, is that we're debtors to righteousness, to the Spirit.

As he says in verse 18 of chapter 6, we have become slaves of righteousness.

In verse 13, he expands upon that idea a bit.

And I want to give to you this morning five observations from verse 13.

We see that a duty is given to a specific person for a certain promise to be fulfilled by certain means,

if it is fulfilled at all.

But I think it's best for us to look at those things, those things we can see in the text,

in the order given to us in the inspired text.

And so that's what we'll do this morning.

So number one, we see the conditions of the duty, the promise, and the means.

You see the little phrase halfway through verse 13,

But if.

But if.

This phrase can denote one of two things to us.

One, the uncertainty of the thing promised.

The thing promised in this case being that you will live.

It could denote that.

But how could that possibly be the case?

We've seen in verse 1 of chapter 8,

there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

The second thing that it could denote, and it does,

is the certainty of the thing promised.

As we would say to a sick man,

if you take this medicine, it will make you well.

Certainly we don't mean it might make you well.

I think possibly this medicine will make you well.

But rather we intend to express with certainty the connection between taking the medication and the health,

the means and the end.

Now God determines the end.

For those who are found in Christ Jesus,

we will finish this race.

We will be sons and daughters of righteousness.

But that doesn't negate the means by which that happens.

Our perfection is obtained by means.

There are many gifted athletes in the world,

and we use that term fairly regularly with athletes,

that they're gifted.

They have some ability that others may not have.

I've never really been a gifted athlete.

The few activities that I've had any success in at all,

I had to work really hard at being even mediocre at.

But there are athletes that are gifted.

Take sprinters, for example.

Those men are amazing at how fast they can run.

Did you know that all sprinters have a particular type of foot?

Their gait is what you would call a supinating foot.

And simply all it means is that their foot acts more like a springboard

than the typical human beings does.

That was given to them as a gift.

But they have to employ it, don't they?

They have to work at that.

You know what?

My feet supinate.

I'm not all that fast.

I think I could be.

But I would certainly have to work at that.

I would have to work out and have those ginormo quads,

you know, to be a sprinter.

It takes effort on our part,

even though it was given to us as a gift.

And certainly, as we look at this little phrase,

but if, no one has ever won a race,

ever that they didn't compete in.

If you're going to win the race,

you must compete in the race.

And we can take rest and have joy in the fact

that the race,

the end of the race,

has been determined already.

We know we win.

We just must run.

Get there.

So the conditions of the duty,

the promise,

and the means.

Number two.

We see the duty is given

to a specific person.

And that person is

you.

You to whom there is therefore now no condemnation.

In verse 1, chapter 8.

You who are not in the flesh,

but in the spirit.

Verse 9, chapter 8.

You who have been given life

by the spirit of Christ.

In verses 10 and 11.

Those of you who have placed your faith in Christ.

This is who Paul is talking to.

All of us,

I hope and pray,

is who he's talking to.

If you is not you in this case,

if you are not found in Christ,

don't have the spirit of God dwelling within you,

get that right this morning.

Turn from your sin.

Turn to God.

Repent and believe

that he is the only way to life.

But if you have placed your faith in God,

this is who he is talking to.

I read a bit this past couple of weeks.

There is a wonderful book

that I would suggest to you

by John Owen called

Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers.

I really appreciate old books

because the title is always so descriptive

as to what he's talking about.

They don't give some kind of cryptic title.

Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers.

And from this,

he took his thesis statement

for the entire book.

He said,

The choicest believers

who are assuredly freed

from the condemning power of sin

ought yet to make it their business

all their days

to mortify or put to death

the indwelling power of sin.

So, sinners who are assuredly free

have definitely been freed

from the power of sin

ought yet to make it,

even though they should make it

their very business

to put to death

the sin in their life.

So, he is talking to you.

Number three.

The means by which

the duty is fulfilled.

So, how is it

that we fulfill this duty

which we have not yet talked about at length?

But how is it

that we do this?

And that is

by the Spirit.

That is by the Spirit.

The very Spirit of God

that dwells within us.

We have no capability

of our own

to do this task.

To kill the sin in us

is impossible on our own

because we are sin.

Our flesh thrives

off that.

It is our nature.

We inherit it

from Adam

at the fall.

We were born

in sin.

And therefore,

we cannot accomplish

this task

apart from the indwelling work

of the Spirit of God.

John Owen said

in the same book,

Mortification

from a self-strength

carried on by ways

of self-invention

unto the end

of a self-righteousness

is the soul

and substance

of all false religion

in the world.

And I fear

that we often

find ourselves

in that place.

I know I do.

I forget

how desperately

I need

the power of God

to work in me

to put to death

the sin in my life.

And I trick myself.

I become disillusioned

to think

that somehow

I can do it

on my own.

I believe

that's the shared

Christian experience.

I think we all

go through that.

And we all

fail

miserably

time

and time

again.

And you know why?

Because we try

to do it

and we can't.

For the Spirit

of God

dwelling within us

gives us the power

to live this way.

So He is

the means.

Galatians 5.17

Paul writes,

For the desires

of the flesh

are against

the Spirit

and the desires

of the Spirit

are against

the flesh.

For these are

opposed to each

other

to keep you

from doing

the things

you want

to do.

or the things

you are

inclined to do.

The things

you do

by

your

nature.

It's why

we have

the Spirit

because the Spirit

opposes

our flesh.

To fulfill

a duty.

Number four.

A duty

is given

to us

which is

to put

to death

the deeds

of the body.

To put

to death

the deeds

of the body.

And what is He

talking about

when He says

that?

body.

He means

our flesh

which doesn't

mean the

physical

body.

There are

righteous

deeds

of the flesh

preaching to you

with my hands

for example.

My flesh

is carrying

out.

That's not

what He

means.

He means

the sin

nature

part of us.

We're to

put that

to death.

Galatians 5

19-21

Paul says

now the

works

of the

flesh

are

evident.

Sexual

immorality,

impurity,

sensuality,

idolatry,

sorcery,

enmity,

strife,

jealousy,

fits of

anger,

rivalries,

dissensions,

divisions,

envy,

drunkenness,

orgies,

and things

like these.

Those are

the deeds

of the

flesh.

The things

that are

set against

God.

The

unrighteousness

that we

commit

apart from

the work

of the

Spirit

within us.

And so

we're called

to put it

to death,

to mortify

it.

Phenetau

is the

Greek word.

And it

means to

render

lifeless.

To take

away the

very life

force of

something or

the power

of something.

is what

that means.

To find

our sin

nature

powerless

is what it

means to

put to

death

the deeds

of the

body.

How do

we do

that?

Nathan,

how is that

practical?

What must

I do

to use

the Spirit

to put to

death

the deeds

of the

flesh?

I think

we,

in a lot

of ways,

over-mysticize

Christianity.

We're

looking for

the special

key to

tap into

the power

of the

Spirit of

God in

our lives.

He is

ours and

He dwells

within us.

Turn with

me to

Colossians

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

chapter 3.

1.

If then you

have been

raised with

Christ,

seek the

things that

are above,

where Christ

is,

seated at

the right

hand of

God.

Set your

minds on

things that

are above,

not on

things that

are on

earth.

For you

have died

and your

life is

hidden with

Christ in

God.

When Christ

who is your

life appears,

then you

also will

appear with

Him in

glory.

Put to

death,

therefore,

what is

earthly in

you,

sexual

immorality,

impurity,

passion,

evil desire,

and covetousness,

which is

idolatry.

On account of

these things,

the wrath of

God is

coming.

In these

you too

once walked

when you

were living

in them,

but now

you must

put them

all away.

Anger,

wrath,

malice,

slander,

and obscene

talk from

your mouth.

Do not

lie to

one another,

seeing that

you have

put off the

old self

with its

practices

and have

put on

the new

self,

which is

being renewed

in knowledge

after the

image of

its creator.

Here there

is not

Greek and

Jew,

circumcised

and uncircumcised,

barbarian,

Scythian,

slave,

free,

but Christ

is all

and in

all.

Put on

then,

as God's

chosen ones,

holy and

beloved,

compassionate

hearts,

kindness,

humility,

meekness,

and patience,

bearing with

one another,

and if

one has

a complaint

against

another,

forgiving

each other

as the

Lord has

forgiven

you,

so you

also must

forgive.

And above

all these,

put on

love,

which binds

everything

together in

perfect harmony.

And let

the peace

of Christ

rule your

hearts,

to which

indeed you

were called

in one

body,

and be

thankful.

Let the

word of

Christ

will in

you

richly

teaching

and

admonishing

one

another

in all

wisdom,

singing

psalms

and hymns

and spiritual

songs with

thankfulness

in your

hearts to

God.

And whatever

you do

in word

or deed,

do everything

in the name

of the

Lord Jesus,

giving thanks

to God

the Father

through Him.

Now let me

draw your

attention

to a

phrase.

Phrases.

Firstly,

in verse

10,

Paul instructs

us to put

on the new

self.

He's speaking

of our

identity.

We have,

in fact,

been,

our old

self has

died.

Verse 3,

for you

have died

and your

life is

hidden

with Christ

and God.

So we have

to put

on the

new

self,

which is

being

renewed

in

knowledge

after the

image of

its

creator.

It's

being

renewed

in

knowledge.

The way

to our

hearts

is through

our

minds.

So we

must know

how it is

that a

Christian

should live.

And what

is his

instruction

then in

that?

To put

on those

things.

Notice

that he

gives us

a list

of things

to put

on then

as God's

chosen ones

in verse

12.

These

things.

And then

in verse

14 he

says,

and above

all these

put on

love.

So what

does it

mean to

put on

the new

self?

It means

to put

on these

activities

in our

life.

As we're

putting off

the old

self,

putting it

away,

putting it

to death

in verse

5.

We're

to be

putting

on

the new

self.

So for

those of

you who

are visual

learners,

we don't

often do

visuals,

I'm going

to do a

visual for

you this

morning.

We're

to put

off the

old self.

Note that

I'm taking

my shirt

off.

I have

a shirt

on

underneath.

We're

to put

it off.

We're

to take

it off.

That

phrasing

there,

put

off the

old

self on

verse

9,

is much

stronger

than the

language we

see in

English.

The

Greek term

is,

I don't

know,

I forgot

it actually.

Where's

it at?

Oh,

I didn't

write it

down.

It doesn't

matter.

It's a

stronger

Greek word.

And it

doesn't just

mean to

take off

the old

self and

lay it

over the

back of

your chair

as I

come and

do in

my room,

throw it

in the

hamper.

It means

literally to

wholly put

it away,

to cast

it away.

Putting

off the

old self

doesn't look

like this.

Putting

off the

old

self

looks

like

this.

Throw it

away.

Get it

away from

you.

These

things are

not

proper

for one

who is

found

in

Christ.

Now,

all of my

analogies

fall short.

I think

all analogies

do,

and I

always love

to point

out to

you how

they do.

One

way this

analogy

falls short

is I

don't think

there is

any such

thing as

bad

plaid.

That's a

pretty great

shirt I

just throw

away.

The other

way it

falls short

is it

is perfectly

acceptable

for me

to stand

here in

my

t-shirt.

There is

no problem

there.

But,

that's not

how we

function as

humans.

Because what

is it that

we're putting

off?

The old

self,

the deeds

of the

flesh,

so that

we can

put on

the deeds

of the

spirit.

We always

do

deeds.

We're

never

neutral

in this.

I'm

neutral

now in

not

wearing

the

shirt I'm

saying I

should

cast

away and

the shirt

that I

should put

on.

I haven't

put it

on yet,

but that

can't exist

in our

lives.

We will

always be

doing

things.

So as

you put

off,

you must

necessarily

put on

the deeds

of the

spirit.

And that

is the

work that

we are

to be

about.

Not

living by

the

flesh,

but

living by

the

spirit.

it.

I see

a lot

of

Christians

who are

working,

they're

straining

to put

off,

trying not

to do

particular

sins in

their life,

but I

don't see

them

putting on,

replacing

those things

with activity

that is of

God.

If you

are obedient

to Christ's

calling your

life,

you will

be so

busy

doing the

work of

the

spirit,

you won't

have time

to fulfill

the desire

for the

flesh.

If you

set yourself

to all

these

things,

you won't

be able

to sin.

You will

be so

occupied

and caught

up with

God and

his work.

Now,

again,

my analogy

falls short.

Could I

wear two

shirts?

Sure.

Would I

ever?

No.

Does I

put off

the old

self and

put on

the new

self?

The old

self stays

where it

belongs,

not on

me.

Right?

That's your

visual this

morning.

So we

have been

given a

duty to

squelch the

power of

the flesh

in our

life by

the Spirit.

If you

have a hard

time doing

this,

pray that

God will

work in

you and

then get

busy.

We're

running the

race.

God make

me fast

and then

run.

I see so

many of us

pray that

God will

work in

us and

then we

sit and

we wait.

God is

never going

to pick

your hands

up and

carry you

over to

the Bible

and have

you open

it up

and read.

God,

I want to

live for

you.

Start doing

it.

And that's

what Paul's

saying in

Colossians.

Cast off

the old

you.

Put on

the new

you.

Run the

race.

Fifthly,

a promise

is given

if the

duty is

fulfilled.

A promise

is given

if the

duty is

fulfilled.

This phrase

stands in

opposition to

the beginning

of verse

13.

Paul says

if you

live according

to the

flesh,

you will

die.

That is

certain.

if your

life is

characterized

by the

flesh,

then you

are not

found in

Christ.

You do

not have

his imputed

righteousness

and you

will

die.

But if

you're

found in

Christ

and you

have

now no

condemnation

and you

are about

this work

which is

the evidence

of the

spirit of

God

living

within

you,

then

you

will

live.

Now,

I think

he means

this in

two ways.

that will

have

eternal

life.

It

certainly

means

that.

Galatians

6,

8,

Paul says

for the

one who

sows to

his own

flesh

will

from the

flesh

reap

corruption.

For the

one who

sows to

the

spirit

will

from

the

spirit

reap

eternal

life.

The

spirit

is the

seal

of God's

covenant

love with

us.

When we

stand before

the judgment

throne,

the spirit

of God

will be

the seal

that we

have been

found in

Christ.

So,

it means

eternal

life.

But I

also think

that it

means life

now.

The Greek

word is

zao,

I believe,

which means

to have

full vigor.

The word

you will

live is

this phrase

and it

means to

have full

vigor.

So,

the joy

and the

comfort,

the vigor

of life

is ours

in the

here and

now because

our relationship

has been

restored with

God.

That very

thing we

have been

created for,

which is

to live

in abject

worship of

Him.

If we

were incapable

of doing

apart from

Christ,

we can

now do.

So,

we reap

the benefit

and the

reward

now.

The race

isn't always

easy,

is it?

Struggling

against sins,

not always

easy,

but in

it,

we live.

1 Thessalonians

3.8

says,

for now

we live

if you

are standing

fast

in the

Lord.

So,

now

we live.

we're

going to

eat

in the

world.

We

have

a

time

to

!

See you