Romans 8 - Hatred of Sin

be able to give you a copy.

So we're going to read this morning from chapter 8, verses 1 to 4.

And then 12 to 17.

So we're going to read and then I'll pray.

Romans 8, starting at verse 1.

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

Because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,

God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.

And so he condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirement of the law

might be fully met in us who do not live according to the flesh,

but according to the Spirit.

Down to verse 12.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation.

But it is not to the flesh to live according to it.

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die.

But if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

The Spirit you receive does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again.

Rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.

And by him we cry, Abba, Father.

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Now if we are children, then we are heirs.

Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.

If indeed we share in his sufferings,

in order that we may also share in his glory.

Well, let's pray together.

Father, we are weak.

We are helpless.

And we need the power of your Holy Spirit

to help us to understand your word.

But more than that,

we ask that by your Spirit you would shine your light

upon the Lord Jesus

so that we may understand all that he has done

and the work that he continues to do in our life today

as we live for him.

So please encourage and equip us all today, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, these last few weeks we've been asking the big question,

what is a Christian?

Or to put it another way,

what are the marks of a Christian?

Well, today we're going to see that a Christian

is somebody who kills off sin.

In other words, we're to consciously

and intentionally put sin to death.

Now, as we talk about sin,

it's perhaps not very popular,

or you're thinking,

gosh, I don't really like the look of this subject.

Well, follow with me,

because it's extremely important.

We're going to define sin like this

as we go through our talk.

Sin is the desires within us

that stand opposed to God

and are not yet renewed by God.

So it's not just the bad things we do

or the good things we don't do.

It are the desires within us

that stand opposed to God

and are not yet renewed by God.

You see, if you're a Christian here this morning,

you're in a battle.

Let me explain.

Before we became a Christian,

our sinful nature ruled our hearts.

So we lived and we did as we wanted.

Our sinful desires were unopposed.

There was no battle going on.

We just did whatever we wanted.

But when we became a Christian,

the Spirit of God moved into our hearts

and the Spirit now rules

and gives us new God desires.

And although we now have a new nature,

the old sinful nature has not gone away.

It still remains opposed to God

and is fighting against what is good

and what is pure.

That's the battle.

If you're a Christian,

that's the battle,

what goes on inside of us 24-7.

God gives us his Spirit to live his way.

But yet the old sinful nature

is still there.

He hasn't gone away

and is fighting against all that is good

and right.

Paul, who writes Romans,

is a Christian

and he shows us what this fight looks like.

You can probably relate to it.

Chapter 7, verse 19.

So go back to chapter 7, verse 19.

Look how he describes the fight.

Verse 19,

For I do not do the good I want to do,

but the evil I do not want to do.

This I keep on doing.

Now if I do what I do not want to do,

it is no longer I who do it,

but it is sin living within me

that does it.

Have you ever experienced that?

You want to do the right thing,

but you end up doing the wrong thing.

That's our sinful desires

battling against our new God desires.

He explains it further, verse 22.

For in my inner being,

I delight in God's law.

I want to do the right thing.

Verse 23,

But I see another law at work in me,

waging war

against the law of my mind

and making me a prisoner

of the law of sin at work within me.

What a terrible, verse 24,

what a wretched man I am.

I can't seem to do the right thing.

I keep falling and failing.

Who's going to rescue me

from this body

that is subject to death?

We fight this battle

and we often feel we're losing.

Are we going to get anywhere?

But this morning is a message of hope.

Don't despair.

Verse 25,

Thanks be to God

who delivers me

through Jesus Christ,

our Lord.

Jesus Christ

delivers us

and helps us

and enables us

to fight sin.

So three things

we're going to look at

this morning

from Romans chapter 8

Romans 8 · chapter mention

that's going to help us all

kill off sin

or put sin to death.

And if we can grasp

these three things,

we will see changes

and transformations

in our life.

Maybe you've been

in this battle

a long time

and you seem to be

making no progress.

Well, I think

if we can grasp

these three things today,

it's going to help us.

We're going to look

at the penalty of sin,

the power of sin,

and the presence of sin.

The penalty,

power,

and presence.

So first,

good news.

We have been set free

from the penalty of sin.

Set free

from the penalty of sin.

Chapter 8,

verse 1.

Therefore,

there is now

no condemnation

for those

who are in Christ Jesus.

This week,

I was reading the news

about a Mrs. Bergen

who is 73 years old.

For the last 28 years,

Mrs. Bergen

has been claiming

her dead father-in-law's pension.

Now,

when you tot up

the weekly claims,

Mrs. Bergen

had received

a tidy sum of,

guess what?

£270,000.

Not a bad little scheme,

was it?

Apparently,

someone came

across the file

of the father-in-law

and discovered

that if he was still alive,

he was past

110 years old.

So,

they went

investigating

and discovered

Mrs. Bergen

who was found

guilty.

The penalty?

A fine

and a sentence.

All to be paid

by Mrs. Bergen.

She is

under

condemnation.

Now,

before we

became a Christian,

that's our

spiritual state

before God.

we've broken

God's law.

We've desired

what we want

and we've been

found guilty.

And the penalty

is

death

and separation

from God.

We are

under

condemnation.

But look

what the text

is saying to us,

verse 1.

Therefore,

there is now

what?

No

condemnation.

condemnation

for those

who are

in Christ

Jesus.

Imagine

that you

are in

the courtroom

where Mrs. Bergen

is facing

the judge.

The evidence

has all been

presented,

the verdict

is guilty,

and the penalty

is read out.

But just as

Mrs. Bergen

is being led

out to begin

her sentence,

the judge

stands up

representing

the state

and calls

her back

in.

Mrs. Bergen,

I have some

good news

for you.

I will

cover your

fine,

and I

will take

your sentence.

I will

pay the

penalty.

You are

free.

You can

go.

at that

point,

Mrs. Bergen

is declared

not guilty.

No

condemnation.

Now,

we don't

have to

imagine

what God

would do

for us

because he

has already

done it.

Read again

verse 1.

There is

now no

condemnation

for who?

For those

who are

in Christ

Jesus.

Because

through Christ

Jesus,

the law

of the

Spirit

who gives

life

has set

you free

from the

law of

sin and

death.

We have

been set

free

from the

penalty

of our

sins.

Well,

how can

that possibly

happen?

Well,

look at the

middle of

verse 3.

it tells

us there,

God did

it by

sending

his own

son in

the likeness

of sinful

flesh to

be a sin

offering.

And so

he condemned

sin in

the flesh

in Christ.

God in

the person

of Jesus

came and

took on

our sin

and was

condemned

for us.

On the

cross,

the penalty

for our

sins was

completely

and utterly

paid.

And in

its place,

God now

declares

us not

guilty.

Not

guilty.

That

declaration

of not

guilty

can't be

chained

or revoked.

It's a

permanent,

irreversible

action.

Look at

verse 1.

Literally

it's saying,

therefore there

is now

no more

condemnation.

That means

all of our

sins,

not just

our past

sins,

but every

sin in the

future has

already been

paid for

by God.

God will

never ever

judge you

or condemn

you.

He's

never going

to punish

you for

any of

your sins

if you

are a

Christian.

It's like

we've been

given a

credit card

from the

bank of

God.

And every

time we

sin,

we can

present that

card to

God and

say,

thank you.

Thank you

for paying

the penalty

for my

sin.

You see,

in our

battle with

sin,

as we

seek to

kill off

sin,

we need

to know

that every

one of

our sins

is no

longer held

against us.

If our

sins were

held against

us,

we would

just give

up,

wouldn't

we?

There

would be

no point

fighting our

sin because

our sins

would pile up

one on top

of the other

and crush

us.

But praise

God,

Jesus has

paid it

all.

We have

been set

free from

the penalty

of sin.

That's the

first big

thing we need

to know as

a Christian.

We've been

set free from

the penalty,

never to face

condemnation.

Second,

we are

being set

free.

So the

first woman

was a

past tense

work of

God.

Second,

we are

being

present,

set free

from the

power of

sin.

Now having

our sins

paid for

is wonderful

news.

No more

condemnation.

Well that

must mean

I can live

however I

like and

do whatever

I please

and all I

have to do

is just

go to

God and

say,

please

forgive me

and he'll

forgive me.

No.

God has

given us

a new

nature.

No

condemnation,

that's

true,

but he's

moved into

our life

and he's

given us

new desires,

a new

way to

live.

Chapter

8,

verse 5.

Those

who live

according to

the flesh,

so when you

see the word

flesh,

you might

have a

note at

the bottom

of your

Bible,

underneath

the notes

that you

have there.

flesh is

the sin

desiring

nature

that's

in

opposition

to

God.

The

sin

desiring

nature

in

opposition

to

God.

So,

keep that

in mind.

Verse 5,

those who

live

according to

the flesh

have their

minds set

on what

the flesh

desires.

But those

who live in

accordance with

the spirit

have their

minds set

on what

the spirit

desires.

Verse 9,

you,

however,

are not

in the

realm of

the flesh,

but in

the realm

of the

spirit.

You see,

God has

given us

a brand

new life.

A new

ruler now

reigns in

our hearts.

And God

lives in

us by the

power of

his Holy

Spirit.

Verse 12,

therefore,

brothers and

sisters,

we have an

obligation,

but it is

not to the

sinful desires

to live

according to

it.

You see,

our obligation

when we

stand back

and see

what God

has done

for us

through

Christ,

how he's

given us

his Holy

Spirit and

has given

us a

completely

new way

to live,

we have

an obligation.

It's not

to go back

to the

old life

and to

start

following

our

sin

desires.

Instead,

we now

live as

new people

who've

been set

free.

And what's

our

obligation?

What's

our

response?

Verse 13,

verse 13,

for if you

live according

to the

flesh,

you will

die.

But if

by the

Spirit you

put to

death the

misdeeds of

the body,

you will

live.

You see,

the key

phrase in

verse 13

is this,

put to

death

death,

the

misdeeds

of the

body.

It's a

call to

war.

It's a

command to

fight.

If you're a

Christian,

he's saying,

I want you

now as a

new person

in Christ

to kill

off sin.

Those

unwanted

desires that

stand opposed

to God,

we're to

put them

to death.

death.

One past

theologian

summarised

verse 13

like this,

be killing

sin or

sin will

kill you.

You see,

there's no

neutral ground

here.

Either we're

being killed

by sin or

we are

killing sin.

What one

is it?

We're either

fighting or

we're

surrendering.

There's no

neutral ground

because our

old sinful

nature never

ever gives

up.

It longs to

come back

at us.

So the

command is

put sin

to death.

That's our

obligation.

That's our

response as

Christians.

But how do

we go about

killing sin?

How do we

break its

power?

It's

hold over

us.

Well, the

message is

not, I

want you to

go home and

fight harder

or I want

you to

battle

stronger.

No, we're

to turn to

God who

empowers us

and enables

us to

fight sin

and to

kill it

off.

So three

ways we

can fight

sin.

because we

all have a

sin problem.

Here's the

first one.

In our

battle with

sin, look

at the

beauty of

the sun.

Look at

the beauty

of the

sun.

Not the

S-U-N

but the

S-O-N.

Verse 14.

For those

who are

led by the

spirit of

God are

the children

of God.

You know,

the primary

role of

the spirit

in

scripture

is to

put the

spotlight

on Jesus.

His job,

the spirit's

job, is to

show the

glory and

greatness of

who Jesus

is.

It's a

little bit

like going

to the

theatre.

You watch

on stage.

There's many

different

characters,

many things

happening,

and they're

all vying

for our

attention.

But then

all of a

sudden,

the spotlight

is turned

on,

and the

light focuses

down on

the main

character,

and we're

drawn to

that character,

and everything

else on the

stage fades

off into

the background.

Well,

verse 14.

The spirit

of God

leads the

children of

God to

gaze at the

beauty of

the son of

God.

God

that's the

spirit's

work.

He leads

us as

children to

gaze at

the beauty

of the

son of

God.

The spirit

puts the

focus on

Jesus and

says,

marvel and

wonder at

who he

is and

all that

he has

for you.

Don't

look at

sin and

think about

it and

dwell on

it and

let it

roll around

in your

minds.

Don't look

at sin,

look at

the

son.

And the

way in

which we

see Jesus

in all

his glory

is as

we open

up the

pages of

scripture

and we

pray,

spirit of

God,

shine your

light on

Jesus and

help me to

see that he

is more

satisfying,

more fulfilling

than any

of my

sin.

One writer

put it

like this,

when our

hearts

redirect

their gaze

to the

Jesus of

the Bible

in all

his glorious

gentleness

and dazzling

love,

sin gets

starved

and begins

to wilt.

How do

we kill

off sin?

Well,

we look

at the

beauty of

who Jesus

is and

all that

he has

done for

you and

all that

he offers

you.

Second,

live in

or enjoy

the

intimacy

of the

Father.

Live in

the intimacy

of the

Father.

Verse 15,

the spirit

you receive

does not

make you

slaves so

that you

live in

fear again.

Rather,

the spirit

you received

brought about

your adoption

to sonship

and by

him we

cry,

Abba,

or

Father.

It's a

wonderful

truth.

If we're

Christians,

God has

adopted us

into his

family.

We now

have the

privilege and

joy of

being able

to run

to God

as our

father.

But yet,

remember how

Adam and

Eve reacted to

God when

they sinned?

Do you

remember what

they did?

They hid.

And God

said, why

are you

hiding?

Well, we're

afraid.

Well, because

there is now

no condemnation

for those who

are in Christ

Jesus, guess

what?

We no longer

need to

hide.

We no longer

dread

punishment.

Verse 15,

we've been

set free

from fear.

We can

run to

the father

and know

that he

will embrace

us rather

than reject

us.

We can

enjoy

intimacy

with the

father,

even though

we are

coming to

him with

all our

mess and

guilt and

shame.

This

means two

things.

First,

because of

our father

God, we

are free

to admit

our sin

and ask

for forgiveness.

That's the

wonder of

knowing the

father, free

to admit

our sin

and to

ask for

forgiveness.

You see,

when we

give in to

our sin

desires, we

try to

cover it

up.

We hide

behind the

good deeds

that we do

in our

acts of

service.

We're

afraid to

come before

God and

be honest

before him.

Well, as

children, we

can freely

admit all

our sins to

the father

and ask him

to forgive

us and

he will

forgive.

So we're

free to

admit our

sin, but

second

implication,

we're also

free to

admit our

weaknesses

and to

ask for

strength.

You see, so

often we live

the Christian

life as if

it's all up

to me.

God saves

me and

now it's

up to me

to keep

my life

and I

battle

away and

I keep

falling and

we think

weakness or

helplessness is

sinful itself.

No, knowing

our weakness

is a good

thing and we

come to the

father and

we could

admit our

struggle and

say I

find it so

difficult and

so hard

we can

ask for

his power

and he

will help

us to

follow his

desires.

So we

look at

the son

and we

live in

the intimacy

of the

father.

The third

way we

battle against

sin is

to listen

to the

testimony

of the

spirit.

look at

verse 16.

The

spirit

himself

testifies

with our

spirit

that we

are God's

children.

When I

sin

or when I

become conscious

of sin

this is

the way

it goes

in my

mind.

Johnny

you're a

hypocrite.

How can

you be a

Christian?

I'm

useless.

There's

no way

God can

still love

me.

How can

God forgive

me again

for this

same sin?

Again and

again I'm

coming to

him.

Do you

ever feel

or think

like that?

Well when

we do

that we're

listening to

the whispering

schemes of

Satan.

instead we're

to listen to

the testimony

of the

spirit.

Hear the

spirit's

truth

not

Satan's

lies.

You say

how can I

hear the

spirit?

Well the

spirit of

God

uses the

word of

God

to do

the work

of God.

So again

as I read

the Bible

the spirit

takes that

truth as I

look to him

and ask for

his help

and he

presses that

truth deep

into my

heart giving

me a

reassurance

and a

renewed

confidence

Johnny

you are a

child of

God.

Yes you've

messed up

again

but you

are God's

child.

So

Christian

do you

feel a

defeated

hypocrite

today?

Maybe you're

here this

morning and

you're thinking

I'm just a

useless

failure.

I'm a

mess.

You're

ready to

throw in

the towel

and say

I can't

fight

anymore.

Well

listen to

the spirit's

testimony.

Listen to

what he has

to tell

you.

What's he

telling us?

Well jump

ahead to

verse 33.

Chapter

8 verse

33.

You ready?

who will

bring any

charge against

those whom

God has

chosen?

Who's going

to push all

your sins in

your face

and hold

you guilty?

It is

God who

justifies.

Remember

there's no

condemnation.

He's declared

you not

guilty.

Verse 34.

Who then is

the one who

condemns?

Who's going

to stand up

and point

the finger?

No one.

Christ

Jesus who

died more

than that

was raised

to life

is at the

right hand

of God

and is

interceding

for us.

Can you

see it?

The testimony

of the

spirit

speaking that

truth to

your heart

and encouraging

you today

to say

you are

God's

child.

Keep

going.

I'm with

you.

So third

we kill

off sin

by listening

to the

testimony

of the

spirit.

You see

putting sin

to death

is ongoing

so we

must fight

it to the

end.

Sin is

like a

fire

and if

it's not

extinguished

it'll

spread and

cause

devastation

in our

life.

And one

way that

you kill

a fire

is to

starve it

of oxygen.

That's

why you

close your

doors at

night by

the way

in case

there's a

fire in

a room.

It won't

spread.

You keep

the oxygen

out.

Fires

need to

breathe to

keep

burning.

Well the

fire of

sin is

suffocated

as we

look at

the beauty

of the

sun,

live in

the intimacy

of the

father and

listen to

the testimony

of the

spirit.

it.

So

second,

we are

being set

free from

the power

of sin.

It's an

ongoing

work.

Third,

and this

is very

short,

we will

be set

free from

the presence

of sin.

Future,

we will

be set

free from

the presence

of sin.

You see,

when we

become

Christians,

God gives

us his

Holy Spirit

to live

within us.

And from

the moment

he enters

our lives,

he begins

to renew

our desires.

It's like

taking an

old crumbled

down house

and you

renovate

each room

one by

one.

But there's

an old

lodger in

there who

doesn't seem

to want to

get out.

Well God

moves into

our house

and he

begins to

do up

each room.

But the

old

lodger

is still

in the

corner

hiding

and won't

give up

and won't

get out.

That battle

will continue

throughout

our lives.

Our desires

may weaken,

our rebellious

hearts will

slowly change,

but the

presence of

sin will

remain

until the

day we

die.

but one

day when

we enter

God's

glory we

will be

free from

sin's

struggle.

Verse 17

Now if we

are children

then we

are heirs,

heirs of

God and

co-heirs with

Christ if

indeed we

share in

his sufferings

in order

that we

may also

share in

his glory.

We're

children of

God,

that makes

us heirs

or co-heirs

with Christ,

that is we

will receive

the inheritance

of God's

glory.

The presence

of sin is

very real

in our

life now,

but the

day is

coming

when you

and I

will not

only think

about the

sun,

but we

will see

the sun

with our

own eyes

and we

will be

like him

and we

will enjoy

the father

without any

guilt or

any shame

and we

will delight

in the

spirit's work

as he

leads us

again to

glory and

worship

God.

One day

you and

I will

be transformed

into

sinless

beauty.

but until

that day

the fight

goes on.

But remember

this,

we have

been freed

from the

penalty of

sin.

There is

no condemnation,

no judgment

you will

ever face.

We are

being freed

by the

power of

sin as

God works

within us

and one

day we

will be

free from

the

presence

of sin.

Let's

pray

together.

Our

father

God,

we know

that you

look into

our hearts

and you

know exactly

the fight

and the

struggle

each one

of us

have.

We thank

you,

father

God,

that even

now,

as we

trust in

Christ,

there is

now no

more

condemnation.

Thank you

for your

forgiveness.

Thank you

for the

gift of

your Holy

Spirit at

work in

our life,

helping us

to look

to the

Son,

to enjoy

the

Father.

Help us

that we

would listen

to the

Spirit

reminding us

of truth

of all

that you

have done.

Father,

help us

to go

into this

week with

a renewed

confidence

and assurance

that we

can live

your way

with your

help.

Help us

to say

no to

sin

and yes

to God

desires.

We pray

this in

Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well,

we're going

to sing

together a

song which

reminds us

of, in

the light

of who

we are,

how great

and awesome

God's love

is and his

mercy towards

his children.

And as we

sing this,

use these

words to

prepare us

and

enjoy