The Assurance of Freedom

Romans chapter 7 really looking at verses 14 through 25. I been thought last operator Romans chapter 7 verse 1 to 13 of the logs go to chapter 8. Read the first verse parts as I go on through without know this is a very interesting passage of Scripture with people debate okay so should we shouldn't skip it. But this is a great thing about the grace of God shows us in our data life and if you struggle with the assurance of salvation sometimes because of things you have in your heart and mind.

This passage may help you see that Christ is battling for you and with with you to help you get through life. Okay, the two natures that we have Romans chapter 14 verse support chapter 7 verse 14 for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am a flash. So in the bondage to sin. For what I am doing.

I do not understand why am not practicing what I would like to do what I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do.

I agree with the law confessing that the law is good. So now no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me, for I know that nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not for the good that I want. I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want but if I am doing the very thing I do not want. I am no longer the one doing it. But soon, which dwells in me. I find in the principle that evil is present in the one who wants to do good for I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law and the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members wretched man that I am who will set me free from the body of this death, thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, on the one hand, I myself with my mind and serving the law of God, but on the other with the flesh the law of sin. So into the reading of God's word. See less preferable father in heaven.

Do you do pray that you would open our eyes and our minds to the glories of your word that you do not hold back on truth, you do not hold back on what you tell us to be true about ourselves and you not restrain your grace to your people.

Father Proctor grace upon us and give us understanding of the marvelous work of Christ, which he is wrong and what is given to us in him.

Father, bless us this evening. Through this review of your word. In Jesus name, amen.

You know when you read this passage of Scripture. There's a number of people that say on the one hand this part where Paul is talking about struggles with sin than the law of his mind, or the fact principle of sin in his body and his members that well. Some say that this means that Paul is talking about his pre-conversion days before he was a Christian. Others I know none of this refers to the time Paul is actually tell talking about Christians, things that Christians experience wealth of this reading, and William Henderson says that for the first four centuries verse for centuries. Most early church fathers thought yes this is Paul's pre-conversion statement, but since that time. Even Augustine changes. Massive notice talking about Paul's experience even as a believer in all the roof.

The reformers that's what they believe that that was what was happening that this is Paul's description of his own struggles, even after his conversion, and so we, what are two reasons for that is if you look at verse 14 and first and see Patsy Leavitt's yet 23 verse 14 it mentions that he is sold in the bondage of sin. In verse 23 mentions he's a prisoner of the law of sin. So he set that maintains the prisoners and save right. However, I don't know of any slave or involuntarily went there already prisoner the voluntarily when in so that's something to think about who would talk about that in a minute but as we look at this we we realize that there is a real struggle going on and I think that we can say this proposition for tonight is this is that Christ sets us free from the bondage and imprisonment of our sinful natures.

We still struggle with them but he sets us free from those things. Ultimately and one text that parallels.

This is Galatians 517. Remember that five Galatians 517 and here's what it says for the flesh sets its desire against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh of these are in opposition to one another so that you may not do the things that you please talk about the struggles that Christians face in their in their lives or something else interesting about the comments of the apostle Paul, as he talked about his own awareness of his sin things he had done in the past in his own condition. In the present so if you around A.D. 55. The what's the timeline around A.D. 55 Paul was writing his first letter to the Corinthians in chapter 59. He says this I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called apostles, because I persecuted the church of God, not he's referring back to time before he was a Christian, but five years later in A.D. 60 proximally that time Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus and he makes this comment he says to me the very least of all the saints was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ is not saying he's he's he's an apostle, he thought, even me. I am a lowly saints what he say, but then five years later, approximately A.D. 65 Paul writes to Timothy as a student, ministering to him and teaching him about the ministry and he says in chapter 1 verse 15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am for most of all, he's using that in the present tense. He sees himself as a center we are sinners and saints, saints and sinners hyphenated.

That's what I think we who we are.

So in the New Testament as you read through the books of the New Testament all the epistles that Paul wrote these addressing sins. The sins of the Christians. There is no perfectionism there. So that's why we read in Ephesians 610 that we put on the armor of God to battle various things or in Philippians 16 races. I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. And that is true he's talking about our growth in grace all along. So Christ does set us free from the bondage of sin and from the imprisonment of our sin natures that we we still deal with those.

So in verse 14 we have the main point here.

He sets the stage here as he goes through this.

He said we need to be assured that God in the Scripture addresses our struggle with our sin nature so you may have a struggle with your assurance of salvation.

Going through this passage in getting to the conclusion may really help you. So because we all struggle, but we we do struggle with our sin nature.

That's what he saying in verse 14 he says this for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am flesh so into bondage to sin.

So to think what the law is spiritual is nothing wrong with the law of God, but there is something wrong with me said there's something wrong with us in our sin nature remain, and seeks to drag us down and and put us in bondage.

So the commandments of the Bible, 10 Commandments, all of the word of God is good is holy.

It's true, is God's work inspired by him for our edification for our correction to bring sinners to Christ. It's it's all good, but it clearly makes it plain that the 10 Commandments, the laws of God are never a means of salvation never have been to the day that Adam and Eve verse in all saved by grace and looking towards the Savior came so Paul is making it clear that the fault is not in the law and salvation is not in the law so he talks about the facts and in this passage of Scripture. He's talking and speaking in the present tense is own experience is relating that to you. God's inspired him to to share and open up his heart to be very vulnerable before you and I and say that this is the struggles that Christians have even great famous Christians so the law is good, but we struggle with indwelling sin. Until we meet the Lord in heaven or in his presence.

Okay, so Paul asserts also that he is carnal, it means is simply that he has a sin nature. He still has his sin nature and so he could turn to James chapter 4 wanted to ask where the where is the source of quarrels and and and and strife among Utes as well as in here is in our hearts so the phrase sold as a slave are sold in the bondage of sin that that troubles a lot of people, but that that similar phrase in making me a prisoner to the law that that's Paul struggle that that's what our sin nature does to us is trying to entrap us because a slave and a prisoner that's not a willing event you're not willing to Paul is not willing to be enslaved by sin. He doesn't want his old sin nature to dominate him or influence him. So he talks about this and he talks about this for the first Christians in Corinth. He says brother and I could not speak to you as a spiritual man but as to mentor the flat-chested infants in Christ. He says that there carnal their fleshly nature is at war with theirs. New nature in Christ so we do not desire to be. Understandably not desire to be controlled by sin.

If you're a believer in Jesus Christ. In fact, Romans 614. Back in that verse set that part of the book it says this for sin shall not have the master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. You saved by the law are saved by grace and Sam will not be asked that same that's a great reassurance not only get the temp versus 1415 1610 through 20. You could lump all of these together and in one group and you could say this is Paul talking about the dynamics of our struggle. So we go through the end of the kindest, go down, one to the other and you realize you making different points about the struggles that you and I have with sin things that we encounter some is repetitious but he's he's driving it home. This is a Christian experience.

So, one dynamic is the deceitfulness of sin in our old sin nature has is doing things that we really hate and we really love about that is what he says every article had had this kind of experiences of I shouldn't said that just popped out of my mouth. Oh that thought come from was terrible or I should've thought before I acted or I should've done that. I knew I should've helped out but I didn't. That's the way we'll Christians had that experience. However, a lot of people have a similar spirit of the Christian sees their negligence or thoughts of their actions, their failures, they see that there are sin their sins they repent and they turn to Jesus Christ look to him now.

Non-Christian might have a similar experience, but they sound sorry about that… Is regretted that long but they're not turning to Christ and not repeating. So there's a difference in the way you handle your failures and the things are going on in your life so verse 15 says for what I am doing.

I do not understand, for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I'm doing the very thing I hate, that's just strong statement to say you hate or loathe the particular sin that does not come from the heart of an unbeliever Christian knows that the right and wrong and they feel it deeply. They don't want to sin but they know they do sin so is talking about the manner of being sold into slavery that something that Adam did to everyone of us from the very day that he and and and Eve took that fruit, but the sinful nature.

It does reside in us, but a Christian grieves over there sin. They read that they not only regretted that they would grieve over and they want they repent and they turn to Christ again is another dynamic that he takes says is taking place.

Not only do we hate sin, but in in our new nature as a Christian we agree without any argument that the law of God is good is righteous spiritual. We know that verse 16 but if I do the very thing I do not want to do. I agree with the law confessing that the law is so when I do, not what I don't want to do.

I, I, I, and what I should be doing. I know that it is sin and the converted person knows in their heart. I know internally that the law is good.

The believer agrees with the truthfulness of the word of God. They think they see that it came from God and his holy character and and God's word is true and holy and pure so one mark of a Christian you can say is this, they aim to be free from their sins. I want to be free from sin and I don't want to sin and the Christian has a God gives it given desire to restrain tried to not sin against God, but to please God, the desire is to be delivered from sin from the power sin that's was in the heart of the believer is 1/3 dynamic is taking place and that is believers we we got realize we as believers really do face the power of indwelling sin. We didn't have that sin in us. Paul is not denying his accountability here one person put it this way in one phrase there. He's using somewhat negative language when he says it is no more I that do it, but he's getting to the root of the problem. The problem he sees his sin is the fact of sin is the existence of sin is the principle of sin operating in the human heart. This is our problem. This is the world's problem.

Okay yes, Paul is really a man we really people that we do sin, we we willfully do so sometime in that I don't neglect. We do not avoid our accountability. Paul is making clear that we have two natures, there exists in the believer, the remaining nature, sinful nature and the new nature in Christ so we face the power of indwelling sin. We all did. So the but the problem really is that sin nature in us. That is another dynamic is taking place in verse 18. Believers know that they are naturally sinful, were descendents of Adam. So Paul begins by saying I know we know what is he know that nothing good dwells in me that is in my flesh for the willing is present in the but the doing good.

Good is not so at this conflict. Tremendous conflict and so we have a sinful human nature which we've inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. They Adam sold us in the sin he made us a prisoner of sorts with our sinful nature so believers want to obey and do what is good. I want to obey the Lord but yet they struggled with this remaining indwelling sin.

We know that sometimes we are not doing good.

We note so we are all effected affect it and I get infected with sin to describe it that way, we struggle with it and we fall and we we know and maybe just fell, and we've inherited that problem, but there is some good news in that verse. He says for the willing is present in the I'm I'm willing to do good wedded that desire come from it didn't come from a sinful nature came from his the new mindset that he had in Jesus Christ because it he's a convert. He has a desire to good good.

There's an inclination in the mind of Paul to do what is right.

Please Christ, because he has his new mind in Christ, and so we see the spiritual conflict does exist in believers. But God is graciously showing us the dynamics that work out in our inner being that he took of personality test is a problem of the personality test or whatever kind of the types. Those types of tasks accurately measure the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian, but really can't do that. But God is at work in God's love this incident and says yes your sinners to call you holy amended. Change your heart and lives. I'm going to let you this way and that you underperform a great set up on you to that dynamic is happening in the believer's life along with that struggle with that old sin nature.

God is so gracious to us that if you look at the fifth dynamic account reviews the existing conflict that we have in the in the Christian life. Verse 19 says this for the good that I want. I do not do, but practice the very evil that I do not notice Paul is naming this sin. This is this is good. He knows right and wrong.

His eyes are open, the believer wants to obey wants to please Christ. That desire is in there.

Maybe we could times, but it is there and but the practice of doing things. Menacing always and up as it would always come through so we know what is good and we, but we then act according to our sinful natures and we see that there is dispute terrible spiritual conflict at different times in our lives we struggle now. The third of the six point of this dynamic is the main issue widely. Are you as a Christian sometimes do the things you do, you and I do not want to do the things that we know our sin why we did well the answer is it's the principle of sin that sinful human nature in us.

Verse 20 but if I am doing the very thing that do not want. I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me that's a true description of the principal problem that we face as well, but be assured, if you are believer in Jesus Christ you're in the struggle we share some of the struggles we share the struggles together. We're not different. We wait we had this problem and we were reminded by the word in the spirit that oh yes, this is a center that is a sin and but this is part of our process. The process of sanctification.

God brings us alone any chips off the part that part of our life and makes us more and more like Christ. But is a process and so he's preparing us to meet Christ with heat. He calls us home or when we meet him in the air he's in.

This is a part of that process. As we as we turn more and more look to him, not verse 21 gives a sort of summary statement here it says that sin is present and that is our problem. Even though we know what is good. We struggle, we know what we should do but yet we understand what was going on that we look to Christ we run to Christ. Verse 21 says this I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good reality of sin is in this world and other some people who claim that they are they have become a Christian and Dave reached perfectionism.

I never hear an evangelist, got I got them as they are, but think mess things up over UNC Charlotte and he was declaring among all these people out there their listing to your declaring that since you become a Christian, did not send any I'm sure that really whenever well with the audience, but I mean the opposite about this is creating skepticism okay but he was sure he was convinced that he had matured in Christ, and he had reached perfectionism. Well, there's a problem with that. Think about this and went when the fall took place. The earth was cursed Storm's earthquake troubles disease United in Romans chapter 8 verse 22 tells us that the earth groans for the redemption. When Christ returns to earth is waiting for Christ to return because it's cursed in Christ you can remove that curse well then aroma 65 we are told that we had our physical bodies. We we we're waiting for our perfect redemption will waiting to meet Christ in the air we're waiting for that day when we will be resurrected from the grave. So we struggle with disease and death. Right now what those are those perfections so why do I think it if the world are struggling and if my body is not there yet. Why do I think internally I haven't seen that. I have no more sin that that's a perfectionism just doesn't match those things because there is no perfectionism in the side of heaven in the presence of Christ in a way we can be assured in verses 22 and 323 of this one thing that there are two contrary laws refers to this loss. Here are principles at war with each other in us so verse 22 states that Paul delights in the law of God that he rejoices in God's law and God's truth and we should make some comments on that. He says the Christian to the Christian the law is not a dead letter is not that note, we delight in the law of God because our hearts are changed and we know that were forgiven were not afraid of the law is is is good is good Protestant Jesus. Also, the law of God is in no sense a means of salvation never is that that's rude.

But the law of God is the ruling principle for the expression of our gratitude to Christ, we can see how regrowing how were not growing. We can see where we are both of the leave believer in the inner man in the in their heart of hearts. They love the law of God.

They are delighted like David was in the law of God, because God is gracious and it rings true. So Jesus was so specific about some things he says that we know that we sin, and he said that sin is personal and he said you know if you're causing sin, pluck it out in the hands calling us and cut them off. He stinking thinking metaphorically.

But sin was a real problem.

But now placed in the epistles of Paul is saying over and over again that the mind of Christ dwell in you have a new mindset. Your new creation in Christ as a Christian and Jesus specifically says my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow there is that insurance that we are God's children so that verse 23 comes back and it talks about what is it what is this law that is opposing new mind, it would mindset that we have in Christ. What is that law that's opposing our new nature in Christ, he says, but I see a different law in my members of the members of my body that he means in his flesh waging war against the law of my mind hear those two natures. The old sin nature which were getting rid of and which is being sanctified attended of and the new nature we have in crisis with a gift to us by Jesus Christ. Those two are at war. So one is the sinful nature trying to do try to captivate you kind of drag you off to sin against God, to war against your new nature to cause you to stumble and feel unworthy and guilty and so you say I can go up go back to Christ. But you can is it to blame you and pull you down and pull you away from Christ.

As with your simple work nature is his battle with anxiety.

The conflict is real but the great news comes in verses 24 and 25 of this passage of Scripture at Paula's complaint is prayer is crying out to God, and in these these these are asserting this assurance of deliverance is assurance of freedom in verse 25. Paul describes a conflict the spiritual warfare. He says I am a wretched man when I struggle with this sin in my life I haven't overcome it in a and I know what God wants me to do around struggle one particular issue right now. It's tough, but thesis is the struggle is rigid. It is painful because I love Christ because he's changed me is made you a new creation in him, so there is struggle does exist through the sinful inclination of our own self. It causes us spiritual pain if you're believer into constant pain.

Our sinful propensity to do to act in ways that we shouldn't.

That should cause us grief and is just grievous in our hearts and our minds and our natural tendency is to sin is a spiritual distress. We don't want to sin against God. We want to be more more pleasing to Christ. We want to be more like if we want him to rule over us and reign in our lives. Yet it's good to be honest and say sometimes where giving Indocin or wheat we we are struggling with this sin because that creates humility when I discreetly confess you know I'm struggling with this in that's good for me when I tell my brothers sisters.

This is a struggle and I didn't like that person said to me, and I struggled with my reaction that you want to be explicit, but you can be discreet and and we can say got up. Pray for me. I need the grace of God to get me through this conflict of this inner struggle that I have because we are all brothers and sisters, we are all in that same spiritual battle now remember what we saw this morning what we've said before, we we profess that we join the church. We profess that we are not perfect. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God justly deserving his pleasure and without hope, save in his sovereign mercy.

As for the court type of questions are asked before people actually profess Christ into joining the church so verse 23 that does point out our our sinful nature, and then 24 days as well, but 25 verse 25 teaches us to rejoice in the assurance of our freedom in Christ that we are set free the powers of sin in our lives. He overcomes for us all. Says I thank God. So when you see these things. I was on the road. I thank Jesus. What thanking them for we knew thank God that he has redeemed us. He is helped us and when we are struggling with our own sins.

The ones that remaining sin in us. He is there to help us that day we turn to him. So who has affected Paul's deliverance. What has affected your deliverance, Jesus Christ our Lord.

He delivers us Jesus comes to rescue us and he always rescues us these two natures, even in that very last verse Paul reiterates it again.

He says with Paul's mind positive with his balls mine is mine and cries his new nature. He serves the law of God and with his flesh his old sinful nature reserves the law sin that struggle goes on. But remember what Jesus said in John 834 very interesting versus East talking to a number of people who are unrepentant and he says to them, truly, truly, I say to you everyone who commits sin is a slave's mother was if you given over to sin. If you practice over and over again. Eight.

Your slave of that thing but Christ is our master sin is not the master of the Christian there is a huge difference. The very last sentences of verse 25. Reiterate this.

He says I myself Paul with madman serve the law of God in the flesh. What is the delivery who delivers him. Christ is set so we should be assured of our freedom in Christ.

Sin is not your master Jesus is your Lord. So when you pick this up and you say thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He is our Redeemer. He has set us free. He helps us overcome the struggles with our sinful nature. It is not ourselves is our Lord does that. So we should be assured of the power in the presence of Christ working in our hearts is at work.

So we rejoice in our victory over sin. He has won that victory and he is winning it for us so we can be assured.

Christ has paid all that what is needed to take away our guilt. We can be assured that Christ is the propitiation is taken away the wrath of God from us. We can be assured that Christ is our shepherd who is going to guide us and we're going to hear his voice and follow him. We can be usually Christ is our daily deliver from personal sin, we have a sin nature to battle. But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are victors to the proposition SKU at the beginning was this Jesus set us free from the bondage imprisonment of our sinful natures Christ Jesus assures us of spiritual freedom, less rejoicing that father we thank you for the fact that you have one. The victories you have conquered all those things that we are yet to conquer. You're going to lead us through than you're going to overcome them. You're going to sanctify us, mature us and we run to you every time we get the struggles you are Lord you are master. You are our key common rain Jesus we pray this in Jesus name, amen