Romans 8 verses 9-17

… My eyes were still on these verses as our brother was speaking to us, and I feel just impressed to follow on a little word. Romans 8, and verse 9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. It shall be that the Spirit of God will in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead, because of sin. But the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, for your head is not till the flesh to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die. But if ye from the Spirit go to mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear. But ye have received the Spirit of redemption, whereby we cry, Abba Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs. Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Just that section. I assure you I had no thought of this passage at all, till our brother called attention to it. And then as once I rested upon it, I just felt an impression to follow that word that he has brought before us. A word of conviction, satisfaction of being in right religion with God. This wonderful knowledge that we began with in our Christian pathway. Maybe not all at once as he reminded us. Some of us were dealt some difficulties. Few hours cleared me up. Some it takes a few weeks. But once cleared up, and in the knowledge that having safely, truly trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. Knowing that every question was settled between our souls and God. And thank God settled forevermore. So that now as our brother felt impressed to press that word upon us. It's not in the future. Not something we are hoping for. But as belonging to the Lord today. As those that have trusted in him, here we stand. Every implication of sin and charge completely removed from between our souls and God. And here we are right with God forevermore. But while following that out. The line that we had before us in the Bible reading. Seemed again to present itself from this chapter. I'm just going to indicate with the Lord's help. Seven new things that I think I can see in this section we have read together. The new things of which we spoke this afternoon. New things and that new man you remember. The Lord is producing me a new character. And the manifestation of the faces of Christ in this world. And with that in view. So I began at verse 9. But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit. If so bring up the spirit of God dwell in you. Now I'm going to suggest about that verse beloved. It's tantamount to new birth. Is the spirit of God dwells in our hearts? As he certainly does. He cannot dwell in the flesh. No room for the spirit of God there. Then must create a divine capacity. Formed in our souls. I suggest the only way that divine capacity is in our souls. Is that we have been born of God. That wonderful statement some of us were remarking about it yesterday. Very seldom if ever spoken of in relation to Gentiles. I think if you look the term of itself new birth. It all was set in a Jewish setting. And I believe the reason is. They had something to boast with in their natural birth. Hence the Lord said to them you remember. Don't you forget the sin we have here. God can raise up children of these souls. And it may be because that you did have something to boast in. In the first birth. That it was pressed upon them. That even new birth. How more outstanding than that man that came to Jesus. By night made it even. Ye must be born again. But while as we said I have not seen the term itself. In relation to a Gentile setting. Can there be any doubt there are friends. That if the spirit of God dwells in our souls. As thank God he does. For after that he believes. He were seen with that holy spirit upon us. Anyone here tonight. That hasn't been long on the Christian pathway. Remember there has been a work in your soul. Not only an objective work that we have been hearing about. But our Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross. But that you might have been capable of understanding that work. Your need in relation to that work. There has been a work in your soul that led you to say. You were not right with God. I think you know what it means by comparison don't you. Black outstandingly against white. And here is something in my soul. So new. So much of God. I hardly know words to express it. That exposes to me. There is something now in my soul. That never was there. Before I trusted the Lord Jesus Christ. A saviour. We have on the least doubt of course. Little though we knew it. We were born of God. Before we did trust the Lord Jesus Christ. A saviour. But thank God we know now. It was that work in our souls. I suggest from this little section we are reading. New birth. The beginning of our spiritual history. In this world. And so we read again. Verse 9 then. Ye are not in the flesh. But in the spirit. If so be that the spirit of God. Born of God. Will endure. Secondly it says now. If any man have not the spirit of Christ. He is not of his or not of him. This is where I see the link. With what we have this afternoon. If as we read here. Of the spirit of God. That's tantamount to new birth. I think we saw this afternoon. That the spirit of Christ. Is to produce new character. In every one of us. Think of us as we have said so often today. Able to live in this world. As Christ lived in this world. A sinful man like me. The role I have been good. That I can be fault and wrong. And instead of manifesting the features of Satan. The outcome of the old man. I can manifest the features of Christ. The outcome of the new man. Yes thanks God for that. And so of every one of us here tonight. Who belong to the Lord. The spirit of God is in our soul. Dwelling in that new capacity. That as the spirit of Christ. It might bring to light in our lives. And our service of God. A new character in this world. That's the second mark I think I see. Of this new spiritual race. That this chapter speaks of. And then in verse 10. We get a third one. If Christ be in you. The body is dead because of sin. On an account of sin. But the spirit is life. Because of righteousness. Here we have a third mark of the spiritual race. New life. How wonderful to have divine life then. In our souls by the spirit. Given to us sovereignly of God. As having turned in our being. Accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. To have these new things. How could we sin of God without them. This new life in our soul. The reproduction I do not doubt of the life of Christ. That has already descended. And might produce in me what is produced in him. Righteousness. Holiness. Faithfulness. Truth. And walking through this world. That God may look down. See you. Me. As a result of his work. Producing something. That gives delight to the heart of God. We for one time must have only grieved. The heart of God. But now given the life to him. And in the power of this new life. This new character comes to life. Christ himself. I do not doubt reprogramming. Based upon the fact of new birth. A completely new beginning with God. Hence then this new life. In verse 10. These things have just sprang into mind as our brother was speaking. Now in verse 11. But if the spirit of him. That raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you. He that raised up the Christ from the dead. Shall also quicken your mortal bodies. By his spirit that dwelleth in you. I am putting names to these verses of course. And this fourth thing I am going to suggest to you is. New power. We have often heard I think in our meetings. The distinction between power and authority. Sometimes you know men in this world that have authority. Perhaps a policeman. Meeting a riotous crowd. He's got the authority alright. But absolutely helpless to deal with them. Again there are men in this world with power. Power to cause destruction. But they haven't any authority to cause it at all. But we can manage it. We are not only brought into divine control. In divine power. In divine authority. In our souls. We have divine power to carry it out. Is there a burden in your life? A stumbling block before you? Is there something in your mind you think you'll never get over? Say my dear friend the greatest power. That was ever demonstrated in this world. Was demonstrated when our Lord Jesus Christ was raised out. From among the dead. And that spirit that raised him from the dead. Is dwelling in our souls. The greatest power that has ever been manifested in this world. Don't look at those stumbling blocks. As though there's something you can never get beyond. A burden you'll never get over. Well our friend you've got the greatest power in the universe. Dwelling in your soul. To meet all opposition. And to carry you on. In the service. In the service of God. Wherever that service may be. And whatever that service may entail. I don't know of course the life that you have to live. And what may the burdens before you. I know what mine are. But you have the power that I have. And it matters not what the burdens are. You can get through them. I can get through them. In this new power given us from above. I didn't intend speaking as long as this when I got up. So we go down now to verse 14. Another one. This fifth thing. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God. They are the sons of God. Why beloved we've got a new leader. Isn't it grand to follow the lead of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes that's what I think is here. As many as are led by the Spirit of God. They are the sons of God. I remember some years ago. Don't want to go into too many details. When somebody said to me. So and so should be the leader in our meeting. Not so and so. I said see my dear friend. I've never made so and so my leader. And I'm not going to make this so and so my leader either. Christ is my leader. Not any human being. However great he may be in this world. No no thank God we've got a leader alright. It's our Lord Jesus Christ himself. Don't be following men. By all means listen to men that can help you in the truth. And help you on the pathway. But you'll be sure that Christ is your leader. In this world. Leading you. Shall we quote the term. In the pathway of righteousness. For his namesake. And so hopefully on this list. We have a new leader. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God. Wonderful. They are the sons of God. Brought by adoption as we see a little further down. Into this wonderful new standing. Before God. Sons of God. Yes thank God we are. As those who stand in relationship with him. It is more a place of dignity. When in sonship as before our God. Led by the Spirit of God. We are. Sons of God. For he goes on to say. That we have not received the Spirit of bondage again. To fear. But we have received the Spirit of adoption. Whereby we cry. Abba Father. I'm going to suggest then about that one coming down to this sonship now. That's a new standing. That we have before God. Brought into this pathway. Capable by the Spirit of adoption. Of addressing God as. Father. Yes that's what it says. But he hath received the Spirit of adoption. Whereby he cried. Abba Father. Standing men before God. Not now as bond slaves as were under the law. I do not doubt what was in view. In this passage. But showing them that they have been transferred. From such a standing. Into a new standing before God. In the livid age. The dignified age. Sons of God. And are standing before God. And as we have heard. The law would never have given them. Hence I suggest for that one. A new standing. And now I bring the seventh one. As I come to write. In verse sixteen. The Spirit of itself. Bears witness with our spirit. That we are. The children of God. A new relationship. I just have these seven things somehow. Pressed upon me as our brother was speaking. This new spiritual race. Of which we have heard. Every one of us. Thank God in this. Doesn't matter if we were only converted last week. Thank God we are in this wonderful section. And all that we needed. All that we stood in need. I suggested to you. Seven new things. That we all received. When we believed the gospel. Now as our brother pressed upon us. Now to help me. Now to guide me. Now to assist me. In this world. And then just one more. Here I sit down. In the last verse. We read together. Seventeen. What is the gain then. Of being in this wonderful sphere. Not only now. Thank God in spiritual blessing. But he says in verse seventeen. If children. Then heirs. Heirs of God. Joined heirs with Christ. It so be that we. Suffer with him. That we be also glorified. Together. It means don't you see. That I am prepared to give up things. In this world. That I once found to my enjoyment. Things that attracted me. That I knew when I went on with them. I shouldn't be going on with them. I wasn't going on with God. But having been brought into this wonderful circle. Prepared to suffer somewhat. Giving this thing up. And that thing up. Why I sometimes smile. When I think. I tied my conversion to a cigarette. Kept it for about two days. I thought if I smoke that I am not converted. I didn't tell you I never did. Little things like that come along. Gasping for a smoke. No I thought if I smoke that I am not converted. Perhaps the first little suffering I did. In relation to it. It was only me. You may have something greater than that to face. At the beginning. Face it my dear friend. That if we suffer with them. Thank God he gives us the power. In the enjoyment now of the Christian circle. The end is going to be. There is some future. Thank God about this. Not only the present. Now that our brother pressed upon us. All that is true. At the end of the pathway. There is another world coming. The world to come to which we are going. And if we accept. Rejection with Christ and his will. And walk that pathway of faith. We are going to be with him. Like him in his glory. In the world to come. That if we suffer with him. That we might be also glorified together. The Lord help us then. To go on on that path. Till we see him. …