The Mind Set on The Spirit

Transcript

GR 1438
07/04/10
The Mind Set on the Spirit
Romans 8:5-8
Gil Rugh

We're studying the book of Romans together and we're going to be in chapter 8, Romans 8 in your Bibles. Just a couple of introductory matters to be sure we stay together. We talk about salvation, God's work of salvation. That is a term that encompasses all that God does in saving us from the condemnation of sin, in molding and shaping us, bringing us into greater conformity with His own holy character, and what He will do for us in transforming us, called glorification. Now these various aspects of salvation we mark off and distinguish. So we talk about justification where we are declared righteous by a holy God. That happened in the past when you placed your faith in Christ. We talk about sanctification. With sanctification we are usually focusing on the present work of God in the lives of those that He has saved, as He is shaping and molding us, bringing us into greater conformity with His own character. Then we talk about glorification, which looks to the future when these bodies will be transformed, all sin and traces of sin will be removed and our salvation will be brought to its fullness.

So we distinguish the different aspects of our salvation, but they cannot be separated. God's work of salvation comes to us as a complete package, if you will. Everyone who is justified by God is sanctified by God and will be glorified by the work of God. So that past, present and future aspect. So we sometimes talk about salvation, we're referring to God's work of justification in our lives. But I can speak of the fact that God is in the process of saving me. We say, “Wait a minute, you were saved.” Yes, I was justified, but the Bible does refer in the present tense, using a present participle, about those who are being saved. That's the present aspect of His ongoing work in our lives, which is a carrying on of His work of salvation, and then looking forward to that future time when we shall be saved because there is a future dimension. And that is all included in the salvation God has provided for us in Jesus Christ. And the One who has begun a good work in us will continue to bring it to perfection, completion, until the day of Christ Jesus. So it is guaranteed from beginning to end.

We sometimes distinguish it as well talking about I have been saved, past tense, from the penalty of sin; I am being saved from the power of sin as I am becoming more and more what God intends me to be in my walk and daily life; and I shall be saved from the presence of sin when in my glorified body all sin and taint of sin has been finally removed.

This is what Paul is unfolding in our study of the book of Romans—the wonder of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news, the message of salvation as provided for fallen, sinful human beings in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Son of God, who was born into the human race, who was crucified on the cross, buried and raised from the dead, so that all who believe in Him can experience the completeness of God's salvation and all that that salvation intends and provides for us.
Back in Romans 5, beginning in verse 12, Paul drew a comparison with Adam in the opening chapters of Genesis, and his act of rebellion against God which brought sin into the human race. And with sin came death, condemnation. Jesus Christ also functions as a head of the race and all who believe in Him receive righteousness and life. We want to note a couple of words that we have mentioned before, but look at verse 15: “The free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, [as a result of Adam's sin, sin and death came upon all men, the human race has been corrupted by sin and bears the penalty of sin, death], much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions, resulting in justification.” The contrast and comparison between Adam and Christ: Adam committed one act of sin, it brought sin and condemnation upon all men; Jesus Christ, one act of righteousness provided for justification for all men and all the sins of all men.

You'll note in verse 16 that judgment arose from one transgression, resulting in condemnation. We noted that word “condemnation” in a previous study. Just note that you come down to verse 18, “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.” That word “condemnation” in verse 18 is the same word as “condemnation” in verse 16. That's what came upon all men, all of us—condemnation, death, the fullness of punishment for sin, which includes eternal separation from God in hell. Then when we came to chapter 8 the chapter opened up, “Therefore there is now no condemnation.” That word “condemnation” there, that is the third use of it. The two uses we noted in chapter 5 verse 16 and verse 18, and in chapter 8 verse 1. And those are the only three times this particular word is used for condemnation in the New Testament.

So chapter 8 is picking up with what he has unfolded. All came under condemnation as a result of Adam's sin, but Jesus Christ was God's provision, so that by His grace He could provide life and righteousness for all who believe in Him. He unfolded how that was carried out in chapter 6 and its detail and impact upon the way we live. When you place your faith in Jesus Christ the Spirit of God identifies you with Christ in His death, in His burial and in His resurrection to new life. So the penalty of sin and all of its condemnation, death, was paid for me. I was raised with Christ to a new life, now to live as one who belongs to the living God, is a slave of God and righteousness and obeys Him in my life.

Chapter 7 showed that the Law of Moses could not provide life and righteousness because men were sinful. Nothing wrong with the Law of Moses but sinful people can't carry out the righteous commands of God. So chapter 7 showed that.

Then we come into chapter 8: “Therefore there is now no condemnation.” Why? Because God in grace has intervened on our behalf to do what we could not do for ourselves. Even when God gave a righteous, holy, good Law through Moses to the nation Israel, the nation Israel couldn't keep a holy, righteous and good law because they were sinners. So we cannot attain righteousness by our works and efforts because we are sinful beings. So we are told in Romans 8:3: “What the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us.” What is the requirement of the law? Righteousness. What does God demand of us? Righteousness. What do we fail to have in our lives? Righteousness. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” Paul told us back in chapter 3 verse 23. That glory of God, His character, His righteousness, His holiness. We have all sinned and all fall short of that. But God provided His Son to come, pay the penalty for our sin, freed us from condemnation and judgment so that we could have new life in Christ and now live for Him.

So God's work of salvation includes the provision of righteousness in Christ so that a righteous God can justly declare us forgiven, the penalty has been paid. But it also provides for us now to live new lives, free from the power and control of sin, lives lived in obedience to God, practicing righteousness in our conduct and behavior. So we move from what we call justification to sanctification. Sanctification is holiness, living a life separated from sin to God. That's what we're talking about in chapter 8, those who have no condemnation of any kind, verse 1, because they are in Christ Jesus. As a result of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, He will set us free from the law of sin and death. We were under the control and domination of sin and its consequences, death. But in Christ the Spirit of God has brought us life. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:12), “but the wrath of God abides on him,” John wrote in his gospel (John 3:36). So that's what we're talking about—the life that we have in Christ and now that life lived in a manner that is pleasing to Him.

The law couldn't do it, God had to send His Son, verse 3 told us, “So that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us.” I have righteousness. But you are a sinner. But I am a sinner who has been set free from the penalty of his sin, the consequences of his sin because there is One who has borne those consequences in my place, borne the penalty for my sin and provided His righteousness for me, the righteousness that God demands.

Now when he says in verse 4, “So that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us,” who are the “us”? He further describes them as those “who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” We're dealing with two realms of existence. Back in chapter 7 verse 5, that verse begins: “For while we were in the flesh.” That expression down in chapter 8 verse 8: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Verse 9: “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit.” Now we talk about being in the flesh and in the Spirit. Verse 1 of chapter 8: “Those who are in Christ Jesus.” You can draw two circles, these are two spheres of existence in which people live—the flesh and the Holy Spirit, or Christ. That's referring to the same sphere of existence. So when you were in the flesh you dwell and live in a certain realm, a realm controlled by the flesh, sin. You are the slave of sin, you are in rebellion against God, you are the enemy of God. He is going to say more about that in a moment. That is a realm of existence. The penalty for sin is death, so that's a realm of death. “For the wages of sin is death.” People there live controlled by sin, to serve sin, to pursue sin. When you believe in Jesus Christ the penalty for your sin which is death is paid. So you die with Christ, you are buried with Christ, you are raised to a new life. Now you live in a totally different sphere in Christ, in the Holy Spirit, in a realm where you are controlled by Christ, controlled by the Holy Spirit. Righteousness characterizes you, life is what is the gift of this realm. So two totally different spheres of existence.

When he says at the end of verse 4 those “who do not walk according to the flesh,” that's basically the same thing as being in the flesh. Those in the flesh are controlled by the flesh, dominated by the flesh, live for the flesh. Those who “walk according to the flesh,” that's saying basically the same thing. You under the flesh, under sin, under its control. You live according to its dictates, its power. As Romans 6 made clear, apart from Christ we were enslaved to sin, controlled by sin.

So the contrast is between those “who do not walk according to the flesh” and those who do. The requirement of the law, righteousness, is fulfilled in those “who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Now remember you are justified by faith in Christ, that results in your forgiveness, your cleansing and your being declared righteous. But that's not the end, that is not a separate package that stands free standing on its own. Now as a result of that we have been raised with Christ and have a new life, the life that has been produced in us by the Spirit of God. So we don't walk according to the flesh but we walk according to the Spirit, under the power and control of the Holy Spirit of God. We are doing His will and the will of God the Father.

We come to verse 5, he picks up the last part of verse 4. You'll note the word for at the beginning of verse 5, “For those who are according to the flesh.” Now he's going to give a description and show the contrast. God's righteousness, His requirement has been fulfilled in those who do not walk according to the flesh. For those who are according to the flesh, who live their lives under the domination of the flesh, this physical body is controlled by sin, is empowered as sin. “Those who are according to the flesh [living according to the flesh, walking according to the flesh] set their minds on the things of the flesh.” A key emphasis on “mind” here. This is where the focus of their mind is. Down in verse 6 we'll be told, “The mind set on the flesh is death.” Verse 7: “The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God.” So here is a person in all of their being, in their actions and in their thoughts they are flesh focused, sin focused.

“Those who are according to the flesh set their mind on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, [set their mind on] the things of the Spirit. So there are two different centers of life—those who have their minds set on the things of this world, sin. Jeremiah 17 put it: “The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things,” the center of a person. “Those who are according to the flesh set their mind on the things of the flesh.” If this is the realm in which you live, the realm which you serve, then your mind is set there. If you have been made new by the Spirit and now live in the realm of the Spirit and under His control, then you set your mind on the things that the Spirit would have you do. You see there are two realms. We are not talking about two kinds of Christians here, we're talking about two different people—an unbeliever who lives in the realm of the flesh, sets their mind on the things of the flesh, and a believer who lives in the realm of the Spirit and sets his mind on the things of the Spirit.

Turn over to Galatians 5. Paul in Galatians talks in similar language, deals with similar issues. Verse 16: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” Similar language, talking about our walk, talking about the control of the Spirit, talking about the action of the flesh. “The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, things like these.” This is not a complete list. When we talk about those who walk according to the flesh, set their mind on the things of the flesh, here is an example. What are we talking about? These kinds of things. We saw a list like this in Romans 1. It's not a complete list but it gives you an idea of what we're talking about. Some of these things we categorize and say some of them are serious sins, some of them don't seem to be so serious. God is looking at what is driving that person, controlling them, comes from a heart that is deceitful and desperately wicked, comes from a mind set on the flesh. You'll note here, verse 21: “Of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Now he carries “those.” Here there is Jewish influence in the churches at Galatia, he carries it to the future dimension—you won't be part of the kingdom. When we talk about God's salvation it's that past, that present, and that future. The future, as we have seen in our study of the book of Revelation, carries us to the kingdom. But you understand, those whose minds are set on the things of the flesh, and thus do the works of the flesh, are not going to be part of God's kingdom. They have never experienced His salvation, they have never had happen to them what has to happen, they have never been justified. So they are not experiencing the present work of sanctification, and their future is bleak because they are not going to be part of the kingdom. That's the point. You see it is two different realms.

Look at verse 22: “But the fruit of the Spirit.” And we have this same contrast as in Romans 8, those who set their mind on the things of the flesh and thus do those things, those who set their mind on the things of the Spirit and thus practice those things. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions. If we live by the Spirit let us walk by the Spirit.” You see what brought us into life, faith in Christ, it's the way we live now, by faith, as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit in identifying us with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Now we continue to live by the power of that same Holy Spirit.

We have two realms of existence. You must die with Christ to be free from the power, authority and control of sin in the life. This is what is being emphasized and we repeat it because it's unfolded in a repetitive way as we move through this section of Romans, because things haven't changed. There are people today who say, I'm saved, I've been justified because I have believed in Christ. But they are living out here a life of the flesh. You see what scripture is saying? You cannot have experienced God's justification and be living in the flesh because those who belong to Christ Jesus, Galatians 5:24 says, “Have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Those who are doing the deeds of the flesh are not going to be part of the kingdom, they do not have God's salvation that will culminate in the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him.

Come back to Romans 8. “Those who are according to the flesh,” verse 5, “set their mind on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, [set their mind on] the things of the Spirit.” So they are in two different realms of existence, their lives have different focal points. “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Back to chapter 5 verses 12-14, what did we see? In Adam he brought sin and death upon the race; Jesus Christ brought righteousness and life. The contrast. So the mind set on the flesh is death because the wages of sin is death. That's a consequence of sin, they are inseparably connected. A person living in the realm of the flesh has their mind set there, they walk according to the flesh. The result of that is death. The way Paul put it in Galatians 5 is they shall not see the kingdom of God because death includes all aspects—past, present and future. We are separated from God by our sin. We are presently under condemnation separated from Him, but the future dimension, the ultimate realization will be the second death, Revelation 20, being cast into an eternal hell. So the mind set on the flesh is death, the fullness of the penalty that God has provided.

“The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,” because He has brought us new life. Go back to Romans 6:4: “We have been buried with Him through baptism [the baptism of the Holy Spirit] into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so [that] we too might walk in newness of life.” The new life the Spirit of God has given us, the new life which will culminate in eternity in life, eternal life. So “the mind set on the Spirit,” back in chapter 8 verse 6, “is life and peace.” How did chapter 5 begin? “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Peace with God. We live in the realm in Christ in the Holy Spirit of life and peace. Life that has begun, I entered into life when I believed in Christ. I walk now in new life that He has given me and some day I will step out into eternity and this life will go on in a fuller, greater way than I have been able to experience to this point.

So the contrast, the mind set on the flesh is death, the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. You see the contrast that is drawn. And it is a glorious contrast because you can be moved from one realm to the other by the power of the Spirit of God.

Verse 7: “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God.” So you see the parallel. The mind set on the flesh is death, the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God. You see various ways of describing the lost, hopeless condition of the person apart from the power of God's salvation that comes to a true faith in Christ. That mind set on the flesh is death because that mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God. That word hostile is a strong word. It is actively, aggressively hostile toward God.

Furthermore: “It does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” You see the hopeless situation of the person apart from Christ? They are in the realm of sin and death, they are in the realm of active hostility toward God. They do not subject themselves to the law of God. Whatever the manifestation of that law is, the Law of Moses for the Jews, the law of God inscribed on our hearts as Gentiles according to Romans 2. We do not subject ourselves to God's demands. Furthermore, we are not able to as fallen, sinful beings. We live in the realm of sin and the flesh, we are the slaves of sin, we are actively hostile toward God and we are not able to change. We cannot do what God would have us do.

Note verse 8: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Stop and think about that. That means the unbeliever never does anything with his life that pleases God. We tend to look at things and say, “there are people who do good things, thoughtful things.” There are some people who have, in times of war, given their lives for someone else. But you understand God is looking at what is the motivation of that action, why it was done. Was it done to bring glory to Me? Was it done in obedience and submission to me? We can look at it like this. A person comes up and gives you a compliment, “I really like this, you really do a good job, you really look nice.” But you know that person when he is not with you is constantly telling lies about you, saying negative things, running you down. Does that compliment mean anything? Not really, because it is hollow, it is hypocritical. Well you realize all the “good” works that a person does who lives in the realm of the flesh, they look good, but God is looking at what really goes on in the heart and mind of such a person. Their mind is set on the flesh, they are doing it for selfish reasons.

I was watching part of a program that ran yesterday on the history channel. Because of the Fourth of July, the history of our country, they were talking about Ben Franklin and all that he did. He was one of the fathers of the country and all the contributions he made. I thought it was interesting, obviously not a Christian perspective, they said he never did anything that didn't have a self-focused motive. He was honest about that. Even when he was doing something for the country he was always figuring out, “How will this impact my reputation, how will this help people see me?”

And so God is looking at it and says, “They are never doing anything for My glory, to bring honor to Me, out of submission to Me, in obedience to Me.” So even the good that is done, God looks at it and says, “It does not please Me. They are doing what would be good on the horizontal level among themselves, but they are not doing it for Me, in obedience to Me, to bring glory to Me.” So those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So you'll note here the terrible condition the unbeliever is in. And we as believers need to understand this. “The mind set on the flesh is death,” “the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God,” the mind set on the flesh “does not subject itself” to the requirements of God, and “it is not able to do so.” So those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Turn over to Colossians 1. Talking about the work of God in Christ to reconcile fallen, sinful human beings to Himself. And he says in verse 21: “And although you [writing to these Colossian believers] were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds.” You see the description of a person apart from the work of Christ in the life. Alienated from God, spiritually dead, hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds. “Yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death [the death of Christ on the cross], in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.”

Back up to Ephesians 2:1: “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.” You see that realm where we lived? The realm of death. And we were dead, we were the dead on the way to death. So you were spiritually dead, separated from God, living a life of death on our way to eternal condemnation, the second death. “In which you formerly walked,” that's the realm where we lived. Those who walk according to the flesh, they walked in the realm of sin and rebellion according to the course of this world, “According to the prince of the power of the air.” The prince of the power of the air is, “The spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.” What's another name for an unbeliever? They are sons of disobedience. Why? They live their whole life in the realm of disobedience to God so it becomes a term to describe an unbeliever. They are sons of disobedience. They cannot please God, they are unable to please God. They cannot and they do not want to, and they couldn't if they wanted to because they are enslaved and controlled by sin.

You'll note, this is the spirit working in the sons of disobedience. This is where we were. You were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formerly walked. Verse 3, “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lust of our flesh.” Not some of us lived there. “We too all formerly lived in the lust of our flesh.” What does that mean? We indulged the desires of the flesh. “They set their minds on things of the flesh,” as we read in Romans 8, “and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” They were under condemnation, eternal wrath of God that culminates in an eternal hell. That's what we were, every single one of us, the best of us, the “goodest” of us, those who say, “I've led an upright life, I've never hurt anybody, I've never ....” This is what we all were.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions [living in the realm of the flesh, sin], made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” That future dimension of our salvation, when in eternity we enjoy the glory of the presence of God, we will be evidences of God's grace. There they are. They were dead in their sins, they lived according to the course of this world, under the control of Satan. Here they are in the glory of God's presence. That will display His grace.

Verse 8: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; that salvation is not your own doing, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” We now live in a new realm, the realm of the Spirit. We have our mind set on the things of the Spirit, we live in obedience to God. So the end of Romans 6 told us we present the members of our body to serve righteousness, to serve God. These are the things “which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). So you see God's work of salvation is a package. It includes our justification, it includes our sanctification, it includes our glorification, which Paul will be talking about later on in Romans 8. And God's work includes our being glorified in His presence.

Come back to Romans 8. You see the problem here of moral reformation, of thinking we are doing something good when we say we're going to rescue a person from a life of drunkenness, we're going to rescue a child from whatever. I'm not saying these aren't terrible things, but you understand nothing has changed. When they stop being a drunk, when they stop being immoral, when they stop abusing children, when they stop...., they haven't moved any closed to God. I'm not saying that it's not better that they stop those things, but in reality they haven't moved closer to God. This was the error, remember, of the Jews. The Pharisees thought they were much closer to God because they weren't sinners like other people. I may have a good friend who has been a great friend and an encouragement and a help and done many good things for me, but has never trusted Christ. I don't have to say to him, “you're a dirty, rotten sinner.” But I might have to tell him, “you've done so many good and kind things for me, and you've tried to live your life as a person who helps other people, but you know something? There is a serious problem that separates you from God, and that's your sin. And all the good works and kind things you've done, much as I've appreciated it and as much as other people have appreciated it, haven't made you acceptable to a holy God because He says your problem is your heart. I want to be honest. You can't improve your life.”

Christians are getting involved in the culture wars and I keep reading this stuff. We have found places of agreement because this is so important. I'm not against believers getting involved, I don't think we ought to connect it... I don't want to address political things, people would associate it with my ministry of the word of God. I may take a position, vote on a certain thing a certain way because I believe it is better for our country. But I don't want to give the idea that if our country gets a law regarding marriage, then our country will be more acceptable to God, the people of our country will be more pleasing to God. The problem is much more serious than that. The problem is sin. The problem is the unbeliever lives in a realm of rebellion against God, of hostility toward God.

Look at Romans 8:8: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” That word “cannot” is the same word we have translated “not able” at the end of verse 7. The mind set on the flesh is not even able to subject itself to the law of God. Those who are in the flesh are not able to please God. I mean, they are enslaved to sin. They don't want to please God, and they couldn't if they wanted to. We're in a vicious circle. What we need is the transforming power of God.

Let me just list here what we've said about those who live in this realm of sin and the flesh. We don't say it looking down on them because we all lived there. They set their mind on the things of the flesh and that means they are in the realm of death and under the penalty of death. They are hostile toward God. They are not subject to God's laws and requirements. They don't subject themselves to it, they can't. They are not able to subject themselves to God's law, they cannot please God. That's a terrible condition. We don't say that because we gather here as a church and we see ourselves as better than other people. There are people in this church who are in the same position. Coming to this church doesn't make a person righteous, it is faith in Christ that brings the righteousness of God to a person.

One more passage, Titus 3. We never want to forget what God has done for us in Christ. When we bring the gospel to a lost sinner we are not doing it from a position of greatness, we're doing it as one who was where they are at one time, and have experienced the grace of God that has moved us to a new realm. Verse 1: “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed.” And some of you know something about the Roman emperors. He's not saying this because these rulers were so much more kind and loving and just than the rulers we have. “To be ready for every good deed.” We ought to be good citizens, we ought to live good, upright lives and so on. “To malign no one,” we have to be careful how we speak about fallen, sinful beings. We sometimes get the idea we can't understand how they can be so terrible, how they can be so sinful, how they can do such awful things. What do you mean? Where did you come from? Where did I come from? “To malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.” Why? “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.” That's where we lived, that's what we were. “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared He saved us [there is our salvation], He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and the making new by the Holy Spirit [we were born again by the power of God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and made new], which He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

We talk about the future dimension of our salvation, what He did in the past, how that affects us now in the present, and what hope that holds out for us in the future. That's our salvation in Jesus Christ. We go to bring the gospel to people, not because we were never such dirty, defiled, wretched, sinful people, but because “we were once foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved.” I may have been deluded into thinking that because I didn't do certain things, which is like the Pharisees—I thank you Lord that I am not a sinner like other men. But in reality I was just like him at heart.

But the kindness of God, the love of God, the mercy of God, the grace of God came into my life. He saved us. Do we understand what that means? Some Christians are confused and think that Romans 8 is talking about Christians living in the flesh or in the Spirit. You don't understand what He did. He killed me, nailed me to the cross with Christ, so that I could be viewed as having died with Christ, so I could be buried, and the old man who lived in that old realm is done; resurrected me as a new person with a new life. Another analogy, I was born again, I was born from above. Now I live a life empowered by the Spirit, which is where he is going to go on in Romans 8.

This is the only kind of salvation there is and it's a complete salvation, it's a salvation that works. We're not saved by works, but it results in lives that are totally changed. We live new lives.

If that's not your life, then you have never been saved, you have never been justified. You must place your faith in Christ, then you receive the righteousness of God credited to you. Then you are set apart by Him, for Himself, to live in service to Him, empowered and enabled by Him, as He prepares you for the ultimate realization of your salvation in the glory of His presence.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for the clarity, the simplicity of the salvation You have provided for us in Jesus Christ. How we rejoice to know that we have been saved and saved completely. We died with Christ, we have been moved from the realm of sin, death and brought into a whole new realm of existence, the realm that is life. We live in Christ Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, we live under the control of You, our God, and can live lives of righteousness that are pleasing to You, that are obedient to You. I pray for any who are here today, Lord, maybe they cover their lies, maybe they hide their sin, but their mind is set on the flesh. They live in the realm of the flesh. May they come to know the glorious freedom and liberty that comes through faith in Christ. We pray that in His name. Amen.