Romans 8:1-17

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  Romans 8:1

Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins!  Many of us have heard that blessed truth since we were children.  Because we have heard this truth so often, we may be in danger of becoming complacent in our faith.  We must pause often, however, to think about the wonder of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross.  Romans 8:1 says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  Wow!  Praise the Lord!  We a believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are no longer separated from God by our sins.  As redeemed children of God we can now live a new victorious life in Christ through the Holy Spirit!  Through Jesus Christ Romans 8:2b tells us we are now governed by "the spirit of life," and we are set "free from the law of sin and death."

Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, Romans 8:4b tells us that we now have the power to "not live according to the sinful nature, but according to the Spirit."  Romans 8:5 goes on to tell us that in gratitude for what the Lord Jesus had done for us we must have our "minds set on what the Spirit desires" and not on what our sinful natures desires. 

Living for the Lord leads to life, peace, security, and joy.  We as children of God are controlled by the Holy Spirit.  We have Christ's resurrection power in us to live for God.  We will always struggle against sin until we go to be with the Lord, but we have the Holy Spirit's power within us to choose to reject sin and to live for God.  Romans 8:13-14 tells us that we have a responsibility to "put to death the misdeeds of the body" and to live lives "led by the Spirit of God."

There are wonderful blessings in living a Holy Spirit controlled life.  We are no longer a slave of anxiety, fear, or sin!  We are now sons and daughters of God!  The Holy Spirit in our hearts now "testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Romans 8:16b)"  When we are going through difficult times in our lives we can call on our heavenly Father.  Romans 8:15b reminds us that we can cry out to Him saying, "Abba, Father."  The cry "Abba Father" is not the cry of a Christian at his or her highest level of spiritual experience.  It is the cry of a child of God who is hurting.  It is a desperate plea of child of God who is crying, "Heavenly Daddy, help me!"  It is at this point of need that the Holy Spirit helps us and confirms that we are children of God!

Finally, there is yet another blessing we receive in being a child of God and living Holy Spirit controlled lives.  Romans 8:17 tells us that we are "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ!"  All the riches and blessings of an eternity with the Lord are available to us through Christ Jesus!  All of God's promises, strength, power, and grace are always with us.  All of God's love, mercy, peace, and joy are at our disposal.  All that belongs to God, the Father, also belong to Jesus Christ and to us as His "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ!"  We must be diligent in God's Word and in prayer so that we are not spiritual paupers and overlook any part of what we possess in Christ Jesus.  There is victory and not condemnation for a child of God!  Let us live our lives in the center of the will of God through the Holy Spirit's power!