Prayer & Fasting Day 3

In Romans 7, Paul was expressing frustration over his internal battle with sin. Despite his desire to do what was right, he found himself unable to live obediently. In chapter 8, he explains God’s solution to this problem.

Jesus Has Fulfilled the Law for Us Read vv. 1-4.

The opening paragraph to chapter 8 is a declaration of the security that we have in Christ. This provides a great opportunity for you to review the gospel. Our righteousness is not based on what we do or how closely we keep the law (God’s commandments), but is based solely on the perfect life that Jesus lived. When God looks at us, He sees us as if we have lived the morally faultless life that Jesus did. He literally gives us credit for Jesus’ righteousness, just as Jesus literally took the blame for all our sin. Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who have placed their faith in Christ.

What Paul calls the “law of sin and death” is the law of God revealed in the Old Testa- ment. He doesn’t use that description because there is anything wrong with the law, but because there is something wrong with us. The Law is the perfect representation of God’s holy character. The problem is that we are hopelessly given to sin. The Law is like an x-ray machine. It shows us we have a terminal problem (sin), but was not designed to fix the problem – only diagnosis it. Our sin made us unable to obey the law and separated us from God. God solved our problem in two ways. First, by sending His Son to do what we never could. He perfectly obeyed the law in His life, and fully satisfied the wrath of God in His death. Second, He has given us His Spirit to enable us to live a life pleasing to God. It is to this second principle that Paul now turns.

You Now Have a New Power Source to Live a Godly Life
Read vv. 5-8. This paragraph is filled with contrasts. Paul is establishing two categories of people: those who live according to the sinful nature, and those who live according to the Spirit. Following the sinful nature only leads to death, while the Holy Spirit brings life and peace. His point is that, as Christians, we now have a new power source – the Holy Spirit – to enable us to live a godly life.

This Power Source Is Within You – the Holy Spirit Read vv. 9-11.

Until now, Paul has been using declarative statements. In this paragraph, he exclusively uses conditional statements: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” “If Christ is in you...your spirit is alive because of righteousness.” He is speaking to those who claim to have faith in Christ, and observing the things that will necessarily be true if their faith is genuine. The central promise is that the Holy Spirit is given to all believers without exception. That means we all have, in the present moment, full access to all the power we need to live righteous lives; and, in a day to come, even our dead bodies will be made alive again.

It seems that the righteous life that the Spirit produces ought to be automatic, and always present in believers. But based on the fourth paragraph, (and our experience), this isn’t the case. Apparently Christians can choose to live according to the sinful na- ture despite the life giving presence of the Spirit. The results of this are devastating, so Paul warns against it here, and elsewhere. Life controlled by the sinful nature is deadly, and may even be evidence that a person doesn’t genuinely believe in Christ. Look at 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3 to see an example of Paul addressing this category of people who he calls “worldly.” They are Christians who act like non-Christians! Paul consistently writes to address this as unacceptable, and to offer a solution.

Questions

What stood out in this passage? What spiritual truth is God revealing?

Take a look at the contrasts in Galatians 5:19-23. Which acts of the sinful nature and fruit of the Spirit in that passage remind you of yourself?

Which ones would you like to be more evident in your life?

How does your view of God affect your willingness to yield these areas to His Spirit? For example, how would viewing God as generous, kind, trustworthy…

.How can you experience the Spirit’s power and direction this very moment?

How do we experience this again tomorrow, (or 20 minutes from now) after we again have sinned and taken back control of our lives?