The first in our four message series of sermons under the general heading of – “The Security of the Saints”.
What is your favourite chapter in the Bible? It could well be that your answer to the question is Romans 8. Having already explored earlier in the letter the great doctrine of Justification by Faith, the Apostle Paul now considers some of its implications for the believer for whom – “there is now no condemnation” (see also John 5 v 24.) Four reasons are on offer as to why this is gloriously true:-
1 – The Believers Fellowship (v 1.)
Christians do not come under condemnation because of their position – “in Christ Jesus.” God has placed them in fellowship with his Son, and as the braches share in the life and sap of the tree, so the believer is finished with condemnation, sharing instead in all that is of Christ (Romans 6 v 4) for all eternity, for not only is God a saving God, he is also a keeping God.
2 – The Believers Freedom (v 2 – 3a.)
Christians do not come under condemnation because of their freedom in that – “the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” Not that there was anything intrinsically wrong with the law itself, but its impact was weakened by the sinful human nature, and so it was unable to make people acceptable to God, or holy before him, however well they kept it, including even Paul himself (Philippians 3 v 4 – 11.) But the believer has been liberated from the burden of earning acceptability before God, and is now under grace (Ephesians 2 v 8 – 9) having trusted not in his own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ.
3 – The believers Forgiveness (v 3b.)
Christians do not come under condemnation because what the law could not do – “God did by sending his own Son.” He sent him, not as an afterthought, but as part of his eternal plan – “in the likeness of sinful man.” But why did he send him? To save us (John 3 v 17; 1 Timothy 1 v 15 & Luke 19 v 10) by becoming – “a sin offering” so that all our sins could be laid on him, enabling God to judge, punish and forgive our sin in his own Son, and to no longer look at us with condemnation, but instead with love.
4 – The believers Fullness (v 4.)
Christians do not come under condemnation because they now live – “according to the Spirit.” No longer are they dominated by the dictates of the self and of the world, but instead they are controlled by the presence of the Spirit in all his fullness in their lives (Galatians 5 v 16.) This enables them to accomplish what the law so miserably failed to do, namely the living out of Christ like and holy lives (1 John 2 v 6) with the help of his powerful presence.
Pause 4 thought.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation” – Are these words true for you?
Service Details
Theme: “No condemnation!”
Reading: Romans 8 v 1 – 4
Preacher: Chris Hughes
Led by: Chris Hughes
