Today I would like to share about three aspects of being “in Christ Jesus” (8:1)
I. Confidence of salvation (vs. 1-4)
First let’s look at verses 1 to 4.
Paul after having said all that he said up until now declares, “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There are times when Christians are troubled by their sin. There is a struggle within them because even though they want to do good, they can’t and they do what they don’t want to do. They say something that they would have been better to not have said or they should have said something, but didn’t say it. They are troubled by their weaknesses, and short comings. There are times when they are depressed. They appear “wretched”. (8:24) “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (8:24) Only Jesus Christ can. God sent his only Son for our sins to earth as a fleshly man, and by his body punished him for all of our sins. “Therefore” (1) refers to what Paul had said about there being “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”, (1)
What a strong declaration this is! Even if there are times that we are troubled by our sins, even if there are times that we are separated from Christ, even so Jesus will not leave us nor will he ever give up on us. If we are in Christ Jesus ”there is now no condemnation.” (1) That is because “the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set you “free from the law of sin and death”. (2) The words “set free” refers to a one time event in our past. In other words, we won’t be condemned a second time because Jesus died on the cross and set us free from sin. Up until then we had to be judged. Even if we tried to follow the law that God gave us, the law became the avenue through which sin entered generally and it stimulated sin. This is what man is actually like. The more you think that you want to follow the law, the more you realize your weaknesses to do so, and are led to death. “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (24) Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ will let us free. Because the flesh has no power, what the law cannot do, God did. Christ was put on the cross so we only need to bow our heads before God, repent, and receive salvation. If we do that God’s “Spirit of life” (2) will work and set us “free from the law of sin and death”. (2) This is the Gospel.
This is just like a prisoner that is brought out to the court. We are always anxious about our sin. When we are judged in court we wonder what the judgment will be. “The wages of sin is death”. (5:23) Our judgment is death. However, at the final judgment when the judgment is declared, God will declare “innocent”. This is amazing! It is surprising! When you think about all that you have done, it is natural that you will be judged so when you are declared “innocent” you begin to question your ears. You are innocent because “through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set us “free from the law of sin and death”, (2)
“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did.” (3) This was totally the work of God. It wasn’t by the power of ourselves. We don’t have any power to follow God’s law. It is only by God’s Spirit working in our hearts that we are able to do the things that we haven’t been able to do. For example, we can’t in our own power fly high in the sky. There is only one way to fly. That is to get in an airplane. In the same way, we can’t by our own strength meet the demands of the law of God, but by being “in Christ Jesus” (1) and allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us, we will be able to follow it easily.
Acts 1:8
In our own power we are not able to do world evangelism, but when the Holy Spirit works and gives us strength, then we are able to become a strong witness. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Japan will be changed.
The Christian life is a life of receiving the Holy Spirit and relying on the Holy Spirit. It is a life of confessing, “If the Holy Spirit gives the strength, there is nothing that I can’t do through Him”; and living that way. Therefore, we need to be encouraged by the Word of God in passages like Zech. 4:6 and move forward. It does no good to grind our teeth and work hard on it. First the Lord pours out His Spirit, then everything will be accomplished.
“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did.” (3) This was because “through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set us “free from the law of sin and death”, (2) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (1) Even if we commit sin, or if we are separated from God, that never means that we are not a Christian. It is by the complete grace of God. God’s salvation is not erased, melted, or does not disappear by the condition we are in. It is based upon the promise of God’s Word which never changes. Therefore, the assurance of salvation is not shaken by your emotions or feelings or what someone said or the conditions you are in, but is rooted in the promises of God’s Word. Our faith maybe like a Jet coaster going up and down and not stable, but if we rely on the promises of God, no matter what happens we will not be shaken, and can continue to have an assurance of faith.
II. In Christ Jesus (vs. 9-11)
Let’s look at verses 9 to 11.
In general there is an image that Christians have been baptized and have become a member of the church and are working hard for the church, but that is not necessarily so. Here it says, “You… are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (9) “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. (10) “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit , who lives in you.” (11) In other words, a Christian is a Christian or not is determined by if he has the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him or not.
I Cor. 12:13
This passage in Corinthians is talking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is written about in several passages of the New Testament, but this is the only passage that has this type of contents. In other words, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is tied to the head of the body, Jesus Christ and by the baptism of the Holy Spirit you become a member of the body, the church. It is nothing more than that. There are some people who talk about the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the “second blessing”, but that is a filling of the Holy Spirit, not the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is to become one with Christ. In the same way that Jesus was put on the cross and died, we die to ourselves, and in the same way that Jesus rose from dead, we rise to life in Christ. This is a Christian. Jesus taught this same thing in the parable of the grapevine in John 15:5
A person is not a Christian by what he does on the outside. Whether a Christian is a Christian or not is determined by whether the person has the Holy Spirit living within him in his heart or not. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.” (11) You are set free “from the law of sin and death”. (2) Therefore, the most important thing is whether we are tied by the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ or not, if we are in Jesus Christ or not. If we are in Jesus Christ, it is not necessary to be troubled by our sins. “Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life” (2) has set us “free from the law of sin and death.” (2) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation.” (1)
III. Walk following the Holy Spirit (vs. 5-8)
Therefore, the third point is to walk following the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at verses 5 to 8.
Here two types of people are written about: “Those who live according to the sinful nature” (5) and “those who live in accordance with the Spirit”. (5) The word “sinful nature” refers to the sinful nature that we are all born with.
John 3:6
In other words, a person who has only experienced a fleshly birth, is a “natural man”. On the other hand, a person of the Holy Spirit is a person that has by the Holy Spirit experienced a spiritual birth and has really been born again. This isn’t just a religious conversion or taking part in religious activities. Nor is it having an interest in theology and zealously studying books. You don’t have to be a Christian to have an interest in theology or to take part in religious activities. Also there is no need to seek after religious phenomenon like miracles or healings or such supernatural experiences. A person who is following the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with such outside things, but what is important it whether by the Holy Spirit he is reborn, and is trying to live a Spirit controlled life or not. However, we need to be careful because even if a person has an understanding that is spiritually wrong, or even if he does something that is wrong, we can’t decide whether that person is saved or not. When we see someone that isn’t very spiritual we wonder if he is really saved or not. However, we should not decide whether a person is a Christian or not. That is God’s territory and God will decide. God’s promise in the Word of God is that if person doesn’t have the Holy Spirit, then that person is not Christ’s but if he has Christ’s Spirit, then he is Christ’s. Even if he is not now, if he has the Holy Spirit, then he will become a splendid Christian. That is because here it says, “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (5) Therefore, if we decide by superficial actions whether a person is saved then we are deviating from the Word of God and we must not do that. .
This way of looking at mankind is different from the usual way. Generally there is no concern over whether a person is following the flesh or the Holy Spirit. In general a person uses good works to try to make his position better, thinking that if he is good enough that he will be able to enter heaven. He tries by his own power and strength to purify his character and will and thus earn his way to heaven. However, the Bible teaches that we either follow our flesh or follow the Holy Spirit. This is the foundation. If not it will be only a superficial reform. You can try to make superficial reforms, but it won’t change death to life. No matter how much a man trains his will and thoughts, how many good works he does, as long as he is bound to his flesh, he will fall into the hands of the devil and he will arrive at death. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can be set free from the control of death and can have life and peace. Those who are in the flesh can’t please God. Following the Holy Spirit and being full of the thoughts of the Holy Spirit is life and peace.
If that is the case, the most important thing in our Christian life is, through prayer and the Word of God, fellowship with God and live following the Holy Spirit of God. If through prayer and the Word of God we live in the life of God, God will change our personalities, and make us like God. He will grow the fruits of love, joy, peace , patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self control. The Christian life isn’t a life of desiring such fruit. It is a life where such graces pursue you. That’s because you fellowship with God and the Holy Spirit’s life works in you. Even though you are doing the same thing, the source is completely different.
Ephesians 1:19
May those who believe, believe and follow the Word of God. To those who have started walking before the Holy God, may the all powerful God work and daily show his works fully and fully. These are the blessings of God that are richly poured upon those that believe in God and live following the Holy Spirit. Please stay within the grace of God, become a person that follows the Holy Spirit, and earnestly desire to “live in accordance with the Spirit.” (5) Base your life upon the promises of the Word of God that are never moved, and have assurance of salvation.