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What would be your favorite comfort food? You had to pick something to comfort you and you would eat it. What might that be? I looked online and found the top comfort foods. First one macaroni and cheese.
Second fried chicken crispy on the outside. Juicy on the inside. Chocolate chip cookies nice and gooey mashed potatoes.
Cream.
Butter velvety.
Grilled cheese sandwich. Here's one that shouldn't be on the list. Meatloaf chicken and waffles. Here's another one that shouldn't be on the list. Beef stew. Lasagna definitely on the list. Pancakes definitely on the list.
And Combining two comfort foods into one Mac and cheese stuffed hamburger,. By the way, dear congregation I hope the visitors can overlook this if I open up with a Bible verse. You don't seem to be paying attention, but now you're all locked in.
If I ask you another question, what would be your most comforting verse of the Bible? You're a Christian. You're a believer and you think these verses really comfort me. I wonder which one you would pick the most comforting verse in all the Bible.
Well, some think this verse that we're going to look at today is not only comforting but it could be dangerous. What verse could both be dangerous and Comforting. It's found in the New Testament. It's found in Romans and it's found in chapter 8.
Take your Bibles, please and turn to Romans chapter 8. Some people think it's a dangerous verse, but we think it's a comforting verse. Romans 8 verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
Jesus.
Some people think it's dangerous verse because if there's no condemnation We're justified in God's eyes based on the work of Christ Jesus. Safe and secure never to lose our salvation. And we might somehow take advantage of grace and and sin so grace might abound.
But it's also the most comforting verse because we as Christians do sin and We fall short. We don't always love God and we don't always love our neighbors. Richard Sibbes the great church and preacher said.
Objection, I've often relapsed and fallen into the same sin again and again. Answer if Christ will have us pardon our brother. Seventy times seven times. Can we think he will press us to do more than he will be ready to do for himself?
My goal this morning is very simple is to Review and ruminate on Romans chapter 8 verse 1 to comfort Christians so that you might be more assured of the security you have in Christ Jesus. Which should lead you to have increased thankfulness and joy and gratitude and an overflowing life of obedience and holiness and praise and worship.
My purpose is simple. That you might be more assured of the security you have in Christ Jesus that you dear Christian are not condemned, but justified by God. Before we start maybe it would be good for me to define a couple terms.
One being security the other being assurance. What's the difference between security and assurance? Well security is a reality security is when the work of the Spirit Affects a person and they trust in the Lord Jesus by faith alone.
They are safe and secure as the old song says safe and secure from all alarm and all harm. Perseverance is going to be granted by God and you are secure in Christ Jesus whether you feel it or not. Whether you believe it or not.
It's a reality. It's true. It's an objective truth secure in Christ Jesus. But assurance is a little different while security is if Jesus paid for my sins. And there's no double jeopardy if the father sent the Lord Jesus to rescue me and to live for me and he's raised for me.
It's praying for me as the exalted Savior, then I'm safe. But assurance is a confident realization of that truth. It's a sense if you will that in fact, I know for certain that I am secure in Christ. And so it's a little more subjective Security is I have this objective truth.
That the Bible says if you confess in the Lord Jesus, you will be saved believe in your heart. God raised him from the dead. You are certainly safe and secure. But then as Christians assurances do we in fact sense that do we feel that do we have confidence in Christ?
Maybe my favorite definition of assurances by a theologian that said the confidence of believers in Christ That notwithstanding their mortal sinful condition they are irrevocably children of God and heirs of heaven.
It's a confident realization that in fact, you're adopted that you have a future glory in Christ Jesus. And I want that for you. I want you dear Christian to think with confidence and certainty absent from the body Present with the Lord.
I want you to have that realization that says to live as Christ and to die is what? Gain, I want you to say with Paul the Son of God loved me and gave himself for me. And I I sense that I I trust that I I understand that I have assurance.
But if I were to die today, I know I have a mediator and a friend and advocate and a Savior. I Want you to be able to say with Job dear congregation. I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroyed the body yet in My flesh I shall see God.
I want you with David To say as we just got done singing Psalm 23, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff.
They comfort me.
That's what I want for you dear congregation to know that you have a representative Jesus and a substitute Jesus and a risen Savior Jesus. I want you to have Assurance and by the way Christian, did you know God wants you to have assurance?
God wants you to have assurance.
I mean.
What would you think of a father on earth who would not let his son or daughter know that he was part of the family? Make sure you obey enough and then I will somehow tell you that you are my child. Keeping your father keep I mean keeping your son or keeping your daughter in doubt if you really have the last name of the father.
And of course Living on edge like that has consequences. And if we sinful parents want our children to know they're accepted in the family how much more the Lord.
Jesus I.
Outline today is simple. Number one. We're going to walk through Romans 8 verses 1 through 4. And then I want to give you some reasons why Romans 8 1 is important. Super simple. Verses 1 through 4 in Romans 8.
And then Chapter 8 verse 1. A little detour from Luke. We've been in the gospel of Jesus according to Luke next week. We have one of our missionaries our new missionary from the Czech Republic Roddick will be here preaching and so we'll take a one more Sunday detour and we'll have Roddick preaching next week.
Outline number one walking through Romans 8 verses 1 through 4. The most comforting verse in all the Bible maybe Romans 8 verse 1. Follow along with me as I read there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
But there might be condemnation later. So what your Bible says, of course not full stop. Let me reread that. Sorry. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So sin as you please.
Don't say that either no condemnation for those in Christ.
Could there be greater security than that in the beloved as Ephesians chapter 1 would talk about the triune security of the believer. Romans 8 is one of these chapters that were my Theologians that I looked up to for many years as Lewis Johnson.
He said this is one of the greatest chapters of the Bible in seminary. We were told Romans 5 should have a crease in the Bible. If you are up, excuse me. It was told that if you open the Bible normally Should open to Romans 5 and so we would put creases in our Bible on Romans 5 to make us think that we were good theologians.
But I think maybe your Bible should open up to Romans chapter 8 normally and naturally because You lay your head on this pillow of comfort so often right there. I Like the bookends of Romans before we even look at verse 1 in more detail.
Verse 1 of Romans 8 no condemnation. Look at the very end of the chapter. Look at the bookends of Romans 8 verse 39 nor high nor death nor any other created thing shall be able to Separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord from no condemnation to no separation.
And if you look at verse 1, these are for people in Christ. You see it right there in chapter 8 verse 1 who are in Christ Jesus United together together with Christ Jesus the closeness. And then in verse 39 There's the bookend of in Christ Jesus as well, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Back at chapter 8 verse 1. Let's look at this a little bit and flesh it out. And I think you'll be encouraged by this Comforting verse that I don't think is dangerous.
At all.
One of the things you can do in the language of Greek and other languages, too if you want to emphasize something and you don't have a yellow marker or Font that's bold or larger font. And of course, they didn't have that back in those days.
You can front load a word kind of out of order to give it emphasis and that's exactly what happens here in English. It says there is our first word, but in the Greek the first word is no. There's no condemnation to make sure that we understand.
That there's a negative at the beginning to to force us to recognize. There's no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The penalty has been paid. There's no condemnation of any kind past sins. No condemnation because they're paid present sins.
No condemnation because they're paid future sins. No condemnation because they're paid Jesus paid them all. No double payment. Why would God be unjust and say we have to pay and Jesus has to pay you say?
Well, I don't feel like there's That this is true. It doesn't matter. There's no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. And one of the greatest things about this verse it tells us what the end times verdict.
Already is now in the present one day. We'll stand before God all of us and we will Be judged based on either our works are the works of Christ. What will happen when I get to heaven? What will the judgment be Christian?
Here's what the answer is going to be not guilty. The end times verdict is jammed into the present for Paul and for us as we read Scripture. And I want you to know you cannot be unreconciled Christian.
You can't be unforgiven. You can't be unredeemed. You can't be unloved. You can't be unjustified. You can't be unadopted. Even though we deserve judgment. Sin against the thrice Holy God. The first word in the Greek is no and even the word No is a stronger word than the typical.
No, no condemnation none whatsoever for the believer in Christ. Say well, I have some old haunting sins. So do I I have sins that I'm ashamed of so do I Romans 4 blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account. Jude verse 24 and 25. We sing it regularly now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his.
Glory.
Blameless.
With great joy. To our only God and Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory majesty dominion and authority before all time and now and forevermore. Or how about verses like Zephaniah chapter 3. The Lord your God is in your midst a mighty one who will save He.
God will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you by his love. He will exalt over you with loud singing. That's pretty amazing to think what God thinks of us because we're in Christ Jesus and Of course everything about this assurance has to be focused on Jesus those who are in Christ Jesus.
It's a starting point of all assurances looking to the Lord and you say but but I have some accusations Against me as a Christian that are true, but there's no condemnation. I I think there are Things that I've done even as a Christian that deserve condemnation.
That's true. But Jesus has paid it no condemnation. I Know condemnation now I dread Jesus and all in him is mine alive in him. My living head and clothed in righteousness divine. One of the greatest parts about Romans chapter 8 verse 1.
It's almost unguarded. It needs more explanation. Seemingly, how can it just be full stop? There's no condemnation when my conscience when my sins as a Christian. I mean, it seems almost dangerous. It seems unguarded.
Horatious Bonar said it was not for nothing. They were so boldly spoken these words of Romans 8. Timid words would not have served the purpose. The glorious gospel needed statements such as these to distangle The great question of acceptance to relieve troubled consciences.
And yet at the same time to give works their proper place. We'll look at verse 2 Romans 8 2 for the law of the spirit of life. Has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Before we were Christians We were under the law as a condemning agent as a mirror to tell us that we were sinful and God required Perfection to get into heaven.
God required that we always obeyed personally obeyed always obeyed exactly obeyed and That law now doesn't condemn us because that law Jesus paid for those sins that we have Committed the law of sin gravity as it were is reversed.
Paul preached in Acts 13 let it be known to you brothers that through this man Jesus forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you and by him everyone who believes is Freed from everything from what you could not be freed by the law of Moses.
The law of Moses is perfectly obeyed and if we don't obey and of course none of us could. Then we're going to need a Savior. Are we going to face God's wrath? How did God do this verse 3? This is wonderful for God has done what the law Weakened by the flesh could not do.
The law doesn't save by sending his own son his own son. Nothing less than his son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin he condemned sin in the flesh. Now we want to make sure we understand Paul's careful wording because if Jesus sinned he'd have to pay for his own sins.
But he didn't sin. And what does the text say very carefully in the likeness of sinful flesh? Peter says in 1st Peter 2 he committed no sin. Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 5 he knew no sin. 1st John 3 in him.
There's no sin so by Jesus's work as the sinless one He could deliver us from the law and it's cursed verse 4 in Order that the righteous requirement of the law that is perfect obedience Might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to.
The Spirit.
What we couldn't do Jesus did. Perfectly obeying the law the God-man, so there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,. I've said it before and I like to say it regularly. Dear Christian you are as righteous as Jesus is righteous.
You are as perfect as Jesus is perfect. Standing before you have to stand before God. That you have is Righteousness. You can't even get more righteous. Do you know in heaven you won't be any more righteous in terms of judicial standing before God.
If you haven't read Pilgrim's Progress you should. I Think it used to be the number two most read book in the world. I think it's number three now. Bible be number one and I don't want to tell you what number two is because you might want to go read it and it's.
Bad for you.
Now you're gonna look it up, right? John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress and he said this. One day I was passing into the field this sentence fell on my soul. Your righteousness is in heaven and I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God's right hand there I say was my righteousness so that wherever I was or whatever I was doing God could not save me.
He lacks my righteousness for that was just before him. I also saw moreover that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better. Not my bad frame that made my righteousness worse for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself.
Now my chains fell off my legs indeed. I was loose from my afflictions and my temptations fled away. Romans 8 1 look at it again. There is therefore right now in the present knowing what the future would bring now.
No condemnation the opposite of condemnation is justification for those who are in Christ Jesus. And I might say by faith and by faith alone. Well, lots of times when you preach or teach the Bible you should ask yourself this question so what what does that mean?
So let me give you now some reasons why Romans 8 1 is important. So what about Romans 8 1 and following we've seen Romans 8 1 looked at it a little bit now. Why is it important? Number one the first reason why Romans 8 1 is important.
It's because navel-gazing is easy. And looking to Jesus by faith is hard. Looking to self is easy, but looking to Lord Jesus is harder. The default for every one of us because we live in our own skin is to get our eyes off the Lord Jesus and walk by sight and not by faith.
It's almost like a Hypochondriac who's focused on themselves over and over and over and I pulled up hypochondriac Stuff and it says it's not called that anymore. It's called illness anxiety disorder. I mean you can have a somatic symptom disorder and you worry about your health even if you feel good, but you can also have Illness anxiety disorder, and I went through the list of some of the things that people have their symptoms for illness anxiety disorder.
Avoiding people are places due to worry about catching an illness. Constantly researching diseases and syndromes. Exaggerating symptoms and their severity. If you cough you think you have lung cancer.
High level of anxiety about personal health. Obsession with bodily functions like heart rate. Oversharing your symptoms and health status with others. I don't know anybody who would be like this. Checking for signs of illness.
Taking your blood pressure regularly. Seeking assurance from loved ones about your symptoms. I'm laughing because I think I have a disorder. And I think there's a spiritual hypochondriac Kind of person an illness anxiety disorder in the spiritual realm.
Focus on self focus on self. Focus on self. Morbidly looking at self. It was a great preacher who died at 29 years old. Robert Murray McShane said every time you look at yourself. Look at the Lord Jesus ten times.
Look at the Lord Jesus ten times. I mean if we start with ourselves and we think about what we've done and our sins and Repent then we need to look to the Lord Jesus for the one who forgives us of those very sins.
We just committed even as Christians. There are some Christians that live in Romans 7 wretched man that I am and they never get to chapter 8. No condemnation. I Guess the flip side is true as well that people just want to live in 8 all the time and not 7.
But one of the things Romans 8 1 is so good for is there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The focus is back on the Lord Jesus not on ourselves. Reason number two. Why is Romans 8 1 so important.
Because the joy of assurance is wonderful. The joy of assurance is wonderful. That's why this is important. To not have the joy of assurance is awful. And to have the joy of assurance is wonderful. Joseph Carlyle said all saints shall enjoy a heaven when they leave this earth.
Some saints enjoy a heaven while they are all here on earth. Assurance of salvation knowing that God loves you. Look at chapter 6 of Romans. To give you an idea of how wonderful it is to know that you are with Christ and united with him.
What theologians called the the union with Christ? What shall we say then Romans 6 1. Are we to continue in sin the grace might abound? No by no means how can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. In order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. We too might walk in newness of life. Verse 5. For if we've been united with him in a death like his we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing. So that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin once for all but the life he lives he lives to God.
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Jesus condemned in our place where Jesus was condemned. We were condemned. No, we weren't condemned because Jesus was condemned for us risen with Christ Jesus the joy to know I am his and he is mine.
Reason number three. Because assurance frees you up to worship to serve to do good works to obey and more. Reason number three why Romans 8 is important is because assurance frees you up to serve frees you up to love other people.
I've been in airplanes and before I've also been in airports before in those airports. Sometimes you'll watch people on standby and they're kind of just walking back and forth. Nervously wondering if they'll make it on the plane or not.
People that have their tickets. People that have their seat assignment. They're not worried at all in a similar fashion. If you are so convinced that you're not a Christian if you're unsure that you're a Christian.
Your focus isn't going to be on serving other people because you're going to be wondering if I am in fact a Christian. It'll be a half-hearted service of others because you're thinking about yourself.
J. C. Ryle said a believer who lacks an assured hope will spend much of his time in inward searching of his heart. In other words you're focused on yourself if God is mad at me. I can't be concerned about serving other people.
Golden Gate Bridge. No safety nets. When they first started building it 23 men fall to their deaths. They put in a large safety net. 10 men fall and do it or saved and work went up by 25 Amazing. When you know you're safe and secure you don't have to worry about am I safe and secure and you can serve other people.
Look at Romans chapter 12 it follows Romans chapter 8. When you know there's no condemnation for in those in Christ Jesus you were guilty now. You're graced. How do you respond you respond with? Obedience and gratitude and service and worship.
Have right thinking about other people because you're fine with God. God's not angry with you. He loves you. There's no condemnation and therefore Paul says in Romans 12. I appeal to you therefore brothers by the mercies of God.
Probably the last 11 chapters are the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. Holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world. But be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
That by testing you may discern what the will of God is what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think with sober judgment each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
For as in one body we have many members and the members do not have all the same function. So we though many are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.
Let us use them and then he lists some of those gifts let us use them. What happens when you know you're right before God and there's no condemnation. You're free to love other people and you're free to love other people.
Even if you don't love them perfectly. Even if your works aren't perfect and by the way They never will be even if your motives aren't perfect. And by the way They never will be because you're good with God because Jesus paid it all the resurrection proves that the empty tomb proves that so I'm Free to serve people even if I might not be perfect in my service because God accepts me he accepts my works.
He accepts you Christian. He accepts your works. Side note. Bethlehem Bible Church is full of people by the way who serve and serve and serve. And I want to thank you for that so many people behind the scenes serving.
I think there are So many things that we don't even recognize probably many of us that people serve behind the scenes. And I want to make sure I commend you because you recognize guilty in Adam. Grace in Jesus the last Adam flowing out of gratitude to serve and I want to say keep serving.
What does Thessalonians? What does Paul say to them excel still more? Thank you? But I also would like to say that if you're here today, and you're a Christian. Especially if you're a member of the church, and you have no ministry.
There are many people here in this room right now who just come on Sundays. That's all they do. Maybe you do things behind the scenes that I don't know. I commend you. But if you're here today, and you regularly attend, and that's all you do is attend on Sunday.
It's in fact better than sitting at home. But you ought to think to yourself if I had been so graced in Christ Jesus I had to show gratitude by to God by serving other people. You need to have a ministry here every single person if you come week by week by week.
And you don't have a ministry. May you be convicted today and say that's not how a Christian acts today. I should ask the Lord Lord. Let me serve in some way to show you my gratitude. Reason number four why Romans 8 is important.
Is that some evangelicals are confused regarding this verse? Some evangelical celebrities are confused when it comes to Romans 8 1 and They want to somehow make this Statement that seems maybe unguarded.
No condemnation you mean really based on who I am and what I've done even as a Christian. No condemnation. Yes, no condemnation. Some are confused and they want to add a little qualifier. They're afraid that it could be dangerous that it might spur on unholy living and licentiousness.
One man wrote how can a person be right with God? I wonder how you'd answer that question. How can you be right with God? He writes the stunning answer is sola fide faith alone and I say yes and amen.
But make sure you hear this carefully and precisely. Right with God by faith alone, but not attain heaven by faith alone. There are other conditions for attaining heaven By but not others for entering a right relationship to God.
Is that good news you attain heaven by faith alone. No, you attain heaven by something else that you do besides faith. That is not good news. That's law. That's condemnation unless you have enough works at the very end.
Same person said these works of faith this obedience of faith these fruits of the Spirit that come by faith are necessary for our final salvation. Really? I thought what's necessary for our final salvation is Jesus Christ and he paid for my sins and he obeyed the law.
I Thought that's what was necessary for final salvation and so when you have people Make the fruit of your salvation obedience and good works and turn it into the ground of your salvation. How do you get to heaven you ought to say?
I probably ought not to listen to John Piper as much as I should because that's exactly what he writes. Let me ask you the question Who's ever lived a life in such a way that he or she has merited heaven by their attainment?
Let me ask you another question, what does union with Christ mean we get judged on our performance at the end for salvation. Of course not. What does it mean that Jesus is our federal head the last Adam?
Is sola fide really sola? Craig Beal asked is being declared righteous in God's eyes inadequate to attain heaven. Do you need more righteousness than Christ righteousness to attain heaven? How transformed must your life be before I could stand before God?
I? Want you to know once you're justified. You can't be unjustified. It's irrevocable. Benjamin Keats said. Keats said once we are justified we need not inquire how man is justified after he's justified.
I think he's justified in saying that by the way number five. Why is Romans 8 1 important number 5 fifthly because grace instead of pushing us to licentiousness motivates us to obey grace. Motivates obedience.
Grace motivates holy living. It's the engine for holy living. You can see it in chapter 6 verse 1 can't you in Romans? We. I read it earlier, but I'll read it again. What should we say then based on all the grace of God in Christ Jesus?
This one man's trespass. But we have more grace of God by the free gift by the grace that one man Jesus abounded to many Romans 5 15. How do we respond to that Romans 6 1 what should we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace made about my abound.
No of course not? Verse 15 of the same chapter says the same thing. What then are we to sin because we are not under law. But under grace by no means. Could it be that the great Misunderstanding of justification by faith alone comes from the desire a good desire for Christians to live a holy life.
But it's muddied and murky because it messes with our plays with who Jesus is. The grace that justifies you is the grace that sanctifies you. It's the grace that regenerates you. Justification sanctification are different, but they go together.
There's the root and there's the fruit. Does grace lead to unholy living? Titus to listen to this for the grace of God Jesus has appeared bringing salvation to all people. And what does this grace do?
Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions. No to sin and to live self-controlled upright and godly lives in the present age. Waiting for their blessed. Hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own good.
Possession who are zealous for good works? What does grace do according to Paul. It teaches you to say no to sin and yes to righteousness? It teaches you to kill sin in your life as a Christian and to live for Christ Jesus grace motivates of.
Course we love good works. Of course we want to do good works. But how do you get the power to do good works? Well the Spirit of God dwells in you. One of the things that I think Satan does. I don't mean he talks out loud to us.
But he tries to make you think that you're an enemy of God. Even though you're trusting in Jesus. That God is mad at you and angry with you. Luther knew that he said that's the noose which Satan throws over the head of the poor child.
Our man in order to strangle him. This is the severest of the temptations of the devil. He said God is the enemy of sinners. You are a sinner therefore God is your enemy. Except God is our Father and he forgives us.
He's a deliverer. He's a Savior. He's a rescuer for all those who trust in the Lord Jesus, and you know God loves you more than you love yourself. He loves you more than you could love other people. Six.
The reason Romans 8 1 is important. It's because it's rare to meet someone who's never struggled with assurance. It's rare. Maybe some people have never struggled with assurance. I think most people have and by the way what on earth is actually perfect.
It's hard to think of something. That's perfect on earth, so it shouldn't surprise us that sometimes our assurance is not perfect.
And.
One of the things that helps Me and I know it probably helps you even though. It's kind of a strange help is when you have other Christians in your life in Times present or in church history when you find out they struggle with assurance it makes you feel better.
It's like Spurgeon struggle with assurance nice. I Told the lady once who came at it up to me and talked to me after Preaching she said sometimes I really struggle with my assurance, and I said sometimes I do too.
She smiled and walked off like okay. That's all I need to know. I'm not weird. I Mean she was saying she's not weird. I I. You're not weird if you struggle with assurance. Turn to Psalm 130, please. When your friends struggle with assurance.
Take them to this chapter when you struggle with assurance, and you want to be out of Romans 8 for a little bit. Go to this chapter. One of the heroes of the Christian faith is a man named John Owen. I like John Owen for lots of reasons.
He extolled Christ Jesus. His most famous book is probably the glory of Christ Jesus. He wrote books about how to mortify sin and he sometimes would struggle with assurance. I Like John Owen for lots of reasons.
Beside that he was also called a dandy because he loved to dress up. He wore a wig. I Don't like him for that. He said sometimes. I just don't have good assurance. And so what's the solution again. Morbid introspection and spiritual hypochondriac is a minute.
Everything else no no it's outward. It's upward. And he would go to Psalm 130 to help him with assurance when his soul was oppressed with horror and darkness according to his own words. And remember when you see all caps LOR D caps.
It's the personal name of God and when you see like in verse 2 smaller lowercase LOR D. That's sovereign. Out of the depths. Psalm 130. I cry to you. Oh Lord my personal Lord. Oh Sovereign. Oh Lord hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy if you Oh Lord. Yahweh should mark iniquities. Oh Adonai who could stand but with you. Here's the light. Here's the encouragement. Here's the comfort but with you there is forgiveness that you may be feared.
I Wait for the Lord. My soul waits and in this word I hope my soul waits for the Lord more than the watchman for the morning more than the watchman for the morning. No, Israel. Oh Bethlehem Bible Church.
Hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is steadfast love and with him is plentiful redemption. He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. What great assurance? Reason number seven why Romans 8 1 is important reason number seven is that we all still struggle with sin.
We all still struggle with sin. Let's go back to Romans chapter 7. We still struggle with sin.
Paul said.
Trustworthy deserving full acceptance this saying that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost Christians struggle with sin. It was Martin Luther who said Simul Eustace at Peket or using the Latin words simult simultaneously Eustace just are righteous at and Peket or I didn't say Pescado.
I said Peket or Simultaneously just and sinful. From one perspective We are completely righteous in God's eyes because we're in Christ Jesus and we have his righteousness. From another perspective We still deal with sin.
And so why is Romans 8 important is because we still sin. It talks about it even in Romans chapter 7.
Paul I.
Think as a Christian man as a mature apostle says things like this in Romans 7 15. I Do not understand my own actions. I Do not do what I want, but the very thing I do the very thing. I hate sound familiar.
I can relate to that. Sometimes I think sadly that's like my life verse. Now if I do what I do not want I agree with the law that it's good. So now it is no longer I who do it verse 17, but sin that dwells within me.
I Know that nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh If I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good. I want but the evil I do not want is what I keep on.
Doing.
And he says hauntingly in verse 24 Wretched man that I am who will set me free from this body of death. Probably alluding to one of the things that they would do back in the day if you kill somebody you murdered them.
They would tie the dead body to your back and you would not be able to escape and slowly that decaying body would get into Your system and you would slowly die too by the bacteria. Who will set me free from this body of death.
You ever feel like that? I feel like that Verse 25. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We sin and so we need to go back to this over and over and over. So we're motivated out of gratitude to say.
Thank you. I would repent quicker. The struggle is greater. I mean if I ask you the question, do you read the Bible enough? Do you pray enough? Do you sacrifice for other people enough? Do you love other people enough?
Of course, those are good questions to ask. We struggle in those things. Do we love the Lord our God with all our hearts so minus strength and a neighbor as ourselves even as Christians. No, but we want to we desire to.
So why is Romans 8 so important. Because we're in Christ Jesus and in Christ Jesus. God sees you dear Christian as he sees Christ and he sees Christ the perfect Bible reader the perfect prayer partner.
The perfect evangelist. The perfect preacher. The one who says no to every Temptation. The one who says it is finished. The one who did enough read enough memorized enough fully satisfied all God's claims.
You look at the promises of that great God. All that the Father gives me shall come to me and him that comes to me. I will in no wise. What? Cast out even though we sin as Christians. My sheep hear my voice and I know them Jesus said and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never Perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My father who gave them to me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one. Must we love Jesus? Yes, should we love our neighbor? Yes but when we don't.
We stand in Christ Jesus. There's no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. And lastly, let's end here reason number eight. It's important because Romans 8 1 introduces us to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
You can count how many times you see the Holy Spirit in chapter 7. I don't think you'll find very many. You can count how many times you'll see the Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 8. I think you'll find very very many more than a dozen.
And for a Christian who's struggling with their assurance. What do they do? Well, they look to the Lord Jesus by faith. They look at him first. That's the most important thing because he obeyed for them and died for them and was raised for them.
And then secondly secondly. Not primarily but secondly. They can say I wonder if the Spirit of God is working in my life. I can see the fruit of the Spirit of my life. I wish there were more but I can see the fruit of my spirit.
I can see love and joy and peace. And that's what force in Galatians 5. But here we also have the Holy Spirit's inner witness in Romans chapter 8 verse 14. Romans 8 1 introduces us to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and we could look at all of the Spirit's work in Romans 8.
But I want to draw your attention to this because it applies to assurance. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery verse 15 to fall back into fear.
But you believer in Christ Jesus even here today have received the spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry.
Abba Father.
When you're really hurting dear Christian when you're suffering when you get the news from the doctor. When the stock market tanks what whatever the big trial is in your life. Relationship issues. When everything's been said and done you try to solve it all on your own and figure it out all your own and then you're Just at your wits end and you think you know what?
God please help me. You know what? That's the sign that you're a Christian. That's exactly what he's saying here in Romans 8 15 when you cry out Abba father. And by the way that crying out is not like a little whimpering.
It's not like a little kind of tiny little cry. This is the cry that You've fallen. This is the cry used of a pregnant woman crying in childbearing and you don't know what else to do. And so when you're hurting and you fall and you fall headlong you say father help.
That's the ministry of the Spirit of God. That he's showing you that the only help you have is a father that protects and pities and provides. It shows you that you're really a Christian because you realize I can't get my help anywhere else.
It shows you you're just like your Savior Jesus when he cried Abba father. All things are possible from for thee remove this cup yet. Not what I will but what thou wilt. One of the great things about assurance is you see the Spirit of God working in your life.
And he primarily works by love joy and peace. Yes, but he works by saying God help me. Oh God, I don't know where else to turn. Remember Luther's mighty fortress is our God the song and though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us.
We will not fear for God has willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim. We tremble not for him his rage. We can endure for lo his doom is sure. One little word shall what? Fell him.
I think it's been eight years since I asked you what that little word is. So let me ask you now What's the little word? What's the little word that makes Satan fall in Luther's song. What's the one word?
Of course the Sunday school word is Jesus that always works back in the old days, by the way, I didn't like that when my kids would come into and Come home and I'd say would you learn at Sunday school?
Jesus Again.
Now I like that answer. Yep. We learned about Jesus every single week just like we learned about Jesus from the pulpit. Luther was writing in Galatians 4 and he tells us what the word is. There's a little word notwithstanding.
It comprehends all things though. I'd be oppressed with anguish and terror on every side. Utterly forsaken and cast away from my presence seemingly yet. I am your child and you are my father for Christ's sake.
The law scolds us sin screams at us death thunders at us. The devil roars at us in the midst of the clamor the Spirit of Christ cries in our hearts.
Abba.
Father therefore.
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Isn't that good news Christian. I Like mac and cheese, but I think that's better than mac and cheese. I Think that's that better than lobster mac and cheese.
These you don't order that unless somebody else is paying. And if you're here today, and you're not a Christian I hope you think through this. Because how many times that I say dear Christian you're not condemned.
Because I want you to know Christian you're not condemned. But if you're not a Christian here today, you're condemned, and if you were to die the second you'll spend an eternity In the wrath of the Lamb.
God rescues people like us and he can rescue people like you By not doing anything but trusting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus. And you need to believe on the Lord Jesus today. His offer is free and full.
You should have too many sins. Jesus is a great Savior. I can't stop my sins Jesus. Jesus is a great sanctifier. I can't do anything. I know that's perfect. So you can cry out to God. Lord help. And for us as Christians.
Let's make sure we have this as one of our. I wanna verses deep down in our hearts. There's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Let's pray father. Thank you for your word. Our conscience condemn us the world condemns us other people condemn us.
But those of us who are children of God trusting in Jesus alone for salvation. No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. In light of that increase our gratitude increase our Thanksgiving increase our holy living for Jesus sake.
Amen.