FREE AT LAST
ROMANS 8:1-13
Introduction:
Imagine what might have been if Adam had not sinned against God in the Garden of Eden. What glorious fellowship man had before the Fall could be ours today.
Now think of what God has done for man since the Fall. God was ready with the plan of salvation immediately. Man’s disobedience caused immediate spiritual death severing fellowship between God and man. The Lord was ready with His plan of redemption to restore that fellowship. He was ready to FREE MAN from his GUILT, from the FEAR OF HELL, and much more. Consider the following:
I. FREE FROM GUILT
A. We were guilty before God, Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
1. The whole world is guilty before God, James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
2. Every man has fallen short of God’s glory, Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
B. We are delivered from the bondage of sin and death, v. 2-3;
1. The Law of God caused us to know our sin, Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
2. We were freed by the law of Faith in the Son of God, John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
a. We are blessed whose iniquities are forgiven, Romans 4:7, “Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.”
b. We are blessed because God does not impute our sin, Romans 4:8, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
II. FREE FROM THE FEAR OF HELL
A. How can there be punishment for the guiltless? v. 2; John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
B. He who believes is not condemned, John 3:18, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
III. FREE TO APPROACH THE FATHER’S THRONE
A. You were unable to see the Father’s face, Exodus 33:18=20, “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.”
B. You could not speak with him, Psalms 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”
C. Now you have ACCESS with BOLDNESS by Jesus Christ, Ephesians 3:12, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
1. To the throne of God, Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
a. To obtain mercy, Psalms 13:5, “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.”
b. To find grace to help, Psalms 30:10, “Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.”
2. To present our petitions before Him, 1 John 5:15, “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
IV. FREE TO ENJOY THE PRIVILEDGES OF A SON OF GOD
A. The PRIVILEGES you might have enjoyed, if you had never sinned, ARE NOW YOURS because you have been justified by faith in Christ, vv. 30-31, 33-34, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
B. For we have AN INHERITANCE in Christ, Colossians 3:24, “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
1. Our inheritance is forever, Psalms 37:18, “The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.”
2. The Lord has made us worthy of the inheritance through Christ, Colossians 1:12, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”
3. Our inheritance is incorruptible, 1 Peter 1:4, “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”
CONCLUSION
We are free from the condemnation of unbelief by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. By His mercy we enjoy His great blessings and especially salvation through our Savior. Perhaps this poem will express it better than I.
A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear with thy righteousness on,
My person and offerings to bring:
The terrors of law and of God,
With me can have nothing to do;
My Saviour’s obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view.