Welcome to the first part of our series, "The Champion."
Text: Romans 8:1-4
(Romans 8:1-4) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.”
The best news is our Champion has won our freedom.
Romans 8 is one of the most famous chapters in the Bible. Every verse describes what it means to live free in this new life we have in Christ. Jesus has won our freedom to live, walk, and grow in Him.
Overall Commentary: 🌎
Before diving in, it is essential to realize Paul did not begin with Romans 8. He has been building to this for seven chapters. One interesting fact about Romans is that Paul had not visited Rome before writing. This letter is likely the Gospel message he preaches to Gentiles when he first enters a city. He lays the framework for the Gospel like a master attorney arguing a case.
Here is a quick synopsis of his argument:
Romans 1- We walked AWAY from God.
Romans 2- God gave the law to show US HOW FAR.
Romans 3–Jesus won our SALVATION.
Romans 4- It is received by loyal FAITH.
Romans 5- Salvation brings JOY.
Romans 6- The power of sin has been BROKEN.
Romans 7- Now we grow into this new FREEDOM.
Romans 8- Walking in that freedom.
Because we belong to Jesus, we are free to follow Him.
The first four verses set the tone for the rest of the chapter by bridging between what came before and all that will come after.
Commentary.
Verse 1. Death to Life.
"So now..."- Paul is saying that we live in perpetual freedom because of what Jesus did. Our past, present, and future sins have been cancelled.
"No condemnation" - This is a legal term. This makes sense because Paul is writing to people who live in Rome. This is the political and judicial power of the largest empire in the world. He has been carefully building his case like an expert attorney. Now, he uses a legal term, "cleared of all charges." This means we are no longer guilty. It's as though there is no ability for "double jeopardy." We are completely exonerated.
"...for those who belong to Christ Jesus." - This is important because Paul reminds us that this is not for the world. This is not a universal salvation applied to all. It is for those who have come to Jesus.
Verse 2. The Partnership of the Holy Spirit.
"...the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin..." - We often focus on Jesus so much that we forget about the Father and the Spirit. This is not to say we should focus less on Jesus. That is to say, we should focus more on the other two as well. The Spirit brings us to new life and gives us the power to be free from sin. We say that "Jesus comes to live within our heart." It is the Holy Spirit that does this. It is okay since the Father, Son, and Spirit are all three parts of the Trinity. However, technically, it is the Spirit that walks with us daily.
Verse 3. The Plan of Freedom.
Paul lays out the argument in a short statement. We were in debt to sin. Jesus came and paid the price for our sin so we could be free to follow Him.
"...the law of Moses..." - It is essential to realize that Paul is not saying the law is bad. On the contrary, it is good because it tells us what holiness looks like. However, it was unable to save because that was not its purpose. Just like a COVID-19 test is not intended to cure COVID-19, it only lets you know if you have it or not. That was the weakness of the law. It was not yet complete. It showed the problem but did not provide the solution. The solution was found in Christ.
"... He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have..." - Paul is careful to make the distinction that Jesus had a body like ours and could sin just like we do. The difference is that He remained holy and did not sin.
Verse 4. Follow Him.
We have been freed to follow Him. We are no longer slaves to sin. We are children of God.
Bottom Line.
Romans 8 is one of the most hopeful chapters in the New Testament. It shows us what life in Christ is all about because of what our Champion has won for us.
God's Promise:
(Romans 8:37) Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, WHO LOVED US.
Brandon Cannon
