Romans 8:1-17 The Gospel and God's Spirit<br />ローマ書8:1-17 福音と神様の霊

This is the climactic chapter for the first half of Romans.

Romans 8:1-4

1. Jesus condemned sin.

To condemn: 1) to express complete disapproval and 2) to pass a sentence of death.

Jesus has already passed the death sentence on sin, the sentence we should have received.  But since sin already is dead, it holds no power over us.

Therefore, Paul can say there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus.

2. God sent Jesus as a sin offering.

A sin offering was given for intentional and unintentional sins.

Romans 7:15, 23-24

There is a war waging inside our minds.

But Jesus came to die for that to free us from all of that.

Romans 8:1-11 - there is no gospel without God's spirit

1. God's spirit rescues us to give us a new identity.

2. God's spirit changes our minds so that our thoughts are focused on things of life and not death.

3. God's spirit transforms our hearts so that our motives and desires are renewed.

Romans 8:12-17

For all of this we are in debt to God.

In this new status, we have new responsibilities.

The transformation that has taken place should compel us to now live in a new and different way.

Then we are able to attain the title of children of God.

But when we do we share in his sufferings.

The path will be hard and rocky as it was in the wilderness for the Israelites.

But like the pillar of cloud and fire the Holy Spirit will guide us and lead us to our inheritance.

For Israel it was Canaan; for us, it is the renewed and restored creation.