Instructions for the Christian life

Dr Thorpe looks at the basic instructions for the Christian walk in Romans 8.

By Dr Sam Thorpe

The Bible gives us instructions so we can know which are the good ways and which are not.

Have any of you ever done anything wrong? Have you ever felt that someone has done something wrong to you? Often we feel guilty not only for what we’ve done wrong, but because someone has done something to us which perhaps we feel we deserved. Well. Look at this ...

Romans 8:1

We are not condemned. That last phrase is not conditional. I want to talk about flesh and spirit. Hebrew writers had a habit of making parallels and contrasts. And Paul is a Hebrew. The way it actually reads is “The ones walking not according to flesh, but spiritually.” The contrast is between fleshly and spiritually. We are not condemned because we are in Christ – since those who do not walk fleshly walk spiritually. We’re there already. It’s not something to which we have to attain. It’s not a separate realm to which we have to get. Walking spiritually doesn’t mean that.

Romans 8:2

The actual wording here is “freed me”. You know how the law of sin and death operates. It’s a downward, destructive thing. People bound by the law of sin and death are bound. They have no choice. It’s a living death. But now we’re freed from that. We’re completely free from that destructive pattern of existence.

Romans 8:3

What’s the purpose of law? Several things. It reveals some aspects of the nature of God – things He likes, things He doesn’t like; things which are good for us and things which are not. Sin is an evil thing. We don’t tend to think of it that way until the law shows us – and then that should generate in us a tremendous amount of gratitude, because we have been freed from the law.

Romans 8:4

“Fulfilled” means to come true. The righteousness of the law comes true in all of our lives as we walk spiritually.

Romans 8:5

On the underground you hear “Mind the gap.” I’ve seen places where there is a sign saying, “Mind your head.” “Mind” here is like that – “pay close attention to; note; keep in your thoughts the things which are spiritual.”

The spiritual things are not in some other realm. The spiritual things are just the things God is interested in – His directions. So we’re not necessarily trying to have some kind of dramatic feeling about things. We’re just supposed to pay attention to the things of God.

Romans 8:6

So as we notice the ways of God, the things He wants, we should have a peaceful life. Holding the hand of God, we are peaceful. It’s recognising the life He has given us and living that way.

If you don’t pay attention to God and His ways, what will you pay attention to?

Romans 8:7

Without faith, it’s impossible to please God. Faith is not wish or hope. It’s not unknown, but what is known. Faith is assurance of the things we hope for, certainty of the things we don’t see. It’s not a leap in the dark. It’s assurance that everything God said will happen, certainty that all we know about God is true even thought we don’t see Him. Faith isn’t a lack of knowledge – it’s a kind of knowledge. “I know you are trustworthy and that you are there.”

God wants that kind of faith relationship of us.

Romans 8:9

Don’t determine to go out to become more spiritual. We’re just supposed to be minding the things of God. We are already spiritual. You are not fleshly. For us to think in a fleshly way is to think contrary to the way we are. We are spiritual, because the spirit of God dwells in us. If you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit lives in you – fact.

Romans 8:12-13

“Mortify” ... “make of no power, of no effect.” Make of no effect the fleshly practices. The naturally responses we might have to temptations – make them of no effect. Sometimes being a Christian requires mental discipline – here comes a temptation, but we’re not going there. “I’m going the way God wants.”

Young people – you realise why you have parents, beside the fact you can’t cook? We have parents to discipline us. Every human being needs discipline. If a person is not disciplined by parents, then even as Christians they will have difficulties. Without discipline from parents, schools, institutions, younger people are running chaotically.

Do any of you have a strategy for temptations? Has anyone been in the military? Anyone seen a military movie? Once people are inducted and headed off to boot camp, they give them uniforms, they call them soldiers. But they don’t know anything about soldiering, so they send them to learn discipline and how to take orders. You have to learn ahead of time because you don’t have time to look for the manual when you’re under fire. You have to know how to respond – it needs to be a reflex. I had a friend during the Vietnam War who had a friend in the Navy Seals. He had been released from his service, and the two of them were in a restaurant. A waiter came by and dropped some glasses. In those three seconds, the friend had pulled out a weapon and was on the waiter. He didn’t think about it.

What do we do when a temptation comes? Do we have a strategy? When’s the best time to get up – when the alarm goes off? So many of us don’t know what to do when a temptation comes. We need mental discipline – I’m not going in that direction.

When fears come up, what do you do? What should we do? What does God like? He’s freed us from those things, so don’t go there – go here. I’m not going to the fear but to the faith, the assurance, the certainty. The same with worries or with general temptations to do the wrong things. That’s why we need to keep these things in our minds, so that it allows us to do what’s right, to recall that He takes care of us and takes charge of everything. I’m not going to follow the fear, submit to the temptations.

Romans 8:15

We are literally sons and daughters of God. “Abba” means Father – “Abba” is Hebrew, “Pater” Greek. Hold the hand of Father, jump in the lap of Father. It sounds uncomplicated, but that’s what it is.

Romans 8:17

Romans 8:26

We are never alone. We’re not set in a world to have to take care of ourselves. We’re not objects of affliction, not waiting for the devil to attack. He’s always there.

Romans 8:27-28

And we know that to the ones loving God, God makes all things work together for good, according to His purpose. He makes all things work together – you don’t have to try and do it.

Romans 8:29

He called us. He justified us – because of the sacrifice of Christ, He looks at us as though we never sinned ever.

Romans 8:31

“Sin” isn’t much used in the world any more. It’s always bad choices or stupidity. Because sin implies offence against the person of God. But if He is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:32-35

No one can separate you from Him.

Romans 8:38-39

Any objections? See how grateful we should be, for all He has done to keep us connected and give us this freedom.