God's Unconditional Guarantee
Introduction
Romans 12:1-4
After listening to Paul's desperate cry in Chapter 7, we find that we can easily identify with what he was saying and the ground upon which he was living. Sometimes, it seems so impossible to live the Christian life when we find that we have to continue to deal with the Old Natural Man who just will not leave us alone. Wouldn't it be wonderful if , after we are saved ,we no longer had the problem of dealing with the Old Man and the sin he leads us to desire and perform?
The problem is that life just isn't that way. We do not live in a bubble, which keeps the Old Man away from us as we might like. And, we need to let people know from the outset that they are not going to be perfect while on this earth. But, we can possess the perfection of the Perfect One if we give our heart and life to Him is simple faith.
God has given us an Unconditional Guarantee which applies to everyone who has committed their life to Christ and been covered by His Blood. I want us to take a good look at what God says about our forgiveness and about our capacity to live a life pleasing to Him through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
So, let's continue our study in Romans and discover a little more about how God has arranged things so that we can not only be forgiven, but we can KNOW of our own forgiveness.
I. Our Position...(V. 1)
Verse 1 of Chapter 8 follows close on the heels of Paul's desperate cry in 7:24-25. And, desperation is a key element to being saved. One must reach a point of desperation concerning their soul and its' condition. God has taken us out of one sphere and placed us in another sphere with different influences.
"In" Christ Jesus. This is very important because of what he did. We will see this in V. 3-4.
There are no conditions attached to our freedom from condemnation. God simply says...."there is no condemnation to them who are "in" Christ Jesus".
People want to place their own "conditions" on their freedom from guilt and judgment. "If I can DO this, or that, I will meet the requirements which are good enough for God." There is only ONE requirement which is good enough for God and which Here quires....the Blood of Jesus.
The word "in"...is en in the Greek and it means, "being and remaining in a given state or relationship". Your relationship to Christ is a continual thing. Your forgiveness is forever, and your guilt has been totally dealt with...forever.
We get a good picture of what it means to be "in" Christ by looking at Noah and his family "in" the ark. Complete safety was provided for them by the Lord Himself.
II. Our Power...(V. 2)
Man sins because of his fallen nature. He is a victim of the fall and his nature has been tainted. Man WILL sin. The Natural Man is under the influence of the law of sin and death.
But, a new and higher and more powerful law is now operating....it is the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.
In Luke 11:22...Jesus speaks of a strong man guarding his palace, but Stronger than he comes; conquers him and divides his goods".
That's what Jesus does, and His Power becomes our Power to overcome the law of sin and death. The law of sin and death brings condemnation as spoken of in verse 1, but Jesus frees us from that condemnation. Man does not, within himself, have the power to accomplish this and this is where people often go wrong. They try to handle it themselves. Remember...our Power is not ours....it is His, and He gives it to us and that's the only way for us to acquire it.
III. God's Purpose...(V. 3-4)
Remember this...God is a HOLY God. He has every right to demand perfection and He does not have to give an excuse for His demand. He still demands the righteousness that the law demands, but he also knows man cannot do it.
So, V.3 says, the law was weak through the flesh. In other words, it could not bring the proper level of righteousness because of the weakness of man's flesh and his propensity to sin. But, then Jesus came in the flesh. There is one great difference is Him and us. He did not sin. He was sinless and did not possess the old sin nature.
The life of Jesus was a condemnation of "sin in the flesh." It showed the law that it could be done if by only one person. Now, as you are "in" Him and He is dwelling "in" you, the life of Jesus can be reproduced in the believer by the indwelling Holy Spirit. But remember, the righteous, uncondemned life is NOT produced by us, it is reproduced in us if we "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
"So, God gives us an Unconditional Guarantee. He not guarantees that the life of Christ will be reproduced in us if we "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." And, He also guarantees that there will be "no condemnation" upon us if we walk this way.
If you have never accepted Christ as your personal Savior, the only thing awaiting you is condemnation. That is not God's Will for you and He has provided a way for you to please Him and it is through Jesus Christ His Only Son.