Post by Micheal on Jul 27, 2007 18:23:58 GMT -6
For the next couple of studies, I want to look at Romans chapter 8. And verses one through eight are a good place to start.
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
We'll start with the first four verses. Verse one gives us a great promise and victory. Because we are disciples of Christ, then we are no longer condemned. This condemnation is the second death of the law. The eternal death of our souls in hell. Since we belong to Christ our souls will live forever in heaven.
Verse two is kind of a follow up on this. "For the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death." This goes a little deeper and explains that it was by acceptance of the Holy Spirit into us when we received salvation that sin holds no power over us.
Verse three explains how it was possible for Christ to free us. In the old testament, the people of Israel were under the power of the law of Moses. According to this law, they had to sacrifice every time they sinned and several regular times throughout the year. Unfortunately, these sacrifices were not good enough to get them to heaven, they just showed their faith in God's will. But "God is not willing that any should perish." This verse isn't talking about physical death. It means that God doesn't want anyone to go to hell. So he sent his son in a body just like ours, except that it was perfect because he didn't have a human father and therefor did not acquire a sinful nature. So his one sacrifice, his own life layed down for us, was perfect and eternal.
Verse four explains why a sacrifice was needed. "He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit." The requirement of the law that God gave to moses was that if a sin was commited, sacrificial blood was needed to cover that sin.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
Okay, so now we know what the sacrifice of Christ was all about. Next we go into the differences between us and the world.
Verses five explains something very important to life. Whatever you let control you controls your thoughts. If a person is controlled by their sinful nature then they are going to think sinful thoughts.* If they are controlled by the Holy Spirit then they will think Holy, Godly thoughts.
On to verse six. This verse explains the results of our thought life. If we let our sinful nature control us and we think sinful thoughts, we will do sinful things. And "the wages of sin is death." Again, this is not talking about physical death. It is talking about the eternal death of our souls. However, if we let the Spirit control us and think Godly thoughts, we will act out God's will in our lives. And this leads to eternal life with God.
Verse seven explains why our sinful nature leads to death. It talks about the sinful nature and explains that it is hostile and contrary to God's will. And if God's will leads to eternal life, then something contrary inevitably will lead to death.
Verse eight says that it is impossible for those who are still under their sinful nature's control to please God. This is because in order to please God, we must be doing our best to search out and act out His perfect will in our lives. And as I just explained the will of God and the sinful nature are two opposite things. So if you are controlled by the opposite of God's will, then you can not act out his will in your life.
So to briefly tie my points together, Christ's sacrifice was perfect and covered our sins once and for all. And if you want to have eternal life, you must quit being controlled by your sinful nature and seek God's will in your life.
*Another name for the sinful nature is human nature. The piece of us that says, if it feels good do it. Basically human nature=sin nature.
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
We'll start with the first four verses. Verse one gives us a great promise and victory. Because we are disciples of Christ, then we are no longer condemned. This condemnation is the second death of the law. The eternal death of our souls in hell. Since we belong to Christ our souls will live forever in heaven.
Verse two is kind of a follow up on this. "For the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death." This goes a little deeper and explains that it was by acceptance of the Holy Spirit into us when we received salvation that sin holds no power over us.
Verse three explains how it was possible for Christ to free us. In the old testament, the people of Israel were under the power of the law of Moses. According to this law, they had to sacrifice every time they sinned and several regular times throughout the year. Unfortunately, these sacrifices were not good enough to get them to heaven, they just showed their faith in God's will. But "God is not willing that any should perish." This verse isn't talking about physical death. It means that God doesn't want anyone to go to hell. So he sent his son in a body just like ours, except that it was perfect because he didn't have a human father and therefor did not acquire a sinful nature. So his one sacrifice, his own life layed down for us, was perfect and eternal.
Verse four explains why a sacrifice was needed. "He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit." The requirement of the law that God gave to moses was that if a sin was commited, sacrificial blood was needed to cover that sin.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
Okay, so now we know what the sacrifice of Christ was all about. Next we go into the differences between us and the world.
Verses five explains something very important to life. Whatever you let control you controls your thoughts. If a person is controlled by their sinful nature then they are going to think sinful thoughts.* If they are controlled by the Holy Spirit then they will think Holy, Godly thoughts.
On to verse six. This verse explains the results of our thought life. If we let our sinful nature control us and we think sinful thoughts, we will do sinful things. And "the wages of sin is death." Again, this is not talking about physical death. It is talking about the eternal death of our souls. However, if we let the Spirit control us and think Godly thoughts, we will act out God's will in our lives. And this leads to eternal life with God.
Verse seven explains why our sinful nature leads to death. It talks about the sinful nature and explains that it is hostile and contrary to God's will. And if God's will leads to eternal life, then something contrary inevitably will lead to death.
Verse eight says that it is impossible for those who are still under their sinful nature's control to please God. This is because in order to please God, we must be doing our best to search out and act out His perfect will in our lives. And as I just explained the will of God and the sinful nature are two opposite things. So if you are controlled by the opposite of God's will, then you can not act out his will in your life.
So to briefly tie my points together, Christ's sacrifice was perfect and covered our sins once and for all. And if you want to have eternal life, you must quit being controlled by your sinful nature and seek God's will in your life.
*Another name for the sinful nature is human nature. The piece of us that says, if it feels good do it. Basically human nature=sin nature.