Welcome to life! This past weekend at Frontline, Mike Kelsey kicked off the series on Romans 8 by giving the context of the book and diving into the first few verses of chapter 8. The profound reality for the believer in Christ is that from now until forever there is NO condemnation. When the apostle Paul feels himself torn in battle against sin he remembers the gospel and praises God that he is free. Paul sees himself as the wretched man he is and rejoices knowing that God condemned sin in the flesh of Jesus. Everything we deserved God poured out on his Son at the cross. Furthermore, we are free from seeking acceptance from God through good works.

Romans 8:3-4
8:3 For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 8:4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The Law couldn’t justify us because of our inability to keep it. Christ came and did what the Law could not do. He fulfilled it perfectly. This means that as believers God sees us through Christ. The debt we owe personally is absolved by the work of the cross. We are IN Christ. So how is the righteous requirement fulfilled in us? The law is now written on our hearts. The law is not over us but coming out of us. How does that work? How are we to become holy, loving people? It is NOT by checking off a to-do list. It is by being Spirit filled believers saturated in everything that God has done, is doing and will do. Instead of serving the law we serve one another in love. John Piper said “Love is the fruit of faith in Jesus.”

We now live in the newness of the Spirit. Our approach toward life is different from list keeping. We as believers have the Spirit in us and can have faith filled obedience that shows the requirement of the law being fulfilled in us. How do we deal with our tendency to think or feel that we are accepted by God through performance? In other words, when I see my own wretchedness and attempt to make myself better or make up for my failing what should be my response? As we move through this chapter in Romans I am praying that we all experience a greater freedom and clarity about the reality of the gospel.

Discussion Questions:

1. Read out loud Romans 8:1-8
2. In verses 5-8 Paul is contrasting two groups of people, discuss the specific contrasts Paul lists.
3. Does Paul say it is possible for a believer to set their minds on the thing of the flesh?
4. How does, “life and peace” in verse 6 correspond to Paul’s opening statement in verse 1 of chapter 8?
5. In verse 8, if those who are in the flesh can’t please God, how does the believer please God?