SPIRIT MINDED – 2 by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC
Introduction: We are continuing in Romans 8, where we are learning about the Holy Spirit of God – the agent of sanctification. Last weekend we learned: If the cross is the basis of our salvation, the Holy Spirit is the enabler of our salvation. We learned how the Holy Spirit counteracts sin and death in our life. We learned that the battle in the Christian life is not between the old nature and the new nature but between the old nature and the Holy Spirit. These are some of the negative benefits of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Today, we will go further and learn more negative but also positive benefits of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Today’s message is titled SPIRIT MINDED – 2.
Romans 8 16 “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Context: Paul was teaching the first century church in Rome – the church made up of Jewish background and Gentile background believers – the process of sanctification in the Christian life. At salvation, our sins are forgiven, and we receive the righteousness of Christ, but we still have to contend with the old sin nature. The removal of this sin and victory over it is sanctification. It comes to us in 3 steps: 1. Positional Sanctification; 2. Progressive Sanctification; 3. Perfect Sanctification. We don’t have to worry about the third/last one – Perfect sanctification – which is coming for us one day. The first one – Positional sanctification – is already ours. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We think that this only refers to justification, but under eternal life/salvation is also sanctification. We are trying to limit ourselves to Romans, for time’s sake, but if I were to step out of Romans, there are plenty of passages (just in Paul’s letters): 1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.”
The second stage of sanctification – progressive – is simply working out what has been worked in. There is a negative aspect and a positive aspect in the progressive part of sanctification. We began focusing on the negative aspect last weekend – Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” When we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit begins to set me free from the hold of sin and the condemnation of death as I abide in Christ. Don’t misunderstand: Sin is deep, and the Holy Spirit works in the deep crevices of our heart. He works independently of us, making the life of Christ real in us. Having said that, the only portions that we can understand and experience are the daily struggles with sin in our lives. Here he does not work independently of us. Romans 8:5 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit penetrates every part of our being and activates the power to set us free from sin and death.As we choose to live according to the Spirit, we find the power to overcome the law of sin and death. Keep in mind that this is not a state. It is a maintained condition. It requires abiding. It is not suppression, eradication, but counteraction.
By the way, the Holy Spirit does not work independently on us. It’s not that after salvation through Christ that the Holy Spirit takes over and does what he wants to do. He only brings to us what Christ has purchased for us on the cross. Romans 8:9 “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Once again, if I can step away from Romans for a moment – Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 4:19 “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.”
Among other benefits of the counteraction of the Holy Spirit, you are set free from the burdens of the mortal body to serve God. Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” You are set free from sickness. I am not talking about healing in the atonement, but only that you will be set free from that sickness to carry out the will of God. You are also set free from suffering. Does that mean that you will not suffer? Of course not. It simply means you are set free from suffering to carry out the will of God.
Application: Has this work begun in your life? Can you sense the power of the Holy Spirit working in you?
Let’s go further – Romans 8 12 “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Sometimes people think that they have no responsibility in their sanctification. Here you are turning over the deeds of the flesh to the Spirit for mortification. This is where you have to go back to Romans 6 2 “…How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” By faith we have to stand in this fact. This is not some self-mortification. This is mortification by the Spirit. This I very hard to do. This is not some mystical experience. This is choosing not to do what I want to do but choosing to do what God wants to do.
All this is the negative aspect of our progressive sanctification. How about the positive? The positive aspect is living out the inheritance that has been bestowed upon us. Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Just like John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…,” since we are united to Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, we are now sons of God. As a result, listen to Romans 8 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” By the way, the Greek word there is “summartureo” = testify jointly. It is more than just telling us. It is telling God together. The Spirit says “father”, and our spirit says “father.” Isn’t that wonderful!
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Just when we think that being sons of God means immunity from trouble, Paul reminds us that it is the road of suffering with Christ.
Why suffering? If you are going to identify with Christ, you will learn what it means to die to “self-love, self-pleasing, and self-confidence.” The worst impact of sin is living apart from God and focused on self. God will take you down the road of suffering to help you suffer with Christ and learn to deny self. By the way, this is not self-denial as in denying yourself sodas, technology, or something we enjoy, just to take it up again. Saying “no” is not to deny something we like, it is denying ourselves. To deny self means to take the road of Christ. Matthew 16 24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” It is the life of consecration. This is not the poor me life but obey Christ life.
Illustration: Dad’s testimony of taking his second trip to the cross in seminary and choosing the smaller church. “You are committed but not consecrated.
Invitation: Have you taken your second trip to the cross? Have you taken you first trip to the cross?