From Death to Life
Key thoughtThere is no condemnation for those in Christ. God did what the law could not: He sent His Son to condemn sin so we could walk by the Spirit.
“Listen for what God has done that the law could not do — and what that means for how we live.”
1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Yesterday’s sermon was on Mortification — the battle between flesh and Spirit. Today’s passage is the turning point of Romans. After the agonizing struggle of chapter 7, Paul bursts into chapter 8: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
This is the gospel that fuels mortification. We do not put sin to death to earn God’s love. God sent His Son because we could not save ourselves. Jesus condemned sin in the flesh. Now, for those who are in Christ, the law of the Spirit of life has set us free. We walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh. Mortification is the daily living-out of what Jesus has already accomplished.
This week, we also begin looking ahead to next Sunday’s sermon: “Missions.” God’s mission flows from this gospel. Jesus saves us and sends us. The same grace that frees us from sin also sends us out to tell others about Him. As we reflect on Mortification, let us also ask: How does the gospel that freed me from sin also send me into God’s mission?
Reflect on yesterday’s sermon. Then ask: How does the truth that there is “no condemnation” for you in Christ change the way you think about your struggles and your mission?
- What does “no condemnation” mean for someone who still struggles with sin?
- What does it mean to “walk according to the Spirit”? How is that different from trying harder?
- How does freedom from sin in your own life connect to sharing the gospel with others?
Thank God that there is no condemnation for you in Christ Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh. Pray that the freedom you have in Christ would flow into every area of your life — including your willingness to share the gospel.
Amen