The Role of the Spirit.

How deep the fathers love for us – for me. Can I ever fully comprehend that love demonstrated so graphically on the cross?

”That Is a lifelong journey of discovery together with all the Saints to grasp how wide, how long, and how high and how deep my love is through My son Jesus and to know this love that passes all understanding. You may have flashes of revelation from time to time but you only really grow in understanding incrementally as you walk with Me and experience My love applied to you daily in all walks of life. The ultimate revelation remains far above and beyond every saint until you come to be with Me. But what you do know and understand should be changing you and motivating you every day.”

We have come now to one of the great chapters in the bible.(Ch 8). I am sure you have all turned there from time to time. What is the big picture? Paul has been sharing the role of the law and how it affects the believer, ending ch 7 with the picture of the great battle every saint experiences. This battle can cause us to feel that we are still under condemnation. In chapter 8 he answers that but also introduces the other great factor which can make us feel separated from God and that is “suffering”.

In today’s reading he introduces the role of the Spirit in the battle of 7:25, but the Spirit is equally involved in the other battle, that of suffering. Please read 8:5 – 11. He introduces the Spirit’s role by describing the difference between those who are “unsaved”, described here as those who live according to the sinful nature and those who are “saved” described here as those who live in accordance with the Spirit. Placing the clear distiction which is basic to the Christian faith, which he reiterates in 9b if the Spirit lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. Do you have the Spirit living in you?

The role of the Spirit in the battle to live the Christian life is fundamental and to illustrate this he compares the two classes of people. In fact standing back there are only two classes of people in the whole world. Those who are controlled by the Spirit and those who are controlled by the sinful nature.

He describes the one who lives according to the sinful nature, their minds are set on what that nature desires. Their mind is in fact death. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so, it is hostile to God, it cannot please God, such a one does not belong to Christ. You look at such people, often very nice people yet that is the description of who they truly are.

On the other hand there are those who live in accordance with the Spirit, they have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The Spirit gives life and peace. vs 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit. Is alive because of righteousness (which you have received through Christ) and the ultimate goal is eternal life (with Jesus), a resurrected body, and all this through the work of the Spirit.

So we can see that the work of the Spirit is integral in this “battle” within us. We have no chance of succeeding in living the Christian life without the help of the Spirit. Therefore it is so important to understand that when those who are living according to the desires of the sinful nature experience condemnation, it is real, because they are still under condemnation. So the promise of no condemnation is expressly applicable only to those who have received the Spirit.

Can you see how important the role of the Spirit is? But remember, receiving the Spirit is just part of the package when we become justified by faith through trusting in the work of Jesus on the cross. You don’t have to do something extra to receive Him. Can I ask all of you out there “Are you sure you have received the Spirit?”

Victory in the battle does not happen automatically, we have an obligation… And we will look at that next week. God bless you all.