Romans 8:3-4

If you guys ever played on a really good sports team, let's say basketball for instance, sometimes you know that you get up by a really, really large margin, let's say 50 points.

And when that happens, the first stream comes out and the second stream goes in. And that's kind of the way that I feel this morning.

Romans seven, it was a neck and neck game. We're going back and forth, the flesh and the sin versus the law of God.

And then we got the old man versus the new man. And of course, Romans eight, it seems like it kind of go up by like 50 and they put the subs in.

So consider myself the second stream. In light of that, let's just pray to the Lord for making this substitution.

Father, we thank you so much that Christ is real. Christ is alive. Christ is in us who know him.

God, we pray that your word would just be opened up to us this morning in a great and marvelous way.

We pray that it would just change the way that we think, the way that we live our lives, Lord God, so that you would receive more glory through us.

And we would, Father, just have the right parts that are filled with joy.

We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

In psychology, I learned that you tend to remember the first thing and the last thing that you hear from somebody more than all the middle stuff.

So I just want to start with kind of the general outline of Romans eight versus one through four, just so you guys can have a have the structure in your mind as we're going through it.

I'm only really teaching. I'm supposed to really only teach three and four because Nathan taught one and two a couple of weeks ago.

But we're going to we're going to go through all of it really briefly and just focus in on the last two especially.

So and I have these kind of, I guess, segmented by ours.

All the all the names of these things start with our.

So the first verse is really the reality that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.

OK, it's about our need for righteousness.

Verse two is the reason why we have no condemnation.

And the buzzword there is justification.

And it deals with how God provided us with his righteousness.

OK, verse three.

Is the route.

That God took to alleviate from us this condemnation.

And the buzzword is substitution.

Route and substitution.

And it really has to do with Christ being our righteous sacrifice.

And then fourthly.

It's the result.

This is verse four.

Of our salvation and Christ substitutionary work on our behalf.

And the key word here is sanctification.

And this is going to be talking about our demonstration of God's righteousness.

OK, so these are massive topics that obviously I'm not going to be able to touch fully.

This is a very abridged version of what these things actually deal with.

It's this is I mean, literally the whole scripture is kind of being summarized in these four verses.

So you can pretty much go anywhere to teach this.

But I'm going to try to stay in Romans as much as possible today.

Just so you guys aren't flipping all over the place.

Let's begin with a review of verses one and two.

Let's just read the passage to start with.

OK, this is Romans eight, one through four.

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

For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did.

Sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.

In order that we that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.

OK, so verses one one through four here, it really functions as a summary of the previous seven chapters.

It's kind of a hinge point.

OK, so it's the previous seven chapters, but it's also the subsequent thirty five verses to follow in chapter eight.

It's really a summary of all that's all that that's going on.

And again, the first buzzword that we had was the reality of no condemnation.

This is verse one.

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

We see that earlier in the text in Romans in verses 18 through really chapter 118 through verses 20 in chapter three.

Paul is talking about condemnation.

And the reality of man is guilty before a holy God who was also a judge.

Of the worst kind of treason.

OK, man is guilty of treason against God.

And treason is a violation of a violation of allegiance to one sovereign or a betrayal.

I like this definition better.

A betrayal of a trust or confidence.

It's a breach of faith.

We have committed treason against God.

And with treason, commonly there's no tolerance, right?

Crimes often result in the death penalty.

There's been a recent thing, I think, happening in the past couple of years.

I just learned about this recently from Josh, in fact.

A lot of you guys in the military probably heard about this WikiLeaks thing.

It's a young, private first class soldier.

A couple of years ago stole a lot of confidential documents and some video footage from the government.

And somehow he posted it on the Internet for anyone and everyone to see.

I mean, that's enemies and friends alike.

And some of the content was very disturbing.

It exposed actually a mission that had gone wrong overseas.

And needless to say, the man was arrested and is actually awaiting trial and potentially the death penalty.

This is just a young man who put some stuff on the Internet.

But the severity of the crime is determined by the scale of the offense.

The severity of the crime is determined by the scale of the offense.

So, you slap your brother or sister on the face, you get time out.

You slap the president, you get time in jail.

There's a difference between slapping your brother and slapping the president.

That's because the scale of offense is greater.

If we betray one's country, we get death.

If we betray God, we get death and hell.

It's greater.

Understand in the present predicament of sinners.

They are under the condemnation of the King of Kings.

Jesus, therefore, says rightly in Matthew 10, 28,

Don't fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul.

Rather, fear Him who is able to send both soul and body into hell.

There's a reverence that God was speaking up there.

And so you may ask, what have we done to deserve condemnation?

What are we guilty of before God?

That would sentence us to death and then eventually hell?

Turn to Romans 1.

Again, beginning in verse 18, He's dealing with this.

Going through chapter 3, verse 20.

What have we done?

Read verse 18 with me.

For the wrath of God, that's the condemnation, is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness

and all unrighteousness of men who do what?

Who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

Then skip down to verses 21 through 23.

For even though they knew about God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks,

but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing to be wise, they became fools.

And they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God

for an image in the form of corruptible man

and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

And you might substitute anything there.

Any false god or idol that you may serve.

A lifestyle, a status, an image, a relationship, etc.

They worship and serve and men worship and serve.

And we used to worship and serve things that were not God.

That's treason.

That's betrayal of God.

Look at verses 24 and 25.

Therefore, God gave them over in the lust of their hearts to impurity.

That their bodies might be dishonored among them.

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.

And they worship and served the creature rather than the creator.

Okay?

Just a note.

Immorality is normal as a symptom of depravity.

And normally, within a certain society or a certain country or a certain region

where you have gross immorality or growing immorality,

normally that means soon the destruction of that society or nation or whatever.

This happened to Rome a long time ago.

There was just a growing homosexuality, a growing heterosexual sin throughout the region.

It was corrupting everybody from the inside out.

And Rome fell from the inside out.

So immorality is a normal symptom of depravity.

So imagine what condition our society and our country is in today.

Furthermore, look at 28 through 32.

Now, he's kind of speaking, okay?

He's writing to the church, so he's speaking to Christians.

But these things that he's saying are all, or once were all, true of us.

This is going to help us compare what Christ has done better.

So look at verses 28 through 32.

And just as they did not see fit, this is unbelievers,

as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer,

God gave them over to a depraved mind to do those things that are not proper.

What things are not proper?

Being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil,

full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice.

They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful,

inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding,

and trustworthy, and loving, and merciful.

And although they know the ordinance or the commandment of God,

that those who practice such things are worthy of death,

they not only do the same,

but they also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

So that's a laundry list of indictment against us.

And that's just chapter 1.

This is the condemnation of God that is coming upon people

that this is characteristic of.

But for those who are in Christ Jesus,

there is no condemnation.

So we were all once these things.

And yet there's no condemnation.

There's no condemnation at all.

No penalty to be paid.

No judgment to fear.

No hell to suffer.

All of our guilt absolved.

So the question then becomes,

well, how do I get in Christ, right?

Because the first verse of our text says

that those that are in Christ have no condemnation.

How do I get in Christ?

That's the beauty of verse 2.

He rescues you by the power of the gospel.

Let's read it.

For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus

has set you free

from the law of sin and death.

Has set you free.

What does that imply?

That you were once in bondage to something, right?

You were freed from something.

You were incarcerated in something.

Now you're freed from something.

So again, the second key word was justification.

This is the reason why condemnation

is no longer applied to us.

Man is justified,

which really means to be declared innocent

or to be holy or to be blameless,

by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That's how.

Before Christ saved you,

you were held in captivity to the law,

it says,

of sin and of death.

And in many ways,

this refers to the principle of sin

that we see Paul struggling with

in chapter 7,

verses 23 and 24.

Let's read that.

It's regarding a principle.

He says,

but I see a different law

in the members of my body,

waging war against the law of my mind

and making me a prisoner

of the law of sin,

which is in my members.

So something's inside of Paul.

Then he says,

wretched man that I am,

he cries out,

who will set me free

from the body of this death?

So something was inside of Paul.

Something was true of Paul

that he hated,

that he despised.

It was a principle

that was inside of him.

This thing that he couldn't

rid himself of in this life.

And they that are not in Christ

are in the devil.

That's a strong comparison.

But they that are not in Christ

are in the devil.

What does that mean?

John 8, 44.

Jesus himself

says to the Pharisees,

you are of your father,

the devil.

In Ephesians 2, 3,

Paul says

that we are children of wrath.

And in 1 John 3, 10,

John says,

you are children of the devil.

That's how he describes

the unbelieving,

the unregenerate.

Children of the devil.

And not being in Christ,

they have not Christ in them.

And therefore,

no power to resist sin

or combat Satan.

They are slaves of sin.

They are entirely governed

and influenced

in every decision

by their fallen nature.

This is who you once were.

This is who some of you

may still be.

You are totally

controlled by sin.

There is nothing

inside of you

that is pleasing to God.

You are filled with sin.

One cannot escape

what one is.

Okay?

If you are an ant,

then you can only

work with the faculties

of an ant.

If you are a lion,

then you can only work

with the faculties

of a lion.

If you are not in Christ,

then you can only work

with your fallen faculties.

Meaning what?

You can't please God.

You can't please God.

This is so important

to understand.

Okay?

Romans 8 says that.

We are going to get to that

in a little while.

That those who are

not in Christ,

who are not in the Spirit,

cannot please God.

Have no ability to.

Now that means something.

That puts people

that try to work

to be good,

to get God's approval,

in a very,

very desperate place.

because you can't

earn God's favor.

There's no outweighing

the bad with the good.

This is exactly

what the truth

of Scripture says.

Just turn to Romans 8.

I just want to see,

I just want to read this

with you.

Romans 8.

Those who are in the flesh

cannot please God.

So I'm not just making this up.

This is truth from Scripture.

If you are a Christian,

however,

you can certainly

please God.

Because there is now

a new principle

in you.

The law of the Spirit

of life in Christ Jesus,

as our verse says.

This is how the Gospel works,

okay?

By faith,

a man believes

that he has sinned

against God.

And is indeed

in a state

of just

condemnation.

So I sin

against God,

I recognize that,

and I admit that,

and I believe that.

That God is not

pleased with me,

for me.

Know this too,

God never refuses

or despises

the man who is broken

in spirit,

and who is contrite

in heart.

Psalm 51.

And therefore,

God saves

this poor man,

God has saved you,

being justified,

made holy,

right?

As a gift

by His grace,

as a gift,

that's a key word there,

by His grace,

through the redemption

which is in Christ Jesus.

And that's straight out

of chapter 3,

verse 24.

And this person

who's been saved

has what's called

positional righteousness.

Positional righteousness.

Meaning that if a man

were to die

the second after

he were saved,

and he had lived

a life of constant sin,

let's say that he was

the worst of men,

and he died

one second after

he was saved,

he would still

be seen by God

as if he were as holy

and as blameless

as Christ.

Positional righteousness

is awesome.

Holy and blameless

before God,

pure as Christ,

and I did

one second

of good things

and 45 years

of sin.

He would then

be loved by God

for the rest of eternity

as a son

because of this position.

And he would not

be condemned to hell

as a sinner.

And that is what it means

to be justified.

Now,

you say,

where is that

in Scripture,

right?

That's an awesome

reality.

Where is that

in Scripture?

I want to read

more about this.

Luke 23,

39-43,

is the thief

on the cross.

That's a great

example of that.

He was on the cross.

He was literally

nailed to the cross.

And Christ

gave him and said,

today you will be

with me in paradise.

But I want to read you

from Romans 5.

Look at Romans 5.

Just turn over

one page.

Another good example

of this.

Romans 5,

6-10.

For while we were

still helpless,

at the right time,

Christ died

for the ungodly.

God died

for the Romans

one people.

For one will hardly

die for a righteous man,

though perhaps

for a good man

someone would dare

even to die.

But God

demonstrates

His own love

toward us.

And that while

we were

yet still

sinners,

wicked,

evil,

hating God,

rebellious,

Christ died

for you.

In your sin.

Not when you

cleaned yourself up

and made yourself

resentable,

but in your sin,

in the worst

of the worst

of the worst

circumstances,

when you were

doing nothing

but sin,

when you were

hating God

and betraying Him

with all the heart

that you possibly could,

that's when He

died for you.

much more

than

having now

been justified

by His blood,

we shall be

saved from the

wrath of God,

from condemnation

through Christ.

For if

while we were

enemies,

we were reconciled

to God

through the death

of His Son,

much more than

having been

reconciled,

we should be

saved by His

life.

He's like,

if God saves you

while you were

in your sin,

while you were

hating God,

while you were

rebellious,

then certainly

He's going to

keep you

once you've

been given

the Holy Spirit,

once you've

been transformed,

once you've

been given

a love for

Christ,

there's nothing

you can do

to get out

of that.

It's awesome.

Thirdly,

verse 3,

Romans 8,

3,

says,

for what the

law could

not do,

weak as it

was through

the flesh,

God did,

by sending

His own

Son in the

likeness of

sinful flesh,

and as an

offering for

sin,

He condemned

sin in

the flesh.

The key

word here

is substitution.

And this

is again,

for the R

words,

the route

that God

took to

alleviate us

from condemnation.

The route

that God

took to

justify you.

Substitution.

Meaning,

the righteous

demands of

the law,

and the law

does have

demands,

are satisfied

in Christ,

and thusly,

in those

who are in

Christ.

The law

here,

the word

law,

is the

word nomos

in the

Greek,

and it's

a generic

word meaning

basically any

law whatsoever.

Any law

whatsoever.

So it's

therefore anything

that accurately

reflects the

moral character

or moral

nature of

God.

It can be

as explicit,

as obvious,

as the

Mosaic law,

the Ten

Commandments

that were

written in

stone,

or it can

be as

implicit as

the moral

law,

written in

and on the

hearts of

people,

bearing

conscious

witness of

God to

even the

indigenous

tribesmen

who's never

heard the

name of

Jesus Christ

or read a

Bible.

The law

of God

is still

written on

their hearts.

That's

Romans 2.15.

Romans 2.1

says no

man is

with excuse.

No man's

got an

excuse before

God.

There's

nothing you

can say

to him

because

there's

moral laws

written on

your heart,

which is

why somebody

in an

indigenous

tribe

elsewhere

still feels

the same

conviction

for committing

adultery

or for

killing

somebody.

It's the

moral law

of God

written in

the

heart.

So it

can be

explicit

or it

can be

implicit.

But all

of that

and everything

in between

is the

law of

God.

And the

law, as we

see in our

text,

couldn't do

something.

It was

incapable of

doing

something.

What?

If we read

further on in

verse 3,

condemning sin

is what it

couldn't do.

that's what

God was

sent for,

right?

That's why

Christ was

sent, was

to condemn

sin.

The law

cannot

condemn or

destroy or

render powerless

Sin.

It can only

expose it.

Romans 7,

7, look over

just one column.

Paul says,

what should we

say then?

Is the law

sin?

May it

never be.

On the

contrary,

I would

not have

come to

no sin

except

through the

law.

The law.

That's its

function.

It can only

make a person

privy to

their offense

of God's

law.

It can only

make a person

realize or

understand that

they have

committed a

transgression

against God.

That they're

rebellious.

purpose.

That's what

its purpose,

its function

is.

It's to

tutor you

basically.

To lead

you into

the knowledge

of your

sin.

Look at

Romans 3.

The end

of, I

guess,

19 and

20.

Look at

this.

Romans 3,

19 and

20.

Now, we

know that

whatever the

law says,

it speaks

to those

who are

under the

law,

that every

mouth may

be closed.

So,

everybody's

mouth is

shut up.

And all

the world

may become

accountable

to God.

Everybody

is.

Because by

the works

of the

law,

that means

by trying

to achieve

God's

favor

through

working

or doing

good works.

So, by

the works

of the

law, no

flesh will

be justified

in his

sight.

For

through

the law

comes

the

knowledge

of sin.

So,

it's

clear as

day.

Now, I

need to

make a

point here.

The

problem is

not with

the law.

The

problem is

with us.

Okay?

The

verse says,

weak as

it was

through the

flesh.

What the

law could

not do,

weak as

it was

through the

flesh.

Okay?

Our sin

nature is

the flesh.

That's the

issue.

We are

born with a

predisposition

towards sin

and towards

lawlessness.

We hate,

as sinners,

the rigidity

of the

law.

law.

Because it

feels

incarcerating,

doesn't it?

All these

do's and

don'ts,

all these

things to

do,

all these

things not

to do,

it feels

incarcerating

to us.

We want

to rebel

against it

and to be

freed from

its

requirements.

And when

the unbelieving

feel that

way,

it's simply

the law

doing what

it's supposed

to do.

simply doing

what it's

supposed to

do.

This helps

us very

much in

understanding

why

unbelievers

hate the

gospel.

Why some

of you

hate the

gospel.

Why you

hate hearing

this.

Why?

Because the

law exposes

your failure

to meet

God's

standard.

Anybody

and nobody

likes to

dwell on

their weaknesses

and on

their deficiencies.

But you

are weak.

if you

are not

in Christ,

you are

very weak.

Very

weak.

We all

were once

weak.

It exposes

you.

It makes

a mockery

of you.

You can't

live up to

it.

It's like a

father that's

never pleased

with you if

you do

something good

in the

house.

Never gives

you any

kind of

encouragement.

The law

doesn't know

how to show

encouragement.

It only beats

you down.

That's its

function though.

It's meant

to do

that.

The law

is weak

only because

our flesh

is weak.

But our

Savior's

flesh was

not,

however,

weak.

Was it?

Notice

our verse

says,

what the law

could not

do,

weak as

it was

through the

flesh,

God

did.

God

did.

What the

law was

incapable of

doing through

us,

that is,

rendering

powerless,

sin,

and Satan,

and death,

and reflecting

God's perfect

moral righteousness,

it mightily

achieved through

Christ.

What the law

couldn't do

through us,

it achieved

victoriously,

triumphantly

through Christ.

Notice how

our verse here

is phrased,

right?

God did,

sending His

own Son.

God the

Father then

chose willingly

to send

Jesus.

And let me

tell you this,

He was

compelled by

nothing in

you or

nothing in

me.

we have

no value

apart from

that which

is given

to us

by God.

We are

the same

as grass

apart from

Christ,

creation.

That's all

that you

are.

That's all

that I

am,

is creation.

God

sent

Christ.

Why?

turn to

Isaiah 53.

This is

awesome.

Isaiah 53.

We are

going to read

verses 4

through 6

and then

we are

going to

read a

little bit

from verse

10.

Isaiah 53,

4 through 6

and a

little bit

from 10.

Listen to

this.

This is

so awesome.

It says,

Surely our

griefs He

Himself,

that is

Christ,

bore.

In our

sorrows He

carried,

yet we

ourselves

esteemed

Him stricken.

We didn't

recognize Him.

Smitten of

God and

afflicted.

But He

was pierced

through for

our transgressions.

He was crushed

for our

iniquities.

And the

chastisement

for our

well-being

fell upon

Him.

And by

His

scourging

we are

healed.

All of

us like

sheep have

gone astray.

Each of

us has

turned to

his own

way.

We're

all

sinners.

But the

Lord has

caused

the

iniquity

of us

all to

fall on

Christ.

Christ.

Verse 10.

But the

Lord was

pleased to

crush Him,

putting Him

to grief.

So why

did God

send Christ

to die

this gruesome

death on

the cross

to save

us from

our sins

simply

because it

pleased Him.

He wanted

to.

It pleased

Him.

to crush

Christ.

God does

what He

pleases.

And the

Son,

likewise,

does what

He pleases.

Let me read

you this.

A little

Trinity passage

here.

Check this

out.

Jesus

says,

for this

reason the

Father loves

me,

because I

lay down

my life

that I

may take

it up

again.

no one

has taken

my life

away from

me.

Nobody.

But I

lay it

down on

my own

initiative.

I have

authority to

lay it

down and

I have

authority to

take it

up again.

This

commandment

I receive

from my

Father.

That's

Jesus

saying,

the

Father sent

me,

but I

sent

myself.

I do

what I

want to

do.

So it

pleased

Christ to

die on

the cross.

God

enjoyed the

death of

Christ.

Why?

Because

through it,

Christ killed

the power

of sin

that had

for thousands

of years

held sway

over all

creation.

In His

triumph,

He conquered

sin,

Satan,

death,

and hell.

He brought

many sons

to glory.

That's you,

that's me.

He made

a fool

of Satan,

which He

liked.

He

perfectly

accomplished

the will

of His

Father.

That is,

He fulfilled

the law

perfectly.

He

condemned

sin in

the flesh.

That's

what the

law

couldn't

do

through

us.

That's

what the

law

mightily

did

through

Christ.

Condemn

sin,

destroy

sin,

and the

power

of it

through

Christ.

The

law

cannot

make

men

perfect,

but

Christ

can.

Turn to

Hebrews

10.

10.

The law

cannot make

men

perfect,

but

Christ

can.

Hebrews

10.

Verse

10 and

14.

By this

will we

have been

sanctified

through the

offering of

the body

of Jesus

Christ once

for all.

The word

sanctification

means to

be set

apart or

made

holy.

So by

this we

have been

made

holy,

by the

offering

of the

body

of Jesus

Christ

once for

all.

Then

14.

14.

For by

one

offering,

that was

Christ,

he has

perfected

for all

time those

who are

sanctified.

The law

can't make

men perfect,

but Christ

can.

Now listen,

okay?

In Christ,

listen to this,

this is awesome,

in Christ we

have been

freed from

the penalty

of sin.

From the

penalty of

it.

Eternity

in hell.

Justly.

Free from

it.

Absolved

from all

guilt

of it.

We have

been freed,

we are

being freed,

excuse me,

daily from

the power

of it.

So we

were freed,

we have

been freed,

once and

for all,

from the

penalty.

We are

presently

being freed

from the

power,

and one

day we

will fully

be freed

from even

the presence

of sin.

In heaven,

when we

see Christ

face to

face.

glorious

truth.

Lastly,

verse 4.

It says,

in order

that,

so he

condemns

sin in

the flesh,

in order

that the

requirement

of the

law might

be fulfilled

in us

who do

not walk

according to

the flesh,

but according

to the

spirit.

The key

word here

is

sanctification,

and the

R word

is the

result.

We

started

with

the

reality

of no

condemnation,

we went

to the

reason,

which was

justification,

right?

From there

we went

to the

route,

which was

substitution,

and then

on to

fourthly,

the result,

which is

sanctification.

As I

already said,

sanctification

meaning to

be set

apart unto

God,

to be

made

holy unto

God.

Christ

saved us

to make

us holy,

it's

important,

and as,

excuse me,

to make us

holy as he

was and

is holy.

the law

is not

made

void

when you

become a

Christian.

Many

people are

confused about

this.

A lot of

you may

say,

well,

I thought

that I

was released

from the

law.

I mean,

what about

Romans 6,

or Romans 7,

6,

I mean,

just go back

one column,

look at

this,

what does

it say?

But now

we have

been released

from the

law,

John,

and I

would say

keep reading,

having died

to that by

which we

were bound,

so that

we serve

in the

newness.

Serve,

serve,

serve in

the newness

of the

spirit,

not in

oldness

of the

letter.

It's

true you've

been released

from the

law,

but released

from the

condemning

grasp of

the law,

that is the

penalty that

comes from

transgressing

it,

you've been

released from

that,

but not

from the

obligation

to it.

That's still

very much

alive.

Christ

didn't come

to abolish

the law,

didn't he?

He came

to fulfill

it.

And we're

to be like

Christ,

fulfilling

it.

In light

of that,

we were

saved in

him from

the penalty

of the

law to

the practice

of it.

Saved from

the penalty

of it to

the practice

of it.

Be encouraged,

okay?

Be encouraged

by this.

This is cool.

There's

nothing more

satisfying for

the Christian

than keeping

God's law.

There's

nothing more

satisfying for

the Christian

than keeping

God's law.

Why?

Because a

cheetah likes

to run,

a fish

likes to

swim,

a cow

likes to

graze,

and a

Christian

likes to

obey God's

law.

it is

now

natural

to us.

It is

why you

were created

initially

anyway.

Those

animals do

instinctually,

right?

What they've

been given

to do.

Their

faculties enable

them.

Cheetah

to run,

cow to

graze,

Christians have

been given

the Holy

Spirit to

obey.

It's

simply how

God created

us.

Now notice

the key

phrase here

in the

beginning of

verse 4.

It says,

in order

that.

In order

that.

God saves

us for a

purpose,

as I said.

That's for

holiness.

I want you

to turn to

Titus 2.

I want you

to see this.

Titus 2,

he saved

you for a

reason.

Your

justification

wasn't the

end game.

but your

sanctification

and glorification

were.

Titus 2,

Titus 2:11–14

verses 11

through 14.

Listen to

this.

Here we go.

For the

grace of

God,

that's

Christ,

basically.

For the

grace of

God has

appeared,

bringing

salvation to

all men.

For what

reason?

Instructing

us to

deny ungodliness

and worldly

desires,

and to

live sensibly,

righteously,

and godly in

the present

age,

looking for

the

blessed

hope and

the

appearing

of the

glory of

our

great

God

and

Savior

Christ

Jesus,

who gave

himself

for us,

that's the

cross,

that he

might redeem

us from

every lawless

deed and

purify for

himself.

There's that

pleasure thing

again.

A people

for his own

possession,

who are

what?

Zealous

for good

deeds.

That's

clear as

day.

He saved

you to

make you

holy.

you say

that's the

only place

in the

Bible

that says

that.

No,

it's not.

Turn to

1 Peter.

1 Peter 2.

1 Peter 2.

21-24.

Listen to

this.

Another

in-your-face

passage.

For you

have been

called for

this purpose

since Christ

also suffered

for you,

leaving you

an example

for you to

follow in

his steps.

Who committed

no sin

or any

deceit found

in his

mouth.

And while

being reviled,

he did not

revile in

return.

While

suffering,

he uttered

no threats,

but kept

entrusting

himself to

him who

judges

righteously.

24.

Big kicker.

But he

himself bore

our sins in

his body on

the cross.

There's a

cross that

we might

die to

sin and

live to

righteousness.

So he

died.

He saved

you.

Why?

So that you

could die to

sin and live

to righteousness.

That is

literally the

whole chapter

6 of

Romans.

That's

another

massive

proof text.

But he

hasn't left

you to

accomplish

this task

alone.

That's a

very daunting

task,

right,

by itself.

He's

given you

the Holy

Spirit.

He's

given you

the Holy

Spirit.

Turn to

John 14.

I've got to

show you

this.

John 14.

Jesus

introduces to

the disciples

the Holy

Spirit in

many ways.

He hasn't

left you by

himself.

That's what

he's done.

Look at

this.

Verses 16

and 17.

Start there.

And I

will ask the

Father,

and he

will give

you another

helper,

that he

may be

with you

temporarily?

No.

Forever.

Forever.

That is

the Spirit

of truth

whom the

world can't

receive because

it does not

behold him

or know him,