This episode is designed to emphasize the real reason the gospel is good news and the meaning of walking by the Spirit. Continuing from our previous discussions in Romans chapter 8, we analyze the Apostle Paul's profound assertions regarding resurrection. He posits that the Spirit that resurrected Christ will also raise our mortal bodies, contingent upon our possession of the Spirit of Christ. This assertion compels us to evaluate our spiritual inclinations: are our minds set on the Spirit, or are we instead influenced by the flesh? The fruits of our actions reflect our internal state, as Paul articulates that those who are in Christ experience freedom from condemnation, provided they strive to live in accordance with the Spirit's guidance rather than succumbing to earthly desires.

The narrative further elucidates our responsibilities as believers. Paul articulates that we are debtors, not to the flesh, but to the Spirit, a realization that emerges from the spiritual realm. The renewal of our minds becomes a vital aspect of this journey, as we endeavor to align our thoughts with divine intent. This reflection urges us to examine the authenticity of our spiritual pursuits, challenging us to consider the fruits of our lives as indicators of our commitment to the Spirit's transformative power.

Takeaways:

• The Apostle Paul emphasizes that our resurrection is contingent upon possessing the Spirit of Christ, underscoring the importance of aligning our mindset with divine will.
• Living in accordance with the Spirit yields spiritual fruits, whereas a mindset focused on worldly desires leads to spiritual demise and separation from God.
• The transformative process of renewing one’s mind is essential for discerning God’s perfect will, as articulated in Romans 12:2, inviting believers to transcend earthly concerns.
• The assurance of being children of God is intricately tied to the Spirit that dwells within us, which serves as a testament to our identity and ultimate resurrection.

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Well, we left off in chapter 8 of the Roman letter and ended with verse 11 where Paul talks about or uses the idea of resurrection that the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus, that's the Father, will raise us up also.

But it will be dependent upon whether we have the Spirit or the mind of Christ.

Going back to our previous study, it will be dependent on where we have set our mind.

If our mind has been focused and set on serving God and submitting to his will, then of course we're going to produce the fruits of the Spirit.

That's going to be our manner of walk.

I'm not suggesting that they're going to be living a sinless life.

That's not what Paul is saying either.

The whole point of this is that there is freedom and no condemnation to those that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.

Where's your heart and what are you trying to accomplish?

Where do you have your affections and your goal?

What are you thinking about?

Because as a man thinks in his heart so easy and he'll produce the fruits depending on where his heart is.

So that's where we left off last time.

So in verse 12 he says, Therefore brethren, we are debtors.

In other words, there's a sense of ought, an obligation not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

Again, the reason that there is a sense of debt is because we have one of the greatest assurance and promise a resurrected life.

Because verse 11 says or let's just start in 10 if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of him who dwell, who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give, will also give to your to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you.

And so if the Spirit indwells in us, that's going to be the barometer, that's going to be the determining factor as to whether the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus will raise your mortal bodies.

That's what he's saying.

The same Spirit that raised Christ will raise you up if this is true of you, because you have the Spirit, that attitude of mind to serve and give your life to him who died for you.

So because of that, Paul would say therefore we are debtors.

In other words, there ought to be a sense of ought, a feeling of obligation that we are duty bound to live for him as much as we possibly can, to stretch ourselves to do all we can because of the wonderful gift that we've been given.

That's the sense of it here.

So we should do our utmost, because then he goes and says debtors, not to the flesh.

I mean, there ought to be even more incentive not to live like that because of the wonderful promise and guarantee that we have of a resurrection if that Spirit's in us.

That's his point.

But if you live according to the flesh, you'll die.

But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

It's that constant battle, not dependent on our justification now, not, not like that.

But it's still nonetheless an ongoing struggle to suppress the flesh and to live for him and submit our wills continuously to the one who gave his life and died for us.

It's that renewing of the mind, a continual process by which we prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God.

Romans 12:2.

And so to do that we have to conform.

Let me just stop and emphasize that in case you've missed it when we read it last week, I'm in.

Romans 12.

Romans 12:2.

Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing that's ongoing by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, think that's be the wrong Spirit.

But to think soberly, as God had dealt to each one a measure of faith.

For as we have put many members in one body, and all members have not the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

It talks about the various gifts.

We'll get to that a little bit later on.

But at this juncture, Paul is saying that you're debtors.

To live according to the Spirit.

And if you'll do that, which means you'll put to death the deeds of the body, and you will live.

And then he again explains with the word for.

I guess it's just one sentence after another in which he's explaining the previous statement or the same statement that the previous verse makes, he's building upon it.

He says, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

In other words, the identifying measure as to who are the sons of God is whether or not they're being led by the Spirit.

Now that's not some external thing that one has no choice about.

It has everything to do with where we've set our mind.

If we set our mind on things of the Spirit and not the things of the flesh, right?

If we have that mind, if we put to death the deeds of the body, we shall live.

All of that that we've just looked at and, and in last week as well, then that's the identifying mark.

And God knows that.

He knows those that are his.

He knows whether you're a son of God because He knows what's in your heart.

He knows your submission level of interest in spiritual things and whether you're seeking to please him or satisfy yourself.

He knows that.

He knows where your mind is set.

He knows your attitude.

And if that's the case, then the guarantee, it fits the guarantee or the promise that we have been given in verse 11 that we ended with last week.

He who raised Christ for the dead will give life to your mortal body through his Spirit that dwells in you.

You see, because that's the identifying position, that's what God guarantees or, or, or makes it known, reveals that you are sons of God is what spirit you have in you.

If it's the same Spirit of Christ, if it's the same willingness to.

To spend and be spent, if it's the same desire to walk after the Spirit and not the flesh, then God recognizes that Spirit.

He will raise your mortal body through that Spirit that dwells in you.

That's how he will do it.

Is.

It's through that Spirit.

If it's not.

If you don't have that spirit, if you have the spirit of the world conformed to the world, or you have this spirit of the.

The flesh to satisfy and gratify the desires of the flesh and of the mind, then of course you're not gonna.

He's not gonna raise your immortal body because the Spirit that dwells in you is not the Spirit of Christ.

Do you see that?

Too many times.

I think we make this too complicated.

It's not, it's.

And it's very objective.

It's not anything that you know.

So many people today tend to talk about everything else under the sun.

They tend to have more interest and the communication about their interest in business and their family and things of this world.

And very seldom can you get them to talk about spiritual things.

Doesn't appear to have that on their heart and mind.

And in many cases, their lifestyle isn't all that pure either.

In many cases, their manner of life.

I'm not saying that we nitpick and find out flaws.

I mean, you want to nitpick and find a fault.

You don't have to look long and hard in my life to find faults.

We all have them.

I'm not talking about that.

That doesn't necessarily identify our way of life, in other words, as that, our habitual manner of life.

So there are a lot of people who are living like that, think they're living like the world, very carnally minded, very fleshly, very of this world, manner of living.

And yet they claim that the Spirit of God is dwelling in them.

And the only way they can do that is to ignore this passage.

Because the only way you can know whether someone's spirit, God's spirit is dwelling in them is whether they're walking after the flesh or whether they're walking after the Spirit.

I mean, you.

Their.

Their walk is going to reflect, be reflected by what they talk about, by what they do, their interests.

When they come home from work and have the desires of the heart on their minds, what are they interested in?

What are they spending their time on?

What do they.

What topics do they initiate in conversation with their neighbor and family and friends?

What's on their heart?

What's on their mind?

How do they live their life?

Are they moved with compassion to reach out to those in their community that need help?

Are they.

Are they loving?

Are they kind?

In other words, are they bearing the fruits of the Spirit that we looked at in Galatians, chapter five?

Or are they more inclined to satisfy the things of the flesh?

Well, that's the criteria, don't you see?

Has nothing to do with someone claiming to have the Spirit indwelling them.

And they demonstrate it when they go to church and get filled, they say, with the Holy Spirit and start.

And that's.

I'm sorry, but too much of that is a lot of show.

And there's no evidence of the Spirit's indwelling.

The evidence of the Spirit's indwelling is how you're living your life outside those four walls.

What you're doing with your life, what you're talking about, how you're living, the choices that you make.

These are the things that will determine whether God will raise your mortal body.

It's determined by the Spirit that's in you.

Is it the Spirit of the world or is it the Spirit of God?

That's pretty simple.

Not Too difficult.

And it can be measured pretty easily by the life choices that one makes.

For, he says, talking about being led by the Spirit of God, being sons of God, for you did not receive the spirit of bondage.

Again, to fear.

Sons of God are not bent over in fear and worry and anxiety.

Worry about whether or not they're pleasing to God.

It's not some subjective unknown feeling that one gets, whether good or bad.

But in this case, he's talking about the fear, a spirit of fear.

Uncertainty usually produces a great deal of fear and anxiety.

Paul's saying, no, that's not the case.

Those that are led by the Spirit of God, we don't have that kind of an attitude.

We don't have that kind of spirit.

We have the spirit of sonship.

We have the spirit of adoption whereby we cry out abba, Father.

There's confidence then and assurance that when we walk after the Spirit despite our failures.

Now I'm not talking about perfection, but walking after the Spirit identifies the mind.

Where's your mind set on now if you want proof now I'm going to go back.

I'm not.

I'm not just throwing things out in the wind here.

Let me go back to it.

If you want to get it, get it.

Let's get it again while we're getting this good, come on back here to chapter in this.

In the eighth chapter, he says, to be carnally minded is death.

To be spiritually minded is life and peace.

And then he says, those who set their mind on the thing, see, the carnal mind is enmity against God.

It can't be subject to the law of God.

Why?

It's too focused on oneself.

It's focused on what their will is and what they want to accomplish and their goals and.

And it's usually business related.

It's related to making money like we all are.

We get, you know, sidetracked.

And some people, they make it their ambition, their goals, ambition in life.

They forget that when God comes to claim his own and to give life to those mortal bodies, it's through the Spirit that's in you.

Question is, my friend, what spirit do you have in you?

The carnal mind is enmity against God.

Can't please God.

So when you've begun the process, you put to death that old man of sin, you've resurrected a new man in Christ Jesus.

Well, with every intent to do his will.

That is your goal, primary purpose and mission in this life you're in.

You feel a sense of debt.

There's a deadenedness to Live according to the Spirit, not according to flesh.

You'll die if you do that.

And so those that are identified as being sons of God are identified because of the Spirit that's in you.

And God knows that.

And you can pretty well determine it too, by the fruit that's born.

Right?

That's the fruit of the Spirit.

Correct.

So the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God.

Same way.

Don't take that out of the context and start talking about, well, I have a spiritual gift of prophecy or I can speak in tongues and therefore I'm the Son of God.

No, sir, you can speak in tongues and do all of that and still be very carnally minded.

As a matter of fact, as I've said before, listen to me carefully now.

If you don't get anything else, remember this, because it's real critical.

People make that conclusion today and they're wrong.

I'm selling you.

It's just wrong.

Corinth was behind in no gift.

They had all the gifts.

Everything was.

They had all the revelation.

They had everything at their disposal that they needed for encouragement and for building up the body.

And do you know what?

They were still carnally minded.

They were still fleshly.

They still had all kinds of problems.

Spiritual gifts and having that does not guarantee personal development, does not guarantee personal application.

You can be just as dead as dead can be and have a spiritual gift when you lived in those days.

So the claim, and it's a claim that people have the Holy Spirit indwelling them because they can come in the church building and, I don't know, pray in the Spirit or speak in tongues or something like that, and they think the spirit of God indwells them.

No, sir.

No, sir.

Even though the Corinthians had spiritual gifts, the spirit of God didn't dwell in them.

They were carnally minded.

And that's what we're talking about, where you set your mind.

If it's set on the fleshly things, then you're going to develop or you're going to produce things of the flesh, things that are in character, fleshly and carnal.

So when Paul says, we have the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, abba, Father.

That spirit is identified with a mindset that's placed on serving the living God, submission, submitting our wills to him, yielding ourselves to King Jesus.

And so the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

He knows by the Spirit that indwells us whether we're his children or not.

And that is the point of the authority.

And if children, he says, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that, we suffer with him.

And so now Paul is starting to introduce an altogether different thought in this verse.

Children, heirs and heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

How little we can really know of the significance of being heirs of God.

I mean, the thought is just transcends all imagination that I can even go to him in prayer and call him Father.

I can call the Almighty God and creator of this universe, the One upon whom the world hangs.

And all things are upheld by his power.

And yet I can call him Father.

Can you imagine that to him belongs everything?

And the inheritance will be a gift.

I mean, it will be a gift consistent with the infinite Father who reserves the very best for his children.

And that is a marvelous thought.

Joint heirs with Christ.

Christ and Christian saints are inseparable.

We are sons of God because of our relationship with the Son of God.

But we share his sufferings before we can share in his glory.

And here are some of the things upon which we should set our mind.

We should set our mind on that hope, that expectation, and dwell on that, pressing on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

And so Paul kind of leaves the thought.

I mean, it's associated because we're talking about the assurance of those who are children of God.

Sonship is a spirit of adoption that cries out abba Father.

It doesn't cry out like chapter seven, which is sort of a contrast.

Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?

That is contrasted with this spirit of adoption that now cries abba Father.

And be assured that if we have the Spirit, the right Spirit, he will raise our mortal body.

Right?

That's what he said in verse 11.

It's based on the Spirit that indwells us.

And that indwelling is we get too, too wrapped up and bombarded with that.

And I think we misunderstand it.

What is it that's that's in you?

It's obviously can be known by what's produced.

And what's in us is what we're thinking, our mindset.

What is it set on?

Is it set on things of the Spirit?

Or is it set on things, fleshly things that's determining it.

So friends, go back and read that carefully.

Don't add things to it that you've heard somebody else say all these years and you've taken it to mean maybe a spiritual gift or something else that they're claiming to have friends.

That's not what this passage is talking about.

He just isn't even dealing with that.

And even if he were, it had little to do with their mindset, because as I said earlier, Corinth was known for spiritual gifts.

They had them all.

And yet they were so fleshly, so carnally minded, though they were still saints.

But they had some fixing to do.

Paul seemed to think that needed to be done quite hurriedly.

He didn't, you know, think, well, someday you'll get it together.

He was writing them letters and insisted on them repenting and taking care of this, this matter of this brother that was living with his father's wife.

That was a bad, bad situation.

It was affecting the community's thought process about God's people and certainly affecting the, the interaction among saints.

It was going to, as Paul says, the little leaven leavens the whole lump.

So if you let this little, this sin go on, it's going to impact the way you treat sin from there on out.

Now, again, the person who has their mind set on things that are above and spiritual things and have their mind set on pleasing God, they're still going to sin.

The treatment here.

And the difference is, how do saints handle sin?

They don't ignore it.

They don't treat it haphazardly and say, oh, well, everybody sinned and go on and keep sinning, but they're very, very remorseful.

When they recognize it, they immediately confess it to God.

He already knows it, but they're acknowledging what he already knows and they're asking his forgiveness.

And if we confess our sins, John says he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And if we walk in the light, that's a manner of life.

The walk is a way of living.

It doesn't mean that we'll never stumble.

It means that that's the path that we've chosen.

We're walking in that direction on the way.

We may fall along the way and trip and fall, but we get back up and we keep pressing toward the light.

So that individual that's walking in the light, he has fellowship with Jesus Christ.

And the blood of Christ is cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

That is the hope of the gospel.

That's what makes it good news, neighbor.

And so when Paul is talking about this way or manner of life, it's contrasted with the way of walking, a walk after the flesh versus a walk that's after the Spirit.

And so if we're in Christ.

Oh, there's nothing to fear.

We don't have the spirit of fear, but we have the spirit of adoption.

We cry out father.

And because we can do that, we heirs as children, we are heirs, joint heirs with Christ.

But the only way that we're going to be glorified, which is the hope of course of everyone following after the Spirit, is we have to suffer with him.

And so that brings up a new thought that we'll just be able to introduce here.

We can't spend our entire time, we don't have the time to finish it because want to stay within the 30 minute time.

But the glory that shall be revealed to us is dependent upon whether we've suffered with.

He would go on to say the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that we'll have.

And so even though what seems to be extreme and compared to our day, very, very extreme of the course.

But even then, which is difficult for us to wrap our minds around, that Paul could call his afflictions light afflictions and that he could refer to it as nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed.

But yet that's his point, that these sufferings number one, they're short lived, they're not long, and so they're not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us.

And then he goes ahead and describes it.

I've got just a few minutes to read it to you.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

See all at least now see, Christ has overcome.

He's the great overcomer, he's the victor.

He has the keys of death and Hades.

He said I was dead, but now I'm alive, you see.

So the hope and the whole point of the revelation letter, not the whole point, but one of the great emphasis emphatic points is that the saints to whom John is writing is encouraged to overcome.

And to those letters to the saints in those cities, he says to him that overcomes will I give.

And he names a number of different blessings.

They're all a little different in each of the letters.

But the point is that now they have to overcome.

Christ overcame, right?

He says, I'm the king of kings and the Lord of lords, I've overcome and now I'm sat down, I've received my glory.

And now we, God's people, and these first century Christians in particular, they can receive their glory too.

So there is a kind of a waiting time because everything hangs on that is who are God's people.

There is a day of revelation as to who they are and who are not.

And again is all dependent on the Spirit that dwells in us.

So this revealing of the sons of God, the whole creation waits for it, because after seems that things begin to change.

The purpose has been achieved and accomplished, and they're waiting for this, this revelation.

Creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, he says, but because of him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know, and this is why he explains it, verse 22.

We'll come back to this next week.

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pains together until now.

So see, so that.

That's the bondage.

It's this we're subjected to futility and we're hoping, or even the whole creation is longing for this deliverance from this bondage of corruption.

Things die, things suffer, animals suffer, and there's death and there's disease and there's decay and.

And there's pain and suffering, and it goes on.

That's the universal law.

It's not only true of the animal kingdom, but in the plant kingdom as well.

Things live and die and their whole creation groans and labors and birth pains.

But not only they, but we also, who have the first fruits of the spirit.

I think he's talking about those of that generation, those that.

Those with they.

The firstborn.

They were the first fruits of the Spirit.

The first, you might say, to be blessed with the good news and be obedient to it, choose the Lord and be given freedom from this bondage of corruption, this bondage of sin.

And so he says, we have the first fruits, but even we groan within ourselves waiting for that adoption.

See, there's a sense in which there is.

We have adoption, but the benefits of that through.

Through heirs, being heirs has not been fully known or received.

It's just like eternal life is that way.

There are a lot of different themes and topics that are that way.

We are assured of eternal life just like we are redemption.

But there's an ultimate fulfillment of those themes.

And so he can say, we cry out, we.

We have this, the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, abba, Father.

That's what he just said.

And yet he says, we're waiting for our adoption.

You might be thinking, well, which is it, Paul?

Do you have it or don't you?

Do you have this spirit of adoption?

Or.

Or why are you still waiting on it, if you have it, because there's a starting point and there's an ending point.

There is a culminating completion, you might say, of this adoption.

And then he adds, as if to explain it, it's the redemption of our body, but we are saved in this hope.

But hope that is seen is not hope.

For why does one still hope for what he sees?

And then he goes on to say in verse 25 but if we hope for what we do not see, then we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weakness, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought.

But the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered now.

He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose, for whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called, whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?

It is God who justifies, who is he who condemns.

It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us, who shall separate us from the love of Christ, shroud, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or peril or sword, as it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Yet in all things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our time is just about up this morning.

I hope that you've enjoyed this as much as I have.

I've enjoyed studying it, and I enjoy sharing it with you.

I just hope you've gained something from it.

And Keep studying, keep reading.

Keep an open mind as you keep reading and studying, and I hope you have a good day and a pleasant week ahead.