Let's take our Bibles and turn
to Romans chapter 8. Lord willing, I'll preach from
a text here in Romans 8, but I want us to read through the chapter. Romans chapter 8, beginning with
verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. For the law, the fixed principle
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from
the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled
in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh
do mind the things of the flesh. They that are after the Spirit,
the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is
death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God. It's not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the
flesh cannot please God. But you're not in the flesh,
but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now
if any man had not the Spirit of Christ, he's none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body's dead because of sin, but
the Spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit
of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that
raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal
bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren,
we're debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. If you
live after the flesh, you'll die. But if you through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as
are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For
ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but
ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba,
Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children,
then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings
of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory that shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation
of the creature, that word is creation, waiteth for the manifestation
of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject
to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected
the same in hope. because the creature itself,
or creation itself, also shall be delivered from the bondage
of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Not only
they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption,
to wit, the redemption of our body. For we're saved by hope,
but hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why
doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see
not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise, the Spirit
also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should
pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth
the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he
maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. For
whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified,
and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we
then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who
is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died. Yea, rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword? As it is written,
for thy sake we are killed all day long. We are counted as sheep
for the slaughter. Nay, in all these 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 creature
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord. May the Lord add his blessing
to the reading of his word. I invite you to turn back with
me now to Romans chapter 8. Romans 8 is a portion of scripture that the
Lord has been pleased to use many times in my conversion and
in my ministry. He uses these things to open
to me the wonderful mysteries of his gospel. He begins in the
latter part of chapter 7, and it bleeds over into chapter 1
of Romans 8, teaching us something about the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is how we
view things, how we think about things, how we react to trials. how we
plan our day, how we interact with society, and how we understand
the Word of God, and how we worship God, the mind of Christ. To have this mind is to walk
after the Spirit. That's what Paul teaches us here
in this book. The Spirit's given to take the
things of Christ and show them unto us, giving us this mind,
allowing us to walk in His Spirit. To walk after the Spirit is to
walk in the light as Christ is the light. That's what John said,
if we walk in the light as Christ is the light. We have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses
us from all sin. The mind of Christ, that's what
he's talking about. No other way to walk with God
except by faith in Christ. And with the mind of Christ,
I can walk with God. Now listen, now we're getting
into chapter 8 with no condemnation. That's an amazing statement. A filthy, wicked sinner. A sinner
whose prayer has enough sin in it to send him to hell. Whose
best deed is nothing in the world but just violence. He's an abomination to God in
and of himself. He's an abomination to God. But
with the mind of Christ, this vile sinner can walk with God
having no condemnation, having full favor, and being embraced
as his son. Listen to this, verse 2. For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me
free from the law of sin and death. The life the apostle talks
about here is a saving knowledge of God. In 1 John 5.20 it says, And we
know that the Son of God hath come, and given to us an understanding,
that we may know him that is true, that we are in him that
is true, Even in His Son, Jesus Christ, this is the true God
and eternal life. That's what it is. It's to know
God. Our Lord prayed that His upcoming
death on the cross would glorify His Father, that is, manifest
the glory of His Father. Now listen to this. as thou hast
given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life
to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal,
that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou sendest." The mind of Christ, that's what Paul is
teaching here. With the mind of Christ, I have
a new principle formed within. It's the principle of grace,
of love, of kindness, gentleness, faith, repentance. I can truly, with the mind of
Christ, hate what I am. I begin to see sin as a poison
to my soul. I see the sin in a new light.
It's no longer sin against law, but sin against love. against
light, against life. And I began to see it as a poison
to my soul, a corruption in everything around me. I see sin ever present,
ever working, when I would do good, evil's present with me, ever infecting all that I think
of them. Sin corrupts the present, mars
the future, and blots out all hope of eternal rest. Sin. I see sin in me reducing me to
a state of wretchedness. And that's why Paul at the end
of his teaching there in chapter 7, he said, Oh wretched man that
I am. Not that I used to be. That I
am right now. Who shall deliver me? Now this
is what he calls his flesh. We love so much, we're so proud
of, and serve, and lust after, and try to fulfill all that's
desired. Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from
the body of this death? That's what it is. I'm dragging
around a corpse, dead. This is the flesh. Oh, what misery
to know and to desire to do good, yet discover yourself unable,
unwilling to do it. What a misery. What a misery. This is the flesh. This is sin.
This is the old man. This is the body of death from
which the children of God must be delivered. Who shall deliver
me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. So then, now he's going to sum
up what he's been saying. So then, with the mind I myself
serve the law of God. That is, with the mind of Christ.
I see it fulfilled in every jot and tittle. I see it honored
and exalted in all of its charges and all of its justification
and every detail. The believer walks after the
Spirit with the mind of substitution. Learn what that word means. All my sins were charged to and
paid for by another. Concerning his satisfaction with
the death of his son, he said, their sins, God said, their sins. You think about this. Their sins
and iniquities I will remember no more. You never imagined a salvation
like this. A vile sinner can walk with Christ
and did. And he ate with them, stayed
in their houses, preached to them, poked their necks. All my sins were charged to and
paid for by another, and concerning the satisfaction with the death
of his son, he said, their sins and iniquities I will remember
no more. We walk with the mind of Christ
as our representative. God demands obedience. What kind of obedience? Perfect
obedience. Continual. Cursed is everyone
who continues Not in all things written in the book of the Lord.
To be guilty, James said, of one statute, be guilty the whole
life. But this man, made in the likeness
of sinful flesh, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem
them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption.
The life that God demands for me to live is lived in a representation. You think about that. A perfect
life, an untainted, continual life of obedience. He become
obedient unto death. Now listen, even the death of
the cross. With the mind of Christ, I have
a perfect righteousness. The very righteousness of God.
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone
that believes. I walk with Him as a righteous
man. Not in myself, but in my representative. You see what I'm saying? I walk
with Him as a sinless man, not in myself, but in my substitute. And in so much as my life being
honorable to God, it is so because of the person and work of His
Son. How can this be? By faith. By faith. Without faith, it is
impossible to please God. I don't care how good you are.
I don't care how straight you live. Paul said, you think you
got a hope based on your works? I more. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. But with Christ, having the mind
of Christ, there is therefore now, right now, are you listening? There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus. None. None, no condemnation. But that's not the end of what
he says. Listen to this. Who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. They walk with the mind of Christ. Same thing. Walking the Spirit
is to walk with the mind of Christ. And while the flesh may be retained
or restrained, it nevertheless never changes. With the flesh,
The law of sin. The law of sin. It continues
to infect. Believers, walk by faith in Christ
as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord. He said so, walk in Him.
Rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith. For the law, that
fixed principle of Christ, the law of the spirit of life in
Christ Jesus, hath made me free. from the law of sin and death.
You that desire to be under the law, do you hear the law? Do
you understand what it means to be set free from that law,
that curse, that condemnation, that end? They'll squirm around
here for a while, make a profession of religion and do this and do
that, raise a family and When they die, all the relatives will
get together and sing some hymns and say, boy, what a man, what
an example, what a father, what a man this was. He didn't know
God. Huh? He didn't know God. That fixed principle of Christ,
that law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus have made me
free from the law of sin and death. It applies to me no more. for what the law could not do.
Oh, if there'd been a law, Paul says, that could have saved your
soul, it would have been the law of God. It's a perfect law.
Wasn't anything wrong with the law. Problems with us. It was
weak through the flesh. God sinned to his own son in
the likeness of sinful flesh. And for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh. No other way to be saved to walk
with God and serve God except in Christ by faith. God's people
have the mind of Christ and all the rest walk in the vanity of
their minds. But there's more to this than
just a point of doctrine. Verse 5, look at this here in
Romans chapter 8 verse 5. For they that are after the flesh
do mind the things of the flesh. That tells you the story right
there. Tells you the story of their
life. I believe, let me say, you're not walking after the
spirit. You're walking after the flesh.
I still got the same old friends I always had. I still had the
same old fellowship I always had. All those things that I
love, I still love. I still do. I still don't. Really? They that are after the flesh
do mind the things of the flesh, self-love and self-interest and
self-desire and self-righteousness and self-glory, and the list
goes on. Whatever the flesh desires, the
mind reaches out to lay hold of. They that are after the Spirit,
the things of the Spirit. What is the Spirit? What are
those things? That's the preaching of the Gospel.
That's the Word of God and it's being revealed to us through
the Gospel. That's the Word of God. That's
the conversion of sinners. The Word of God, the preaching
of the Gospel, the worship of God, prayer and fellowship, repentance,
all these things are of God. These are the things that's after
the Spirit. The word mind here has to do
with bowing to, submitting to, following after, and obeying. You were the servants of sin,
Paul said, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin,
you become the servants of righteousness. So Paul goes on and he said to
be carnally minded is death. You see what he's doing here?
He's telling us something about the mind of Christ, the mind
of faith, the eternal life of a believer. He knows God. He walks with God. He understands
substitution. He understands representation.
He understands the King of Glory reigning over all things that
is. And to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually
minded is life and peace. The carnal mind hates God. Hates
God. Hates all thought of God reigning
over everything, even its vile spittings. How'd they get there? God controls that tongue. He
lets that filth overflow through the spillway when he gets ready.
He'll let you dig your own grave. To be carnally minded is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. And this carnal
mind hates God, it's hostile toward God, it's not subject
to God, neither indeed can be. Put a law out there, he'll break
it every time. I don't care what it is. So what do you say? Well, he
sums it up here in verse 8. So then, so then, they that are
in the flesh cannot please God. So how do we know if the Spirit
of God is in us and working in us? The Spirit takes the things of
Christ, Brian, and He shows them to you. That's how you know. That's how you know. He shows
you God's election in Him. He shows you provision made for
a great multitude of men and women in His Son. He shows us
the elect's predestination unto adoption, predestinated to be
conformed to that image, to look at Christ and know God, know
something of His grace and mercy and love and kindness. When we
look at Him, that's what it means to be conformed to the image,
that image up here. He shows us the means of our
calling, the Holy Spirit of God working through the preaching
of the gospel. He shows us the way of grace. Christ said, I'm
the way. It is of faith that it might
be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all to see.
He shows us his purpose in creation. All creation waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of God. That's God's purpose. It's the glory of God manifest
in the salvation of chosen sinners. All the wonders of glory revealed
in his saints. Paul said this suffering we're
going through ain't nothing compared to the glory that's revealed
in us. That man instructed of God is
like a householder, Christ said. He has a personal interest in
the house. His room's there with His name
on it. And in that closet, it's more than just clothes, Christ
said, in that house, the householder, the one whose house it is, he
has a treasure. God gave it to him. Put that
treasure in the earthen vessel, and he goes in there, and now
that treasure, he shows you things. Huh? Too wonderful to even talk
about. Too wonderful to even think about.
New and old. He'll show you things back before
the world was. He'll show you things yet to
come. He has the treasure. Oh, but here in this world and
in this flesh, we struggle so. And we find ourselves so ignorant
of the simplest things. And so the Spirit helpeth our
infirmities. And He gives us an example. We
know not what to pray for as we are. Do I pray for this trial
to be taken away or do I pray for this trial to last until
I'm instructed of God? How do I pray? I have a friend
and they don't believe. How do I pray about that? Do I pray God's will be done? We're so ignorant of the simplest
things. We don't know what to pray for as we ought, but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning. So, you
ever done just groan? You can't even put it into words. You just can't put it into words.
But those groanings were the end. What are they all about? Same thing it's about in creation.
They're waiting for the redemption of the same. That's what we're
waiting for. That's why we groan. So Paul encourages the saints
to meditate on these wonderful truths, to meditate on these
miraculous gifts and revelations that God's given to them. And
he says in verse 28, For you know, don't we? We know that
all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are called according to His purpose. They're here for a purpose, a
divine purpose. And they're loved by God, and
they love him in return. And though once confused and
ignorant, now they see God's hand and counsel in everything.
We know that. I can't explain it, but I know
it's so. William Cooper. This was a man who had sometime
in his life got so distraught that they considered him to be
a madman. And he went to be treated. And
there was a doctor in there, supposedly a believer. And he
talked to him. And when old Cooper got out of
the hospital where he was, he went and no doubt this doctor
had recommended a man to him that he should go and sit under
and hear and get to know. His name was John Newton. Huh? They become best friends. And
John saw a gift in him to write poetry and hymns, and he encouraged
him to do it. And he wrote this hymn. I'm not
going to read to you the whole hymn, but what it has to do with
what I'm talking about. He said, deep in unfathomable
minds of never failing skill, talking about God, he treasures
up his bright designs and works his sovereign will. You fearful
saints, fresh courage take. The clouds you so much dread
are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head. His purposes will ripen fast,
unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste,
oh, but sweet will be the flower. We know that. All things work
together for good to them that love God. to them who are called
according to His purpose. Four, here's why. Whom He did foreknow, He also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of the Son. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called, and whom He called, He also justified,
and whom He justified, He also glorified. In verses 31 through
39, Paul asks and answers five questions to comfort the hearts
of God's people to the end of time. You don't think of questions
bringing comfort, do you? But they do. They do. First of all, he asks us in verse
31, if God be for us, who can be against us? Is that a comfort? Do you think about that when
you're just absolutely blindsided by something like that ice storm?
Or any number of things. We get blindsided all the time
in God's Providence. Just pow, right between the eyes. And have to think for a minute,
don't we? Have to stop and think. Now wait
a minute. I know all things work together for you. If God be for
us, who can be against us? Who can be against us? This question was an answer to
another question. What shall we say to these things,
those things that is rich? Here's what you say, if God be
for us, who can be against us? What things? Oh, God's predestination,
calling, justification, glorification, salvations of the Lord Jesus
Christ as our God and Savior, Immanuel, God with us. And if
God shall be my judge, what greater hope could I have than this same
God to be my Savior? God my Savior can please God
my judge. He's sufficient. Secondly, he
asked this question. Boy, this is one we need to think
on daily. All of them actually, but especially this one. If God
spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him also freely give us all things? Huh? What's he going to hold back?
He didn't hold back his son. Oh, my. Where is the faith that believes
God gave his son to suffer and die in his room instead, yet
doubts his hand of daily provision? Is not his death the seal of
all his covenant blessings? If God spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, what will he hold back? A meal,
some clothes, a shelter from cold and rain? What's he going
to hold back? How shall they not with him also
freely give us all things? And then here's the third question.
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Huh? You bring charges up against
yourself, but nobody else can. And even yours will be laid aside. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God to justify. If you're
justified of God, you're justified of the judge. There are no higher
courts. There's not going to be an appeal.
It's not going to work. Not even Satan, the accuser of
the brethren, can effectively charge God's saints for sin.
And our gospel is the gospel of substitution. He bore our
sins in his own body on the tree. He reconciled all His elect in
the body of His flesh through death, and our ministry is that
sinners are reconciled to God, not charging them with their
trespasses. But the Lord has laid it on His
Son. And when God raised His Son from
the dead, that resurrection declared our justification, delivered
for our offenses, raised again for our justification. God's
saints are not waiting to see how things are going to work
out. I, whom I justified them, I also
did glorify." They're glorified right now in Him. We're fully justified in Christ
and no sin can ever be charged to those for whom Christ died. And that brings me to the fourth
question. We're talking about comforting
questions. If you know the answer to these, you're going to be
comforted. Who is He that condemneth? Oh, you say, that guy jumped
up my way. Well, who's he? He ain't nobody. He's just another
nagger. You don't have to worry about
what people say. You have to worry about what
God says. And if God says there is therefore
now no condemnation, then there is no condemnation. Who is he
that condemns? Christ died. He was condemned. He opened not
his mouth. He didn't plead for anything. For one sin to condemn one sinner
for whom Christ died would make his death of no merit, render
his sacrifice insufficient, God's Word of none effect, and his
death would be for nothing. He has more to lose than you
do. That's what I'm saying. That ought to be accomplished.
Who is he that condemns? God's purpose would be thwarted,
his wisdom and power overthrown, and his creation made void. The
death of Christ shuts the mouths of those who would condemn God's
people. It shuts their mouths. The very
idea of one for whom Christ died being sent to hell is an abomination
to God. And that's why he condemns the
religion and encourages it. Who is He that condemneth? It's
Christ that died. And then here's the fifth and
perhaps the most comforting question of all. Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Oh my. Boy, I tell you, everything
will be alright if I'm persuaded that His love is still on me. Everything's alright. God's love is eternal. He loved
us before our father Adam was ever created. His love seems
to be the wellspring of salvation completely. He loved us and gave
Himself for us. His love is commended to us in
the death of Christ for chosen sinners. In God's ordination
of Him as our substitute. And He tells us plainly that
His love is in His Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord. Now listen to
this. If you've heard these five questions,
here's the godly persuasion that ought to be yours. And it is
of all God's saints who have the mind of Christ. Now listen
to this. I am persuaded. I'm persuaded. I heard. I listened. And I read it in this book, and
it was confirmed in my heart by the Holy Spirit of God. I'm
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 creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Do you have the mind of Christ?
Huh? Do you have the mind of Christ?
Let me tell you something. Any one of these questions, if
you just understand one of them, if you could just enter into
one of them, any one of these questions is enough to totally
annihilate and destroy the theology of worldly religion. It'll tear
it down. Oh, I can't get him out of his
refuge. This will. It'll tear that refuge out of
pieces if God will give him an understanding. Oh, thank God
for His revelation of Christ and of His Word and Grace. May
the Lord give it to everyone here today.