Join Adrian Rogers as he draws a parallel between the laws of sin and the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Using the creative analogy of marriage, Rogers unpacks how believers can transition from living under the rigid demands of the law to the liberating life of love found in Christ. He emphasizes the importance of dying to self and learning to live in the Spirit’s power. This message is a stirring call to stop trying in our strength and to start trusting in the provisions of Christ, promising a life of abundance and spiritual victory.
Known for his unique ability to simplify profound truth so that it can be applied to everyday life, Adrian Rogers was one of the most effective preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here’s Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Many of us are not living up to our profession in Christ. A little boy had a dog and somebody said, son, what kind of dog is that? And really the dog was just a mongrel. But the little boy, proud of his dog, said he’s a police dog. And someone said, well, he doesn’t look like a police dog. And the little guy said, well, he’s in the secret service. Now, I know a lot of Christians who are saved, but they don’t behave like it. They’re not living victorious lives. And there’s something wrong. There’s something missing. There seems to be a gap. For example, the Bible says concerning the Lord Jesus Christ that we are complete in Him. That is, we don’t have need of anything in the spiritual realm in the Lord Jesus. But how many Christians would remind you of somebody like that? The Bible says concerning those of us who are saved, we are overcomers. Most believers I know are overcome. They are victims rather than victors. The Bible says, That when we’re saved, we have the peace that passeth understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory. How many Christians would you say, I know a man, I know a woman, a boy and a girl, a great deal of them that have peace that passes understanding, that have joy unspeakable and full of glory. Jesus said, if you drink of the water that I will give you, you will never thirst again. How many satisfied people in this congregation who say, I am completely satisfied in the Lord Jesus? The Bible teaches in Romans chapter 8, we’re going to get to the first part of that chapter this morning, that in Christ we are more than conquerors. Well, I wonder if we’re conquerors at all. And we could just go on and on and on and talk about what the Bible says we are and then what reality shows that we are. NOW, WHERE’S THE PROBLEM? I MEAN, WHAT ABOUT THIS CONTRADICTION? DO YOU THINK YOU’RE RIGHT AND THE BIBLE IS WRONG? SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WE’RE JUST GOING TO DUMB DOWN THE BIBLE? ARE WE JUST GOING TO ADJUST THE BIBLE AND LOWER THE BIBLE TO MATCH OUR LIVES? AND A BOOKSTORE MANAGER TOLD ME IN FLORIDA ONE TIME, SAID, PASTOR, DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME? SAID, A LADY CAME IN HERE AND WANTED TO KNOW IF I HAD A LAVENDER BIBLE. SHE SAID NEXT SUNDAY WAS EASTER AND SHE WAS GOING TO WEAR A LAVENDER DRESS AND SHE WANTED A BIBLE TO MATCH HER DRESS. NOW, NOTHING REALLY WRONG WITH THAT, BUT I GOT TO THINKING HOW MANY OF US WANT A BIBLE TO MATCH OUR LIVES, DON’T WE? WE WANT TO SOMEHOW BRING THE BIBLE DOWN TO OUR LIVES RATHER THAN BRING OUR LIVES UP TO THE BIBLE. UH, THE REGIMENT GOT OUT AHEAD OF THE FLAG, UH, THE FLAG, RATHER, GOT OUT AHEAD OF THE REGIMENT IN A BATTLE, AND THE MAN SAID, UH, SERGEANT, THE FLAG’S OUT AHEAD OF THE REGIMENT. SHALL I BRING IT BACK? HE SAID, NO, BRING THE REGIMENT UP TO THE FLAG. And that’s what we need to do in our Christian life. We need to bring our lives up to the standard that God has for us. The truth of the matter is that we are all of these things that I just described. We are overcomers. We do have peace that passeth understanding. Jesus Christ is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Amen. But somehow we need to bring the regiment up to the flag, and we need not to make the Bible match our lives, but to make our lives match the Bible. Now what is the key? What is the answer to this riddle, this problem? Well, you need to understand there are two key words. And first, the first key thing that we’re thinking about is what God does. We’ll call that provision. God has made provision for us. That’s one key word. But the other key word is appropriation. Now, God has made the provision for us. But that provision does us no good until we appropriate what God has done for us. That’s the reason I’ve called this message, Learning to Possess Your possessions. I think I can illustrate what I’m talking about and the difference between provision and appropriation. For example, the Bible says in 1 John chapter 2 and verse 2 that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins. That’s a double-jointed word which means satisfaction. He’s the satisfaction for our sins and not for ours only. BUT FOR THE SIN OF THE WHOLE WORLD. BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. JESUS DIED FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD. YES, BUT IS THERE STILL SIN IN THE WORLD? OF COURSE. WHY? BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE NOT APPROPRIATED WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS, RIGHT? THEY HAVE NOT POSSESSED THEIR POSSESSIONS. THAT’S THE REASON THE BIBLE SAYS IN JOHN 3, 18, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON HIM IS NOT CONDEMNED, BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED. I MEAN, PROVISION HAS BEEN MADE, BUT HE HAS NOT APPROPRIATED THAT WHICH IS HIS. SEE, PROVISION ON THE ONE HAND, APPROPRIATION ON THE OTHER HAND. OR LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE. Once you get saved, we are crucified with Christ. That when Jesus died, His death had our name on it. And so the Bible teaches clearly in Colossians 3, verse 3, for ye are dead, ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Now that is true about every mother’s child who’s saved. You are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Jesus died, you died with Him. Well, that is true. That’s Colossians 3.3. But Colossians 3.5 says, Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. The word mortify means put to death. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Doesn’t the Bible say we’re already dead? Is that a contradiction? No. What he is saying is, yes, technically you are dead with Christ. But practically, you must appropriate what you have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember when the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they were going into Canaan. They were coming out of the land of bondage into the land of blessing. And God told Joshua in Joshua chapter 1, I love this. He said, Joshua, every place, every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, now listen to this, every place have I given you. Not will I give it to you. I have already given it to you. Every place that you put your foot down, it’s yours. It’s already yours. It’s already yours. It’s already yours. Now, It was theirs, but they had to possess their possession. God didn’t say, if you put your foot on it, I will give it to you. God said, I have given it to you. Now go in and possess your possessions. Are you following me, folks? Are you listening to me? Now what I’m trying to tell you is that you have so much that you have not yet possessed. THERE IS GOD’S PROVISION, BUT THERE MUST BE YOUR APPROPRIATION. AND IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU, IF YOU DON’T APPROPRIATE IT, IT WON’T BE YOURS. I THINK I CAN GIVE YOU ONE MORE ILLUSTRATION ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO POSSESS YOUR POSSESSIONS. HOW MANY OF YOU, NOW BE HONEST WITH ME, HAVE BOOKS IN YOUR LIBRARY AT HOME, BUT YOU HAVEN’T READ THEM YET? NOW, IS THAT BOOK YOURS? Well, yes, but you haven’t possessed your possession. I mean, it’s doing you no good. It’s there. It is your book, but you have not appropriated that which is yours. So, remember, on the one hand, there is the word provision. On the other hand, there is the word appropriation. Now, with that in mind, in Romans chapter 7, we’re going to learn how to appropriate. We’re going to learn how to possess our possessions. Now, let’s read in Romans chapter 7, verse 1. “‘Know ye not, brethren? For I speak unto them that know the law, how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?’ For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth. But if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if while her husband liveth she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband be dead, she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.” Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Good night, pastor. What does that have to do with living victorious? Why did Paul, right in the middle of this passage, why does he start talking about marriage and divorce and dying and remarrying? What on earth is this? WELL, HE’S GIVING US AN INCREDIBLE LESSON, AN OBJECT LESSON. AND, AND I JUST, I’M AMAZED AT THE GENIUS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL. OF COURSE, HE DID IT BY DIVINE INSPIRATION AS HE GIVES THIS STORY. HERE’S THE STORY. OF A WOMAN WHO IS MARRIED TO A MAN. NOW DON’T MISS THE ANALOGY THAT PAUL IS MAKING. UH, THAT MAN’S NAME WE’RE GOING TO CALL HIM MR. LAW. MR. LAW. SHE IS MARRIED TO MR. LAW. NOW YOU KNOW THAT THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT. AND SO SHE IS MARRIED TO A PERFECT MAN. She’s married to a perfect man. Now, you might think it would be wonderful to be married to a perfect man. She thinks, I’ve got the catch. Man, I’ve got the best guy. I am married to a man, a gentleman named Mr. Law. And she says, what a wonderful, noble husband I have, Mr. Law. And Mr. Law is a very rigid man. Mr. Law has extremely high standards. And each day before Mr. Law goes off to work, he tells his wife what to do. He says, do this and this and this and this. And he says, don’t do this and don’t do this and don’t do this. She says, yes, beloved husband, gives him a kiss. Her intentions are so good, she’s going to obey him and do everything that he tells her to do. But in the course of the day, she finds out that she did not do everything he told her to do. And there’s some things he told her not to do that she slipped up and did. WHEN HE COMES HOME, HE CHECKS UP ON HER. HE FINDS OUT THAT SHE DID NOT DO EVERYTHING THAT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO, AND SHE DID SOME THINGS SHE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO DO, AND HE SCOLES HER. AND SHE FEELS GUILTY OVER IT. BUT SHE SAYS, I’LL DO BETTER TOMORROW. AND HE GIVES HER INSTRUCTIONS TOMORROW. DO THIS, DO THIS, DO THIS, AND DON’T DO THAT, AND DON’T DO THAT, AND DON’T DO THAT. SHE SAYS, YES, HUSBAND, YOU’RE SO WISE, YOU’RE SO STRONG, AND EVERYTHING YOU’VE TOLD ME TO DO IS RIGHT. AND THEN WHEN HE COMES HOME, SHE HAS FAILED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND AFTER A WHILE, SHE SAID, I’M SICK OF BEING MARRIED TO HIM. I DON’T WANT TO BE MARRIED TO A PERFECT MAN. I CAN’T PLEASE HIM. LIKE THE WOMAN WHO MADE UP HER MIND ONE DAY SHE WAS GOING TO PLEASE HER HUSBAND NO MATTER WHAT HE SAID. SO SHE SAID, SWEETHEART, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE FOR BREAKFAST? HE SAID, EGGS. SHE SAID, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THEM FIXED, SWEETHEART? HE SAID, I WANT ONE FRIED AND ONE SCRAMBLED. SHE SAID, ALL RIGHT. WENT IN THE KITCHEN AND FRIED AN EGG AND SCRAMBLED AN EGG AND PUT THEM ON THE TABLE. HE STILL HAD A POUT. SHE SAID, NOW WHAT’S WRONG? HE SAID, YOU SCRAMBLED THE WRONG EGG. NOW THERE’S SOME PEOPLE THAT YOU JUST CAN’T PLEASE. And so she says, I wish I could get out of this thing. But I can’t get out of it. I’m married to him as long as we live. I’m not free to go off and marry some other man. God’s plan is not that way. I’m stuck with this guy. And then she says, oh, wait a minute though. I’ll wait till he dies. I’ll wait till Mr. Law dies. And then when Mr. Law dies… I’ll be free. Because she’s been looking at another man already. That man’s name is Mr. Love. And she said, I’m tired of Mr. Love. I want to marry Mr. Love. But I can’t marry Mr. Love because I’m already hooked to Mr. Love. But I’ll wait when Mr. Love dies. But then it dawns on her, Mr. Love is not going to die. THIS MAN HAS AN IRON CONSTITUTION. AS A MATTER OF THE FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT HIM, TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS, NOT ONE CHOP OR ONE TITTLE WILL FAIL FROM THE LAW. SHE SAYS, HE’S NOT GOING TO DIE. I AM STUCK WITH HIM. AND THEN SHE HAS AN IDEA. AH, MAYBE HE WON’T DIE, BUT MAYBE I’LL DIE. maybe I can die. And then if I die, then I can be married to Mr. Love. I know what you’re thinking, how can a dead woman marry anybody? WELL, HERE’S A WONDERFUL STORY. HERE’S WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL IS SAYING. WATCH THIS NOW. YOU’RE IN CHAPTER 7, LOOK IN VERSE 4, WHEREFORE, MY BRETHREN, YE ALSO ARE BECOME DEAD TO THE LAW, NOW WATCH THIS, BY THE BODY OF CHRIST. HE’S TALKING NOW ABOUT THE DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, THAT YE SHOULD BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER, EVEN TO HIM THAT IS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THAT WE SHOULD BRING FORTH FRUIT UNTO GOD. Hey, is this not a great illustration? What Paul is saying is this, that yes, by nature we’re married to the law. And the law makes demands upon us that we cannot meet, no matter how hard we try. But when Jesus Christ died, we died with Him. We became dead to the law by the body of Christ. His death had our name on it. His burial had our name on it. His resurrection had our name on it. And we died with Him. We were buried with Him. We are raised with Him. And we have a new life. And now, friend, we’re the bride of Christ. We’re the bride of Christ. Isn’t that a good analogy? All right, now, here’s the first step now in possessing your possessions. Are you ready for it? Learn dying AND START LIVING.” THAT’S NOT CONTRADICTORY. LEARN DYING AND START LIVING. YOU WILL NEVER POSSESS YOUR POSSESSIONS UNTIL YOU’VE COME TO THE END OF YOURSELF. REMEMBER, THIS WOMAN HAD TO DIE. NOW, NOW, YOU SAY, WELL, I DON’T WANT TO DIE, PASTOR. WELL, I’M NOT BEING MORBID. I DIDN’T SAY JUST LEARN DYING. I SAID LEARN DYING AND START LIVING. Die to the old way. That’s the reason Jesus Christ said, if any man will come after me, let him take up his cross. A cross is not for wearing around your neck. It’s for dying on. You die. Well, you say, I don’t want to die. It’s the old man that dies. It’s the old woman that dies so that you can become a new person. Jesus said, whosoever will save his life shall lose it. But whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospels, the same shall find it. When we were a little boy, we used to play finders, keepers, losers, weepers. Did you ever play that? Where Jesus says, keepers, weepers, losers, finders. When you lose your life for his sake and the gospels, then you find it. You say, I’m sick and tired of the old life. I’m sick and tired of trying to please the law. I can’t do it, Jesus. You died for me. I died with you. I come to the end of that old way. Learn dying, and then you’ll start living. Now, I’ll admit, nobody wants to say, I want to die. You know, everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. Isn’t that right? But you’ve got to go through something to get to something. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOMETHING TO GET TO SOMETHING. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH DEATH TO GET TO HEAVEN. AND FRIEND, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH DEATH TO YOURSELF TO GET TO THE VICTORIOUS LIFE. THE REASON THAT SO MANY OF US ARE NOT FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT IS, VERY FRANKLY, WE’RE SO STUFFED FULL OF OURSELVES THERE’S NOT ROOM FOR THE SPIRIT. We have to come to the end of ourselves and learn dying. Learn dying so we can start living. I am not being morbid. I am being joyful because Jesus didn’t say, I’ve come that you might have death. Jesus said, I’ve come that you might have life. Have it abundantly. But not until you’re sick and tired of that old life. Not until you say, yes, Jesus, because you died. I died with you. And thank God, when you rose, I rose with you. So, we’re talking about possessing your possessions. Number one, learn dying so you can start living. Number two, second principle. You ready for it? Stop trying and start trusting. LEARN DYING AND START LIVING. STOP TRYING AND START TRUSTING. NOW WHAT THE APOSTLE PAUL IS GOING TO DO RIGHT HERE IS TO GIVE YOU HIS BIOGRAPHY AS AN EARLY CHRISTIAN. BEGIN NOW IN VERSE 7. WHAT SHOULD WE SAY THEN? IS THE LAW SIN? NO, THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH MR. LAW. GOD FORBID. NAY, I HAD NOT KNOWN SIN EXCEPT BUT BY THE LAW. HE KEPT TELLING ME TO DO THIS AND NOT TO DO THAT. AND NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING. FROM CHAPTER 7, VERSE 7, ON THROUGH VERSE 24, THERE ARE THREE WORDS THAT STAND OUT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ONE WORD THAT STANDS OUT MORE THAN ANY OTHER, AND IT’S THE SHORTEST WORD, IT IS THE LITTLE PERPENDICULAR PRONOUN, I. And I want you to listen to the many times he says, I, in verse 7. What should we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin but by the law. For I had not known lust except the law had said. Verse 9, for I was alive and I died. Verse 10, I found to be. Verse 11, deceive me and slew me. Verse 13, me. Verse 14, I am carnal. verse 15, that which I do I allow not, and what I would that I do not, and what I hate that I do, I, I, I, I, I, 40 times. He’s talking about himself. The next major word is the word law. And that’s used in this passage some 20 times. Now, what is the key? It’s Paul and the law. Now, he’s already said, all right, I’m married to Mr. Love. But wait a minute. Let me tell you what happens to this woman. She says, I can’t please Mr. Law. NOW I’M MARRIED TO MR. LOVE. IT’S GOING TO BE WONDERFUL. MR. LOVE IS SO KIND. MR. LOVE IS SO COMPASSIONATE. MR. LOVE IS NOT RIGID LIKE MR. LAW. THANK GOD I’M NOW MARRIED TO MR. LOVE. AND THEN DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO HER? SHE FINDS OUT THAT MR. LOVE’S REQUIREMENTS ARE HIGHER THAN MR. LAW’S REQUIREMENTS. Mr. Law said, go a mile. Mr. Love says, go two miles. Mr. Law said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Mr. Love says, love your enemies. Do good to them that persecute you. She said, man, this is worse than before. I’m out of the frying pan into the fire. I thought I was going to get better married to Mr. Love. And then she finds out. And here’s what I want you to find out. And here’s what most of us don’t understand. That a lost man… cannot keep the law of God, and neither can a saved man by himself. Now, most of us don’t understand that. We think when we get saved, ha, ha, ha, boy, I came down the aisle, I gave my heart to Jesus Christ, I got baptized up there in that baptistry, I am saved, hallelujah. I won’t sin anymore. I’m married to Mr. Love. We go along for a while, and then something happens. AND THAT OLD FLESH RISES UP. WE DO SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, THINK SOMETHING, AND WE SAY, OH, I THOUGHT I WAS SAVED. WHERE’D THAT COME FROM? OH, GOD, I’M SORRY. FORGIVE ME, LORD. I RECONSECRATE MY LIFE TO YOU. I’LL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN, LORD. AND WE FALL FLAT ON OUR FACE. We get in a preaching service and the preacher will preach. We get under conviction. We’ll say, I haven’t been the kind of a Christian I need to be and I ought to be. And we rededicate and we consecrate our lives. And we say, I will do better. And we fail again. And again, have you ever been there? I’ve been there. I think almost every new Christian has been there. And then the devil, you know what the devil does? Boy, you’ve got a real buddy in the devil. If you were in quicksand, he’d pat you on the head. The devil comes to you, and the devil says to you, well, maybe you weren’t saved at all. Maybe you don’t have the real thing. Why don’t you just lay out of church? Why don’t you just stop going for a while? Maybe you can never be like those other people. You find out that you don’t have what it takes. Now, folks, I’m telling you, that a lost man cannot keep the law of God. And I’m telling you also that a saved man cannot keep the law of God in his own strength. Here’s what Paul found out. Look in verse 18, For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. I want to serve God. I delight in the law of God and the inward man. But I find another law present in me. Now there are two laws I want you to look at here, beginning in verse 21. And folks, listen, we are just hitting the top. We’re skimming the surface. Listen, here’s Paul’s testimony now as a young carnal Christian. I find then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me. Anybody say, been there, done that? Let me see your hand. Amen. I find a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man. Paul wasn’t a hypocrite. He loved God. In his heart he did. But I see another law warring in my members against the law of my mind. The law of his mind was the love that he had for God. But there’s another war in his members, his eyes, his ears, his tongue, a war bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. So Paul says there are two laws. First of all, there is the law of sin. Do you know what the law of sin is? The law of sin is the law that makes you do what you do. You are a sinner. There is a principle that’s in you and in me, and it’s called the flesh, and every one of us have it. There’s not a one of us that does not have it. It’s working in us. I don’t care how pious you look and how nice you look. You have in you a law, a predisposition called the law of sin. It’s like the law of gravity is working all the time. You may not be aware of the law of gravity right now, but if it weren’t for that, you’d go spinning off this earth. It’s the law of gravity. It’s that downward pull. That’s what happens to us as we get older. That’s the law of gravity. And if you really get sick, it really takes over. I mean, you won’t be able to navigate. You’ll get down flat. And if you die, it’ll take over completely. You’ll just keep on going down and down and down. That is the law of gravity. And so there are two laws that are working constantly in you. Now what did Paul discover? Well, he came to a place where he was almost brokenhearted. And he says in verse 24, now here’s the man who’s no longer married to Mr. Law, he’s married to Mr. Love. And he says, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body or from the body of this death? Well, he asks the question, and thank God he gives the answer in verse 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That is, deliverance comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, let me tell you what this woman discovered who married Mr. Law. You learn dying so you can start living again. You stop trying and start trusting. Now the way, the way that you live the victorious life is not by trying. It is not you and the law. But God has provided a victory for you, and that victory is with the new person that you’re married to. That’s Jesus Christ. Now let’s go back. This Mr. Love says, go two miles. Mr. Love says, do this and do this and do this. But you know what she discovers? They now have a joint banking account. Do you know what she also discovers? That everything Mr. Love tells her to do, he just turns around and does it with her or for her. She says, this is wonderful. He says, I want the bed made this way. And he says, come, I’ll show you how to do it. I’ll help you to do it. He puts his hands on her hands and he guides her and everything she needs. Every demand, oh, listen to me, precious friend. Every demand of God upon your life is a demand on the Jesus Christ who lives in you. That was a good place for an amen. I’ll give you another chance. Every demand upon your life is a demand upon Jesus who lives in you. Okay. Now you see, listen, you can’t do it the sooner you throw up your hands and you say, Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this dead body? And then hear the answer. I thank God deliverance comes through Jesus Christ. Now, look in chapter 8. Notice how he says in verse 25, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. But now notice the change beginning in verse 8. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh. That is the old nature. but after the Spirit. And now here’s a new word that you’re going to find out. In chapter 7 from 7 to 24, the Spirit is not mentioned at all. But now notice the change of atmosphere in verse 8. There’s therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. FOR THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS HAS MADE ME FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH.” AND THEN NOTICE IN VERSE FOUR, THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT. LOOK DOWN IN VERSE NINE, FOR YOU ARE NOT IN THE FLESH, BUT IN THE SPIRIT. IF SO, BE THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL IN YOU. AND IF ANY MAN HAVE NOT THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, HE IS NONE OF HIS. SO THEREFORE, How do you live the Christian life? Friend, it is the Holy Spirit of God in you. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Now remember, there’s the law of sin and death. There’s the law of God, the righteous law of Moses. But there’s another law, another law. Listen to me now. In Romans chapter 8, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from from the law of sin and death. Now let me illustrate that to you. Have you ever seen an airplane, a big one? Of course you have. You’d think it’d never get off the ground because what holds it to the ground is a law. It’s called the law of gravity. But there’s another law and that is the law of aerodynamics. And somehow the wind flowing over those wings gives a lift to that thing and you can get on that thing. It weighs tons and tons and tons. But there’s another power that is greater than the law of gravity and lifts that monster off the ground. NOW, THE DOWNWARD PULL IN YOUR LIFE IS LIKE GRAVITY, BUT THERE’S A NEW LAW. IT’S THE LAW of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. To those who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. When you say, oh God, I can’t. You never said I could. But oh God, you can and you always said you would. And now Lord, I stop trying and I start trusting. And when you stop trying, And when you bow your head and say, I can’t. Oh, wretched man that I am, I can’t do it. But Lord, I trust you. Then at that time, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes you free from the law of sin and death. Learn dying and start living. Stop trying and start trusting. The third law is quit crying and start praising. Oh, wretched man that I am, that’s verse 24. We’ll quit that crying and start praising. I thank God through Jesus Christ. BEGIN TO SAY, GOD, YOU DIDN’T SAVE ME TO HAVE ME TO LIVE A FAILING LIFE. LORD, YOU SAVED ME THAT I MIGHT LIVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE. AND LORD, YOU HAVE GIVEN ALL OF THIS TO ME. AND NOW BY YOUR GRACE AND FOR YOUR GLORY, I, LORD, AM GOING TO POSSESS MY POSSESSIONS. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF EVERY ONE OF US IN CHRIST WERE TO REALLY LAY HOLD OF OUR POSSESSIONS? And not, not bring the flag back to the regiment, but bring the regiment up to the flag. Not to get a Bible that will match our lives. Let our lives match the Bible. Everything I’ve said today is for Christians, believers. This is not for an unbeliever. No unbeliever can live a victorious life. No unbeliever can have the Spirit of God in him. You’ve got to be saved. You’ve got to be saved. And to be saved, you must receive the gift of salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor, would Jesus save me? Oh, yes, He will. Pastor, are you certain? I’ll tell you how certain I am. If you were to come to Jesus in repentance and faith and ask Him to save you, and He didn’t save you, I would close my Bible and never preach again. I am telling you. You listen to me. He will save you today. And He’ll keep you saved if you trust Him. For the Bible says, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord… And if you need Jesus, I want you to pray this prayer. Lord Jesus, I need You. I’m tired of struggling and failing. I need to be saved. Thank You, Jesus, that You paid for my sin with Your blood on the cross. My sin deserves judgment, but I need mercy. Have mercy on me. Forgive my sin. TAKE CONTROL OF MY LIFE. SAVE ME, LORD JESUS.” PRAY THAT FROM YOUR HEART. SAVE ME, LORD JESUS. DID YOU ASK HIM? THEN PRAY THIS WAY, THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME, JESUS. I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE. I RECEIVE IT BY FAITH LIKE A CHILD. NOW, LORD JESUS, I’LL MAKE IT PUBLIC. TELL HIM THAT RIGHT NOW. I’LL MAKE IT PUBLIC. I’ll not be ashamed of you because you died for me. In your name I pray. Amen.
SPEAKER 01 :
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