"THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS"
Freedom From Sin (8:1-25)
INTRODUCTION
- How seriously do we take the problem of sin...?
- The guilt of sin?
- The power of sin?
- The corruption of sin?
- Do we really appreciate the freedom from sin...?
- That we can experience now in our lives?
- That we can look forward to in the future?
[In Ro 8:1-25, Paul writes about the freedom from sin that one finds in
Christ. To appreciate more fully the blessings we have in Christ,
consider that there is first...]
- FREEDOM FROM THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN (1-4)
- THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN...
- Everyone is guilty of sin - Ro 3:23; 1Jn 1:8
- Even if one committed just one sin (if such were possible!)
- Jm 2:10-11
- Unforgiven sin separates us from God - Isa 59:1-2
- The ultimate condemnation is death (esp. the 'second' death)
- Ro 6:23; cf. Re 21:8
-- That all are guilty of sin is the main point of Romans 1-3
- THERE IS FREEDOM....
- From condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus - Ro 8:1;
cf. Ga 3:27
- For in Christ there is propitiation, redemption,
justification - Ro 3:24-26
- For in baptism there is death to sin, newness of life - Ro
6:3-8
- Who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the
Spirit - Ro 8:1,4
- Explained more fully later in the chapter (and in this
lesson)
- Also in Paul's epistle to the Galatians - cf. Ga 5:16-26
- Made possible by:
- The law (principle) of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
- Ro 8:2
- Which sets one free from the law of sin and death - cf.
Tit 3:4-7
- The law of sin and death which enslaves, mentioned in Ro
7:21-25
- The death of Christ - Ro 8:3-4
- Doing what the Law of Moses could not do
- Condemning sin in the flesh
- Fulfilling the righteous requirement of the Law for us
-- That justification (no condemnation) is found in Christ is the
theme of Romans 4-7
[Thus the freedom from sin that we enjoy in Christ involves freedom from
the condemnation of sin. But there is more! There is also...]
- FREEDOM FROM THE POWER OF SIN (5-17)
- THE POWER OF SIN...
- The problem of sin is not limited to guilt
- As if the guilt of sin weren't bad enough!
- Sin also has power to enslave a person so they can't do what
they want to do!
- Jesus described the power of sin - Jn 8:31-34
- The freedom under consideration is freedom from the slavery
of sin!
- When one commits sin, they become a slave of sin!
- Paul vividly depicted his life under the bondage of sin - Ro
7:14-24
- He was "sold under sin"
- He could not do what he wanted, and what he did not wish to
do, he did
- He found that "sin dwells in me"
- Though he desired to do good, "how to perform what is good I
do not find"
- He was brought "into captivity to the law of sin which is in
my members"
- It made him "wretched", crying out for deliverance from
"this body of death"
-- Sin has the power to enslave, and mankind needs deliverance!
- THERE IS FREEDOM...
- For those who live according to the Spirit, not the flesh - Ro
8:5-8
- By setting their minds on the things of the Spirit, not the
things of the flesh
- Whereby they can enjoy life and peace, not death
- Whereby they can submit to God and please Him, while those
in the flesh cannot
- For those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit - Ro 8:9-11
- A blessing for those who belong to Christ - cf. Jn 7:37-39;
Ac 2:38; Tit 3:4-7
- Providing life to our mortal bodies that were dead because
of sin - cf. Ro 6:12-14
- For those who by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body
- Ro 8:12-13
- Who are no longer indebted to live according to the flesh
- cf. Ro 6:16-19
- But can now live according to the Spirit - cf. Ga 5:25; Ep
3:16
- For those who are children of God, joint-heirs with Christ - Ro
8:14-17
- Led by the Spirit of God, by Whom they cry, "Abba, Father"
- cf. Ga 4:6
- Heirs of glory with Christ, if willing to suffer with Him
-- With help from the Holy Spirit, we can break free from the
bondage of sin!
[Freedom from the condemnation of sin and the power of sin! What more
could we ask for? How about...]
- FREEDOM FROM THE CORRUPTION OF SIN (18-25)
- THE CORRUPTION OF SIN...
- Because of sin, mankind experiences physical death - cf. 1Co
15:22a; Gen 3:22-24
- Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden of Eden
- Access to the tree of life was lost, thus physical death
ensued
- Because of sin, even the creation was placed under a curse
- cf. Gen 3:17
- Subjected to futility - Ro 8:20
- In bondage to corruption - Ro 8:21
- Groaning and laboring with birth pangs - Ro 8:22; cf. Isa
24:4-6
-- The effects of sin has permeated all of creation!
- THERE WILL BE FREEDOM...
- The glorious liberty of the children of God! - Ro 8:18-22
- To be revealed one day - cf. Col 3:4; 2Th 2:10; 2Pe 1:13
- Making any present suffering unworthy to be compared
- Even the creation will be delivered from the bondage of
corruption
- Note that Paul does not say that the creation will be
delivered into its own liberty
- But into the glorious liberty of the children of God
- The present heavens and earth will "pass away", and there
will be new heavens and a new earth - cf. 2Pe 3:10-14;
Re 21:1-7
- Involving our own resurrection, for which we hope - Ro 8:23-25
- The redemption of our body, which we eagerly await - cf. Ac
23:6
- Saved for this very hope, for which we wait with
perseverance - cf. Ac 24:15-16
-- With the resurrection of the dead, the creation of a new heaven
and new earth, the corruption of sin will be no more!
CONCLUSION
- The freedom from sin that is available in Christ involves...
- Freedom from the condemnation of sin
- Freedom from the power of sin
- Freedom from the corruption of sin
- Unless we receive the freedom from sin found only in Christ...
- We remain guilty of sin
- We remain enslaved to sin
- We remain under the corruptive influences of sin
But by responding to the gospel of Christ with an obedient faith,
freedom from the devastating effects of sin can be ours, with a hope of
glorious liberty when Christ returns...!