The work of the Spirit of God affects man in his:
Walk (8:1-4)
Mind (8:5-8)
Body (8:9-13)
Spirit (8:14-17)
Chp 8 is all about the work of the Spirit of God in me:
“fulfilled in us” (8:4)
“dwell in you” (8:9)
“Christ be in you” (8:10)
“dwell in you” (8:11)
“glory revealed in us” (8:18)
Gods work in us is greater than Gods work through us
Gods work through us: 1 Co12,14 – Spiritual Gifts
Gods work in us: 1 Co 13:1ff.
As Gods Spirit is active in man we will discern:
Law of the Spirit (8:2)
Longing of the Spirit (8:5-8)
Life of the Spirit (8:11,13)
Leading of the Spirit (8:14)
Language of the Spirit (8:15)
Walk (8:1-4)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...”
An apt summary of the whole of the Bible!
Condemnation: the theme of the law and the prophets
Salvation in Christ Jesus: the theme of Christ and the apostles
The Bible begins with the complete condemnation of humanity.
Every part of man:
Mans thoughts (Gen6:5)
Mans actions (Ex 20)
Mans worship (Ex 20)
Mans heart (Jer 17:9; Ps 51:10)
Every kind of man:
King on the throne (Ps 51)
Prophets (Jer14:14; 23:14; 23:25,26; Ezek 22:28; Isa 6:5)
Priests: Hophni and Phinehas, Eli (Hos4:6; 4:9)
The Bible – not the kind of book a man would write, and not the kind of book a man could write!
This is not one elite group within Jewish society condemning the rest!
This is not the prophets / the priests drumming up business for themselves!
This is an all embracive, supernatural condemnation of the whole of humanity as measured beside a transcendent standard of absolute holiness to which no one measured up.
This is a warts and all picture of the very heroes of the people who preserved these scriptures:
The royal line comes through Rahab the harlot and an incestuous relationship between Judah and Tamar.
Israels first High Priest built a golden calf and committed idolatry
Israels wisest king: Solomon compromised right the way down the line with pagan gods.
The forefathers of this nation are described in the most terrible of language and guilty of the grossest sins in the writings of Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel, sins such as child sacrifice, witchcraft and idol worship.
Why such complete condemnation of the whole of humanity?
Because it is an accurate picture of where we are before God!
That we might see our need of the person and work of Christ.
To tone down the total condemnation of humanity in the bible least we offend or upset is doing noon any kindness if we deceive men into believing that their plight is any less serious than it is.
“...who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:1)
Is it not sufficient to say that:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...”
Why add “...who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” ?
In case we see salvation as a method, a past event, something we have done and got!
Salvation is a living relationship with a Living God who indwells His creature!
What is the effect of the Spirit upon my walk?
I say that this is a Spirit conquered walk, marked by:
righteousness (v4)
Righteousness fulfilled by:
Compulsion from within (8:2): “the law of the Spirit of life” (7:21,23)
and not by:
Conformity without (8:3)
The Spirit conquered and controlled walk is not a walk brought into conformity to a set of rules, regulations, traditions, formalities or patterns of behaviour, it is rather the working out of the all consuming passion for Divine life brought about by the possession of my person by God Himself.
It is not so much that I try to live a righteous life, although the will is clearly involved, but rather I have to, I am compelled to live a righteous life, or I have a thoroughly miserable existence!
Conformity to a set of rules can paradoxically result in less rather than more spirituality!
Rules can:
Replace the Spirit – well I've got my rules, follow them and I will be ok!
Resist the Spirit – human nature likes rules, you can work around the rules! Illust: Margos flat mate, didn't read Sunday papers but kept them till the Monday!
Restrict the Spirit – rules are always inadequate and will never allow us to break new ground for God! New people, new places, new problems – the old rules sometimes can't cope! Gods Spirit can! Columbus didn't discover America by following the map! There wasn't one!
Christopher Columbus: "...It was the Lord who put into my mind — I could feel His hand upon me — the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies-All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me... There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because he comforted me with rays of marvellous illumination from the Holy Scriptures... For the execution of the journey to the Indies I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics, or maps. It is simply the fulfilment of what Isaiah had prophesied... No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Saviour, if it is just and if the intention is purely for His Holy service... the fact that the Gospel must still be preached to so many lands in such a short time — this is what convinces me".
“the law of the Spirit of life”
What was it that:
Compelled creation to completion? Gen1:2 – The Spirit of God; Gen 2:7 – the breath of God blowing into the nostrils of Adam.
How did Enoch's walk with God end? It didn't A walk with God is a life giving, a life preserving, a life perpetuating experience. Walk with God and you live (Gen 5:24). “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not se death...” (Heb11:5)
How was it that God dealt with Noah and his family in the days when He had decided that His Spirit would not always “strive with man” (Gen6:3)? God covenanted “to keep them alive with thee” (Gen6:19).
What about Gods dealings with Abraham and Isaac in Gen 22? “Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”(Heb 11:19).
How did God move in the days of Joseph and his brothers? “To save much people alive” (Gen50:20)
How did God work with His people in the days of Moses in Egypt?
How did God work in the days of Jonah? (Jonah 4:11)
What about Daniel in the lions den? “O King live forever” (Dan6:21)
The crowning Glory to Gods Spirit of Life: the resurrection of Christ!
To be linked with God and His Spirit is a life giving event, a life preserving experience!
Gods Spirit is the Spirit of Life!
In many of these occasions when the “law of the Spirit of life” moves we can also discern His operation against the background failure of the “law of sin and death”:
Noah – breaks free, lifted above a world condemned in sin
Egypt – God judges and destroys Egypt and its false gods
Jonah – 3 days and nights in the belly of the whale because of his sin and disobedience.
To be motivated by the “law of the Spirit of life” is to be motivated and moved by an all consuming passion for the Glory of God in my life beyond any other legitimate interest!
What was it that motivated:
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo to choose the furnace rather than compromise?
Daniel to chose being at the prayer meeting even if it meant facing the lions in the den?
Elijah to risk his life and face the false priests of Baal on Mt Carmel?
Elisha to leave his farm, his field and his family behind and follow Gods call?
This law of the Spirit of Life motivates men beyond personal safety, personal convenience, fatigue, tiredness, embarrassment and business!
This is an all consuming passion for the life of God above and beyond all things!
Why bother fulfilling righteousness in me?
Never be content with ½ answers from preachers!
Because righteousness overcomes a barrier:
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Rom 8:6-7)
The flesh pursuing sin brings separation and enmity with God
The Spirit producing righteousness brings relationship with God
How does Christ condemning “sin in the flesh” (8:3) result in the fulfilment of Gods righteousness in me (8:4)? Because we have His Spirit in us (8:4,9-11).
An exceptional movement of the Spirit of God is invariably marked by an exceptional righteousness:
Isaiah 6:5
Ex 20: Moses on the Mount
Job 42:6 – God speaks: “I repent in dust and ashes”
Zech 3: Joshua the High Priest
Matt 5: The Sermon on the Mount
Acts 5: Ananias and Saphira
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