Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Whew. That was not even close!! Talk about It Is Finished!! Nooooo Condemnation and we live in freedom from that condemnation. So that's it, right? Oh no, there is so much more that the Spirit wants to do in our lives and in the following verses we see when we are not condemned by our sin, it also opens up a new life in Christ and here is what happens according to verse 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. A life according to the Spirit is a life that is "driven" by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Also, this life is constantly looking to God for our direction in life and moment by moment surrender is the endgame for each of us.
So what is the flesh telling you lately? That might be a funny question for you but keep in mind that we deal with the flesh constantly, so we need a spiritual constant to keep the flesh from putting us back into it's chains. When Paul wrote this to the church in Rome he was setting some firm things in place about the flesh and about the Spirit. Paul continued in verses 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Setting our mind on the Spirit seems to be the key to the whole thing and Paul brings up another encouragement to immerse ourselves in the Word of God because it is a mind-changer. So if you are into reading, then reading the Word of God is the premiere source of the changed life and that is because it's author is God. Did you get that? GOD!
There is a little kicker here though and I cannot keep from bringing this up from Paul's words in these verses. Verse 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Did you get that? IF the Spirit of God dwells in you. To dwell in you means to "take up residence" in your soul which is your core for everything you are. But IF the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you He will give life to our mortal bodies. The Spirit gives us life eternal and that means it encompasses the now and what's to come. Here is the result of all of this. Verses 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. To me this is a little weird, but when looking at it according to the maker of everything is begins to make sense. We are obligated to live a life that is charted by God and in living that life we are different at our core. So for all of you who believe that the Christian life is boring and confining. Apparently you haven't read the full story behind the "no condemnation" thing. This is truly "coming alive" in a way only God could do. So it is God generated completely. NO CONDEMNATION...
According to the next verses here is where we stand. Verses 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” There it is Abba Father or in our terms Daddy. Look at where Paul goes from here in verses 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
No Condemnation is complete and the Spirit-filled life is found by those who have been released from sin chains on their lives. Get a group of these people together as a church and we begin to see the kingdom impacted by winning the lost and bringing them into the family of God. So there's your revival!!! Just realize the truth of God's Word and base our lives on that truth. FREEDOM....FREEDOM.....FREEDOM.....NO MORE CHAINS!!
The Pilgrimage Continues.....
David Warren
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