Life in the Spirit

Preached by Brian Robinson on January 29, 2012

Romans 8:1-17

The Christian life is a life in the Spirit.

Justification
Man is guilt. He may not know it, feel it or believe it.
The guilt of violating God’s law brings condemnation.
We are enslaved to sin and Satan, unable to free ourselves.
God justifies the sinner. We are declared, “NOT GUILTY” before the bar of God’s justice.
He did it by making Christ a sin offering.
He does not overlook sin.
Justification is not subjective, but objective.
We had nothing to do with it.
It is outside of us.
The work of God as Judge.
We cannot be more justified in Heaven.

Sanctification
Follows justification in time.
Deals with the mastery over sin.
Done inside of us.
We are made new creations.
Stony heart out, heart of flesh in.
The work of God as a surgeon.
A process of transformation.
The Spirit is heavily involved in this work.
We grow in this grace.
Jesus delivers us from the penalty of sin. The Spirit delivers us from the power of sin.
Man hates the doctrine of original sin—he is a rebel, he can do nothing to please God. (Rom. 8:7,8)
Only two classes of people in the world; those who live according to the flesh and those who live according to the Spirit.
Life is short; what counts for eternity.
We act according to our nature.
Men are not sinners because they sin; they sin because they are sinners.
See a lamb in the pasture, a dead animal lying near him and a vulture circling overhead. What will the lamb and vulture eat, and why?
The lamb will eat grass and the vulture will eat the carrion because they will act according to their nature.
Likewise a sinner will act according to his sinful nature. He can do nothing else.
The school system without God is turning out hedonistic nihilists.
Laws are passed contrary to God’s law; gay marriage, and 100,000 abortions per year in Canada.