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
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