ROMANS

MORE THAN CONQUERORS–ROMANS 8:37

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MORE THAN CONQUERORS
ROMANS 8:37
Introduction:
God having manifested his love in giving his own Son for us, and not hesitating at that, can we imagine that any thing else should divert or dissolve that love? In this we are more than conquerors in Christ. He has left us assurances such as the witness of the Spirit of God in our hearts; His Word to show us the way until He returns. Yes, we are more than conquerors.
I. WE HAVE THE VICTORY
A. We are the victors, 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1. Our faith is not destroyed, 1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
2. Our love is not diminished, 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.”
3. Our hope is not destroyed, Psalm 31:24, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”
B. It is more than simple triumph, Psalm 47:1, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”
1. It augments our faith, 2 Peter 1:5, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”
2. It increases our strength, Psalm 105:24, “And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.”
3. It expands our love to Christ, 1 John 4:17, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”
II. WE ARE MORE THAN JUST CONQUERORS
A. It is the LORD who gives us the victory, 2 Corinthians 2:14, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”
1. We haven’t accomplished this ourselves, 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2. The glory belongs to our Savior, Hebrews 1:3, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”
B. Our great enemy is swallowed up in victory, 1 Corinthians 15:54, “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
III. WE ARE CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US
A. God loved us first, 1 John 4:19, “We love him, because he first loved us.”
1. He gave us His only begotten Son, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
2. He is the propitiation [that which made us favorable to God] for our sins, 1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
B. Through His love we have overcome the world, 1 John 5:5, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
1. Our faith in Jesus Christ has overcome the world, 1 John 5:4, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
2. It is Christ that lives in us that enables us to get the victory, Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
3. He has washed us in His own blood, Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,”
C. For this reason Christ will present us faultless before God’s throne, Jude 1:24, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,”
1. Our victory is that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
2. Because of His victory on the Cross we will stand with great joy before our heavenly Father, 1 Peter 1:8, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”
CONCLUSION
The victory is His because we were lost and undone when He found us. 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

LIVING BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT–ROMANS 8:1-14

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LIVING BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
ROMANS 8:1-14

Introduction:

The Believer has the ability to live a successful life that is pleasing the God because he has the Spirit of God living within him. Even the Lord conceded that the flesh is weak, Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We don’t have to be superhuman to live for the Lord. We just need to follow His Word and obey His commands because we have been redeemed from sin.

I. WE ARE NOT UNDER CONDEMNATION ANY LONGER

Romans 8:1-14, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

A. We are free from the law of sin and death, Romans 8:2-5, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

1. What the Law could not do, Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”

2. Christ fulfilled the Law, Romans 8:4, “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

3. Therefore we are to keep on being mindful of the things of the Spirit, Romans 8:5, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

a. There is a conflict, Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

b. The Spiritual Man seeks those things from above, Colossians 3:2, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

B. We are to be spiritually minded, Romans 8:6-8, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

1. The flesh cannot please God, Romans 8:8, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

a. A premature death can come when we live after the flesh, Romans 8:13, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:” but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

b. Living through the Spirit is more desirable, Ephesians 4:30-31, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”

2. A Believer is not “in the flesh,” Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

a. You are not controlled by your sinful nature, but by the Spirit of God, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

b. The Spirit verifies that we are the His children, Romans 8:16, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”

3. We are in Christ and therefore dead to sin, Romans 8:10, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

II. AT HIS COMING CHRIST WILL QUICKEN OUR MORTAL BODIES

Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

A. Therefore we have an obligation NOT to live after the flesh, Romans 8:12, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.”

1. Our responsibility is a POSITIVE one, —to live each day in the control and power of the Holy Spirit.

2. We are to deny ungodliness, Titus 2:12, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”

a. To live soberly [ with a sound mind ], 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

b. To live righteously [ trusting God ], Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

c. To live godly [ holy ], 1 Peter 1:15-16, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

B. Living in the flesh grieves [offends ] the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

1. The things that offend, Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”

2. The things that please Him, Ephesians 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

CONCLUSION

Living for the Lord is done through the power of the Spirit of Christ that lives within us.

GOD’S MERCYSEAT–ROMANS 3:23-26

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GOD’S MERCYSEAT
ROMANS 3:23-26
Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

Introduction:

The Apostle Paul says that the God of Heaven has foreordained Jesus Christ to be the means by which every man can receive forgiveness of his sins.

The words of this verse have a tremendous message of God’s grace to man. It show how God in His wisdom set forth His plan of redemption for mankind and all of it is through faith in the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ.

I. CHRIST WAS “SET FORTH” TO BE

THE MERCY-SEAT OF GOD

A. God the Father foreordained Jesus to be the Mercy-seat of God, Acts 2:23, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:”

1. The prophets of God had written of it, Acts 3:18, “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.”

2. God had determined it, Acts 4:28, “For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.”

B. God had foreordained that the Blood of Christ would appease His wrath, 1 Peter 1:18-20, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”

1. Redemption is not by corruptible things, Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

2. Redemption is by the pure, precious blood of the Lamb of God, John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

C. God has determined that even Christ rejecters will ultimately worship Him, Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

II. GOD FOREORDAINED CHRIST “TO BE” OUR PROPITIATION

A. He alone is the propitiation for our sins, 1 John 2:2, “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

B. This looks back to the whole history of human sin before it was judged at the cross, Isaiah 53:11, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

C. This demonstrates God’s love for mankind, 1 John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

III. THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD

A. God has determined that the Blood of Christ shall be brought within the Vail of God’s presence, Leviticus 16:15, “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:”

IV. TO DECLARE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

A. David speaks of future declarations of the Lord’s righteousness, Psalms 22:31, “They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.”

B. Paul declares the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, Romans 3:26, “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

C. Even the heavens declare His righteous, Psalms 50:6, “And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself.”

V. FOR REMISSION (PASSING OVER) OF SINS

A. Every man is a sinner, Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

B. But through This Man there is forgiveness of sins, Acts 13:38, “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:”

C. Through Jesus all that believe are justified from all things, Acts 13:39, “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

1. Now is the time to repent, Acts 17:30, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”

2. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

D. Through Jesus there is peace with God, Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

CONCLUSION

The Apostle has in his mind a picture of what God has done for man in the giving of His Only Begotten Son to die on Calvary in order to pay the sin-debt of every man who will receive Him as Savior.

Are you among those who have received Jesus as your Savior?

CHANGE TO PLEASE GOD–ROMANS 6:1-13

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CHANGE TO PLEASE GOD
ROMANS 6:1-13

Introduction:


God makes it possible for you to change your life after you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior. The following Scriptures show us how the Lord works in our lives enabling us to make adjustments in our lives in order to bring honor and glory to Him.

In salvation we were separated unto Him as chosen vessels, to become instruments of righteousness instead of tools of the devil.

I. WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING

Philippians 2:12-13, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

A. By obeying the Word of God.

1. Don’t let sin reign in your life, Romans 6:12, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”

2. You determine who you will obey, Romans 6:16, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
a. Choose to serve the Lord as Joshua did, Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’

b. You can’t straddle the fence, Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

3. Sin promises liberty, but delivers slavery, 2 Peter 2:18-19, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”

B. By allowing the Lord to do His good pleasure [to work] in your life, Ephesians 1:5, 9, 11,

1. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, v. 5, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

2. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, v. 9, “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:”

3. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, v.11, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”

II. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST

Philippians 4:13-14, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.”

A. Through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue, 2 Peter 1:3-4,

1. He has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, v. 3, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”

2. By His promises we might be partakers of the divine nature, v. 4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

B. Through the sufficiency of our God, 2 Corinthians 3:5, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”

CONCLUSION

The Scripture says, “Thy people shall be willing,” Psalm 110:3, “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.” Are we willing to do God’s will in our lives?

A WORLD OF ENEMIES–ROMANS 5:1-11

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A WORLD OF ENEMIES
ROMANS 5:1-11

Key verse: v. 10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Introduction:
Every friend of God before the time of Christ and today is a TRANSFORMED ENEMY. No man is a friend of God by nature. He is the enemy of God. It all started in the Garden of Eden. The reason why the world does not appreciate what happened on Calvary’s Cross, is that they have never yet realized what happened in the Garden of Eden or they are not willing to admit it. Man became God’s enemy there.
I. NO MAN IS A FRIEND OF GOD BY NATURE
A. It is the NATURE of man TO SIN just as it is the nature of a fish to swim. Ephesians 2:2, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
1. We were LIARS, John 8:44, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
a. By NOT believing God we make Him a LIAR, John 5:10b, “He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”
2. We were children of disobedience, Ephesians 2:2, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
3. We were children of wrath, Ephesians 2:3, “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
4. We were condemned without Christ, 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.”
B. The friend of the world is the enemy of God, James 4:4b, “Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
1. The love of the WORLD keeps the love of the Father OUT of your life, 1 John 2:15b, “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
2. No man can serve two masters, Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (riches — where it is personified and opposed to God)
II. EVERY FRIEND OF GOD TODAY IS A TRANSFORMED ENEMY
A. Man who has trusted Christ as Savior, has been made ALIVE, Ephesians 2:1, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
B. He, who has trusted Christ, is a NEW MAN, Ephesians 4:24, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
1. He is to be CONFORMED to the IMAGE of Christ, Romans 8:29, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
2. He is to PUT OFF the OLD man, Ephesians 4:22, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”
a. The old man was CRUCIFIED WITH Christ, Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
b. The DEEDS of the old man have been put off, Colossians 3:9, “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;”
D. The NEW man is RECONCILED with God, Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
E. We have been TRANSFORMED from enemies to FRIENDS of God, Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
F. This reconciliation is BY FAITH in Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:18, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”
1. Jesus is the MEDIATOR between God and man, 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
2. Jesus made PEACE between God and man, Colossians 1:20, “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
CONCLUSION
NO MAN has ever been able to APPROACH God because of his SIN. That sin had ALIENATED him from the God of heaven. In Jesus Christ we have RECONCILIATION. PEACE with God has been made through Him. There is NO NEED to REMAIN the ENEMY of God for Christ has REMOVED the BARRIER by shedding His own blood on the Cross of Calvary.
By FAITH in Christ you can BE TRANSFORMED into the FRIEND OF GOD rather than the enemy of God.